Bill & Ted’s Tips on Giving a Most Excellent Multimedia Presentation

Want to blow people’s minds? Read (and party) on.

Most people think speaking in public’s pretty bogus.

Bill and Ted thought that too. Fourscore and seven years ago, they had to give a big history report (not a babe report) in front of the school.

But there was a most non-triumphant problem.

They didn’t know what they were going to do. They didn’t know what they were going to say. They didn’t know “Freud” was pronounced “Froid.”

And yet…they did it. They passed AND they totally altered the destiny of both Wyld Stallyns and the human race.

Yes way!

So if you’ve got a presentation, like ever, here’s their top tips to make it awesome to the max.

Know ‘Why’

Bill & Ted had to crush the history presentation to stop Ted’s Dad from sending him to military school.

That’s like…a major why.

What’s your why? To not get fired? To get…like…a promotion? To shoot your shot with Bill’s Stepmom Missy (I mean Mom)?

Know why. When you know the why, the higher you’ll fly. Or something.

Preparation, Preparation, Preparation

Sure, they had help from the most bodacious Rufus and their future selves. That’s okay, you can get help from people too. Look around your world — do you know people who have time or resources or the bubble gum to help?

Either way your preparation has to take a…serious turn. You can’t just wing it or do the bare minimum. Bill & Ted didn’t just crack open a history book.

They lived history.

They met them where they were. They learned stuff. They rescued the princesses and foiled medieval dickweeds.

They threw themselves into the project and they didn’t care what anyone else thought. That’s how you win good grades. And historical babes.

Don’t Just Read Your Slides, Dude

The jock guy who went on right before Bill & Ted might have been right about everything being more moderner than before. And it’s all computers, man.

But he was boring (till he said that thing about San Dimas high school football ruling). But that was the only thing that got a clap.

But on the flip side there was no doubt that Bill & Ted loved all the stuff they talked about. They were totally psyched! They jumped! They gave a righteous high five!

Bill & Ted went totally off script. They didn’t read from slides super-packed with words and sentences and stuff. They knew that you gotta show your audience love. Let ’em know you know they are there. Look each one right in the eye.

Not that eye.

Plan for Things to Mess Up

Strange things are always afoot. And not just at the Circle K.

When you talk in front of people, something’s probably gonna go wrong. You might trip up the stairs. The electricity might go out. You might be put in the iron maiden (excellent!).

Don’t freak out or anything- take it down a notch. It’s gonna be okay. Come up with a plan for what you can do if something goes wrong.

Use your charm and sense of humour. It’s okay to admit if something’s messed up. Shrug it off! The audience will love you anyway. These are your people. They want you to kick ass!

Let Everyone Dazzle

Bill & Ted made the most of their historical guests’ epic and unexpected talents. They could’ve tried to hog all the attention, but they weren’t afraid to let the others be their best, like:

Miss Of Arc got to show off her sword skills.

Bee-toh-ven got to go hard on the keyboards.

So-crates got all philosophical about how the greater San Dimas area fed his soul.

Napoleon got to totally destroy a game of Risk and not get yelled at by anyone’s Mom afterwards.

Ghenghis Khan showed off the radical sugar levels of Twinkies after he totally ravaged Oshman’s Sporting Goods.

One word: Pudding

Everyone got to eat pudding. That’s interactive to the max. It also fixed the audience’s problem of…not having pudding before.

Be excellent to everyone

The big lesson was always this- they were most excellent to each other and to everyone (except those royal ugly dudes). And that’s why everyone was excellent to them right back. And why Abraham Lincoln ended the presentation with the most righteous thing since a 69:

So use Bill & Ted’s tips for your presentation. It’s your time to shine. Don’t take it too serious. Have fun. Because life is short. And all we are is dust in the wind, dude.

Dust. Wind. Dude.