by Kelly

Her teachers told her:

“You have a narrow talent.

Stay in comedy.”

Sigourney Weaver

didn’t listen. She proved them

wrong time and again.

Now her goal is to

be a better teacher to

tomorrow’s actors.

“Mentoring is one

of the great joys of getting

older,” she believes.

Young actors, she said,

should get a degree. “Learn how

to read a story.”

“Learn how to see the

beginning, middle and end.

How characters fit.”

“Learn how to be a

good communicator.” Then

she paused and added:

“Art is feeling the

sharpness of someone else’s

experience.” True!

For decades, Sigourney Weaver has been a Hollywood star. While she continues to act, one of her newest endeavors is a small Manhattan theater called The Flea, which gives new actors a stage to practice and perfect their art.

Ms. Weaver recently traveled through Minneapolis as part of the Smart Talk lecture series. I had the pleasure of going to hear her speak.

As an official “Smart Talk Blogger,” I attended each of this year’s events and penned haiku about what each of the visiting speakers had to say.

Even though Ms. Weaver was the last of this year’s events, you can read all of my Smart Talk haiku and start planning to attend next year!

by Kelly

Ann Compton covers

Presidents and the White House

for ABC News.

She comfortably talks

of the West Wing, Air Force One

and Harrison Ford.

It was Harrison

who made her weak in the knees,

never a President.

She said, “They’re only

presidents. They aren’t going

to bite your head off.”

Ann Compton has covered seven different American Presidents from the White House for ABC News. She spoke in Minneapolis on Monday night. I had the pleasure of going to hear her speak.

On 9/11, Ms. Compton happened to be covering President Bush on his trip to Florida. She was in the room when an aide first whispered in his ear that the United States was under attack. Ms. Compton was the only broadcast reporter to then board Air Force One and fly into the unknown. It was interesting to hear her tale from this day.

Ms. Compton was in town as part of the Smart Talk lecture series. In May,  Sigourney Weaver will both come through Minneapolis.

As an official “Smart Talk Blogger,” I have been penning haiku about what each one of them has to say. If you think you’d like to take in the events yourself, I have a coupon code to offer: KW2011.

Read more Smart Talk haiku.

by Kelly

No matter how I

slice, her name won’t fit in a

meaningful haiku:

Isabella Rosellinni

Before a room filled

with women (and a few men),

she talked ageism.

When she turned 40,

Lancome sent her flowers and

flowers and flowers.

First she was flattered

then it hit her: the flowers

were for her funeral.

After 14 years

as the company’s model,

she was done–fired.

“The emphasis placed

on women’s beauty is part

of our oppression.”

Then she said, “I get

ofended when people say

you don’t look your age.”

“I’m happy to be

who I am. I’m 59.”

She continued on,

“You get the wrinkles,

of course, but you also get

enormous freedom.”

Finally she’s doing

what she always wanted to,

and that’s make movies.

Isabella Rosellinni, actress and super model, spoke in Minneapolis on Monday night. I had the pleasure of going to hear her speak.

I was delighted to learn about the newest role Ms. Rosellinni has taken on: film writer and producer. If you’ve got a moment, you simply must check out the two-minute movies she made for the Sundance Channel called Green Prono, which are all about the sex lives of insects.

Ms. Rosillinni was in town as part of the Smart Talk lecture series. In the coming months, Ann Compton and Sigourney Weaver will both come through Minneapolis.

As an official “Smart Talk Blogger,” I’ll be penning haiku about what each one of them has to say. Or, if you think you’d like to take in the events yourself, I have a coupon code to offer: KW2011.

Read more Smart Talk haiku.

by Kelly

Alison Levine:

“There’s no such thing as a storm

that lasts forever.”

smart words from the mouth

of an Everest climber

on a snowy eve

also a lesson

I’d do well to remember

in my daily life

Alison Levine, mountain climber extraordinaire, spoke in Minneapolis on Monday night. I had the pleasure of going to hear her speak. I was amazed by the photographs she shared of her Everest expeditions.

Yes, that’s right. Expeditions with an “s.” She climbed that mountain twice!

Ms. Levine was in town as part of the Smart Talk lecture series. In the coming months, Isabella Rossellini, Ann Compton and Sigourney Weaver will all come through Minneapolis.

As an official “Smart Talk Blogger,” I’ll be penning haiku about what each one of them has to say. Or, if you think you’d like to take in the events yourself, I have a coupon code to offer: KW2011.

Read more Smart Talk haiku.

by Kelly

To be a diva,

one must have a royal streak

and have a presence.

“Be imperious,”

so says the Divine Miss M.

“But don’t be hated.”

“You don’t have to be

a bitch, but you have to be

a prima. Be first.”

The Divine Miss M., aka Bette Midler, spoke in Minneapolis on Tuesday night. I had the pleasure of going to hear her speak. Now that I know her recipe for diva-hood, I plan to begin implementing it in my life.

Ms. Midler was in town as part of the Smart Talk lecture series. In the coming months, Alison Levine, Isabella Rossellini, Ann Compton and Sigourney Weaver will all come through Minneapolis.

As an official “Smart Talk Blogger,” I’ll be penning haiku about what each one of them has to say. Or, if you think you’d like to take in the events yourself, I have a coupon code to offer: KW2011.

Don’t live in Minneapolis? Smart Talk also tours Ohio, Iowa, New Jersey and Delaware.

View previous Smart Talk haiku.