Robert De Niro Tells NYU Graduates: “You’re F*cked” (VIDEO)

[Baitball Blogger]

Robert De Niro delivered the commencement speech for NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts on Friday at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, and began by telling the graduates, “You made it… and you’re f*cked!” The actor explained to the graduates how unstable a career choice they made, pointing out how much easier their lives would have been had they selected a field like medicine, law or accounting. Watch the video below.

“The school of medicine graduates, each one will get a job,” De Niro said in his speech. “The graduates in accounting? They all have jobs. Where does that leave you? Envious of those accountants? I doubt it.” He continued, “Maybe they were passionate about accounting, but I think it’s more likely they used reason and logic and common sense to research a career.” He also poked fun of a few other professions, including lawyers. He said the law school graduates have jobs, too, adding, “But who cares? They’re lawyers!”

Though his comments were met with laughter, De Niro soon proved to have an inspiring message for the art school graduates. “You didn’t have that choice, did you?” he said. “You discovered a talent, developed an ambition, and recognized your passion. When you feel that, you can’t fight it. You just go for it.” The Oscar-winning actor explained, “When it comes to the arts, passion should always trump common sense. Yeah, you’re f*cked. The good news is, that’s not a bad place to start.”

De Niro then prepared the students for trying to land a job in the arts or, what he called, “a lifetime of rejection.” He said their mantra needs to be “next.” “You didn’t get that part? Next! You’ll get the next one or the next one after that.” He concluded his 15-minute commencement speech by telling the graduates, “I know you’re going to make it. Break a leg. Next!”

http://www.gossipcop.com/robert-de-niro-commencement-speech-nyu-graduates-video-fucked/

[virgdem]

1. NYU-Now You're Unemployed

eom

[NYC_SKP]

2. "“You didn’t have that choice, did you?” he said. “You discovered a talent"

I feel that way a lot, taking the road less traveled and the one that suits my skills, passions, talents.

K/R

[Baitball Blogger]

3. Be true to yourself.

And, if you are a good person at heart, the world will benefit.

[awake]

6. Well said & at the heart we are all good

The world will truly benefit when we are true to that heart of goodness.

"Polonius:
This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Farewell, my blessing season this in thee!

Laertes:
Most humbly do I take my leave, my lord."
Hamlet Act 1, scene 3, 78–82

[appalachiablue]

4. Good for De Niro and the kids choice in the arts. They'll make it.

I did it, and it was tough but I wouldn't have changed a thing. The learning, creativity and love for it gets you though life.

[C Moon]

5. I spent years trying to be a musician, and out of fear I began to build a computer graphics career.

I succeeded for 15 years in graphics and was happy. Then the crash hit. Not long afterward I was laid off, and have been working part time at best since (via freelance). Now my music skills are beginning to bring in more money than the graphics career I built—but not much. I was talking to a successful graphic designer a few weeks ago, who at one time had a business office with employees, and was doing well for a time; when the crash hit, he had to drop his employees and work from home. Now he said nobody wants to pay his rates and his sources have all but dried up, so he went and got a real estate license.

I was talking with my neighbor, a retired plumber, he nudged me and with his Scottish accent said, "You should have been a plumber."
I agreed with him.

Those are the only professions left to us now—and they are something to be proud of (I'm not shooting down being a plumber, accountant, lawyer or an auto tech, etc), but those weren't for me. And I feel like most of the computer related jobs now have gone overseas for lower pay.

I heard someone on the radio say that from now on that's how life will be in the U.S.: people moving from career to career.

Welcome to the global economy.

[Jefferson23]

7. This post is so thoughtful while highlighting the ever growing challenges people face. n/t