experiments, and you know that I didn't know that because the 1001st
was the light bulb.
Every failed experiment is one step closer to success. You've got to take
risks, and I'm sure you've probably heard that before, but I want to talk
to you about why that's so important.
You will fail at some point in your life. Accepted. You will lose. You will
embarrass yourself. You will suck at something. There's no doubt about
it. That. I know that's probably not a traditional message for a graduation
ceremony, but Hey, I'm telling you, embracing because it's inevitable
in the acting business, you fail all the time. Early on in my career, I
auditioned for a part in the Broadway musical. Perfect role for me. I
thought, except for the fact that I can't sing. I didn't get the job
but here's the thing, I didn't quit. I didn't fall back. I walked out of there
to prepare for the next door addition and the next door edition and the
next door English. I pray I prayed and I prayed. But I continued to fail
and fail and fail, but it didn't matter because you know what is an old
saying?
You hang around the barber shop long enough. Sooner or later you're
going to get a haircut, so you will catch a break. And I did catch a break
last year. I did a play called fences on Broadway. But here's the kicker. It
was at the court theater. It was at the same theater that I failed that first
audition 30 years prior.
The point is, every graduate here today has the training and the talent to
succeed, but do you have the guts to fail? If you don't fail, you're not
even trying.