Hong Kong comedian Garron Chiu gives advice on public speaking and how to conquer your stage fright

Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)

While public speaking is an important, practical skill, it is scary for many people. Thankfully, it is something that can be learned and perfected with practice, says Hong Kong comedian Garron Chiu.

Stage fright isn’t an issue for Chiu, who has been cracking jokes on local and international stages for over a decade.

“I will get nervous at times ... maybe when I was really young,” Chiu said. “But I got comfortable on stage pretty quick.”

Chiu moved to Hong Kong from Los Angeles at the age of four, attending international schools before returning to the US for university. Even as a teen, Chiu was no stranger to entertaining an audience, having joined theatre, band and debate at school.

Now a well-known comic in the city, he was featured on Comedy Central Asia in 2017 and won the Hong Kong International Comedy Competition in 2018.

Advice for public speaking

Even before hitting the stage, Chiu has a few techniques to calm his nerves, such as breathing exercises.

When on stage, the comedian recommended smiling since “you’re supposed to be the person that people like”. Stand up straight and look at the crowd when you speak.

He warned against talking too quickly or too much, as being concise is the best way to make your point.

“A lot of people talk 100 miles an hour, [thinking] ‘I’m saying all these things. I must be smart.’ Sometimes, you don’t have to say that much,” he said.

But one phrase you should say on stage is “for example”.

“This is the most powerful phrase,” Chiu said, explaining that it allows you to introduce an interesting anecdote and captivate the audience with a funny tale.

Another important point: don’t give up. Even if you feel frustrated or don’t do as well as you had hoped, stick with it because you won’t improve without practice.

“A lot of people, their mistake is [thinking], ‘I did so poorly. I don’t want to do another show for months,’” he said. “If I’m doing poorly, I want to get on stage [again] as soon as possible.”

Use the puzzle below to test your knowledge of the vocabulary words in the story.

Suggested answers

• What does Chiu say he does before going on stage? Chiu often calms his nerves through breathing exercises.

• What are some suggestions that Chiu has for people who are nervous about being on stage? Chiu recommends that people speak slowly and concisely, use the phrase “for example”, be friendly and smile.

• According to Chiu, what should you do if you perform badly on stage? He says you should go back on stage as soon as you can because practice helps you improve.