Shadowing Practice: Jim Parsons Does a Near, Far Titaníque Interview with Jimmy, Talks Meeting Ariana Grande (Extended) - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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They love you here.
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They love you here.
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We love you here.
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I love being here.
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Thank you for coming back.
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Nice and cool in here, Jimmy.
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It is, right?
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Crisp.
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We keep it crisp because we have to if you get nominated for four Tony Awards.
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It's hot.
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It's a hot, hot show.
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Very hot.
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And then we got to keep it nice and cool.
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That's right.
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Is this your first musical?
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This is my first Broadway musical.
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It really is, yes.
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And I have to tell you,
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this is the most fun I've ever had doing a show in my life.
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I, yeah.
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And part of it, I've come to a conclusion that now we've been running it for a while, why?
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I mean, like, first off,
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it is the most joyous production I've ever been in as far as, like, it's hysterical.
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Yeah.
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It's, the audience reaction is just amazing.
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And I thought, well, that's why I'm high as a kite every night when I leave here.
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I'm just like, ah!
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It's so fun.
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But, the thing that, now that we've been running it a lot,
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I am shocked by the consistency.
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Like, it...
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I've never been in comedy or anything that
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so consistently hit in the same places and always ended the show with this reaction.
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They always end in a way that, like, you're blown back.
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You remember the old, um...
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What was it?
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Is it live or is it Memorex?
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Oh, yeah.
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And he's being blown back.
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When those lights go out, they scream.
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It's every single time.
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It's like...
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Yeah!
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And it's amazing.
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But it's because the thing is so damn well put together.
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That's right.
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It is.
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It's...
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Yeah.
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Now, can you explain the play and...
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The premise?
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Yeah, the premise of the play,
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because that will set it up for everybody.
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Titan...
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Yes, I want to make sure everyone gets this clear.
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So, the premise is that Celine Dion shows up and says,
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I was on Titanic.
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And people say, well, that's not possible.
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And she goes, no, it is.
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And she begins to retell her experience of being on the Titanic,
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which just so happens to be the exact script of the movie Titanic.
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Yeah, it's very interesting.
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Gosh, it is funny.
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And is this the creator as well?
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Yes, Marla.
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Marla plays Celine.
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Constantine plays Jack, the Leonardo DiCaprio character,
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and Ty, who directed it.
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They're the three who started creating this 10 years ago.
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And that's what I was gonna say,
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which has been so cool.
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It has been through so many productions and basement productions and out-of-town things or whatever.
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Yeah.
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And it's why it's so finely honed now that we're here on Broadway.
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And, like, I didn't do anything until this.
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I just reaped the benefits of all this work they've been doing.
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No, no. No, it's true.
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You are crushing it.
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By the way, you play...
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I play Ruth.
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Yes.
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You play Ruth.
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Rose's mother.
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Now, let me zoom in.
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I'm not as pretty as Francis Fisher was in the film doing it,
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but I have a better hat.
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Yeah, no, it...
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Would you consider that a hat?
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It's a cross between a hat and a fascinator, I would say.
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It is a fascinator.
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And a bit of a big brooch.
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Yeah, what kind of birds are those?
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I believe that they're doves.
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I think that they could be about to fight or the other F word.
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There are three eggs in that basket,
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in that, what do they call it?
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The little nest?
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Nest, thank you.
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And both of the little birds are wearing pearls to match me.
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Come on.
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It's a special moment.
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That is fantastic.
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Everybody is raving about this show.
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Everyone's going to this show.
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I mean, backstage you had, look at this.
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Lin-Manuel Miranda was there.
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You have Ian Armitage.
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Ian Armitage.
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Who plays young Sheldon and, of course, Ariana Grande.
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And may I say, I believe...
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I believe this moment is me telling Ariana,
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you are the most exciting person I've ever met backstage.
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Is that right?
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Oh, my God.
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It is exciting, right?
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There's just something about her.
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I was like, not even a president can make me this excited.
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This is just thrilling.
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Yes.
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Do you want to know who comes to your shows?
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Do you want to know if there's people in the audience that you...
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I don't usually.
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This one's been a lot...
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I don't, again, I think it's because I'm having so much fun doing it.
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It's so enjoyable.
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And I really do feel so buoyed by the material and taken care of that I kind of don't mind knowing now.
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Yeah.
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But I can't spot anybody.
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I don't know if I have bad eyesight or what,
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but even my own mother was there with a whole group of her friends,
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and somebody else in the cast had to tell me,
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she's up right there.
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And I'm like, oh, there.
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Hello.
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I love you.
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Exactly.
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But I can't see anything.
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And are you used to the grind?
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Because I know we have lucky enough to have Broadway performers on our show.
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Yeah.
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And when they have it,
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like, tonight, you have a day off.
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Yeah, today is Wednesday.
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That's the only thing about this show.
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I like the grind of it.
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The only thing about this one,
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we've been on a schedule where we're off Wednesdays instead of Mondays as normal.
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And so, starting the show,
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like, your first day of the week is Thursday.
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It really messes with the mind.
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And we have this moment in there when Celine Dion first shows up.
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In unison, we all go,
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Celine Dion, what are you doing in this museum on a...
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Today it would be Wednesday.
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But the panic that goes through the cast right before they have to say,
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because it's like, what day is it?
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What day is it?
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What show is it?
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We're doing two shows on...
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That part's confusing.
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Yeah, so everyone says a different day of the week?
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Yeah, somebody will always say a different day behind you.
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Like, oh, who's wrong?
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Who's wrong?
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Me?
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Yeah.
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Well, I thought it would be kind of fun if we did a little game here.
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This is a...
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Well, since...
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Since the show is based on Titanic,
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I thought we could do an interview based on the show's closing number,
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which is My Heart Will Go On.
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Okay?
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This is a...
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This will be called a near-far interview, okay?
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Here's how this will work.
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I will ask you some questions.
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And when we hear this sound...
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Near.
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We have to get as close together as possible.
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Okay.
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And when we hear this sound...
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Far.
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The other word, yes.
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We have to get as far apart as possible.
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Okay?
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Okay?
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Does that sound good?
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I love this.
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Okay, this is great.
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We've never done this.
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This is the first time we're doing a near-far...
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Why would anyone have ever done this?
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I don't know.
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That's not the...
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I don't know, but let's start.
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Here we go.
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Here's the first question.
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Near.
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Just in time for Pride, Mom.
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What do you remember about the first time you saw Titanic?
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I remember there's a lot of celebrities in it,
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and they wore pretty clothes.
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And there was, like, I remember seeing them in that sex scene in the car.
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You do?
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You saw that?
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I saw that.
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And I remember things like...
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You were old enough to.
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I remember, like, Billy Zane was in it.
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And he's so attractive.
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Billy Zane was in Titanic!
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You saw Billy Zane in that?
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Are you talking to me now?
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Well, there's so many memorable quotes from Titanic.
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What is your favorite quote from the movie Titanic?
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Oh, it would definitely draw me like one of your French girls.
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I mean, that was it.
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That was a great quote.
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There's other clothes that are memorable.
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There's so many clothes I remember as well.
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Yes.
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The big question, what is it?
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What is the big question?
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You smell okay, by the way.
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Thank you.
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I had a mint.
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Do you think there was enough room on the door for both Rose and Jack?
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I don't know, but I know
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that two guys there would have been enough room for I don't know
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if there would have been enough for even four in this city.
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Oh, the Bodhorns!
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And the near-far interview.
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Thank you for doing this.
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June Parsons, everybody.
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Titanic is now playing at the St. James Theatre through September 20th.
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Tickets are available at TitanicMusical.com.
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For tonight, you're right after the break.
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Stick around.
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We'll see you next time.
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will practice listening and speaking skills through the engaging dialogue of Jim Parsons during his interview with Jimmy Fallon. The conversation is lively and filled with humor, making it a great source for English speaking practice. You will learn how to express joy, describe experiences, and discuss performances in an entertaining context, suitable for IELTS speaking practice as well. By the end of this session, you will have sharpened your shadow speech abilities, enhancing both your comprehension and pronunciation.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Joyous production: Refers to something that brings great happiness and celebration, often used in theatrical contexts.
- Audience reaction: The response from the viewers, which can be laughter, applause, or other expressions of enjoyment.
- High as a kite: An expression indicating extreme happiness or elation.
- Consistently hit: Describes a performance that reliably achieves a desired reaction or outcome every time.
- Blown back: A metaphor used to describe being extremely impressed or surprised by something.
- Well put together: Indicates that something (like a show or production) is executed with skill and coherence.
- Hot show: A phrase used to describe a popular or exciting performance that attracts a lot of attention.
Practice Tips
When practicing with this video, focus on shadowing the dialogue closely. Since Jim Parsons speaks with enthusiasm and humor, you should aim to match his tone and pace. Here are some specific tips to maximize your learning experience:
- Listen actively: Play the video multiple times. The first listen can be for understanding, while subsequent listens can be for mimicking pronunciation and intonation.
- Use pauses: Don’t hesitate to pause the video after key phrases to repeat them aloud. This will help with your fluency and ensure that you’re catching the nuances of the language.
- Record yourself: Utilize recording tools to capture your attempts. Listening back will allow you to identify areas for improvement in your speech.
- Focus on emotion: Pay attention to how Jim Parsons expresses excitement. Emulate his emotional delivery to make your speaking practice more engaging.
- Regular practice: Consistent practice is vital for mastering shadow speech. Incorporate this lesson into your routine, possibly through a dedicated shadowing site or your own practice schedule.
As you engage with this material, you’ll develop not only your vocabulary but also your overall confidence in English speaking practice. Enjoy the process of learning through one of today's most entertaining performances!
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.
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