Ideas worth spreading

Four American characters

1,325,480 views | Anna Deavere Smith • TED2005

Writer and actor Anna Deavere Smith gives life to author Studs Terkel, convict Paulette Jenkins, a Korean shopkeeper and a bull rider, excerpts from her solo show "On the Road: A Search for American Character."

Writer and actor Anna Deavere Smith gives life to author Studs Terkel, convict Paulette Jenkins, a Korean shopkeeper and a bull rider, excerpts from her solo show "On the Road: A Search for American Character."

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

About the speaker

Anna Deavere Smith

Actor, playwright, social critic

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Anna Deavere Smith's ground-breaking solo shows blur the lines between theater and journalism, using text from real-life encounters to create gripping portraits.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.