WILL.I.AM's comment on Einstein

[E Dawg]

Originally Posted by RonAyyyyyyyy

Just because everyone says it's bad to to swear, doesn't mean it is

Just because everyone says it's okay to swear, doesn't mean it is.

[RonAyyyyyyyy]

Originally Posted by E Dawg

Just because everyone says it's okay to swear, doesn't mean it is.

Darn it! Foiled again!

[dirtbikerxz]

Originally Posted by seg9585

You'll have to enlighten me I guess. Can't really find any good information on what meaningful impact he's had to promote STEM besides talking about how dope it is. If the point is to get the public interested in STEM then why is his only appearance about this at the FIRST Championship where he's preaching to people already involved? Shouldn't he promote it at every other event he hosts or speaks?

Originally Posted by Carolyn_Grace

Sigh. Let me Google that for you.

http://iamangelfoundation.org

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=will.i.am+stem

This is inappropriate... I know... but i have to say it, my teenage mind won't let me not do it...... REKT

[dodar]

Originally Posted by seg9585

You'll have to enlighten me I guess. Can't really find any good information on what meaningful impact he's had to promote STEM besides talking about how dope it is. If the point is to get the public interested in STEM then why is his only appearance about this at the FIRST Championship where he's preaching to people already involved? Shouldn't he promote it at every other event he hosts or speaks?

Should we invite Kanye West next year, or maybe Miley Cyrus? They have quite a few Twitter followers, are these the kind of people we want to aspire to be?

Google and Youtube are wonderful inventions.

[Mike Marandola]

Originally Posted by seg9585

Should we invite Kanye West next year, or maybe Miley Cyrus? They have quite a few Twitter followers, are these the kind of people we want to aspire to be?

Yes! They are both very creative and talented people and if they are genuinely passionate about the program, what is the reason not to?

[grstex]

Originally Posted by seg9585

You'll have to enlighten me I guess. Can't really find any good information on what meaningful impact he's had to promote STEM besides talking about how dope it is. If the point is to get the public interested in STEM then why is his only appearance about this at the FIRST Championship where he's preaching to people already involved? Shouldn't he promote it at every other event he hosts or speaks?

Should we invite Kanye West next year, or maybe Miley Cyrus? They have quite a few Twitter followers, are these the kind of people we want to aspire to be?

Try googling the i.am.angel foundation. Or read his Wikipedia entry. Or see some of the interviews he's given about FIRST. How hard did you search?

Or, you could go this route.

[dirtbikerxz]

Originally Posted by grstex

Or, you could go this route.

HAHA, that just made my day ;D

[Chris Hibner]

Originally Posted by Karibou

I agree, but I also still think there's a time and place for when it's not appropriate.

For the most part, I do agree with you there. I try not to say anything inappropriate around students since I try to respect how their parents are raising their kids.

But with that said, I turned out okay so I guess when something like this happens it just doesn't bother me that much (although I would say I was extremely surprised when it happened).

Then again, I also grew up listening to heavy metal, which I've also been told will turn me into a degenerate. I guess I don't have a lot of faith in what a lot of people say is going to make you turn out bad. I still love me some metal, BTW.

[grstex]

For what its worth, I'd heard just as bad in 4th grade, but I went to public school in a big city, so...

I want to try and flip this conversation a bit:

There have been at least a few posts saying or suggesting that other speakers at champs/other competitions are "boring" or "say the same thing every year" or "no one pays attention anymore." This isn't the impression I'd like to leave if I was a sponsor giving a speech. People respect genuine passion. And I know people get passionate about FIRST; I see it every freaking year! And the sponsors really care too! But when it comes time to actually talk about it and get excited on stage, it seems people dial it back. WHY????? You don't have to cuss, but if your company is investing millions of dollars in a program, act out that passion for us!

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jeff

I’ve been a mentor for 12 consecutive years and remained silent on Delphi, that stops today. Not many things make me angry, this did.

If William, Kamen, Flowers or FIRST won’t say it, I will.

It was WRONG and inappropriate.

Understanding the majority in attendance were kids raised on idealizing celebrities the shock factor was rewarded with a roar of applause. The crowds response in addition to all the positive supportive post greatly sadden me about we have become. If I have to explain why then our world is in worse shape than I thought. Was it a mistake that he wish he could take back? Maybe, if so he should say so. William boast about being from the hood, many are that are good decent role models. After Saturday I don’t recognize his accomplishment. Go ahead vulgarity supporters and rip me up if you'd like, I can take.

FIRST is supposed to change the culture, It appears the culture is changing FIRST.

Mr. Jeff Sparky 384

My comments do not reflect the opinion of my team.

I'm going to agree and disagree here.

I do think Will's comments were sincere if colorful. There are only so many ways to express what he did with the energy he did, so he went with the most common (if not necessarily appropriate) one. In what is an increasingly-scripted Einstein, this was a genuine shock--which was probably part of the rousing applause from even Dean and Dave. It's certainly not something FIRST should stick on the highlight reel, and I hope Dean was clever enough to find a swear jar afterward, but it's not the end of the world.

That said, I remember 2007 when Dean came to South Carolina for a benefit dinner and met beforehand with local FRC teams. He gave a talk (perhaps the best talk I've ever seen from him) about what's become the Slingshot and the stirling engine projects, the latter of which can be powered by burning cow patties. So guess what was on that slide? An oh-so-slightly-greeked version of one word Will said on Saturday night. That, too, was not the end of the world.

Use it as a teachable moment, smile at one of those moments that will become part of FIRST's oral history (Mandy Moore, how 'ya doing?), and get back to building robots if it bothers you so.

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by seg9585

You'll have to enlighten me I guess. Can't really find any good information on what meaningful impact he's had to promote STEM besides talking about how dope it is. If the point is to get the public interested in STEM then why is his only appearance about this at the FIRST Championship where he's preaching to people already involved? Shouldn't he promote it at every other event he hosts or speaks?

Should we invite Kanye West next year, or maybe Miley Cyrus? They have quite a few Twitter followers, are these the kind of people we want to aspire to be?

His foundation claims 15 teams of funding. I recall a team picture that had the logo on the banner, but it's not in TIMS--so call it at least anecdotal confirmation.

Coca-Cola had already been around FIRST from the Atlanta days, but I doubt the Ekocycle printer collaboration happens without Will's involvement (remember, he was in the TV spots). Whatever you thought of the printers themselves--hey, we're giving out 3D printers where there weren't any before.

Oh, and dare we bring up the arm-twist of Intel (which he's also affiliated with) to bankroll the I Am FIRST telecast on one hour of prime time on ABC?

I'm not saying Will is perfect, or even the best thing to happen to FIRST (you'll have a hard time knocking Woodie off)--but he isn't just preaching to the choir.

(And if Kanye takes the invite, I'd welcome him with open arms...but let's invite him to speak at the mentor breakfast to be safe.)

[Jcarbon]

I really appreciated Will.i.am's comment. I think his use of profanity did a beautiful job of cutting straight through all of the buzzwords and marketing speak that we (and I'm guilty of this too) often end up using to describe the benefits of FIRST. Ultimately, his words concisely expressed the thing that I and many others really love about FIRST: how motherf***ing dope it is.

[Lireal]

Originally Posted by seg9585

Should we invite Kanye West next year, or maybe Miley Cyrus?

We already got Miley on board : https://youtu.be/vYuOKb3gO7E?t=28s

[connor.worley]

Originally Posted by seg9585

You'll have to enlighten me I guess. Can't really find any good information on what meaningful impact he's had to promote STEM besides talking about how dope it is. If the point is to get the public interested in STEM then why is his only appearance about this at the FIRST Championship where he's preaching to people already involved? Shouldn't he promote it at every other event he hosts or speaks?

Should we invite Kanye West next year, or maybe Miley Cyrus? They have quite a few Twitter followers, are these the kind of people we want to aspire to be?

I am sort of baffled by this. Both the total lack of research and ignorance towards changing culture.

[orangemoore]

Originally Posted by seg9585

You'll have to enlighten me I guess. Can't really find any good information on what meaningful impact he's had to promote STEM besides talking about how dope it is. If the point is to get the public interested in STEM then why is his only appearance about this at the FIRST Championship where he's preaching to people already involved? Shouldn't he promote it at every other event he hosts or speaks?

Should we invite Kanye West next year, or maybe Miley Cyrus? They have quite a few Twitter followers, are these the kind of people we want to aspire to be?

Did you listen at all to what Dean said that Will.I.Am has done for FIRST? It certainly sounds like you haven't.

This isn't just a random entertainer coming to our event.