Our esteemed Webby judges are equally known for their sharp minds and quick wit.
Longtime IADAS member and Founding Editor of the Huffington Post Roy Sekoff is no different, as evidenced in his new book, Lacks Self Control: True Stories I Waited Until My Parents Died to Tell.
Members of the Webby community and beyond gathered to celebrate the online journalism guru’s book release, with opening remarks from Webby Awards CEO David-Michel Davies and Dotdash CEO Neil Vogel.
Read a few highlights from the night below.
“ Lacking self control means speaking up and speaking out.”
1. WHEN *NOT* AT THE WEBBYS, USE MORE THAN 5 WORDS
Sekoff is no stranger to The Webby Awards stage or its rules—in fact’s he’s graced it three times to accept Webby Wins for HuffPost Live.
Before diving into his book reading, Sekoff gave a quick shout out to The Webbys’ rule that all Winners “have to give a 5-Word Speech,” swiftly promising he wouldn’t be sticking to that rule for the evening.
2. A BOOK THEME, HIDDEN IN REPORT CARDS
While brainstorming life stories he wanted to share with readers, Sekoff discovered a “trove of report cards” his mother collected and realized his authentic message was hidden amongst teacher comments: “Roy lacks self control.”
But according to Sekoff, “lacking self control means speaking up and speaking out,” which has helped pave the way for many of his greatest accomplishments.
3. #OPRAHTEARS
We at The Webbys are anti-spoiler (you’ll have to buy the book), but Sekoff read a hilarious anecdote on the fateful day when he encountered both Oprah Winfrey herself, and her tears.
Looking for a great laugh? Get Sekoff’s new book Lacks Self Control: True Stories I Waited Until My Parents Died to Tell.