But experts said Mr. Christie's effective, animated speaking style was enhanced by the videography style of his aides.
When asked about some of his nonprofit pursuits, Mr. Weill becomes even more animated, speaking at some length about three groups in particular: the National Academy Foundation, a nationwide network of career-themed "schools within schools" that he founded; Carnegie Hall, where he has been chairman for the last 15 years; and the Weill Cornell Medical College.
Maybe it was his national reputation as an author and speaker, or his large vocabulary and animated speaking style.
Backed by the Rocket Train Delta Science Arkestra (featuring the Captain Beefheart alum Gary Lucas), the ringmaster, Mike Edison, began the evening with an animated spoken-word performance from his recent book "I Have Fun Everywhere I Go," and, like any good rock 'n' roll circus, the tone skewed more Bindlestiff than Barnum & Bailey.
The original "Creature Comforts," which won the Oscar for best animated short in 1991, featured animated zoo animals speaking the words of ordinary people interviewed about mundane topics.
For example, clothes lying on the floor may become dead bodies or a ceiling fan might turn into a "faery" with the blades as wings and the central bulb as an animate, speaking face.
Over the course of 16 seasons and 237 episodes, "South Park," an assault on good taste built on the misadventures of four crudely animated and crudely spoken boys, has entered every pore of the culture.
Comedy Central, which reaches about half as many viewers as the broadcast networks, had the most talked-about new comedy, the crudely animated (and crudely spoken) "South Park". Within months, it became the most popular series on cable.
Shakhrudi grew more animated as we spoke.
His face was animated as he spoke.
Goldfish incorporated an avatar — an animated human — that speaks whenever someone visits the site, goldfishsoftware.com.com
