Robert De Niro held little back when delivering the commencement speech at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts on Friday at the Theater at Madison Square Garden.
The veteran actor looked at those in attendance and told them very simply and straightforwardly: You made it… and you’re f-cked!
Explained De Niro:
"The school of medicine graduates, each one will get a job. The graduates in accounting? They all have jobs. Where does that leave you?
"Envious of those accountants? I doubt it. Maybe they were passionate about accounting, but I think it’s more likely they used reason and logic and common sense to research a career."
Sounds strange and depressing? De Niro brought the message home in inspiring fashion:
"You didn’t have that choice, did you? You discovered a talent, developed an ambition, and recognized your passion. When you feel that, you can’t fight it. You just go for it."
How does this compare to Jimmy Fallon and Dwayne Johnson's 1989 commencement speech?
Click on the above link to contrast the two speeches now.
