My Writing Portfolio Spoken Discourse Analysis | Page 5

Ryan talks about the male genitalia for a brief moment and Jimmy swiftly responds with “yeah,
no, okay, okay.” Jimmy’s quick reactions and lack of a coherent sentence structure shows that he
is uncomfortable when Ryan uses vulgar language, and attempts to cover up for them and show
his discomfort by speaking swiftly and ramblingly.
The interview overall is incredibly entertaining to watch due to the fact that the two
people engaging in oral discourse are very hilarious personalities and consequently, their
conversation is utterly funny and engaging. Taking into account the topics discussed and the
presence of some vulgar words, we can clearly identify the audience that the show is intended for
as a mature one. Speaker support is clearly noted from both the speakers, and the questions asked
by the interviewer are mostly open ended questions and leading questions which make the
interviewee open up about some personal stories and answer extensively. The spotlight of the
interview is on Ryan, not only because he is the guest of the show, but because the questions are
formed in a way as to make him the principal storyteller, and Jimmy and the rest of the audience
play the roles of active listeners as they appropriately react to everything Ryan states.
References:
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (Uploader). (2015, September 22). Ryan Reynolds'
Baby Calls Him Mama [Video file]. Retrieved May 3, 2017, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2yftTmrA44
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