During a large dinner party one evening, Clarence Kelland, serving as toastmaster, rose to speak at the end of the meal:

"Gentlemen," he began, "the obvious duty of a toastmaster is to be so infernally dull that the succeeding speakers will appear brilliant by contrast..." An appreciative chuckle arose from the speakers' table. "However," Kelland continued, brandishing a list of speakers, "I've looked over the list and I don't believe I can do it!"