Speakers - do you watch the soaps and read the tabloids? You should!

Do you know who's been in tears about their looks in "I'm a Celebrity.." ? What did you think of "Day of the Doctor"? What's your view on Jonathan Trott's return to the UK? Do you agree with Russell Brand's call for a revolution?

These are the sorts of questions that your audience members will be discussing. It's popular culture, and my view is that speakers should know what's going on in these conversations. I'm often surprised when I hear speakers say on stage "I don't watch television - it's all rubbish" or "Sport is boring". That may be your personal view, but it doesn't help to make a connection. I prefer Borgen to Corrie and I'd rather read The Guardian than The Sun, but I still know the storylines in the soaps and the headlines on the tabloids.

I'm not suggesting you should spend hours each day watching Holly and Phillip or browsing the Mail Online's sidebar of shame. But you should at least know who or what they are. For me, connection is about referencing things we have in common, whether we're on stage, answering questions, or chatting before and after the gig.

We're communicators after all. Shouldn't we be aware of what popular communication is about? What's your take?