I Don't Care How Dorky It Is: I LOVE The Spelling Bee!

[BlooInBloo]

The kids are wonderful - like Forrest Gump's box-o-chocolates - all of them so different. They have no guile or refinement or ability to dig up a poker face. Their remarks are PRICELESS!

Contestant: "Can I have the root?"

Moderator: "From semitic to greek to latin to french"

Contestant: "Wonderful"

:rofl: :rofl:

And they're all soooo fucking supportive of each other. One kid buzzed out due to an ent/ant word. The other contestants (and the crowd) gave him a standing ovation! You root for every single kid!

The kids are all so polite - when they lose, they say "thank you", and exit stage right.

The parents and family are awesome too - The Thrill Of Victory, And The Agony Of Defeat.

The spelling bee is all that's wonderful about competition, unaccessorized.

[eleny]

1. Is it on the tv right now?

[BlooInBloo]

2. Was on ESPN all morning. They're on a break now - I think they start back up this evening.

[cynatnite]

3. We're going to watch the final round tonight. n/t

[Cant trust em]

4. This really puts the E in ESPN. NT

[K Gardner]

15. Thanks Bloo.. my grandson will be thrilled to know what he's watching on TV tonight, LOL !

[Eurobabe]

5. It's not dorky its KEWL

I won my school's spelling bee in 7th grade. :D

[BlooInBloo]

6. They're SOOOO happy when they get the word right - it's awesome to watch...

And their composure when they buzz out is just as impressive.

Congrats btw!

[countingbluecars]

7. I love the Spelling Bee too!

I loved the little girl from Jamaica who competed a couple of years back. She would take the whole two and a half minutes to spell each and every word. Time warnings never fazed her. She was great.

One of my favorite South Park episodes is when Eric competes in the Spelling Bee.

Mayor: Eric, your word is "chair."
Cartman: Uuh. Definition?
Mayor: Something you sit on.
Cartman: Country of origin?
Mayor: English!
Cartman: Could you please use it in a sentence?
Mayor: Oh, for Christ's sake, kid! The word is "chair"!!
Cartman: Uh-chair. C H A R E God dammit, how come I get the hard ones?!

[BlooInBloo]

8. She was there today!!! She was SOOOOO cute!

"Can I have the definition please Mr. Blakely?"
"Can I have the word origin please Mr. Blakely?"
"Can I have the pronunciation please Mr. Blakely?"

And she got it! (The one that I saw at any rate.

Of course, it might have been a different little Jamaican girl who was on today.

[Speck Tater]

9. The whole reason for having spelling bees

is that English spelling is so screwed up you have to memorize a bazzillion exceptions to a bazzillion rules.

In most other languages the whole concept of a spelling bee is pointless because words are spelled like they sound, and sound like they are spelled. A spelling bee in Spanish would be like a shoe-tying contest. If you can tie your shoes, you win.

English is such a hopelessly messed up language.

[BlooInBloo]

10. Actually, it has very little to do with English. Our spelling bee is more a contest...

to see who has their greek and latin down the best. Other roots come in too, but greek and latin are the lion's share of it.

The reason a Spanish spelling be wouldn't be as interesting is its relative (to English) lack of (solely) greek-derived words.

[VWolf]

11. Two films I would recommend

Well, one's a film anyway

Akeelah and the Bee - about a girl from LA who makes it to DC. The movie makes a great statement about the good & bad sides of competition.

Spellbound - a documentary about the Scripps Nat'l Spelling Bee.

[BlooInBloo]

12. Can't just leave me happy in my naive bubble, can you?

:P

[VWolf]

13. Nope!

And I love the bee, too.

After watching Akeelah & the Bee, my 7-year-old made a point of knowing how to spell Prestidigitation. Now she wants to learn Latin & Greek!

[BlooInBloo]

14. :))) Getting into Classics is close to the most rigourous, mind-stretching of all...

academic endeavors. Awesome!