Spelling Bees

[Alex Moon]

Why exactly do people make such a big deal about these? ESPN is showing the fucking Scripts-Howard Spelling Bee, complete with runnning commentary. So a bunch of kids can memorise a hell of a lot of words. Can someone explain why the media and people in general make it seem so fucking important?

[Darth Wong]

Why exactly do people make such a big deal about these? ESPN is showing the fucking Scripts-Howard Spelling Bee, complete with runnning commentary. So a bunch of kids can memorise a hell of a lot of words. Can someone explain why the media and people in general make it seem so fucking important?

Because all kids can spell, in varying degrees. It's not like, say, critical thought which is absent in most adults (never mind kids) or complex mathematical skills which are considered "geeky" by an anti-intellectual society. It's "populist" to make a big deal out of intellectual challenges which do not require much of an intellect (see trivia game shows).

[kojikun]

Mike, you've given me an idea. We can make a game show thats based on actual intellectual challenges! I can imagine it now. *-*

[Seggybop]

I was in that spelling be up to the regional level. It was 8th grade... I got killed in the part right before they send you to Washington. It was boring and annoying. Being on live TV is useless if all you're saying is how to spell some words. I think the final winner got some cash, though.

[Mayabird]

Because only public broadcasting can show the National Geography Bee?

I mean, honestly, they get freakin' BOOKS filled with all the words that they might be asked. They will not get a word that is not in one of their official books they get before going to the spelling bee. And they have plenty of time to memorize the words before going. It's the ultimate Remember-and-Regurgitate wankfest.

Freakin' wusses. They didn't pamper us geography nerds like that. We had to just do it on our own and hope we were lucky. Okay, so it was still just memorizing trivia, but at least I know where the countries are that Bush wants to bomb and enough about them to scream at the TV when the idiot reporters make stupid mistakes. And that's more useful than being able to spit out the proper spelling of "multifarious" in front of a camera.

[/rant]

[Admiral Valdemar]

Wait, you're telling me there is a TV show where kids spell things out?

[Mayabird]

Wait, you're telling me there is a TV show where kids spell things out?

Don't worry; it's a once a year competition that's shown on TV.

[Admiral Valdemar]

Wait, you're telling me there is a TV show where kids spell things out?

Don't worry; it's a once a year competition that's shown on TV.

But it exists. And I find that very interesting.

[Lt. Dan]

Wait, you're telling me there is a TV show where kids spell things out?

Don't worry; it's a once a year competition that's shown on TV.

But it exists. And I find that very interesting.

Why?

[Admiral Valdemar]

Don't worry; it's a once a year competition that's shown on TV.

But it exists. And I find that very interesting.

Why?

I can't imagine anyone would want to watch such tripe on TV. I knew American TV left a lot to be desired, but a national show with children spelling things? I wouldn't mind but with the advent of the Net and tect messaging any spelling talent youth has today seems to be lost in the real world.

[neoolong]

Wait, you're telling me there is a TV show where kids spell things out?

I take it you weren't watching Washed out Celebrity Spelling Bee last Friday then.

[Admiral Valdemar]

Wait, you're telling me there is a TV show where kids spell things out?

I take it you weren't watching Washed out Celebrity Spelling Bee last Friday then.

Gonna be hard given which continent I'm on.

[kojikun]

when is this spelling bee? i'd like to watch.

valdy: i suspect the audience is mostly soccer mom types.

[neoolong]

Wait, you're telling me there is a TV show where kids spell things out?

I take it you weren't watching Washed out Celebrity Spelling Bee last Friday then.

Gonna be hard given which continent I'm on.

You don't get international channels?

[Admiral Valdemar]

I take it you weren't watching Washed out Celebrity Spelling Bee last Friday then.

Gonna be hard given which continent I'm on.

You don't get international channels?

Exactly which channel pays for such a show and then allows international broadcasting of said show?

[neoolong]

Fox.

[Admiral Valdemar]

Fox.

No, there are laws against shit being broadcast in the UK.

BSkyB doesn't even show it and they own Fox.

[neoolong]

Right, that coming from the country that made Pop Idol.

[Admiral Valdemar]

Right, that coming from the country that made Pop Idol.

And being a firm export to the US at that. Joe Millionaire is another one I'd try an ignore.

[Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi]

Wait, you're telling me there is a TV show where kids spell things out?

I take it you weren't watching Washed out Celebrity Spelling Bee last Friday then.

I heard about that, and it's kind of sad when you consider that 10-20 years ago, they were on top of the world, but they've been reduced to crappy reality TV shows because they can't get a role bigger than a voice part in some Disney striaght-to-video sequel.

[The Aliens]

Mike, you've given me an idea. We can make a game show thats based on actual intellectual challenges! I can imagine it now. *-*

You realise nobody would watch it 'cause they can't heckle people much smarter than them from the couch. My mom is tone-deaf and she insults the people on Pop Idol because she claims to understand music- if you made people do really intellectual things the audience wouldn't have a clue.