Pronouncer: THE WORD IS "BANNS".
[ Whispering ] BANDS, BANDS, BANDS, BANDS.
BANDS. OH-H...
THERE'S GOTTA BE SOMETHING I CAN THINK OF.
WITH A "D" SOUND OR WITHOUT A "D" SOUND?
UM, YOU SAID IT'S A HOMONYM AND YOU TOLD ME WHAT IT MEANS,
BUT AM I ALLOWED TO ASK WHAT ITS HOMONYM MEANS?
ALL RIGHT, I'M STARTING OVER.
B-A-N-...
D...
WHAT I HAVE SO FAR IS B-A-N-D.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS A GREAT IDEA BUT...
OOPS, MAYBE I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID THAT. OH WELL.
[ Sighing ]
[ Whirring of camera shutter ]
[ Exhaling ]
Members of audience: [ Light coughs ]
[ ♪ ]
Students: [ In unison ] YESTERDAY, THE ARTIST IN THE BLUE SMOCK
SKETCHED AND PAINTED MARGARET ANN'S PORTRAIT.
WHO SKETCHED AND PAINTED MARGARET ANN'S PORTRAIT?
Male interviewer: HOW DO YOU GUYS DESCRIBE LIFE OUT HERE?
BORING. BORING.
NUMBER ONE: BORING.
Girl 1: THERE'S NOTHING MUCH TO DO
EXCEPT GO TO THE THEATRE.
Girl 2: TERRIBLE THERE.
Girl 1: I KNOW.
Girl 2: IT'S TERRIBLE THERE.
Girl 3: I'VE HAD SOME OF MY FRIENDS
SIGN THE CARDS.
LIKE CHELSEA, SHE'S A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE.
IF I SEE THAT NAME
AND IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO THE WORD,
I KIND OF THINK THAT SHE'S CHEERING ME ON,
YOU KNOW, TO WIN THE SPELLING BEE.
I ALSO WROTE DOWN WORDS ON POSTER BOARD
AND I GLUED 'EM ON HERE, AND...
I KIND OF MADE THIS LITTLE CROSSWORD PUZZLE.
Interviewer: WHO TAUGHT YOU THESE METHODS OF LEARNING SPELLING?
I GUESS I KIND OF JUST...
CAME UP WITH THEM MYSELF.
WHOO-OO-OO!
[ Bawling of cattle ]
WHOO-OO!
Man: ANGELA WAS KIND OF GIVING HIM A HARD TIME
THE OTHER DAY, THAT...
'CAUSE HE DIDN'T KNOW ANY ENGLISH,
AND SHE SAID, "YOU KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR 20 YEARS
AND YOU CAN'T SPEAK ENGLISH."
HE SAYS, "WELL I'VE BEEN TAKING CARE OF CATTLE
FOR 20 YEARS. THEY DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH."
[ Chuckle ]
HE'S WORKED HERE,
PRACTICALLY, I THINK,
FOR ABOUT... WHAT IS IT?
19 OR 20 YEARS NOW?
20.
[ Clearing of throat ] HUH?
20.
30...
20! 20.
I KNEW IT WAS 19 OR 20 HE'S WORKED HERE.
HE'S A REAL RELIABLE...
HE'S A RELIABLE MEXICAN.
AND OF COURSE YOU RUN INTO A FEW MEXICANS PRETTY RELIABLE.
THEY'RE NOT ALL JUST BUMS AND TRAMPS, YOU KNOW.
THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD ONES MIXED UP IN THEM.
Woman: [ On TV ] ...BORDER PATROL AGENTS.
SENATOR JUDITH ZAFFIRINI WANTS TO GIVE AGENTS
THE RIGHT TO MAKE ARRESTS,
SEARCHES AND SEIZURES
FOR VIOLATIONS OF STATE LAW.
THE FATHER OF A BORDER AGENT SHOT TO DEATH LAST YEAR
IS THE ONE WHO REQUESTED THE LEGISLATION.
THEY'RE JUST SO PROUD THAT...
I MEAN, THEY DIDN'T COME OVER HERE FOR NOTHING.
THEY THOUGHT WE WOULD HAVE BETTER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES OVER HERE.
AND I GUESS IT HAS ALL BEEN WORTH IT FOR THEM.
[ Speaking in Spanish ]
HE WAS SCARED 'CAUSE BACK IN HIS YOUTH,
HE HAD TRIED CROSSING ILLEGALLY AND HE HAD GOTTEN CAUGHT,
AND SPENT...
QUITE A BIT OF TIME IN AN IMMIGRATION DETENTION CENTRE.
AND HE WASN'T TREATED VERY WELL.
I KIND OF HAD AN IDEA, AS OLD AS I WAS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WEREN'T DOING WHAT... WHAT WAS RIGHT.
TO ME, I JUST, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER MY MOTHER
AS, YOU KNOW, SUCH AN INNOCENT...
GIRL BACK THEN, THAT WAS, YOU KNOW...
HAD THESE TWO CHILDREN.
AND I REMEMBER...
YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY WALKING TO THE RIVER.
SHE HELD ME BY THE HAND AND HAD MY SISTER IN HER ARMS
WHEN WE CROSSED.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT ANGELA?
HOW...
HOW DID SHE LEARN TO SPEAK ENGLISH SO WELL
SINCE THEY SPEAK SPANISH ALL THE TIME?
WELL, THE FIRST WAY IS...
FIRST DEAL, SHE'S SMART.
SHE DON'T HAVE TO HEAR SOMETHING BUT ONE TIME
AND SHE KNOWS WHAT IT IS.
[ Shouts of excitement ]
[ Mixed chatter ]
Woman: WHEN I TOOK HER HOME THE OTHER AFTERNOON,
SHE SAID, "MISS SLAUGHTER,
WHAT IF I DON'T WIN?"
AND I SAID, "SO YOU DON'T WIN.
YOU KNOW, YOU'VE...
YOU'RE ALREADY... YOU'VE WON.
SO YOU DON'T SPELL THE RIGHT WORD, OKAY."
I SAID, "THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO STUDY FOR THE NEXT MONTH."
SHE SAID, "YEAH!" YOU KNOW HOW SHE IS. "YEAH!"
I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR...
TOMORROW, FOR THAT DAY.
I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR IT FOREVER.
Girl: ALL YEAR. ALL YEAR.
AND IT'S... I CAN FINALLY SAY,
"TOMORROW IS THE REGIONAL SPELLING BEE."
I COULD FINALLY SAY THAT.
[ ♪ ]
Woman: AS YOU KNOW, THE SPELLERS
ARE UNDER A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF STRESS AND PRESSURE.
SO WE'D LIKE... WE NEED TO TRY FOR THE AUDIENCE
TO KEEP AS QUIET AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN.
Male Pronouncer: SPELLER 21.
"CULTIVATION."
CULTIVATION:
C-U-L-T-I-V-A-T-I-O-N.
CULTIVATION.
COMEDIAN:
C-O-M-E-D-I-A-N.
COMEDIAN.
P-O-D-A-N-T-I-C.
[ Chiming of bell ] Pronouncer: CORRECT SPELLING:
P-E-D-A-N-T-I-C.
[ Chiming of bell ] CORRECT SPELLING:
R-A-P-P-E-L-L-E-D.
[ Chiming of bell ]
Pronouncer: COULD I HAVE SPELLERS 21 AND 24 TO THE MIC, PLEASE?
"ANGSTROMS."
ANGSTROMS:
A-N-G-S-T-R-O-M-S.
"ATROPHY."
ATROPHY: A-T-R-O-...
"EXTENUATE."
EXTENUATE. "BLUDGEON."
BLUDGEON. RADIOCIN.
I-O-C-I-....
"CHAPEAU."
"RENOWNED."
"PERPETUATE."
[ Unintelligible ] INTERROGATORY...
PROPHYLAXIS... FEASIBLE...
POST-PRANDIAL... STAMINA...
[ Jumble of words ]
"VALETUDINARIAN."
VAL-ET-UDINARIAN:
V-A-L-E-...
T-U-...
D-I-N-A-R-I-A-N.
VALETUDINARIAN.
"CABANA."
CABANYA:
C-A-B-A-N-Y-A.
CABANYA. [ Chiming of bell ]
Woman: I'M SORRY, IT'S INCORRECT.
ANGELA, YOU NOW HAVE A CHANCE TO SPELL THE CHAMPIONSHIP WORD.
Pronouncer: "CROCODILIAN."
C-R-O-C-
O-D-I-L-I-A-N.
Pronouncer: WE HAVE A CHAMP.
[ Shriek of joy ] [ Applause/cheers ]
Angela: I DID IT.
TURN AROUND HERE.
...AROUND THE OTHER SIDE.
PUT YOU IN THE MIDDLE. YEAH.
PUT YOU IN THE MIDDLE.
Man: THERE YOU GO, GRAM, THAT'S GOOD.
TALK ABOUT YOUR WINNER. THAT LOOKS GREAT.
OH, I DID IT. I DID IT!
[ Fake choke ]
MAYBE. WASHINGTON.
[ Mixed chatter ]
I'M JUST... I'M LIKE, "WHOA."
SEE YOU FRIDAY. OKAY...
I DON'T EVEN KNOW SOME OF THEM.
AN EIGHTH GRADER IN PERRYTON WAS THE GUEST OF HONOUR
AT A PEP RALLY AND PARADE TODAY.
ANGELA ARENIVAR IS OFF TO WASHINGTON, D.C. THIS WEEKEND
FOR THE NATIONAL SPELLING BEE.
SHE'S THE REGIONAL SPELLING CHAMP.
AND TODAY, ANGELA'S TEACHERS AND CLASSMATES
GAVE HER A ROYAL SEND-OFF.
Male anchor: ARENIVAR: A-R-E-N-I-V-A-R,
IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING.
YOU CHEATED. SEE YOU TONIGHT.
[ Giggle ] GOOD NIGHT.
I MEAN, I WAS CRYING AFTER THE SPELLING BEE.
I'M... I'VE NEVER CRIED, LIKE, FOR BEING HAPPY, YOU KNOW?
THAT'S HOW HAPPY I WAS.
Woman: YOUR DAD WAS CRYING. HE... OH...
I'VE NEVER SEEN MY DAD CRY.
Jorge: HE'S GOING TO GO.
HE DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO GO AT FIRST,
BUT YOU KNOW HE'S BEEN OUT HERE FOR 20, 25 YEARS.
HE CAME HERE...
HIS... I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE CLOSING FOR HIM
TO GO TO WASHINGTON AND SEE ANGELA
BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT HE CAME HERE FOR.
HE DIDN'T COME OUT HERE TO WORK.
I MEAN, THAT'S PART OF IT.
BUT THE CLOSING IN IT FOR ME,
THE END OF THE STORY IS FOR HIM
TO GET TO GO TO WASHINGTON AND SEE HER.
[ ♪ ]
Male voice: [ On computer] MESOSEISMAL:
OF, OR RELATING TO,
THE CENTRE OF AN AREA OF EARTHQUAKE DISTURBANCE.
MY PARENTS WERE VERY PRESSURED TO SUCCEED,
ESPECIALLY IN INDIA, BECAUSE...
ACADEMICS THERE ARE TAKEN VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY.
Woman: PEOPLE FROM INDIA HAVE A VERY STRICT PHILOSOPHY
ABOUT EDUCATION WITH THEIR CHILDREN,
AND I NOTICE THAT WITH ALL THE CHILDREN FROM INDIA
WHO COME INTO MY CLASS.
I'M ALWAYS THRILLED
TO SEE ANY CHILD COME IN WHO IS FROM INDIA
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A GREAT WORK ETHIC,
AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE GOOD STUDENTS. AND IT'S...
I'VE NEVER BEEN WRONG, NOT ONE SINGLE TIME.
Male voice: [ On computer ] HYMENOPTERA:
AN EXTENSIVE ORDER OF HIGHLY SPECIALIZED INSECTS...
NUPUR, CAN YOU SPELL "LAICIZE"?
L-A-I-C-I-Z-E.
B-U-S-H-I-D-O.
AND SHE ALWAYS LIKED BIG WORDS FOR SOME REASON.
RIGHT? YEAH.
THE BIGGER THE WORD, THE BETTER SHE LIKED IT.
Meena: SHE WOULD SAY THINGS LIKE,
"I DON'T HAVE ANY OPPORTUNITIES"
WHEN SHE HAD NO IDEA WHAT OPPORTUNITY MEANT.
YEAH. BUT SHE LIKED THE SOUNDS.
SO THERE SHE BE
AT TWO AND A HALF AND SHE HAD NO OPPORTUNITY.
"MUNCHAUSEN."
OH, MUNCHAUSEN SYNDROME.
M-U-N-C-H-A-U-S-E-N.
HM-HMM.
SHE HAD A LOT OF TROUBLE BEATING THE TRIO THERE,
SID, ALEX AND JU JING.
Nupur: IT WAS THE EIGHTH GRADE BEE,
AND THEY WERE GOING TO SEND THE EIGHTH GRADE REPRESENTATIVE
TO THE "TAMPA TRIBUNE" TO COMPETE.
ALL WE DID WAS TRY TO WIN.
OH YEAH. I WANTED TO BEAT HER.
THEY WOULD BE LIKE, "OH, NUPUR, WE'RE GONNA GO OUT THERE
AND WE'RE GONNA BEAT YOU. WE'RE GONNA TRY SO, SO, SO HARD."
SHE HAD THIS LITTLE TACTIC. SHE WOULD...
SHE ACTED LIKE SHE WAS NOT NERVOUS.
AND THEN I REMEMBER, ONE OF THE BOYS,
ESPECIALLY THE ONE WHO HAD SEEMED VERY CONFIDENT,
HE GOT THE WORD MONGREL, AND SUDDENLY HE BLANKED OUT.
I SPELLED IT M-O-N-G-R-O-L.
I DON'T KNOW...
I GUESS I WAS JUST PRETTY NERVOUS.
AND THEN IT WAS THE THREE OF US,
TWO OF THOSE BOYS AND ME.
WE WENT ON FOR, I THINK, 11 OR 12 ROUNDS.
WELL, I GOT OUT ON "STETHOSCOPE".
HE WAS A FAST SPELLER.
HE DIDN'T LIKE DEFINITIONS.
SO HE STARTED GOING, "S-T-H-T-..."
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN HE GOES...
AND THEN HE COVERS HIS FACE WITH HIS HANDS
AND HE'S LIKE, "NO."
MY WORD WAS "IRIDESCENT."
I, LIKE...
I THOUGHT IT HAD TWO Rs.
WE ALL THOUGHT IT HAD TWO Rs. YEAH. EVERY...
A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT IT HAD TWO Rs.
AND THEN THEY STARTED LOOKING IT UP IN THE DICTIONARY,
SO WE WAITED UP THERE FOR FIVE MINUTES.
AND I REMEMBER HIM WRINGING HIS HANDS THE WHOLE TIME,
WONDERING, "OH MY GOSH. AM I RIGHT? AM I RIGHT?"
HE WANTED TO WIN. HE WANTED TO WIN VERY BADLY.
HE WAS WRONG.
SO THAT'S OUR STORY. SHE BEAT US.
AND THAT WAS THE MOST NERVE-WRACKING EXPERIENCE OF THIS ENTIRE...
OF ALL THESE PRELIMINARY BEES.
Ms. Whitehurst: SHE WAS VERY HAPPY,
AND HER MOTHER WAS VERY HAPPY.
I WAS BOO-HOOING, SOBBING,
YOU KNOW, SO HARD
THAT THEY CAME OVER TO ME AND SAID,
"YOU MUST BE HER MOTHER."
Meena: THEY ARE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.
PEOPLE ACCEPT THEM FOR WHO THEY ARE
AND CAN LOOK BEYOND DIFFERENCES,
YOU KNOW, TO FIND THINGS THAT ARE COMMON.
[ Shouts of excitement ]
Man: WE'RE VERY COMMUNITY INVOLVED.
WE SAW ONE OF THE PEOPLE FROM OUR COMMUNITY
BEING RECOGNIZED AS A SPELLING BEE CHAMPION,
AND... SO WE RIGHT AWAY PUT IT UP AND CONGRATULATED HER.
LAST YEAR, I WOULD SAY
THE ONLY BAD EXPERIENCE I HAD THE ENTIRE BEE WAS GETTING OUT.
THIS YEAR I CAME BACK WITH A LOT MORE DETERMINATION.
AND I SAID, "YOU KNOW, YOU COULD ALWAYS COME BACK NEXT YEAR."
AND SHE SAID, "OH, I AM. I'M COMING BACK NEXT YEAR."
SHE SAID, "I KNOW WHAT TO DO. I'M GONNA WORK."
YOU DON'T GET ANY SECOND CHANCES IN INDIA
THE WAY YOU DO IN AMERICA.
[ Violin ♪ ]
[ ♪ ]
Pronouncer: "MAYONNAISE."
Boy: MAYONNAISE:
A-... UH...
I MESSED UP ALREADY.
FINE.
M-A-Y-O-N-N-A-I-S-E.
MAYONNAISE.
Woman: THAT IS CORRECT.
Pronouncer: WE HAVE OUR WINNER.
[ Applause ]
Pronouncer: CONGRATULATIONS.
Interviewer: HAVE YOU WATCHED THE NATIONAL BEE ON TV BEFORE?
NO. I NEVER EVEN HEARD OF IT BEFORE THIS YEAR.
THE TEACHER JUST ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO BE IN IT,
AND THE SCHOOL PROVIDED THE $50.
Interviewer: WOW.
THAT'S GOING TO GO RIGHT IN THE CENTRE OF THE MANTLE.
[ ♪ ]
Woman: I DON'T THINK TED HAS ANY REALLY CLOSE FRIENDS.
AND SOMETIMES THIS SCHOOL CAN BE...
A LITTLE LESS THAN KIND TO NEW PEOPLE,
AND NEW PEOPLE WHO ARE ESPECIALLY A LITTLE DIFFERENT,
AND TED IS, BECAUSE HE'S THAT INTELLIGENT.
BUT HE KNOWS HOW TO HANDLE THAT.
HIS SIZE HELPS HIM.
Man: YOU'RE THE MAN. [ Yells of play ]
GO, GO, GO!
Ted: THERE ARE A COUPLE SMART KIDS IN MY GRADE,
BUT... NOT MANY.
OUR CLASS ONLY HAS, LIKE, 40 KIDS IN IT.
THEY JUST LIKE USING SIMPLE WORDS,
WORDS THAT YOU'LL UNDERSTAND.
A LOT OF THE TIME, THEY JUST TALK ABOUT THE SAME THINGS.
A KID IN MY CLASS, ALL HE TALKS ABOUT IS TRUCKS.
SO ANYTHING YOU SAY TO HIM THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO DO WITH AN ENGINE
OR HOW THE TRUCK RUNS, BESIDES REAL BASIC ENGLISH,
HE WON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
HERE'S THE PEACOCKS.
Ted: ONE OF THEM IS THE FIVE- YEAR-OLD MALE.
IT'S THE ONE WITH ALL THE FEATHERS.
WE HAVE A FIVE-YEAR-OLD FEMALE
AND, LIKE, A NINE-YEAR-OLD FEMALE.
IF YOU PICK THEM UP BY THEIR FEET
AND THEY HANG LIKE A "J",
THEY GET REAL DOCILE.
Dan: THEY'LL REMAIN...
LIKE THIS FOR A LONG TIME UNTIL THEY GET A HEAD RUSH.
I'VE ALWAYS LIKED IT OUT HERE.
IT'S CALM AND IT'S PEACEFUL.
WE DON'T END UP HAVING A LOT OF TRAFFIC. WE...
CAN DO PRETTY MUCH WHATEVER WE WANT
AS LONG AS WE'RE NOT...
CAUSING PROBLEMS FOR ANYBODY ELSE.
OLDER BOY NEEDS DIRECTION, AND...
I THINK THE MARINES WOULD BE GOOD FOR HIM.
AND... HIS INTERESTS
JUST ARE NOT THINGS THAT...
THEY'RE NOT LIKE...
I'D PUSH HIM TO DO IT,
BUT IT'S THE THINGS HE'S INTERESTED IN, GUNS AND EXPLOSIVES
AND WEAPONS AND ALL THAT... I TOLD HIM YOU GOTTA BE
ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE LAW WITH HIS INTERESTS,
OR HE'LL BE IN JAIL.
Dan: I THINK IT'S PRETTY COOL.
SEE, I KNOW HE IS REALLY SMART.
WHAT'S HIS IQ?
I THINK HIS IQ IS ONE SHORT OF BEING A GENIUS.
I'M REALLY NOT THAT GOOD IN SPELLING.
I'M REALLY GOOD IN MATH.
I TEACH LEARNING DISABILITIES NOW AND...
I'M CERTIFIED TO TEACH REGULAR EDUCATION
AND LEARNING DISABILITIES BOTH.
AND I THINK I JUST HAD A LOT OF EMPATHY
FOR THE KIDS THAT WERE STRUGGLING AND HAVING A HARD TIME.
[ ♪ ]
Dan: "CHAPM." "CHAPM."
HEY, CHAPM, HOW YOU DOING?
Dorothy: IT'S NICE 'CAUSE HE'S NOT REAL...
CONCEITED ABOUT IT.
AND IF HE EVER GOT THAT WAY, WE'D...
TRY AND BRING HIM DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
Interviewer: ARE YOU NERVOUS ABOUT THE NATIONAL BEE?
Ted: YEAH.
YEAH, I'VE NEVER BEEN TO WASHINGTON BEFORE.
PRETTY MUCH STAYED IN THE MIDWEST.
HAVEN'T BEEN TO THE EAST COAST OR THE WEST COAST.
I THINK THIS IS GOING TO OPEN SOME DOORS FOR HIM TO REALIZE,
"HEY, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE LIKE ME.
I WILL BE ABLE TO FIT IN."
YOU KNOW, THERE MAY NOT BE A LOT OF THEM,
AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE.
[ ♪ ]
Ted: IF THERE'S NO ONE THAT CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND YOU
SO IT MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE ABOVE THEM. BUT...
IT'S KIND OF STRANGE. IT'S KIND OF HARD TO MAKE FRIENDS
WHEN NO ONE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT ALL YOU CAN DO.
[ ♪ ]
Girl: B-U-R-G...
B-U-R-G. BURG, BURG...
PUSILLANIMOUS.
Emily: SPELLING IS KIND OF JUST LIKE...
I DO IT BECAUSE...
I DON'T KNOW, MY COMPETITIVE SIDE KIND OF COMES OUT.
AND I DON'T LOVE SPELLING.
I DO IT 'CAUSE I WANT TO COMPETE.
I WANT TO SAY, "HEY, LOOK AT ME. I'M GOOD AT THIS.
'CAUSE I RIDE WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE BETTER THAN ME
AND I SING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE BETTER THAN ME."
Group: [ Singing] ♪ I AM SITTING HERE ♪
♪ WRITING MEMORIES TO TEACH ME ♪
♪ TO SEE THE BEAUTY IN THE WORLD ♪
♪ THROUGH MY OWN EYES ♪
♪ I AM SITTING HERE, WRITING MEMORIES TO TEACH ME ♪
♪ TO SEE THE BEAUTY IN THE WORLD ♪
♪ THROUGH MY OWN EYES ♪
♪ I KNOW THAT PLEASE AND THANK YOU ♪
♪ AND A SMILE WILL TAKE YOU FAR... ♪
Emily: I AM WARY OF SOUNDING TOO SMART.
I JUST TALK, I THINK, LIKE A NORMAL TEENAGER WOULD,
MAYBE WITH SOME BIG WORDS, BUT NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
...DIVIDED BY 3X OVER 9 TIMES X MINUS 2.
OKAY NOW, EMILY, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO
WITH A SQUARED MINUS B SQUARED?
THERE'S A DIFFERENCE OF SQUARES,
THAT'S IT. SO IT'S A MINUS B, A PLUS B.
OKAY.
Emily: MOST OF THE WORDS THAT I LEARN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY MEAN.
I JUST REMEMBER HOW TO SPELL THEM.
AND A LOT OF THE ONES THAT I USE, LIKE A MOROCCAN DESERT WIND...
AND WHEN AM I GOING TO A CHANCE
TO USE THAT IN A SENTENCE?
EASY TO SPELL "COOL" AND "D-UH."
HOW DO YOU SPELL "D-UH?"
D-U-H. OH, OKAY.
WELL I HATE ALL THE WORDS I'VE GOTTEN OUT ON.
I HATE ORACLE, OSSICULAR AND DESPOTISM,
ARE THE THREE WORDS I'VE GOTTEN OUT ON IN THE PAST THREE YEARS.
AND I'M PROBABLY GOING TO HATE ONE MORE WORD AFTER WASHINGTON'S OVER.
CARGADOR?
WHAT'S THE LANGUAGE OF ORIGIN?
SPANISH.
Woman: AND ONCE A LETTER IS SAID, YOU CAN'T TAKE IT BACK.
C-A-R-G-A-D-O-R.
CARGADOR.
Pronouncer: EMILY STAGG GETS THE WORD CORRECT.
Emily: WELL, THE FIRST YEAR WE WENT,
WE BROUGHT THE AU PAIR AS WELL.
WE BROUGHT CLAUDIA FROM GERMANY.
AND LAST YEAR I WAS JUST, LIKE...
WHEN WE HAD TO FILL OUT A FORM TO SAY WHO WE'RE GOING TO BRING,
I WAS LIKE, "MOM, YOU FORGOT THE AU PAIR. YOU FORGOT MARIE,"
WHO WAS OUR THEN AU PAIR. AND SHE'S LIKE,
"WELL, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO BRING THE AU PAIR THIS YEAR."
AND I'M LIKE, "WHY NOT?"
YOU KNOW? BUT THEN WE WENT,
AND IT WAS LIKE A FAMILY THING.
IT WAS LIKE A REAL TIME TO BE WITH MY MOM AND MY DAD
AND... IT WAS NICE.
Mother: YOU'RE GOING ON TRIPS, YOU'RE GOING TO PICNICS.
YOU'RE GOING TO ICE CREAM SOCIALS.
AND I WAS VERY IMPRESSED. AND WHEN...
ON THE FIRST... BUS TRIP WE HAD
BEFORE THE ACTUAL SPELLING BEE,
I SAT WITH A MOTHER OF A GIRL
WHO WAS NOW BACK FOR HER SECOND YEAR.
AND I VIVIDLY REMEMBER SAYING HOW WONDERFUL THIS ALL SEEMED.
AND SHE HAD SAID, "WELL I THINK IT'S A DIFFERENT FORM OF CHILD ABUSE,"
WHICH SORT OF TOOK ME ABACK.
AND THEN THE NEXT DAY EMILY IS, YOU KNOW,
OUT ON THE FIRST ROUND, AND ALL THE EMOTIONS
THAT CAME WITH THAT,
AND YOU SEE YOUR CHILD WHO'S REALLY WORKED HARD
SEEMINGLY, YOU KNOW, KNOCKED DOWN PRETTY HARD,
AND YOU START TO THINK, "WELL MAYBE... "
AND IT'S LIKE, YEAH, IT IS.
"MAYBE THIS WOMAN IS RIGHT."
"HEURISTIC." GREEK.
HEURISTIC? HEURISTIC.
DIDN'T WE DO THIS LAST NIGHT?
DON'T REMEMBER.
Suzanne: AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR,
WE TALKED ABOUT WHETHER EMILY WANTED TO WORK TOWARDS THE GOAL
OF RETURNING TO THE NATIONAL SPELLING BEE.
I JUST ALMOST FEEL LIKE I WOULD DISAPPOINT PEOPLE
IF I DIDN'T DO AS WELL AS I DID LAST YEAR.
Suzanne: MY DAUGHTER IS VERY CAPABLE AND TALENTED
AND I KNOW SHE COULD DO WELL.
SO THERE'S A PART OF ME THAT WANTS TO SEE HER STRIVE FOR THAT.
ON THE OTHER HAND, I KNEW IT WOULD BE A STRESS
AND I REALLY FELT THAT IT WAS HER DECISION.
I HEARD THE WINNING WORD WAS SOMETHING THAT I HAD STUDIED,
I WOULD JUST BE LIKE, "OH, THAT WAS DUMB," YOU KNOW.
DOESN'T MEAN YOU WOULD'VE GOTTEN THAT WINNING WORD THOUGH.
[ ♪ ]
[ Mumbling ]
Emily: OBVIOUSLY I'D LIKE TO WIN.
EVERYBODY WOULD LIKE TO WIN. I DON'T THINK THAT'S REALISTIC.
PEOPLE HAVE TOLD ME I'M UP THERE
BECAUSE I'M ONE OF THE FEW RETURNING SPELLERS,
YOU KNOW, THAT PLACED HIGH.
I'M NOT HOLDING MY BREATH FOR ANYTHING GREAT.
[ Ringing of bell ]
[ ♪ ]
MY LIFE IS LIKE A MOVIE.
Interviewer: HOW'S THAT?
BECAUSE I GO THROUGH DIFFERENT TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS,
AND THEN I FINALLY OVERCOME THEM,
YOU KNOW? [ Giggling ]
IT'S HARD. IT'S HARD.
WITH THE JOBS AND EVERYTHING, AND...
ECONOMY BEING LIKE IT IS, IT'S HARD.
AND THE HEALTHCARE SITUATION...
IT'S HARD.
I DON'T REALLY GO OUTSIDE MUCH
BECAUSE IT'S BORING TO ME
BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANY...
PEERS AROUND HERE,
AND IF I DO, WELL, I DON'T...
I RARELY SEE THEM.
OUR PLAYGROUND'S OVER THERE.
IT'S CALLED KIDS' VIEW.
IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S VERY FUN FOR THE BOYS
BECAUSE THEY PLAY BASKETBALL.
IT'S LIKE, WHEREVER YOU GO,
IF THERE'S A BASKETBALL COURT,
THE BOYS ARE ALWAYS ON THERE.
GIRLS JUST...
STAND AROUND TALKING AND THINGS.
Woman: PERMEABILITY:
USE, ESPECIALLY OF A SUBSTANCE,
THAT ALLOWS THE PASSAGE OF FLUIDS.
PERMEABILITY.
PER-ME-A-BILITY.
I LOOK AT ASHLEY...
THIS IS FUNNY...
LIKE A LITTLE ANGEL.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU KNOW THIS PERFECT CHILD.
IT'S LIKE, OF THE FULL PACKAGE ALL AROUND.
THINK ABOUT IT.
IS THIS SUPPOSED TO BE "OASIS?"
MM-HMM.
Ms. Williams: I REMEMBER WHEN SHE WON CITYWIDE
AND I SAID, "WHAT'S NEXT?
WHAT DOES SHE STUDY FROM?"
THEY SAID, "THE DICTIONARY."
[ Chuckling ] ALL RIGHT, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT.
HERE. YOU OPEN IT UP.
AND WHEREVER YOU GO, THAT'S WHERE WE GOING TO START.
Ms. Williams: WHERE DO YOU START WITH THE DICTIONARY?
"A", IN THE MIDDLE?
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WHERE DO YOU START?
I HOPE THERE'LL BE A BIG TURNOUT ON...
ON... WHAT DAY IS THAT?
DURING THE SPELLING BEE.
I DONE CALLED EVERYBODY.
I JUST HOPE THEY HAVE ENOUGH SEATS FOR 'EM.
TWO OF HER UNCLES ARE INCARCERATED, BUT...
THEY'LL WATCH IT ON TV.
THEY'LL BE THERE WITH HER, REGARDLESS.
MM-HM.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR HER TO DO
IS WHEN SHE... I'LL BE EXTREMELY HAPPY
WHEN SHE CROSSES THAT STAGE AT 12th GRADE WITH HONOURS.
Ashley: I'LL HAVE A JOB THAT PAYS WELL,
AND I WILL LOVE MY PROFESSION.
AND I'LL HAVE A HOUSE AND...
AND WHENEVER MY MOTHER OR A FAMILY MEMBER NEEDS ME,
I'LL BE THERE FOR THEM.
Angela: I MEAN, THEY FOCUS ON CHILDREN DOING CRIME
AND ALWAYS TALK ABOUT NEGATIVE,
AND THEN THEY HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S FROM THE DISTRICT,
THAT'S REPRESENTING THE DISTRICT, AND THEY'RE NOT GIVING...
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GIVING ASHLEY HER PROPER...
YOU KNOW... HER PROPS. PUT IT THAT WAY.
Ashley: THEY TOLD ME I WOULD RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE
AND A BAG FULL OF GOODIES
BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF D.C. PUBLIC SCHOOLS
FOR WINNING THE CITYWIDE SPELLING BEE.
THERE WAS A BOMB THREAT IN THE BUILDING.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN... THERE WAS A BOMB THREAT?
BECAUSE SOMEBODY CALLED AND TOLD THEM
THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BOMB THE BUILDING.
Angela: [ Reading ] "HINES STUDENT IS TOP SPELLER, ASHLEY WHITE."
THEY MADE AN ERROR.
11 YEARS OLD. SHE'S 13.
YOU SEE HOW THIS STUFF IS GOING ON NOW,
AS FAR AS PUBLICITY-WISE?
THEY'RE NOT PUBLICIZING MY...
OR RECOGNIZING MY DAUGHTER.
THEY'RE NOT RECOGNIZING MY DAUGHTER.
BUT IT'S FINE. IT'S OKAY.
'CAUSE SHE GONNA BE ALL RIGHT.
ASHLEY, TELL THE TRUTH.
WHEN DID YOU GET YOUR SPELLING...
YOUR SPELLING MATERIAL?
YOUR REAL SPELLING MATERIAL?
MARCH SOMETHING...
MARCH WHAT?
YOUR CONTEST WAS MARCH 24th.
IT WAS LIKE, EARLY IN THE BEGINNING OF MARCH.
AND IF SHE WINS THIS, PROVE ME WRONG,
BUT I KNOW SHE WON THE RACE EVEN IF SHE LOST AT THE NATIONALS.
BUT I'M NOT THINKING... PESSIMISTICALLY.
I'M THINKING OPTIMISTICALLY.
MY BABY GONNA WIN.
AND THE WORD COMING UP FOR YOU IS "PLAGUE."
PLAGUE.
WOULD YOU GIVE ME A DEFINITION, PLEASE?
A DESTRUCTIVELY NUMEROUS INFLUX
OR MULTIPLICATION OF A NOXIOUS ANIMAL.
PLAGUE... PLAGUE.
P-L-A-G-U-E.
I THINK, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE FOUND OUR CHAMPION.
Angela: MAN, THAT WAS THE GLORIOUS DAY OF MY LIFE.
LORD HAVE MERCY. MY BABY SPELL THAT RIGHT.
GO GIRL, GO GIRL...
SEE? LOOK AT HER.
SHE CAN'T BELIEVE HERSELF.
THAT WAS THE HAPPIEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE.
I FELT REALLY GOOD.
I THINK I PRAYED.
I PRAYED THAT NIGHT ALSO.
I'VE BEEN PRAYING...
I THINK I'M A PRAYER WARRIOR.
I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT IT'S SOME REASON I JUST CAN'T STOP PRAYING.
Angela: SO WHATEVER HAPPENS, I'LL BE HAPPY FOR HER.
AS LONG AS SHE PLACE IN THE TOP 50.
BUT I WANT HER TO WIN IN FIRST PLACE.
I WOULD LIKE FOR HER TO.
AS I GO HIGHER, MY GOALS GO HIGHER ALSO.
AND SO, I JUST GOTTA KEEP ON REACHING, KEEP ON REACHING.
SO THIS YEAR, I ROSE ABOVE ALL OF MY PROBLEMS
AND I WENT STRAIGHT THROUGH THE LOCAL,
STRAIGHT THROUGH THE REGIONAL.
I WAS DETERMINED THAT I WAS GOING TO WIN THE CITYWIDE SPELLING BEE.
I TOLD THE PHOTOGRAPHER.
HE WAS LIKE, "SO WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO WHEN YOU GET TO CITYWIDE?"
I SAID, "I'M GONNA WIN."
AND SURE I DID.
I WON CITYWIDE SPELLING BEE.
NOW I'M GOING TO THE NATIONALS.
[ ♪ ]
Man: "HYBRID."
Boy: H-Y-B-R-I-D.
"HYDROPHYTE." H-Y-D-R-O-P-H-Y-T-E.
"HYGIENE." H-Y-G-I-E-N-E.
"HYMENEAL." H-Y-M-E-N-E-A-L.
I-D-E-N-T-I-F-Y.
"IDEOLOGY." I-D-E-O-L-O-G-Y.
"IDIOSYNCRASY." I-D-I-O-S-Y-N-C-R-A-S-Y.
EXCELLENT.
YOU'VE DONE 4,000 WORDS AND YOU GOT ONE MISTAKE.
YOU'RE DOING GOOD NOW.
WE DID ALL THE WORDS
THAT WERE EVER GIVEN TO SPELLERS IN THE COMPETITION.
WE COLLECTED THE DATA FROM ALL THE PREVIOUS SPELLING BEES
AND SAW WHY PEOPLE WERE FAILING ON CERTAIN WORDS
AND TRIED TO CORRECT THAT FOR OUR KIDS.
SO TO DERIVE A COMPLETE NUMBER WOULD BE HARD,
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT IN THE FINAL DAYS OF THE COMPETITION,
WE'RE DOING BETWEEN 7,000 TO 8,000 WORDS A DAY.
VERY GOOD. "SACROSANCT."
S-A-C-R-O-S-A-N-C-T.
SACROSANCT MEANS MOSTLY HOLY OR OVERLY SACRED.
"SARDION." S-A-R-D-I-O-N.
WHAT WE DO IS, TO GET THE MEANING OF THE WORD,
WE GET THE LANGUAGE OF ORIGIN,
WE GET THE ROOT WORD,
WE TELL THEM TO USE IT IN A SENTENCE,
WE TELL THEM TO RE-PRONOUNCE THE WORD,
WE UNDERSTAND THE MEANING IN OUR HEAD.
SAY THE SPELLING ALPHABETICALLY INSIDE YOUR OWN HEAD.
MATCH IT WITH THE SOUND THAT YOU'RE GOING TO COME OUT WITH
THAT YOU JUST PRONOUNCED,
RE-PRONOUNCE THE WORD IN THE HEAD,
AND THEN SPELL THE WORD OUT LOUD SLOWLY.
THAT'S WHAT WE DO.
THERE ARE 46 WORDS AND YOU MISSED 3 WORDS.
THAT'S NOT BAD.
AND WE STILL HAVE 25 DAYS. YEAH.
SO, THANK GOD FOR WHAT WE HAVE.
IT IS DEFINITELY A BONDING EXPERIENCE.
WE WERE CLOSE, BUT THIS WAS LIKE A CRISIS,
AND WE ALL HAD TO PITCH IN TO HELP
WHICHEVER WAY WE COULD.
IF I COULD HELP HIM PULL HIS CLOTHES OUT
AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE READY FOR HIM WHEN HE TAKES SHOWER
AND HE CAN SAVE TWO MINUTES,
THAT ALSO WAS IMPORTANT.
Darshana: WHEN YOU FIGHT IN A WAR,
EVERYBODY HAS THE SAME GOAL.
Rajesh: HE'S ONLY 12 YEARS OLD.
HE'S IN THE 8th GRADE.
SO HE COMES OFF THE SPELLING BEE CYCLE
BECAUSE HE'S ACADEMICALLY ADVANCED EARLY ON.
SO THIS IS HIS FIRST AND LAST CHANCE.
Neil: THIS IS MY TROPHY
FOR WINNING THE ORANGE COUNTY SPELLING BEE.
AND FOR, LIKE, THE REST OF THAT AFTERNOON,
I WAS SEEING, LIKE, WHITE FLASHES AND STUFF.
I DON'T KNOW WHY. I GUESS I WAS JUST, LIKE, TOO HAPPY OR SOMETHING.
AT THE SPELLING BEE, I MEAN,
YOU'LL FIND A LOT OF PEOPLE
THAT ARE BOOKWORMS,
DO WEAR REALLY THICK GLASSES.
YOU KNOW THE STEREOTYPICAL,
QUIET, SHY, STUDIOUS TYPES.
AND THEN YOU'LL FIND PEOPLE LIKE MY BROTHER
WHO'S, LIKE, AN ATHLETE,
HAS, LIKE, ALMOST A BLACK BELT IN TAE KWON DO.
HE HANGS OUT WITH HIS FRIENDS, YOU KNOW.
WE GO... I MEAN, YEAH, WE DO WATCH MOVIES.
WE WATCH TV. WE HAVE A LIFE.
Darshana: I DON'T THINK EVERY CHILD CAN EXCEL.
AND THE REASON IT DOESN'T HAPPEN
IS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A WAY OF CONCENTRATING
ON WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
I THINK IF EVERYBODY MEDITATED,
THE COMPETITIONS LIKE SPELLING BEES
WOULD BECOME VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.
Rajesh: WE ARE VERY BLESSED AND LUCKY TO HAVE KIDS LIKE NEIL,
AND TO BE BLESSED WITH THIS ABUNDANCE.
I AM SO INDEBTED TO MY SPIRITUAL MASTER AND TO GOD
AND TO THIS COUNTRY, YOU KNOW, WHICH WILL ACCEPT A STRANGER COME IN
AND GIVE THEM THIS OPPORTUNITY AND...
AMERICA IS JUST GREAT.
THIS IS OUR LITTLE HOUSE.
ME AND MY BROTHER BUILT THIS HOUSE OURSELVES.
EVERY SINGLE THING THAT YOU SEE HERE, WE HAD NO CONTRACTOR.
WE GOT THE SUB-CONTRACTORS AND WE DID IT ALL.
GRANITE, MARBLE, FIREPLACE...
STUCCO WORK, SHEFFIELD DOORS,
BACKYARD, HYPO-ALLERGENIC TREES ALL AROUND.
THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN FAIL IN THIS COUNTRY.
THAT'S ONE GUARANTEE IN THIS COUNTRY
THAT IF YOU WORK HARD, YOU'LL MAKE IT.
AND THAT'S NOT EXISTENT IN THE REST OF THE WORLD,
AT LEAST IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD.
Rajesh: I AM A FIRM BELIEVER OF HAVING THE BEST COACH
FOR THE PROBLEM THAT YOU HAVE.
"DISSENT."
D-I-... OH, WAIT. THERE'S TWO.
YEAH, THIS... NOT COMING DOWN.
THIS IS TO DISAGREE.
D-I-S-S-E-N-T. UH-HUH.
WELL, I WORK WITH NEIL MONDAY, TUESDAY,
WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY.
Hill: WE WORKED ABOUT 3 TO 3 1/2 HOURS
AND I GET HOME ABOUT 11:00 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.
WE DID THAT 4 NIGHTS A WEEK.
AND THEN SATURDAY, I WOULD SOMETIMES COME UP
AND WORK ANYWHERE FROM 4 TO 8 HOURS WITH HIM.
I'M TUTORING HIM IN FRENCH.
HE ISN'T TAKING FRENCH AS A SUBJECT,
BUT I'M TUTORING HIM IN THE FRENCH WORDS
THAT MAY COME UP IN THE NATIONAL SPELLING BEE.
SAME THING WE DID WITH A SPANISH TEACHER
WHO CAME AND SHOWED THEM THE SPANISH WORDS
OR WHY TO BREAK THEM DOWN.
AND THEN WE GOT A GERMAN TEACHER TO COME IN
AND BREAK DOWN THE GERMAN WORDS.
Rajesh: NOW FORTUNATELY FOR BOTH OF THEM,
THEY'VE GOT EXCELLENT LATIN TEACHERS AT SCHOOL.
[ ♪ ]
BUT NEIL IS STUDYING REALLY HARD.
I MEAN, HE'S... HE'S STUDYING REALLY HARD.
O-H-M-M-A-T-E-R.
YOU'RE WRONG, NEIL.
Rajesh: THERE YOU GO.
OKAY, WE'RE DONE WITH THE STATE BEE PREPARATION.
I THINK HE'S MORE SERIOUS ABOUT IT THAN I WAS.
NO. YOU'RE FORCING IT ON YOURSELF.
I WANT YOU TO STEP BACK, TAKE A DEEP BREATH
AND USE YOUR TECHNIQUE AGAIN.
RE-PRONOUNCE THE WORD, PLEASE, FOR ME.
WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SPELL? S-A-D-E-R.
GREAT, NEIL. NOT MISSING A SINGLE WORD.
"SENILITY."
I'LL BE THE FIRST ONE TO ADMIT IT IS HARD.
BUT WHAT IS... WHAT IS VALUABLE IN LIFE
THAT IS EASY TO ACHIEVE?
NOTHING.
IT'S A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE.
AND... I MEAN, AFTER YOU'VE STUDIED SO HARD,
IT WOULD... IT WOULD JUST BE...
IT WOULD JUST FEEL GREAT TO BE UP THERE AND WIN.
"EPITAPH." E-P-I-T-A-P-H.
"EPITHET." E-P-I-T-H-E-T.
"EPITOME." E-P-I-T-O-M-E.
"EQUABLE." E-Q-U-A-B-L-E.
"EXISTENCE." E-X-I-S-T-E-N-C-E.
KEEP ON GOING, CHAMP. "DESCRIPTION."
D-E-S-C-R-...
[ ♪ ]
HERE SHE IS, WINNING A BEE IN...
THIS WAS SEVENTH GRADE.
AND BILLY, HER BROTHER, LOOK WHAT HE PUT...
ANOTHER FACE ON IT. HE MADE A LITTLE CARTOON FACE.
MY MOM AND DAD BOTH LIKE TO PLAY WITH WORDS
AND MAKE FUNNY SAYINGS
AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
Mother: "AIN'T MIS- BEE-HAVING."
AND I HAVE STATIONARY THAT SAYS "BEE HAPPY."
B-E-E.
AND IT'S BUMBLEBEES FLYING AROUND.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE MY LOVE OF WORDS CAME FROM.
WELL, YOU'RE FULL OF JABBERWOCKY TONIGHT,
AREN'T YOU?
I'VE GOT ANOTHER WORD FOR IT.
[ Chuckles ]
THEY REMIND ME OF EDITH AND ARCHIE BUNKER
BECAUSE ARCHIE'S ALWAYS GETTING MAD AT EDITH FOR BEING DUMB.
[ Barking ]
AND THE COVER IS JUST...
HAS FALLEN OFF.
SHE WAS REALLY GLAD TO GET THE NEW ONE
BECAUSE THIS ONE HAD GOTTEN KIND OF BATTERED.
HOWEVER, WE'LL NEVER THROW IT AWAY.
SMITHSONIAN MATERIAL.
I THINK I WORKED PRETTY HARD AT...
MAYBE A LITTLE TOO HARD.
IN THE SUMMER, I KIND OF WORKED...
AROUND EIGHT TO NINE HOURS A DAY.
BUT... AS SCHOOL BEGAN,
I JUST WORKED ABOUT FIVE OR SIX HOURS A DAY.
OUR LIVES HAVE REVOLVED AROUND APRIL AND THE SPELLING BEE.
I MEAN, I HARDLY COULD SEE MY FRIENDS.
THEY WOULD CALL ME UP AND SAY,
YEAH. "WHEN CAN WE GET TOGETHER FOR LUNCH, BREAKFAST,
WHATEVER YOU CAN SQUEEZE IN?"
WELL, THE SPELLING BEE'S COMING UP,
AND THIS WAS JUST THE REGIONAL.
THIS IS THE REGIONAL WORD LIST
AND SPONSOR BEE GUIDE COLLECTION.
I ENDED UP GOING THROUGH THIS BOOK THREE TIMES IN ALL.
AND I'VE PRETTY MUCH MEMORIZED IT.
Gale: SHE DIDN'T EVEN LIKE TO GO TO THE MALL.
YEAH. IT BECAME WHERE THAT WAS ACTUALLY...
RIGHT. A YOUNG GIRL THAT DOESN'T WANT TO GO TO THE MALL.
I MEAN, WITH GIRLFRIENDS. RIGHT.
NOT WITH HER PARENTS, WITH HER GIRLFRIENDS.
RIGHT. "I CAN'T... I CAN'T GO.
THEY WANT ME TO GO FRIDAY NIGHT
BUT I CAN'T GO BECAUSE I GOTTA STUDY. I CAN'T..."
AND WE'D SAY, "APRIL, LIGHTEN UP,"
YOU KNOW?
IN THE CLASSROOM, IF THERE'S A BREAK,
RIGHT AWAY, OUT COME THE CARDS AND THE NOTEBOOKS.
I'M ALSO THE SOFTBALL COACH HERE, AND SHE WAS PART OF THE TEAM.
BUT ANY BREAK IN PLAY, IF IT WAS STOPPED OR FOR WHATEVER REASON,
OUT CAME THE SPELLING WORDS.
THE KIDS USED TO TEASE HER. YEAH.
EVEN IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR,
THEY WOULD SAY, "OH APRIL. WHY DON'T YOU GET A LIFE?"
HOW COULD ANYBODY WANT TO STUDY WORDS
AND NOT HAVE ANOTHER INTEREST?
BESIDES SPELLING, I LIKE TO RIDE ROLLER-COASTERS...
AND I'M A VEGETARIAN.
AND I LIKE TO DRINK COFFEE.
HERE'S ANOTHER ONE. LOOK.
I CAN'T EVEN PRONOUNCE THESE WORDS.
IT'S... RATHER SAD, BUT...
I KNOW SHE CAN.
IT'S JUST...
A WORLD OF...
OF KNOWLEDGE HERE. I'M...
I WANT TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL, TELL YOU THE TRUTH.
Al: I'VE BEEN WORKING IN THE BAR BUSINESS 45 YEARS.
YEAH, I WAS BORN ACROSS THE TRACKS.
THAT WAS THE DEPRESSION CENTRE BACK THERE.
THAT WAS ALL THE HOUSES FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WORKED IN THE ASBESTOS MILL.
AND THEN THEY FOUND OUT THAT THE ASBESTOS STUFF WAS COMING UP,
SEEPING THROUGH THE GROUND, SO THEY CLOSED IT ALL OFF NOW.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN HAVE ASBESTOSIS.
DIED FROM CANCER.
I DIDN'T GO FAR.
I WENT FROM THAT SIDE OF THE STREET TO THIS SIDE OF THE STREET, REALLY.
NOT A REAL SUCCESS STORY.
[ ♪ ]
I'D ALWAYS...
USED TO DREAM THAT I'D GO DOWN ON AN EASY WORD
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I NEVER DREAMED OF DOING WELL OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I PRETTY MUCH ALWAYS HAD A PESSIMISTIC ATTITUDE.
Gale: ONLY ONE NIGHT DID SHE SAY TO ME,
"MOM, I WOULD REALLY WANT TO WIN THIS THING."
AND I SAID, "OH, I KNOW, APRIL."
I DIDN'T WANT HER TO GET DISAPPOINTED THOUGH,
OR HAVE TOO BIG A GOAL.
BUT I LOVED HEARING THAT SHE WAS GIVING THAT THOUGHT
BECAUSE SOMETIMES HER CONFIDENCE WAS A BIT SHAKY.
SO I WAS HAPPY TO HEAR THAT THAT WAS IN THE BACK OF HER HEAD.
"I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO WIN THIS BEE."
[ "Star-Spangled Banner" ♪ on guitar ]
Boy: WAIT, I CAN'T... I'M GONNA START OVER.
OKAY. MOSHE AND IZZI ARE WORKING IN A FACTORY,
AND MOSHE ASKS IZZI, "WHAT TIME IS IT?"
AND HE SAYS, "IT'S 3:00 O'CLOCK."
AND LATER HE ASKS HIM AGAIN,
"WHAT TIME IS IT?" AND HE SAYS, "IT'S 3:30."
AND LATER HE ASKS HIM AGAIN,
"WHAT TIME IS IT?" AND HE SAYS, "IT'S 4:00 O'CLOCK."
AND LATER HE ASKS HIM AGAIN, "WHAT TIME IS IT?"
AND HE SAYS, "IT'S 4:30."
THEN IZZI ASKS MOSHE, "WHEN YOU GO HOME AT NIGHT AND IT'S DARK OUT,
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS?"
AND HE SAYS, "OH, THAT'S SIMPLE. I GET OUT MY HORN,
BLOW A LITTLE TOOT-TOOT ON MY HORN
AND EVERYBODY... AND EVERYBODY PULLS UP THEIR SHADES AND YELLS OUT,
"YOU IDIOT! WHAT ARE YOU PLAYING YOUR HORN FOR?
IT'S 3:00 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING!"
I GUESS YOU COULD CALL ME TALKATIVE.
NOT REALLY. I MEAN... IF... I MEAN...
BUT, YEAH, SORT OF.
Interviewer: WHAT'S THAT? THIS IS A DICTIONARY,
A BIG DICTIONARY.
I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S IN MY ROOM.
Interviewer: OKAY, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S GOT
ALL SORTS OF PIECES OF PAPER IN THERE.
OH YEAH. UM...
WELL THAT WAS SO MY MOM COULD FIND THE DEFINITIONS
OF THE WORDS WE WERE STUDYING.
THIS THING ISN'T EDIBLE, IS IT?
[ Goofy chuckle ]
IN FOURTH GRADE, HARRY ENTERED...
THEY HAVE IN GLEN ROCK A 4th/5th GRADE BEE
WHICH IS NOT RELATED TO THE HOWARD SCRIPPS AT ALL.
AND HE WAS OUT... HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON OUT.
THE VERY FIRST PERSON OUT.
HOW MANY HOURS A DAY WOULD YOU SAY
YOU SPENT STUDYING WITH YOUR MOM?
[ Mimicking whirring of mechanics ]
[ Imitating robot ] MAYBE ONE-HALF, OR ONE,
OR MAYBE ONE-QUARTER.
I DON'T KNOW. I REALLY DON'T KNOW.
PROBABLY ONE-HALF. THAT IS MY GUESS.
DOES THIS SOUND LIKE A MUSICAL ROBOT?
Fay: THIS YEAR, I SAW AN AD IN "THE RECORD" ABOUT THE BEE,
AND WE DIDN'T PRACTICE FOR IT AT ALL BECAUSE I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE...
I FORGOT WHAT DAY IT WAS.
HARRY NEVER CAME HOME WITH A PAPER.
ONE DAY, IT'S A FRIDAY. I COME HOME FROM...
I USUALLY COME HOME ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS HE DOES FROM...
FROM MY OFFICE. HE'S NOT HOME. I WAIT AND WAIT.
IT'S, LIKE, 3:30. HE'S NOT HOME.
I CALL UP THE SCHOOL. CALL THE LIBRARY.
ALL THE PLACES I THINK HE MIGHT BE AT THE SCHOOL.
FINALLY SOMEONE GETS ON THE PHONE AND SAYS,
"OH, I HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS FOR YOU.
HARRY WON THE SPELLING BEE." [ Chuckle ]
HARRY AND THIS BOY, OSHGAY,
THEY WERE THE LAST TWO IN THE LAST BEE,
AND THEY WENT FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
THEY TOLD ME THEY'D NEVER HAD A BEE GO THAT LONG.
WE WENT FOR QUITE A WHILE BEFORE...
BEFORE HE FINALLY HE MISSED "DISCOTHEQUE".
IN MY GENERATION, EVERYBODY KNOWS "DISCOTHEQUE",
BUT IN THIS GENERATION THE KIDS REALLY DON'T.
BUT WE HAD STUDIED "DISCOTHEQUE",
AND HARRY KNEW AS SOON AS... YOU COULD SEE IT.
HE'S THERE AND HE'S LIKE...
HE JUST COULDN'T WAIT TO GET UP THERE AND SPELL IT.
AND THAT WAS, OF COURSE, ONE OF THE WORDS THAT STUCK IN MY HEAD,
FOR SOME REASON.
LOOK AT THIS.
"HUKED ON FONIX WURKED FUR MEE!"
[ "Star-Spangled Banner" ♪ ]
Man: ACROPHOBIA,
AORISTIC,
RAYONNANT,
CUCURBIT,
ORENDA...
Angela: I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS RIGHT NOW,
BUT I THINK THAT'S NATURAL.
I THINK EVERY SPELLER IS A LITTLE BIT.
Man: LLANERO,
STAUROLATRY...
Emily: I'M NERVOUS.
THERE'S SO MUCH LUCK IN IT. IT'S NOT...
YOU CAN'T NOT BE NERVOUS.
IT'S TOO SCARY.
Ted: WELL I DON'T THINK I'LL WIN,
BUT I'M GOING TO TRY HARD ANYWAYS.
IT WOULD BE FUNNY TO WIN.
UP, UP, UP, UP.
RIGHT THERE, LIKE THAT.
WELL, I THINK THE PARENTS AND CHILDREN
WHO COME AWAY WITH THE MOST VALUABLE EXPERIENCES
ARE THE ONES WHO APPROACH IT WITH REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS.
I DON'T REALLY EXPECT TO WIN.
I DON'T KNOW. I'VE STUDIED ENOUGH.
SO I JUST HAVE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
AND HOW WAS THE TRIP TO THE CAPITOL TODAY?
[ Snorting ]
THE PART WE WENT TO, WHICH WAS ABOUT FIVE MINUTES, THAT WAS FINE.
THEN MOM AND I DECIDED WE'D RATHER STUDY AND WENT HOME IN A TAXI CAB.
LEFT ME HIGH AND DRY.
OF ALL THE 10 MILLION PARTICIPANTS,
THERE'S ONLY GOING TO BE ONE CHILD AT THE VERY END
HOLDING THAT TROPHY HIGH ABOVE THE HEAD.
I WOULD SPELL ALL THE WORDS IF I HAD TO GET...
A CHANCE TO WIN $10,000.
I... I WOULD SPELL EVERY WORD IN THE DICTIONARY.
REPETITEUR,
CLAVECIN,
MAROTTE,
CABOT...
CABOTINAGE. CABOTINAGE.
IT HAS BEEN A VERY ODD EXPERIENCE FOR ME
BECAUSE I DO GET STOPPED.
I HAVE BEEN STOPPED IN RESTAURANTS IN OHIO
AND JUST TOTAL STRANGERS SAY, "I'VE SEEN YOU.
I KNOW I'VE SEEN YOU SOMEWHERE,"
AND THEN SUDDENLY REMEMBER,
OR PEOPLE JUST WALK UP OUT OF NOWHERE, MONTHS FROM NOW,
AND SAY, "I'VE SEEN YOU ON TELEVISION.
I WANT TO SHAKE YOUR HAND."
IF YOU START TO SPELL A WORD... ORD,
CAN YOU... AND YOU STOP IN THE MIDDLE... IDDLE,
CAN YOU ASK FOR INFORMATION
THEN, YOU KNOW LIKE, THE LANGUAGE OF ORIGIN,
CONCERNING STUFF LIKE... CAN YOU SAY THE FIRST LETTER,
THEN ASK FOR THE LANGUAGE OF ORIGIN,
THEN ONCE YOU KNOW THAT, KEEP ON SPELLING?
ONE OF THEM JUST CAME RUNNING UP
BECAUSE HE SAID HE WANTED TO TELL ME
THAT HE REALLY ENJOYED HEARING OLD ENGLISH PRONOUNCED.
AND... THEN HE TOOK OFF.
Hill: "PERNICIOUS."
P-E-R-N-I-C-I-O-U-S.
[ ♪ ]
HE'S GOOD NOW. VERY GOOD. "TAMARACK."
VERY, VERY GOOD.
[ ♪ ]
Nupur: FROM THE MINUTE I WALKED IN ON SUNDAY TO REGISTER,
I WAS IN TOTAL SHOCK AT HOW HUGE IT WAS,
HOW GRAND THE WHOLE AFFAIR WOULD BE.
OH YEAH.
[ ♪ ]
IT'S OUR STOP.
[ ♪ ]
Angela: I PICTURE MYSELF GETTING THAT WINNING WORD,
AND THEN JUMPING UP AND SCREAMING,
AND GETTING A TROPHY.
AND I PICTURE MYSELF APPEARING ON ROSIE O'DONNELL.
[ ♪ ]
[ Applause ]
"CEPHALALGIA."
CEPHALALGIA?
Cameron: A PAIN IN THE HEAD.
[ Laughter ] [ Goofy chuckle ]
"CEPHALALGIA."
CEPHALALGIA:
C-E-P-H-...
A-L-A-L-G-I-A.
CEPHALALGIA. [ Applause ]
Angela: ZWIEBACK:
Z-W-I-E-B-A-C-K.
ZWIEBACK.
April: T-U-Y-E-R-E.
TUYERE.
T-R-A-C-H-O-D-O-N.
TRACHODON.
Cameron: "NEPHELOGNOSY."
Boy: DYSPHASIA...
Cameron: "XEROSTOMIA."
Girl: QUAQUAVERSAL...
Cameron: "SIPHONAPTEROLOGY."
COULD YOU REPEAT THAT WORD AGAIN, PLEASE?
ZAIBATSU...
Cameron: "CHATEAUBRIAND."
Nupur: MAY I HAVE THE LANGUAGE OF ORIGIN?
Cameron: IT IS FROM AMBOINESE.
IS THE ORIGIN LATIN?
AND IT'S FRENCH?
...P-H-A-L-O-N.
ENCEPHALON.
...D-I-L-L-A.
QUESADILLA.
[ Applause ]
"LYCANTHROPE."
[ ♪ ]
Cameron: A WEREWOLF IS A LYCANTHROPE.
Ashley: I JUST HOPE AND I PRAY TO GOD
THAT I'LL GET A PRESENTABLE PLACE, OR A GOOD PLACE AT LEAST...
THE TOP 5, TOP 10.
IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER TO ME. IT'S...
I MEAN, SPELLING IS SOMETHING THAT I LOVE TO DO.
HOW CAN YOU COMPETE AND BE SCARED?
YOU'RE TRYING TO WIN.
[ ♪ ]
LYCANTHROPE:
L-Y-C-A-N-T-H-R-O-P-E.
LYCANTHROPE.
[ Applause ]
[ ♪ ]
Woman: THAT CONCLUDED ROUND ONE.
[ Applause ]
"MATTOCK."
MATTOCK...
CAN I HAVE THE DEFINITION, PLEASE?
A MATTOCK IS A TOOL...
April: MY MOM TELLS ME THAT SOMETIMES,
I WOULD BE SAYING WORDS IN MY SLEEP.
I WAS SO SCARED AND NERVOUS
'CAUSE I REALLY WANTED TO GET PAST THAT FIRST DAY.
WELL, IT'S MORE INTENSE THAN ANY COMPETITION
BECAUSE IN BASEBALL, YOUR KID GETS UP IN THE FIRST INNING;
HE STRIKES OUT. HE GETS UP IN THE THIRD INNING.
THEN HE GETS UP IN THE SIXTH INNING AND THE NINTH INNING.
THIS ONE, ONE LETTER,
AND YOU'RE OUT.
MATTOCK:
M-A-T-T-O-C-K.
[ Applause ]
[ ♪ ]
Earl: TED'S... HE IS REALLY COMPETITIVE.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE CAN MEMORIZE ALL THOSE WORDS OR NOT.
YEAH, HE PLAYS TO WIN.
"DISTRACTIBLE."
DISTRACTABLE:
D-I-S-T-R-A-C-T-A-B-L-E.
DISTRACTABLE. [ Chiming of bell ]
Cameron: DISTRACTIBLE IS D-I-S-T-R-A-C-T-I-B-L-E.
[ Applause ]
Interviewer: HOW YOU FEELING?
FINE.
JUST KIND OF ANNOYED.
I WAS SURPRISED THAT...
THAT AN EASIER WORD GOT HIM
AFTER PRACTICING THOSE REAL LONG JAW-BREAKER WORDS.
I THINK TED'S GOT THE ADVANTAGE
OF PARENTS THAT THINK IT'S GREAT THAT HE'S HERE, IRREGARDLESS.
HE'S A CHAMP IN MY EYES.
I STILL THINK HE SPELLED IT RIGHT.
"WHEEDLE."
WHEEDLE?
"WHEEDLE" OR WHEEDLE.
Angela: WHEEDLE...
IF I WIN THE NATIONAL SPELLING BEE,
OH MAN, I'D BE... ECSTATIC.
I WOULD LIKE FOR HER TO...
TO BE SATISFIED WITH WHATEVER PLACE SHE GETS.
HOWEVER, FROM WHAT I SAW YESTERDAY,
THERE ISN'T ANY REASON WHY SHE CAN'T WIN.
COULD I PLEASE HAVE THE LANGUAGE OF ORIGIN?
THE ORIGIN OF THE WORD IN UNKNOWN.
WHEEDLE...
"WHEEDLE", WHEEDLE.
WHEEDLE... WHEEDLE...
W-H-E-E-D-L-E.
[ Applause ]
[ ♪ ]
Boy: ...E-R-V-...
A-I-L.
[ Applause ]
THANK YOU.
[ ♪ ]
[ Chuckle ]
THANK YOU, DR. CAMERON.
Woman: THAT'S CONCLUDED ROUND TWO.
AT THIS TIME, WE ARE GOING TO TAKE
OUR 15-MINUTE MID-MORNING BREAK.
SPELLERS, YOU NEED TO LEAVE YOUR PLACARDS ON YOUR CHAIRS,
AND WE WILL RESUME SPELLING AT 10:20.
SO THIS TIME, YOU JUST WANT TO GET THROUGH THE NEXT ROUND.
THIS TIME, I WANT TO GET A WORD LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE PASIMOLOGY,
WHICH I KNOW PASI MEANS SIGNS.
OR I WANT TO GET A WORD THAT I'VE STUDIED,
LIKE SOMETHING NAT'S NOTES THAT I ACTUALLY REMEMBER,
WHICH IS, LIKE, 5%. RIGHT.
Woman: WHAT'S REALLY SPECIAL ABOUT BEING AT THE BEE
IS WHEREAS IN NEW YORK, WHERE WE COME FROM,
AMY IS CONSIDERED KIND OF LIKE A GEEK,
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE SHE'S INTO THE WORDS
AND SHE'S INTO THE VOCABULARY,
AND THE KIDS LOOK AT HER WHEN SHE USES THESE WORDS
THAT SHE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND...
THAT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND;
WHEN WE COME HERE, IT'S SO REFRESHING
TO SEE ALL OF THESE BRIGHT KIDS IN ONE ENVIRONMENT.
AND HERE SHE'S ACCEPTED. HERE SHE'S ONE OF THE CROWD.
HERE SHE'S POPULAR. EVERYBODY LOVES HER HERE.
NO, I'VE NOT HAD ANY LUNCH OR DINNER OR BREAKFAST,
NOTHING, BECAUSE I JUST CANNOT EAT.
NEIL'S PATERNAL GRANDFATHER IN INDIA
HAS ACTUALLY PAID 1,000 PEOPLE
TO BE CHANTING AND PRAYING AROUND THE CLOCK FOR NEIL TO WIN.
AND SHOULD HE WIN,
I BELIEVE HE'S GOING TO PAY TO FEED 5,000 PEOPLE IN INDIA.
SO THERE'S A LOT MORE RESTING ON THIS
THAN JUST MAYBE THE $10,000 PRIZE
AND ALL THE GLORY HE'D GET HERE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF HUNGRY PEOPLE IN INDIA
THAT COULD BE FED IF NEIL WINS.
[ Applause ]
Woman: WE WILL GO RIGHT ON TO ROUND THREE.
[ ♪ ]
"ODYSSEY."
ODYSSEY:
O-D-Y-S-S-E-Y.
ODYSSEY.
[ Applause ]
"HELEOPLANKTON."
Angela: HELEOPLANKTON?
COULD I PLEASE HAVE THE DEFINITION?
Cameron: PLANKTON TYPICAL OF SMALL BODIES OF STILL, FRESH WATER.
H-E-L-I-O-P-L-A-N-K-T-O-N.
[ Chiming of bell ]
HELEOPLANKTON IS H-E-L-E-O-
P-L-A-N-K-T-O-N.
[ Applause ]
Cameron: "UTILITARIAN."
ME. I THOUGHT IT WAS RIGHT!
I DID, I DID, I DID.
MAN...
HELEOPLANKTON,
I NEVER WOULD HAVE GUESSED IT WAS H-E-L-E-O...
I KIND OF FEEL RELIEVED
BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE TO PREPARE FOR SPELLING BEES ANY MORE.
BUT I THINK I WILL KIND OF MISS THIS.
Reporter: ...ALL THE TIME PREPARING,
IS IT PRETTY DISAPPOINTING WHEN YOU'RE UP THERE?
OR WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR MIND? NOT REALLY.
I ALREADY FEEL LIKE A CHAMPION JUST GETTING HERE.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S ENOUGH
BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T EVEN ACCOMPLISH THAT.
K-R-A-V-A-T.
KRAVAT? [ Chiming of bell ]
CRAP.
[ ♪ ]
[ Chiming of bell ]
[ ♪ ]
"COROLLARY."
COROLLARY?
MAY I HAVE THE DEFINITION, PLEASE? A PROPOSITION...
Nupur: LAST YEAR I GOT OUT IN THE THIRD ROUND,
AND I WAS ALREADY NERVOUS BECAUSE...
THAT WAS KIND OF, LIKE, MY JINX ROUND.
EVEN BEFORE THE BEE, IT'S LIKE WE WERE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH LISTS,
WHICH WE DIDN'T DO LAST YEAR AT ALL
BECAUSE I THOUGHT, "SHE'S SO CLOSE THAT MAYBE THIS WORD
OR THE OTHER WORD WE DO OR MAYBE..." YOU KNOW.
IT COULD BE JUST ONE OF THOSE WORDS THAT WOULD HELP HER.
Nupur: I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. MAYBE I BLANKED OUT,
MAYBE THE PRESSURE WAS GETTING TO BE TOO MUCH.
BUT I ASKED WHETHER IT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE WORD COROLLA.
DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH, LIKE, A COROLLA?
WHAT'S A COROLLA?
I DON'T KNOW, LIKE THE CAR.
[ Laughter ]
I'M SORRY. WE NEED A...
WE JUST NEED A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION IF YOU COULD...
EVERY TIME SHE WENT TO PRONOUNCE THE WORD, I...
FOR SOME REASON, I CLOSED MY EYES.
I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT I'M CLOSING MY EYES.
BUT I JUST DON'T KNOW WHY I DID IT.
I GOT SO NERVOUS THAT...
I JUST KEPT... WHEN SHE WALKED UP, WHOA.
IF I HAD BLOOD PRESSURE, IT WOULD'VE ROCKETED HIGH SKY.
MAY I HAVE THE DEFINITION AGAIN?
A PROPOSITION THAT FOLLOWS UPON ONE JUST DEMONSTRATED
AND THAT REQUIRES NO ADDITIONAL PROOF.
COROLLARY:
C-O-R-O-L-L-A-R-Y.
[ Applause ]
MERCENARY...
M-E-R-C-E-N-A-R-Y.
MERCENARY.
[ Applause ]
FIBULA:
F-I-B-U-L-A.
[ Applause ]
"KOOKABURRA." KOOKABURRA.
Emily: I THINK IF I GET OUT REALLY EARLY,
I'M GOING TO BE, LIKE, A LITTLE BIT OF RELIEF,
KIND OF LIKE, "OH, IT'S OVER. I DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS AGAIN.
I CAN BE A NORMAL KID."
BUT MOSTLY, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE,
"HOW COME I DIDN'T DO AS WELL?"
YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK HOME AND TELL KIDS,
"OH, I GOT OUT IN THE FIRST ROUND AGAIN,"
OR, "I GOT OUT IN THE SECOND ROUND THIS TIME."
K-O-O-K-A-B-U-R-R-A.
KOOKABURRA.
[ Applause ]
"ECCLESIASTICAL."
WOULD YOU GIVE ME THE DEFINITION, PLEASE?
THIS IS AN ADJECTIVE.
IT MEANS BELONGING TO, SUGGESTIVE OF, OR SUITABLE FOR,
USE IN A CHURCH BUILDING OR SERVICE OF WORSHIP.
EC-CLEVIASTIC?
ECCLEVIASTIC?
"ECCLESIASTICAL."
ECCLESIASTICAL?
ECCLESIASTICAL... AM I PRONOUNCING THE WORD CORRECTLY?
Woman: ASHLEY, WHY DON'T YOU LOWER THE MICROPHONE JUST A LITTLE BIT
AND TURN TOWARD US. THERE YOU GO.
ECCLESIASTICAL? EC-CLESIASTICAL?
E-...
C-...
L-...
[ Sigh ]
E-C-C-L-...
E-A-S-T-I-C-A-L.
[ Chiming of bell ] OH-H-H...
ECCLESIASTICAL IS E-C-C-L-E-S-
I-A-S-T-I-C-A-L.
[ Applause ]
Angela: OH, IS SHE CRYING?
YOU DID GOOD.
YOU'RE FINISHED, OKAY?
THAT'S GREAT. I'M PROUD.
THAT'S RIGHT.
SHE DID GOOD.
YOU DID GOOD, BABY.
IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT, HONEY.
YOU REMEMBER THAT NOW,
BABY, YOU CAME TO THE NATIONAL.
YOU CAME, THAT'S WHY. YOU'RE STILL A WINNER.
Woman: THAT MAKES A TOTAL OF 104 SPELLERS
THAT WILL BE COMING BACK TO SPELL TOMORROW,
AND WE'LL SEE EVERYONE BACK HERE IN THE MORNING
TO BEGIN PROMPTLY SPELLING AT 8:00 O'CLOCK.
OH, I JUST DIE. Interviewer: RELIEVED?
I JUST DIE. I JUST DIE...
WELL... WAIT FOR THE WORD.
AND I HEARD "DISCLAIMANT."
I SAID, "OKAY." I KNOW SHE COULD HANDLE THAT.
AND THE NEXT WORD WAS KOOKABURRA.
I HAD NO CLUE WHAT THIS WORD WAS.
AND SHE... SHE SAW ME PAINED.
AND SHE... SHE SMILED AT ME AND TOLD ME, "I KNOW THIS WORD."
OKAY. SUPPER. YOU EAT NOW? I'LL EAT.
FIRST FOOD TODAY.
I COULD SPELL SOME OF THE WORDS
BUT I COULDN'T SPELL ALL OF THEM, AND...
I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT THERE IS SOME RELIEF,
LIKE, "OH, I DIDN'T GET THAT WORD. I'M SO HAPPY."
AH, BABY.
EVERY TIME IT WAS NEARING FOR APRIL TO SPELL,
MY HANDS WERE WET RIGHT IN THE CENTRE HERE.
JUST REAL WET.
AND THEN WHEN SHE SPELLED HER WORD AND I BREATHED A SIGH OF RELIEF,
THEY WOULD DRY INSTANTLY.
I WALKED AROUND THIS HOTEL THREE TIMES, OUTSIDE.
RIGHT BEFORE SHE GOT READY TO SPELL, I WALKED AROUND, AND...
THEN I WOULD COME BACK JUST AS SHE WAS SPELLING.
THREE TIMES IN A ROW. THAT'S TOO... IT'S TOO MUCH.
I DON'T EVEN EXPECT TO GET PAST THE FIRST ROUND TOMORROW.
BUT...
WE'RE MORE OPTIMISTIC, AND...
AND THAT... FEELING SHE HAS THERE...
I WISH SHE COULD JUST SHAKE IT
BECAUSE SHE HAS A LOT GOING FOR HER.
AND I THINK SHE'S GOING TO DO VERY WELL.
I DON'T KNOW. HUH.
I JUST... I'M MORE OF A PESSIMIST. BUT...
THE WORDS GET REALLY HARD AND...
IT'S REALLY THE LUCK OF THE DRAW.
[ ♪ ]
Man: ONE THING I REMEMBER
THAT AS THE SPELLING BEE APPROACHED ITS END
WITH THREE, AND THEN TWO AND SO ON,
MY FATHER WAS RIGHT ON THE STEPS
LEADING UP TO THE...
THE STAGE, AND AS SOON AS I SPELLED THE WORD CORRECTLY,
HE RUSHED ONTO THE STAGE.
HE WAS NOT AN EMOTIONAL MAN IN GENERAL,
BUT HE WAS VERY EMOTIONAL THAT TIME.
IT WAS A BIG THING,
GETTING TO THE NATIONAL SPELLING BEE, OF COURSE.
AND MY OLDER BROTHER
HAD MADE IT TO THE SECOND DAY OF COMPETITION,
GOT A WORD THAT HE UNFORTUNATELY MISSPELLED,
AND THAT REALLY BROKE MY MOTHER UP
AND SHE WAS CRYING IN THE BALCONY.
AND I TRIED TO COMFORT HER AND I TOLD HER,
"MOM DON'T WORRY. I'LL WIN IT FOR YOU SOME DAY."
1985, I WAS SO FOCUSED ON THIS
THAT THEY ACTUALLY SELECTED FOUR PEOPLE TO LAY A WREATH
AT ARLINGTON CEMETERY
AT THE TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER.
AND SO THEY CALLED ME A COUPLE DAYS BEFORE THE CHAMPIONSHIP
AND THEY SAID, "HEY," YOU KNOW, "YOU'VE BEEN SELECTED.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE THERE AS PART OF THIS?"
I DIDN'T EVEN ASK MY PARENTS.
I'M LIKE, "NO. I GOTTA STUDY."
IT'S AN EXTREMELY HEADY EXPERIENCE FOR ANY CHILD.
YOU KNOW, YOU GO FROM BEING RELATIVELY ANONYMOUS
TO BEING MOBBED BY ALL THE MAJOR MEDIA IN THE UNITED STATES.
I DON'T THINK IT REALLY HELPED ME...
IN MY LOVE LIFE, MY NASCENT LOVE LIFE.
I THINK THAT HAVING WON SOMETHING LIKE THAT
COULD BE REGARDED AS BEING A SIGNIFICANT LIABILITY.
Woman: WE GOT LETTERS FROM PLACES
THAT WE'D NEVER HEARD OF
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT APPEARED IN ALL THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS.
SO FROM A LOCAL NEWSPAPER, SOMEBODY PUT A CUTTING
IN AN ENVELOPE AND THEN ADDRESSED IT TO BALU NATARAJAN:
"HE WON THE NATIONAL SPELLING BEE."
PEOPLE ALWAYS KNEW ABOUT IT.
"OH, SHE'S THE GIRL THAT WON THE SPELLING BEE."
AND IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING
THAT HAS ALWAYS CAPTURED PEOPLE'S ATTENTION AND IMAGINATION.
IT'S JUST A GREAT AMERICANA TRADITION
THAT HAS BASICALLY FILTERED OUT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE WORLD.
ONE THING HE SAID, "THEY'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER
IS YOU WON THE FIRST SPELLING BEE."
AND THAT IS TRUE. I GET THE... CREDIT FOR BEING THE FIRST.
[ ♪ ]
Kimble: YESTERDAY, WE BEGAN WITH 249 SPELLERS.
TODAY, 104 REMAIN.
BY MID-AFTERNOON, ONE OF THEM WILL BE DECLARED
THE 1999 SCRIPPS HOWARD NATIONAL SPELLING BEE CHAMPION.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN
THE 72nd ANNUAL SCRIPPS HOWARD NATIONAL SPELLING BEE
OVER TO DR. ALEX J. CAMERON,
WITH THE 605th WORD OF THE COMPETITION.
THANK YOU. [ Applause ]
THE WORD IS "BANNS".
IT'S A PLURAL NOUN.
THIS BANNS MEANS NOTICE OF A PROPOSED MARRIAGE
PROCLAIMED IN A CHURCH OR OTHER PLACE PRESCRIBED BY LAW.
[ Whispering ] BANDS, BANDS, BANDS, BANDS,
BANDS, OH...
THERE'S GOTTA BE SOMETHING I CAN THINK OF.
Woman: TAKE A DEEP BREATH, HARRY,
AND LET'S FINISH THE WORD, PLEASE.
[ Exhaling ]
ALL RIGHT, I'M STARTING OVER.
LET'S SEE. WHAT DO I'VE GOT SO FAR? BANDS.
I'VE GOT B-A-N-D.
GOTTA THINK OF SOMETHING.
Woman: HARRY. TURN TOWARD THE MICROPHONE
AND LET'S FINISH THE WORD, PLEASE.
OKAY, THEN.
B-A-N-D-...
[ Heavy sigh ]
[ ♪ ]
...S? BANDS?
[ Chiming of bell ]
BANNS IS B-A-N-N-S.
[ Applause ]
I DIDN'T KNOW. I WAS JUST TRYING OUT ANYTHING.
BUT... WELL, THE GUY PRONOUNCED IT WRONG ANYWAY.
Interviewer: HOW DID HE SAY IT? "BANDS."
I DIDN'T KNOW IT. PEOPLE TOLD ME THAT IF I WAS CATHOLIC,
I MIGHT'VE KNOWN IT, BECAUSE IT'S A CHURCH WORD.
IT'S...THEY PUT UP...
IT'S SOMETHING TO DO WITH SOME CERTIFICATE THEY PUT UP
WHEN SOMEONE'S GOING TO GET MARRIED IN THE CHURCH.
I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE TRIED SOMETHING LIKE D-E-S
OR T-S, OR...
OR EVEN N-D-S.
AND I FELT BAD FOR THE BOY WHO WAS FROM TEXAS AND GOT "YENTA."
"YENTA."
YENTA?
...OR EVEN D-Z. SOMETHING.
BUT FOR SOME REASON, I DIDN'T TAKE ANY OF THOSE...
WELL, YOU CAN'T REALLY CALL THEM GOOD IDEAS.
AND I WENT WITH... BUT I WENT WITH THE WORST IDEA,
WHICH WAS D-S, AND I GOT OUT.
I GOT OUT.
BUT STILL, HE DID PRONOUNCE IT WRONG
EVEN THOUGH I DID MAKE MY WORST GUESS.
[ ♪ ]
"DARJEELING."
CAN I HAVE THE ETYMOLOGY, PLEASE?
IT'S FROM A...
BENGALI GEOGRAPHICAL NAME.
Neil: DARJEELY?
Woman: SAY IT TOWARD US AGAIN, NEIL.
DARJEELY.
Woman: SLOW DOWN THE ENDING.
DAR-JEELY.
Cameron: NO. DARJEELING.
DARJEELING.
Neil: SO THIS IS A NOUN.
Cameron: A NOUN.
CAN YOU PRONOUNCE THE WORD AGAIN, PLEASE?
"DARJEELING."
Neil: THIS IS THE LAST SPELLING BEE I'M EVER GOING TO GO TO.
AND SO, IT WOULD FEEL GOOD
TO COME OUT SUCCESSFUL AT THE LAST ONE.
BUT...
I'M STILL HAPPY IF I GO INTO THE COMFORT ROOM AND...
AND AT LEAST IN, LIKE, ONE OF THE HIGHER ROUNDS.
AFTER NEIL FINISHES THIS SPELLING BEE
AND AFTER HE'S DONE WITH ALL THIS,
AT LEAST HE'LL HAVE FOND MEMORIES OF WHAT...
WHAT IT WAS TO STRIVE FOR SOMETHING THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT
AND TO KEEP YOUR MIND FOCUSED, WHETHER YOU SUCCEED OR NOT.
YOU STILL CONTINUE TO STRIVE IN OTHER THINGS.
DARJEELING...
[ Sighing ]
D-...
A-...
R-...
J-...
E-E-...
L-I-...
N-...
G. DARJEELING.
[ Applause ]
[ ♪ ]
VIANT?
Suzanne: I DON'T THINK I'D REMEMBER ANY LETTERS.
I MEAN, IT'S LIKE...
I SIT THERE WITH THE CAMERA SO NERVOUS.
AND DON'T TAKE ANY PICTURES.
IT'S LIKE, I'M, LIKE...
PARALYSED BY SEEING HER AT THE MIC.
YOU CAN KNOW EVERY SINGLE WORD IN A ROUND BUT ONE
AND GET THAT ONE.
IT'S STATISTICAL.
I MEAN, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO WELL
WITHOUT HAVING TRAINED.
IS IT FROM FRENCH?
YEAH, LATIN, BUT FROM FRENCH TO US.
FROM THE FRENCH WORD VIANDE, MEANING MEAT?
Man: YES.
VIAND:
V-I-A-N-D.
VIAND.
[ Applause ]
Cameron: "PALIMPSEST."
PALIMPSEST.
AM I PRONOUNCING IT CORRECTLY?
PALIMPSEST?
Parag: THIS IS NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN LIFE
TO BE A BEST SPELLER IN THE WORLD.
IN YOUR SPARE TIME, IF YOU CAN DO THE SPELLING
AND THEN DO WELL, THAT'S GOOD.
OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THAT IMPORTANT.
Sid: WELL, SHE HAD THOSE WORDS DOWN.
SHE WAS DETERMINED TO COME BACK THIS YEAR.
COME BACK. SHE WANTED TO GO THE WHOLE WAY.
PALIMPSEST:
P-A-L-I-M-P-S-E-S-T.
PALIMPSEST.
[ Applause ]
"ALEGAR."
ALEGAR?
CAN I HAVE THE LANGUAGE OF ORIGIN?
LATIN.
ALEGAR:
A-L-E-G-A-R.
[ Applause ]
[ Whispering ] I COULD TELL BY HER...
HER FLAIR, WHATEVER YOU CAN CALL THAT,
THAT SHE STUDIED THAT WORD.
YES.
[ Whispering ] YES.
I DID TOO.
BEE HAPPY.
B-E-E.
Kimble: THIS CONCLUDES ROUND FOUR.
THERE ARE 48 SPELLERS REMAINING.
AT THIS TIME WE ARE GOING TO TAKE OUR BREAK.
YOU NEED TO LEAVE YOUR PLACARDS ON YOUR CHAIRS, SPELLERS,
AND YOU NEED TO BE BACK PROMPTLY AT 11:50
IN TIME FOR THE 12:00 O'CLOCK ESPN LIVE BROADCAST.
[ Yelps of excitement ]
Male commentator: WELCOME TO WASHINGTON, D. C.
FOR THE 72nd ANNUAL SCRIPPS HOWARD NATIONAL SPELLING BEE.
WE'RE AT THE GRAND HYATT HOTEL
WHERE YESTERDAY 249 SPELLERS BEGAN COMPETITION.
THROUGH THE FIRST 3 ROUNDS, OVERNIGHT, 104 SURVIVED.
WE'RE NOW IN THE 5th ROUND.
THERE ARE 46 SPELLERS REMAINING.
WELL, IT'S AS DIFFICULT AS HANDICAPPING, SAY, THE BELMONT STAKES.
BUT CAN YOU GIVE ME A COUPLE OF PEOPLE TO WATCH TODAY?
I DO HAVE A COUPLE FAVOURITES TODAY.
LET'S WATCH FOR EMILY STAGG.
SHE'S FROM CONNECTICUT,
AND SHE'S DONE A GREAT JOB WITH FOREIGN LANGUAGES,
WHICH HELPS A LOT WITH SPELLING.
AND THIS IS HER THIRD VISIT HERE.
MY OTHER FAVOURITE IS GEORGE THAMPY.
HE'S FROM MISSOURI AND HE PLACED FOURTH LAST YEAR.
HE'S HOME-SCHOOLED AND HE SEEMS TO STUDY SPELLING AROUND THE CLOCK.
I'D PUT MY MONEY ON GEORGIE.
HE WAS IN THE TOP FIVE LAST YEAR,
AND HE HAD A VERY GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORDS.
I MEAN, YOU COULD TELL THIS KID WAS PROCESSING THE INFORMATION.
I THINK THAT GEORGE THAMPY WILL DO... PROBABLY DO WELL.
HE WAS INCREDIBLE LAST YEAR.
HE REMEMBERS EVERYTHING HE STUDIED
WHEN HE WAS FOUR OR FIVE OR SIX YEARS OLD.
WHATEVER HE LEARNED AT THE AGE OF FOUR,
HE STILL REMEMBERS EVERY BIT OF IT.
HE DOESN'T HAVE TO REVIEW ANYTHING AT ALL.
[ ♪ ]
Father: THIS COUNTRY NEEDS GODLY VALUES.
WE ARE IN A BANKRUPT SOCIETY
WITH RESPECT TO PRINCIPLES AND CHARACTER.
Man: GEORGIE THAMPY IS GOING TO WASHINGTON, D.C. AGAIN
FOR THE NATIONAL SPELLING BEE WHERE HE CAME IN FOURTH LAST YEAR.
I BELIEVE HE'S GOING TO WIN IT ALL THIS YEAR.
BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT THE MOST REMARKABLE THING ABOUT GEORGIE.
HIS FATHER HAS TOLD ME ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS
THAT GEORGIE HONOURS HIS FATHER AND HIS MOTHER.
THAT IS A LOT MORE IMPORTANT TO GOD,
AND THAT'S A LOT MORE IMPORTANT TO GEORGIE'S FUTURE.
Georgie: THERE'S THREE TIPS I HAVE FOR OTHER SPELLERS,
ONE: TRUST IN JESUS.
TRUST AND BELIEVE IN JESUS.
TWO: HONOURING YOUR PARENTS,
AND THREE: HARD WORK.
Commentator: ALL RIGHT. 46 SPELLERS ARE READY TO BEGIN COMPETITION.
THE SPELLER ON STAGE RIGHT NOW IS NEIL KADAKIA.
[ Sighing ] HYPSOMETER:
H-Y-P-S-O-
M-E-T-E-R.
HYPSOMETER.
"APOCOPE."
WHAT IS THE LANGUAGE THAT THIS WORD IS FROM?
THIS IS GREEK.
Emily: APOCOPE...
[ ♪ ]
David: I THINK IT'S A PECULIARLY AMERICAN TRADITION.
COMPETITION IS...
A MORE IMPORTANT PART OF AMERICAN CHILDREN'S UPBRINGING,
I THINK, THAN IT IS A EUROPEAN... EUROPEAN CHILD'S.
THAT'S PART OF MY MISGIVINGS NOW.
IT'S KIND OF JUST LIKE EVERYONE SAYING,
"OH, YOU'RE GOING TO WIN."
I'M LIKE, "NO, I'M NOT. I'M REALLY NOT."
UM... THE BEGINNING,
DOES IT COME FROM THE ROOT A-, MEANING, LIKE, "NOT?"
Man: I DON'T SEE THAT LISTED HERE.
[ Inaudible ]
APOCOPE:
A-P-O-C-O-P-E.
APOCOPE.
[ Applause ]
Cameron: "MAROTTE."
Girl: MAROTTE:
M-A-R-O-T-T-E.
[ Applause ]
TERGIVERSATE:
T-E-R-G-I-
V-E-R-
S-A-T-E.
TERGIVERSATE.
[ Applause ]
Kimble: THIS CONCLUDES ROUND FIVE.
THERE ARE 17 SPELLERS REMAINING.
[ ♪ ]
Cameron: "COSSET."
[ Chiming of bell ]
"AUDACE."
[ Chiming of bell ]
"MICROPHAKIA."
[ Chiming of bell ]
"BEIGNET."
[ Chiming of bell ]
"CUCURBIT."
[ Chiming of bell ]
[ Applause ]
"HELLEBORE."
TELIBORE...
Various: NO. "HELLEBORE."
HELEBORE...
HELLEBORE IS ANY
OF A GENUS OF POISONOUS HERBS
OF THE BUTTERCUP FAMILY, HAVING SHOWY FLOWERS
WITH PETALOID SEPALS.
IS THE ROOT WORD HELIOS, MEANING... SUN?
Man: NO.
I DON'T FIND THAT LISTED HERE.
[ Heavy sigh ]
[ Inaudible ]
HELEBORE:
H-...
E-L-
E-B-O-...
R-E.
HELEBORE.
[ Chiming of bell ]
Cameron: HELLEBORE IS H-E-L-L-E-B-O-R-E.
[ Applause ]
Neil: I MADE IT THROUGH THE FIRST DAY,
AND I WAS PRETTY HAPPY WITH THAT
BECAUSE THAT WAS THE FIRST GOAL I SET.
AND THEN ON THE...
ON THE SECOND DAY, MY SECOND GOAL WAS TO...
WAS TO MAKE IT TO ESPN
AND THEN I MADE IT TO ESPN, AND SO...
AND THEN I SET ANOTHER GOAL TO MAKE IT INTO THE TOP 10, WHICH I DID.
TO COME 9th AT 12 YEARS OF AGE IS PHENOMENAL.
BECAUSE HE'S IN THE 8th GRADE, HE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO COME BACK,
BUT I KNOW THAT IF HE'S 14 AND HE WAS IN THE 8th GRADE,
WE WOULD HAVE AN EASY STREET, 2 MORE YEARS IN A ROW.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT.
SO FOR US IT WAS GREAT.
JUST PHENOMENALLY GREAT.
[ ♪ ]
Kimble: THERE ARE 8 SPELLERS REMAINING.
[ ♪ ]
WE ARE NOW READY TO BEGIN ROUND 7.
SPELLER NUMBER 28, YOU MAY STEP TO THE MICROPHONE.
ACELUS:
A-C-E-L-U-S.
ACELUS.
[ Chiming of bell ]
QUINQUEVERE:
Q-U-I-N-Q-U-E-V-E-R-E.
[ Chiming of bell ]
"REPETITEUR."
REPEDITOR?
OR "REPETITEUR."
CAN I HAVE THE ORIGIN, PLEASE?
I DIDN'T PANIC WHEN I HEARD THE WORD
BECAUSE I THOUGHT MAYBE I COULD FIGURE IT OUT.
YOU JUST ALMOST CAN TASTE VICTORY.
AND IT JUST SEEMED LIKE...
IT COULD BE...
IT COULD BE COMING OUR WAY.
"REPETITEUR," REPETITEUR.
April: REPETITEUR:
R-E-P-E-T-I-T-E-U-R.
[ Applause ]
Emily: CAN YOU SAY IT AGAIN, PLEASE?
"CLAVECIN."
[ ♪ ]
CAN YOU PRONOUNCE THE WORD ONE MORE TIME?
"CLAVECIN."
CLAVISON...
CLAVISON?
CLAVISON:
C-L-A-V-I-S-O-N.
CLAVISON. [ Chiming of bell ]
Cameron: CLAVECIN IS C-L-A-V-E-C-I-N.
[ Applause ]
WE ARE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF EMILY.
ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY.
EMILY DID A PHENOMENAL JOB. SHE DID.
THERE'S A BUNCH OF KIDS IN THERE AND THEY WERE ALL VERY GOOD.
AND SHE'S UP THERE. YEAH. I THINK...
I THINK THE KIDS IN THE END ALL...
ALL HAD THE CHANCE OF WINNING.
I THINK THE LAST... PROBABLY THE LAST EIGHT.
PART OF ME IS KIND OF JUST LIKE...
YOU KNOW, "IT'S OVER. THIS PART OF MY LIFE IS OVER."
AND THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A LETDOWN, BUT...
I CAN THROW AWAY THE BOOKS.
DON'T HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN.
[ Applause ]
Cameron: "CABOTINAGE."
COULD YOU REPEAT THE WORD AGAIN, PLEASE?
"CABOTINAGE."
CABOTINAGE?
Nupur: INSIDE I HAD BUTTERFLIES IN MY STOMACH.
MAY I HAVE A SENTENCE, PLEASE?
LIKE, AND MY HEART WAS POUNDING, MY HANDS WERE CLAMMY.
I WAS JUST TRYING NOT TO DWELL ON THE FACT
THAT THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE.
"CABOTINAGE."
CABOTINAGE:
C-A-B-O-T-I-N-A-G-E.
Woman: YES.
[ Applause ]
Kimble: 4 SPELLERS REMAIN.
APRIL, YOU MAY ONCE AGAIN STEP TO THE MICROPHONE
TO BEGIN ROUND 10.
Cameron: THERE IS A HOMONYM TO THIS WORD.
THE WORD IS "TERRENE," OR TERRENE,
AND THIS ONE MEANS RELATING TO THIS WORLD OF LIFE, MUNDANE.
April: DOES THIS COME FROM THE ROOT TERRA, MEANING EARTH?
Man: YES.
OKAY.
TERRINE:
T-E-R-R-I-N-E.
[ Chiming of bell ]
TERRENE IS T-E-R-R-E-N-E.
[ Applause ]
SHE CALMED ME BECAUSE SHE WAS VERY COOL UP THERE.
SHE MANAGES TO STAY THAT WAY
AND YET...
MAYBE WHEN WE GO BACK TO THE ROOM, SHE'LL FALL APART A LITTLE.
BUT UP ON THE STAGE, SHE REALLY KEEPS A VERY GOOD PRESENCE.
SO I'M REAL PROUD.
I'M HAPPY WITH MY PLACEMENT.
I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED
BECAUSE I ONLY MISSED ONE LETTER.
I GUESS I WOULDN'T BE ANY HAPPIER IF SHE WON.
IT WOULDN'T HAVE MADE ANY DIFFERENCE TO ME.
IF SHE HAD WON OR COME IN SECOND...
I MEAN, SHE JUST DID SO GOOD.
CURTLE...
C-U-R-
T-L-E.
CURTLE? [ Chiming of bell ]
Various: OH-H-H....
KIRTLE IS K-I-R-T-L-E.
[ Applause ]
Kimble: THAT CONCLUDED ROUND 10.
THERE ARE 2 SPELLERS REMAINING.
AT THIS TIME WE WILL BE MOVING
TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP WORD SUB-SECTION.
"OPSIMATH."
OPSOMATH? OPSOMATH?
OPSOMATH:
O-P-...
S-O-M-A-T-H.
[ Chiming of bell ]
OPSIMATH IS SPELLED O-P-S-I-
M-A-T-H.
[ Applause ]
Commentator: NOW, THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MAKE NUPUR THE WINNER.
"LOGORRHEA."
Nupur: LOGORRHEA. MAY I HAVE A DEFINITION?
PATHOLOGICALLY EXCESSIVE AND OFTEN INCOHERENT TALKATIVENESS.
Nupur: LOGORRHEA. MAY I HAVE A SENTENCE, PLEASE?
THE PATIENT'S LOGORRHEA
WAS INDICATIVE OF DEEP EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS.
[ ♪ ]
SOMEHOW OR OTHER, IN AMERICA,
SPELLING, ALTHOUGH IT'S A FAIRLY MECHANICAL PROCESS,
IN SMALL COMMUNITIES IT WAS IDENTIFIED WITH, YOU KNOW,
THE BEGINNING OF BEING ABLE TO READ AND WRITE AND HANDLE LANGUAGE.
IN THIS COUNTRY, SPELLING HAS ALWAYS BEEN A COMMUNITY PROCESS.
Dorothy: WE TRIED TO RAISE HIM THAT...
TRY, AND IF YOU DO IT, GREAT,
AND IF YOU DON'T...
JUST ROLL ON.
[ ♪ ]
OH, MY GOD. I'M SIXTH,
BUT I COULD'VE WON. I KNEW THOSE WORDS THAT SHE WAS SPELLING.
DID YOU KNOW THE WORDS THAT SHE GOT?
NOCICEPTOR AND LOGORRHEA? YEAH.
YES. THAT'S WHY I'M SO MAD.
I KNOW. I'M JUST LIKE, "OH, I COULD'VE WON."
April: SOME PART OF ME WANTS TO THINK
THAT I COULD HAVE GOTTEN THAT WORD RIGHT,
AND IF I'D GOTTEN THAT WORD RIGHT
THEN MAYBE I'D HAVE A CHANCE AT WINNING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
Gale: THERE'S SUCH A THING, I GUESS,
AS COMING TOO CLOSE
AND YET NOT COMING, YOU KNOW, CLOSE ENOUGH.
BUT THAT'S... THERE HAS TO BE SOMEONE IN THIRD PLACE, RIGHT?
[ ♪ ]
Ashley: IF I LOSE,
IT'LL BE OKAY BECAUSE...
I'LL BE UPSET FOR A LITTLE WHILE,
AND THEN I'LL RISE ABOVE IT
BECAUSE THAT'S JUST ANOTHER OBSTACLE.
IN AMERICA, BACK IN THE 18th CENTURY,
PEOPLE HAD THIS SENSE OF OPPORTUNITY.
YOU COULD LEAP OUT OF ONE'S SOCIAL CLASS.
YOU COULD MOVE UP, AND I THINK THEY UNDERSTOOD
EDUCATION WAS A BASIC PART OF THAT.
Rajesh: THE PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH SOME- THING THAT COMPLEX,
THAT HARD, AND YOU STILL PUT IN ENERGY WITH A PASSION.
AND IF THEY CAN DO THAT IN ANYTHING ELSE,
THAT THEY TAKE IN THESE VERY QUALITIES
WILL MAKE THEM SUCCESSFUL AND HAPPY AT WHAT THEY DO.
WHOOO-OOO!
[ Mooing of cows ]
I DON'T KNOW THAT I COULD DO THAT FOR MY FAMILY.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I COULD SAY,
"WELL YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO ANOTHER COUNTRY
SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE A BETTER WAY OF LIFE."
Angela: MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE OF MY BACKGROUND
THAT I WORK SO HARD.
Jorge: HE HAS SAID THAT IF HE WERE TO DIE TODAY,
HE WOULD DIE A HAPPY PERSON
BECAUSE HE FEELS LIKE...
WE HAVE...
ACCOMPLISHED WHAT HE WANTED US TO.
OH, YOU WANT TO TALK TO HER TOO.
WE'VE GOT NUPUR-MANIA HERE.
I GO TO COLLEGE,
AND I WANT TO DO SOMETHING IN NEUROLOGY.
JUST FORGET ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE.
FORGET ABOUT ALL THE OTHER SPELLERS...
SEE, RIGHT NOW WE'RE SEEING VIDEO OF YOU COMING HOME,
AND YOU SAID IT KIND OF SHOCKED YOU
HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY SHOWED UP FOR THAT. YEAH. IT...
Meena: YOU CAN GET A SENSE OF BELONGING IN AMERICA
OUTSIDE OF INDIA, WHICH YOU DON'T GET ANYWHERE ELSE.
WE WANTED OUR CHILDREN TO HAVE THAT.
[ ♪ ]
LOGORRHEA:
L-O-G-O-R-R-H-E-A.
Kimble: THAT IS CORRECT.
[ Cheers/applause ]
Man: SCRIPPS HOWARD IS MOST PROUD TO PRESENT
THE 1999 NATIONAL SPELLING BEE CHAMPION
FROM THE "TAMPA TRIBUNE," NUPUR LALA.
[ Wild cheers ]