No one thinks that spelling bees are accurate predictors of future success. Most people agree that they are novelty competitions designed to capitalize on -- exploit? -- a narrow skill that appears in a select group of children and is often correlated with social awkwardness.
This year's National Spelling Bee winner, Evan O'Dorney, is a poster child both for spelling and for, well, the other thing, and while it's poor form to make fun of kids, it's great form to post videos of kids so that people can draw their own conclusions. In this interview with CNN's Kiran Chetry, the home-schooled O'Dorney corrects Chetry's pronunciation of her name (she calls him "particular" in response), refuses to answer a straightforward question about what his mom said after the victory, and generally seems bored. He does everything but walk away from the camera. He's a tougher interview than Barry Bonds, and almost admirable for it. I mean, pinning this kid down is tougher than trying to differentiate between Grammatorcynus bicarinatus and Grammatorcynus bilineatus in a school of scombridae.
[Ben Greenman's acclaimed new book of fiction, A Circle is a Balloon and Compass Both, is now available. Order it here.]
Mo Rocca has appeared on a bunch of shows, including 'The Daily Show,' 'I Love the 80s,'...
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Posted Jun 7th 2007 9:16AM by Ben Greenman
Filed under: Media, Pop Culture, TV, Video, Comedy, Bizarre
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Mo Rocca appears on a bunch of shows, including CBS News Sunday Morning (with the indescribably wonderful Charles Osgood), The Tonight Show on NBC, and NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! He's a sometime judge on Iron Chef and was featured on Telemundo's Amore Descarado. Last year he starred on Broadway in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. His expose "All the President's Pets" was published by Crown in 2004.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 25)
1. KIRAN CHETRY WAS A LOOSER AT FOX AND SHE CONTINUES HER 1 HOUR OF SHAME WITH CNN. OF ALL THE PEOPLE TO COVER A STORY THEY HAD TO PICK HER. ROSIE O'DONNELL COULD HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB AND I CAN'T STOMACH ROSIE O'DONNELL.
MICHAEL WALSH at 10:28AM on Jun 7th 2007
2. It's spelled "loser" not "looser".
cwilkinz at 10:38AM on Jun 7th 2007
3. Who the hell screened this kid? Who's idea was it to have him on the show? This is just a horrible example of what happens when producers don't screen properly.
Ashley at 11:10AM on Jun 7th 2007
4. I think the real "loser" in all of this is people you can't spell "loser" and there are a lot of them!
Marilyn at 11:24AM on Jun 7th 2007
5. This is why kids should not be home schooled. Talk about no people skills. How will this kid do we he gets out in the real world and has to talk with real people insted of just spelling words that no people can use
Chris at 4:02PM on Jun 7th 2007
6. The problem was not in the guest, but in the topic. He would be a perfect guest for a program about the incredible lack of social skills found in many home schooled children. He was just plain rude, lacking respect for others, and possessing an obvious need to "build himself up" by putting others down. He also appears incapable of accepting his own imperfections, choosing instead to blame the interviewer for his inability to spell the word. Now before all of you home school parents get all upset, please re-read my first line. I did not say "all" home schooled children, so if you think I am talking about your children, then that's your assumption, not mine. I would implore all home school parents, if your child exhibits a total inability to carry on an intelligent conversation like this spelling bee winner, please plan interaction with others into your home school curriculum.
randolpho at 12:18PM on Jun 7th 2007
7. Public schools 1
home school 0
Ron at 8:08PM on Jun 7th 2007
8. HA! Blame it on homeschooling, as we all know how well adjusted public schooled kids are socially!(please note the sarcasm.) Why not blame it on his nationality too, since we're going to be predjudiced? He is who he is, and he may not be perfect, but neither are you! Anyone who thinks homeschoolers are socially deprived, are very ignorant. And those who think public schooled kids are not rude, or conceited, have never been to public school. Let's not judge the kid for being a kid.
joevarro at 12:49PM on Jun 7th 2007
9. It is rather sad that this really intelligent child can not hold a conversation. I think he needs to get out and meet some kids his own age and play and interact. Home schooling kids is fine if thats what you choose to do It is really understandable in this day and age where Parents dont feel its safe for kids at school anylonger. But Children really need to be around other kids there age so that they learn how to interact with people there own age. The kid can be the smartest kid around but if it doesnt come from a book he is not going to know how to be apart of something much larger... society...
Tannie at 12:56PM on Jun 7th 2007
10. WELL, A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION IS NOT RARE IN THIS "AGE." SO, IT IS MIND BOGGLING TO READ THINGS LIKE "WHO'S" FOR "WHOSE" ON HERE, ESPECIALLY WHEN SOMEONE IS RIDICULING ANOTHER PERSON.
PEOPLE ARE ASKING THAT ENGLISH BE DECLARED THE NATIONAL LANGUAGE. THERE ARE MANY FOREIGNERS WHO NOW SPEAK AND USE ENGLISH BETTER THAN MANY "AMERICANS."
Kate at 12:57PM on Jun 7th 2007
11. The demise of the English language is a sign of the deterioration of our culture.
Kudos to the kid.
To the rest of you dumbasses, learn to spell.
Ron at 12:57PM on Jun 7th 2007
12. I strongly suspect an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Individuals with ASD struggle with social conversation and may appear rude when they do not maintain eye contact or answer in a socially acceptable manner. ASD affects as many as 1 in 150 children today. I encourage everyone to be aware of this disorder.
Nan at 1:11PM on Jun 7th 2007
13. As usual, some people can't read a comment about a select group of folks without thinking that it applies to everybody. You're the one who is prejudging the group based on the actions of one. And then there are the people who don't really have anything relevant to say, so they resort to vulgarity and put downs. Congratulations, you can spell and use the proper homonyms. That puts you in the same class as a home schooled spelling bee winner who can't carry on an intelligent conversation with an adult. You should be proud.
randolpho at 1:40PM on Jun 7th 2007
14. Michael, I also agree that Chetry is a piece of fluff, at best. I also did not know she went to CNN, but I am not at all surprised at the move. CNN is a better match for her. LOL
Lily Harville at 1:40PM on Jun 7th 2007
15. Regarding Kate who made comments about many foreigners who speak English better then Americans do.She apparently does not know many foreigners living in the United States-in many areas there are those who are unable to speak or understand English!The big problem is that many Americans are unable to complete a sentence--communication is a jumble of words--a constant shift ftom one subject to another. George Bush and his father constantly do this--he is lucky if he can get past a verb, and has asbsolutely no idea of what a direct object is.
Again, with regard to Kate: I can only say that if she were to live in parts of England(a place where supposedly the best English is spoken) she would have great difficulty understanding them because of the many different acccents and dialects which they use. However, the English DO know how to assemble their thoughts and complete a sentence!
mac at 6:28PM on Jun 17th 2007