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 4 of 25)
46. I'm a 14 year old kid and this dude is someone who hasn't had a childhood. He's probably going to grow up and be like Michael Jackson. Just remember, some kids are competent enough to be able to have an intellectual conversation. This spelling "champion" needs some good friends... Play Halo 2 and learn how to talk to people in a nice way... Stuff like that.
Jon at 6:55PM on Jun 7th 2007
47. this is just sad... this kid can oviusly spell very well but he cant make conversation...if he has a mental illness then i apologize...but if he is just ackward from seclusion then...thats just sad
Peter at 7:10PM on Jun 7th 2007
48. I feel kinda bad for this kid. Jarel, ur lucky, you have that combination of social skills, smarts, and common sense (i consider them three different skill sets). But for some people, socializing is not our forte. I know plenty of people who are smart and have many friends, they are very active and play sports as well. But this kid seems different. I can see him having one of those disorders, I have a cousin who has something like that I think, and he doesn't know when to stop talking. However, he is really smart. This kid could do a lot of good in this world, he might just need help communicating. And to KT, I would rather be socially awkward than be so mean like you are (I chose not to use stronger language). The problem with America today is we are lazy (this includes me) and are in general one of the stupider industrialized nations. And to toni... so what? I know a lot of people that are awkward and seem weird, and they're awesome! I love those kids, haha they're pretty funny. You just gotta be nice. I mean, I can understand where u guys are coming from, he is sorta weird and uncomfortable and stuff, but at least he's smart.
Phew, that's a lot I said.
Pat at 8:33PM on Jun 7th 2007
49. BRING BACK SOLEDAD O'BRIEN AND MILES O'BRIEN PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The two who are in their places now are ruining the CNN morning news. I was faithful in watching this program every morning, but now that Kirin and The guy are there, it's totally boring and they have no personality.
Tessie at 7:32PM on Jun 7th 2007
50. Oh, give the kid a break. He's 14! Most kids that age don't even want to talk to adults.
Ever notice the eloquence of sports figures? And they are accustomed to being interviewed. How many of you can go on live TV and do an interview well? Just watch your local news channel when the reporter sticks a mike in front of Joe or Joanie Regular for a comment on something happening in the neighborhood.
This young man just should have been coached a little better.
Hal at 1:32AM on Jun 10th 2007
51. This child is (in my sincerest, professional opinion) not rude, not awkward, etc. But, rather I believe he is likely a high-functioning individual living with an autistic spectrum disorder (difference). This was apparent to me as I watched him in his competition, in his previous interviews, and now. He exemplifies the positive potentials of individuals living with autism and I fear the conversation here has been extremely off the mark. If you need further information regarding the various forms of autistic spectrum differences, see my website and go to "Autism / PDD".
Thank you.
Katherine Sainz at 8:02PM on Jun 7th 2007
52. I did not see the interview, but please ease up on homeschooled compared to publicly educated children. As a public high school teacher, "social skills" means, to me, the ability of students to string together expletives, without being able to spell them, and minds in the sexual gutter.
Mike at 8:28PM on Jun 7th 2007
53. I completely agree with mike. If I wanted to be easily social, I could just start using curse words, and make fun of some kids, and then I'd be "cool." Oh and if I drove fast and had complete disregard for my elders. Not that hard. But I try and live a better life.
Pat at 8:35PM on Jun 7th 2007
54. Sorry it posted again, I don't know what happened.
Pat at 8:36PM on Jun 7th 2007
55. Pat its not really about being "cool" its about being able to make conversation...im not really "cool" but i can talk to adults and my peers pretty well
Peter at 8:47PM on Jun 7th 2007
56. TO NUM 4 YOU STATE THE PEOPLE WHO R THE LOSERS R PEOPLE WHO CANT SPELL LOSERS HMMMM HOW ABOUT THE ONES WHO CANT TYPE SENTENCES CORRECTLY
LOOK AT YOUR STATEMENT REALLLLL CLOSE U LOSER
jake at 8:54PM on Jun 7th 2007
57. I thought it was reminiscent of some of the interviews Bob Dylan did in the mid-sixties. I might be as awkward as this kid if such inane questions were put to me. It was refreshing to see someone besides me getting bored while listening to a TV personality. Also, in response to some of these posts, he had a right to be rude after she mispronounced his name.
Patrick at 1:21PM on Jun 8th 2007
58. Point taken Peter. Although it's funny with me, I can talk better with adults than I can with people of my age, or so it seems like sometimes, I dunno. I'm not saying I can't talk to people in my grade, but... Oh and who wouldn't be nervous when they are on TV. He just didn't get the idea that the reporter expects you to expand on every topic, i'm kinda embarrassed for him, but still. It's different being interviewed than talking to someone face to face.
And Jake, ever heard of commas or periods?
Pat at 9:09PM on Jun 7th 2007
59. i have 2 things to say 1. well said rando and 2 r our lives so boring and dull that we even talk bout something like this myself included we are unreal trashing others when our lives not no better kind of like when springer brings out people who cheat and all the people boo when they all have done it we r becoming very sad
jake at 9:12PM on Jun 7th 2007
60. unreal pat im not a great typer was this a english test who honestly gives a crap bout my commas i have a master in math from ucla so if u think im dumb as u r well think again just lazy and y would u say that i mean wow
jake at 9:17PM on Jun 7th 2007