Spelling Bee Announcer Cracks Jokes

You would think being asked to spell complicated words on national television while you’re right in the middle of puberty would be a pretty nerve-racking experience. But contestants in the 87th annual Scripps National Spelling Bee are managing to yuk it up thanks to some funny examples of using the words in a sentence. When Lillian Allingham of Hockessin, Delaware asked for a sentence using “odyssey,” pronouncer Jacques Bailly used the example of “getting lost in Costco for 35 minutes.” For “coloratura,” Baily gave the example of someone getting his hand stuck in a George Foreman grill. Hey, nothing like a few jokes to lighten the mood. The final round will take place Thursday with the winner getting a cash prize of $33,000.