The logo for the Daily Beast's Obsessed website. It reads: 'Obsessed: What to Watch, Binge, See, & Skip'
DAILY BEAST
Membership call to action crossword iconCrosswordNewsletters
  • Cheat Sheet
  • Obsessed
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Entertainment
  • Media
  • Innovation
  • Opinion
  • Reality TV
  • U.S. News
  • Scouted
CHEAT SHEET
    POLITICS
    • Biden World
    • Elections
    • Opinion
    • National Security
    • Congress
    • Pay Dirt
    • The New Abnormal
    • Trumpland
    MEDIA
    • Confider
    • Daytime Talk
    • Late-Night
    • Fox News
    U.S. NEWS
    • Identities
    • Crime
    • Race
    • LGBT
    • Extremism
    • Coronavirus
    WORLD
    • Russia
    • Europe
    • China
    • Middle East
    INNOVATION
    • Science
    TRAVEL
      ENTERTAINMENT
      • TV
      • Movies
      • Music
      • Comedy
      • Sports
      • Sex
      • TDB's Obsessed
      • Awards Shows
      • The Last Laugh
      CULTURE
      • Power Trip
      • Fashion
      • Books
      • Royalist
      TECH
      • Disinformation
      SCOUTED
      • Clothing
      • Technology
      • Beauty
      • Home
      • Pets
      • Kitchen
      • Fitness
      • I'm Looking For
      BEST PICKS
      • Best VPNs
      • Best Gaming PCs
      • Best Air Fryers
      COUPONS
      • Vistaprint Coupons
      • Ulta Coupons
      • Office Depot Coupons
      • Adidas Promo Codes
      • Walmart Promo Codes
      • H&M Coupons
      • Spanx Promo Codes
      • StubHub Promo Codes
      Products
      NewslettersPodcastsCrosswordsSubscription
      FOLLOW US
      GOT A TIP?

      SEARCH

      HOMEPAGE
      0

      7 Best Moments from the Scripps National Spelling Bee

      A star is born, another goes down courtesy of a synonym for bovine rabies, and the judges try but fail to steal the show. Watch our favorite moments from the National Spelling Bee.

      The Daily Beast Video

      Updated Apr. 25, 2017 2:59PM EDT / Published May 29, 2009 4:52AM EDT 

      Jewel Samad, AFP / Getty Images

      Behold the Terror that is the Bee

      The charm of the Spelling Bee is the sight of brainy kids at their best, but there is a darker side: brainy kids paralyzed with fear by, in this case, a term for a rather unpleasant medical procedure. But give 13-year-old Tussah Heera credit: How would you do on national television if you were asked to spell “herniorrhaphy”?

      The Judges Seek the Limelight by Offering Shecky Greene-like Sentences

      We have two quibbles with this year’s event. One, the announcers—including Tom Bergeron—couldn’t keep their mouths shut, especially when the tense silence was speaking for itself. Two, when the contestants would ask a few background questions to help them spell the word, the judges exercised their pent-up creativity by scripting wacky contextual sentences. Listen and repeat, producers, announcers and former champions: The kids, not you, are the stars of this show.

      Beloved Sidharth Chand Collapses Like the ’07 Mets

      You gotta love Sidharth Chand. He traces out his answers with a nonexistent pen, he’s a tough but quiet competitor, he looks like the neighborhood physician even though he’s 13. He also finished second in last year’s event, and we thought he might take it this time, in his last year of eligibility. Not so.

      “Derriengue” Robs Us of a Ray of Sunshine

      As if swine flu wasn’t bad enough, “derriengue”—a form of paralytic bovine rabies—had to come along and knock out one of the most joyful contestants. Neetu Chandak kept her sense of humor post-elimination, anticipating the elimination ding, and bouncing off the stage with an infectious smile full of braces.

      Kennyi Dig It?

      The breakout star of the night was 13-year-old Kennyi Aouad, who previously charmed audiences with his giggling reaction to the word “ sardoodledom.” This year, he grabbed the microphone from host Erin Andrews in a candid backstage moment. His later undoing with the word “palatschinken” ended with a humble shrug and a “Tried my best.”

      The Quiet, Awesome Composure of Aishwarya Pastapur Reminds You That There Is Good on This Planet

      Heard of the word “xebec”? Neither have we, nor, apparently, had eighth-grader and Springfield, Illinois, native Aishwarya Pastapur, who seems to reason out, in front of blinding lights and millions of people, the spelling of this insanely difficult word. Spelling Bees may have their problems, but all that is right with them came through in this two minutes. Abbreviated version below.

      Give Her a Hand!

      Thirteen-year-old Kavya Shivashankar won the night with a flawless spelling of “laodicean,” aided by her technique of tracing the words out on her hands. It may look odd, but it’s hard to argue with the results.

      The Daily Beast Video curates the most essential and entertaining video, and brings you original and exclusive productions from our talented contributors.

      The Daily Beast Video

      @beastvideo

      Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.

      READ THIS LIST

      DAILY BEAST
      • Cheat Sheet
      • Politics
      • Entertainment
      • Media
      • World
      • Innovation
      • U.S. News
      • Scouted
      • Travel
      • Subscription
      • Crossword
      • Newsletters
      • Podcasts
      • About
      • Contact
      • Tips
      • Jobs
      • Advertise
      • Help
      • Privacy
      • Code of Ethics & Standards
      • Diversity
      • Terms & Conditions
      • Copyright & Trademark
      • Sitemap
      • Best Picks
      • Coupons
      • Coupons:
      • Dick's Sporting Goods Coupons
      • HP Coupon Codes
      • Chewy Promo Codes
      • Nordstrom Rack Coupons
      • NordVPN Coupons
      • JCPenny Coupons
      • Nordstrom Coupons
      • Samsung Promo Coupons
      • Home Depot Coupons
      • Hotwire Promo Codes
      • eBay Coupons
      • Ashley Furniture Promo Codes
      © 2023 The Daily Beast Company LLC