# Gay controversy erupts at Scrabble tournament **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 7, 2004, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-controversy-erupts-at-scrabble-tournament/258818 "2004-08-07T22:06:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-controversy-erupts-at-scrabble-tournament/258818/1 "2004-08-07T22:06:12Z")
Over the use of the word [LEZ](http://www.advocate.com/new_news.asp?ID=13338&sd=08/07/04-08/09/04). Otherwise an acceptable abbreviation but banned by ESPN as too offensive for TV. Regardless of any “offense” that may have been caused by a glimpse of the word “lez” on ESPN, can anyone think of anything much more boring than watching people play Scrabble? Because I’m stumped. ---
**Author:** ![Idlewild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8491ac/32.png) [@Idlewild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idlewild)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-controversy-erupts-at-scrabble-tournament/258818/2 "2004-08-07T22:18:37Z")
I was just surprised that tournament rules allowed it even though it was an abbreviation. The rules inside my scrabble box don’t. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-controversy-erupts-at-scrabble-tournament/258818/3 "2004-08-07T22:37:48Z")
> [@Idlewild](#): > > I was just surprised that tournament rules allowed it even though it was an abbreviation. The rules inside my scrabble box don’t. So’m I. It’s not an acceptable word according to the [Hasbro ™ online Scrabble dictionary](http://www.hasbro.com/scrabble/pl/page.tools/dn/home.cfm), either. I’m also not aware that ‘LEZ’ was offensive. Of course, some words that are allowed by that dictionary are a bit odd for being part of ‘normal, accepted, standard English.’ When was the last time **you** spoke of the SUQ, or AE, or even RAJ? And why is OY a word, and GOY isn’t? Hmm? ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-controversy-erupts-at-scrabble-tournament/258818/4 "2004-08-07T22:51:19Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Regardless of any “offense” that may have been caused by a glimpse of the word “lez” on ESPN, can anyone think of anything much more boring than watching people play Scrabble? Because I’m stumped. You should check out the documentary “Word Wars” (based on the excellent book _Word Freak_.) I have never had such an exciting time watching Scrabble. The tension at the highest levels is the same as it is at any national championship sporting event. The movie also discusses how the official Scrabble dictionary is compiled. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-controversy-erupts-at-scrabble-tournament/258818/5 "2004-08-08T04:14:14Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Regardless of any “offense” that may have been caused by a glimpse of the word “lez” on ESPN, can anyone think of anything much more boring than watching people play Scrabble? Because I’m stumped. Fishing shows. At least with Scrabble, there’s something to read. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-controversy-erupts-at-scrabble-tournament/258818/6 "2004-08-08T04:17:35Z")
I liked this bit from **Otto** ’s linked article: > [@](#): > > The board unanimously agreed to remove the word. Wright then returned the two tiles he had selected and played a different word, Williams said. **“We kind of took two steps back,”** he said. Yeah, to the 1950s. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-controversy-erupts-at-scrabble-tournament/258818/7 "2004-08-08T04:44:38Z")
Much as I love them, ESPN televises cheerleading, poker, hunting, fishing, and spelling bees. I can’t really be surprised at Scrabble. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-controversy-erupts-at-scrabble-tournament/258818/8 "2004-08-08T05:58:49Z")
Not to mention Magic: The Gathering. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-controversy-erupts-at-scrabble-tournament/258818/9 "2004-08-08T05:59:45Z")
I take it you can only see Scrabble on ESPN 8: _The Ocho_, right? ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-controversy-erupts-at-scrabble-tournament/258818/10 "2004-08-08T08:26:08Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Much as I love them, ESPN televises cheerleading, poker, hunting, fishing, and spelling bees. I can’t really be surprised at Scrabble. They had a jumprope competition on either ESPN or ESPN2 within the past year. It was decently entertaining, but … jumprope? I can understand catering to a certain demgraphic (which, Og bless, seems to watch a lot of TV at 6 AM and not much other time of day) with the fishing show, but who beyond Joe Random-Boredman (speaking!) is going to watch jumprope? ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-controversy-erupts-at-scrabble-tournament/258818/11 "2004-08-08T09:57:40Z")
In the UK I got a lot of laughs out of watching the televised darts. Best of all though, were the sheep dog trials. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-controversy-erupts-at-scrabble-tournament/258818/12 "2004-08-08T12:51:11Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Fishing shows. At least with Scrabble, there’s something to read. And for a combination of the two: what do you call a fish with no eyes? Fsssssshhhhh! ---
**Author:** ![PastAllReason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@PastAllReason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastAllReason)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-controversy-erupts-at-scrabble-tournament/258818/13 "2004-08-08T20:31:11Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Over the use of the word [LEZ](http://www.advocate.com/new_news.asp?ID=13338&sd=08/07/04-08/09/04). > > Regardless of any “offense” that may have been caused by a glimpse of the word “lez” on ESPN, can anyone think of anything much more boring than watching people play Scrabble? Because I’m stumped. I dunno, there are entire networks devoted to golf and car racing. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-controversy-erupts-at-scrabble-tournament/258818/14 "2004-08-08T20:37:26Z")
I do have to wonder who they were afraid of insulting. Uptight nimrods who freak out over the slightest suggestion of anything not strictly hetero, or trigger-happy gay activists who might suddenly decide that “lez” is a slur? ---
**Author:** ![ataraxy22](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ataraxy22/32/307_2.png) [@ataraxy22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ataraxy22)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-controversy-erupts-at-scrabble-tournament/258818/15 "2004-08-09T00:33:45Z")
There is a list of expurgated words from the official scrabble players dictionary. They were removed as part of a movement to encourage Scrabble play as a learning aid in elementary schools. After a lot of work, the National Scrabble Association worked out an agreement to televise an all star match last fall, based in part to the success of “Word Freak”. It got pretty good ratings, thus ESPN decided to film the finals of this year’s National Scrabble Championship, which is a semi-annual event. As part of the deal, the 100 or so words that are normally allowable were not to be played in the final best of 5 match that would determine the champion. Both players knew this ahead of time. But in the heat of moment, one forgot. ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-controversy-erupts-at-scrabble-tournament/258818/16 "2004-08-09T00:40:04Z")
They also show pool tournaments. As for the actual issue: First of all, there should be a list of “words that ARE real words but AREN’T okay in Scrabble,” instead of a board that decides for each case. Secondly, there’s a big difference between a drama where someone says, “You’re such a lez!” and a word game where someone says, basically, “This is a valid English word which is playable according to the rules and current board arrangement of this game, so I am playing it.” I give this whole deal three and a half :rolleyes:'s ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-controversy-erupts-at-scrabble-tournament/258818/17 "2004-08-09T01:30:56Z")
The great thing about the dope is, no matter how off the wall the question, it’s amazing how often someone like ataraxy22 will come along and post some real knowledge of the topic! Perhaps ESPN will someday televise our fight against ignorance! ---
**Author:** ![indecisive1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/41988e/32.png) [@indecisive1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/indecisive1)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-controversy-erupts-at-scrabble-tournament/258818/18 "2004-08-09T12:15:44Z")
> [@](#): > > Perhaps ESPN will someday televise our fight against ignorance! **Harriet** , I do believe you’ve just started a great joke thread. [golf announcer voice] That’s an incredibly risky move **NoClueBoy** just made. This won’t sit well with the Dopers, they’re going to tear him apar… Oh! My! God! He’s got a Cite! a Cite! [/golf announcer voice] ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-controversy-erupts-at-scrabble-tournament/258818/19 "2004-08-09T13:06:38Z")
> [@OtakuLoki](#): > > So’m I. It’s not an acceptable word according to the [Hasbro ™ online Scrabble dictionary](http://www.hasbro.com/scrabble/pl/page.tools/dn/home.cfm), either. I’m also not aware that ‘LEZ’ was offensive. > > Of course, some words that are allowed by that dictionary are a bit odd for being part of ‘normal, accepted, standard English.’ When was the last time **you** spoke of the SUQ, or AE, or even RAJ? > > And why is OY a word, and GOY isn’t? Hmm? Didn’t see this telecast, but was it just US players, or international. Because there are two official Scrabble dictionaries. “LEZ” could be one of those words allowed in international play, but not in US tournaments. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2004, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-controversy-erupts-at-scrabble-tournament/258818/20 "2004-08-10T06:13:28Z")
> [@indecisive1](#): > > **Harriet** , I do believe you’ve just started a great joke thread. > > [golf announcer voice] > That’s an incredibly risky move **NoClueBoy** just made. This won’t sit well with the Dopers, they’re going to tear him apar… Oh! My! God! He’s got a Cite! a Cite! > [/golf announcer voice] HA! Fat lot you know! I _never_ use cites. And [here’s](http://13.898.net/contractUs/eclegma/sclerodermatitis) proof. Still…, it is a funny idea for a thread… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-controversy-erupts-at-scrabble-tournament/258818.md?page=2)