# Please explain the appeal of spelling bees to me. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 1, 2013, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-appeal-of-spelling-bees-to-me/665103 "2013-08-01T19:02:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-appeal-of-spelling-bees-to-me/665103/1 "2013-08-01T19:02:13Z")
By “spelling bees”, I guess I mean spelling bees in general, but I especially don’t understand the appeal of the kids’ spelling bees that are broadcast on TV. I guess I don’t understand what’s exciting about watching a bunch of children spell words. I mean, if they can spell difficult words, good for them, but why is it something that anyone (other than their families and friends, I guess) would want to watch? (Or maybe I’m just bitter because I was a good speller but we never had any spelling bees at my school? I don’t know.) Do you watch spelling bees? What do you like about them? If you dislike them, why? ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-appeal-of-spelling-bees-to-me/665103/2 "2013-08-01T19:05:45Z")
As a school spelling bee champ, I can answer this: it’s all about “Oh, look how smart my Johnny is!” It’s right on par with having a kid in choir, band or dance, but for the intelligent, non-performance related child. They used to have kid versions of the High School/College Quiz shows, too. It’s a chance for a child to win his or her parent’s pride or disappointment. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-appeal-of-spelling-bees-to-me/665103/3 "2013-08-01T19:09:12Z")
I think high-level spelling bees are ridiculous. The words that they use are not something that anyone ever uses (cymotrichous? guetapens?) and the winners are lucky to guess correctly how they are spelled, although, granted, those are often very well-educated guesses. Lower-level spelling bees, like school-level ones, are kinda fun and hopefully do motivate kids to learn English spelling rules, however complex and full of exceptions they are, so their general spelling level is improved. But the high-level ones are pure mental masturbation. Not that there’s anything wrong with it. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-appeal-of-spelling-bees-to-me/665103/4 "2013-08-01T19:13:04Z")
It’s like sports for nerds, but even better because you can play along at home. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-appeal-of-spelling-bees-to-me/665103/5 "2013-08-01T19:37:24Z")
Explain professional sports to me. A bunch of folks who aren’t from around here represent “my team” in a “contest” that is statistically a 3-4 hour coin toss. Based on this result, I become a better or worse person because “my” team won or lost? Or: different people like different things. There’s really nothing more to it than that. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-appeal-of-spelling-bees-to-me/665103/6 "2013-08-01T19:42:42Z")
The bottom line is that it’s a competition. Some people enjoy watching/listening to competitions. For people who are more engaged by intellectual than physical pursuits, a spelling bee is a chance to watch a competitive test of memory, with a little bit of skill at analysis thrown in. It also provides a bit more of an opportunity to “play along” than watching a physical competition does. My favorite televised competition, _The Amazing Race_, is primarily physical, but occasionally involves watching people compete at things like calculating time zones. You can be engaged by the challenge. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-appeal-of-spelling-bees-to-me/665103/7 "2013-08-01T19:53:17Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > Explain professional sports to me. A bunch of folks who aren’t from around here represent “my team” in a “contest” that is statistically a 3-4 hour coin toss. Based on this result, I become a better or worse person because “my” team won or lost? I agree, professional sports are intensely stupid and pointless too. But this thread is about why spelling bees suck. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-appeal-of-spelling-bees-to-me/665103/8 "2013-08-01T19:55:53Z")
I lost interest in spelling bees in junior high school. I participated, spelled the word correctly, but was disqualified because I didn’t say the word after I spelled it. I said, “screw that” and never bothered again. I did like being a mathlete, though it’s not a spectator sport. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-appeal-of-spelling-bees-to-me/665103/9 "2013-08-01T20:09:00Z")
\*\*Please explain the appeal of spelling bees to me. \*\* Can’t. C. A. N. Apostrophe. T. Can’t. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-appeal-of-spelling-bees-to-me/665103/10 "2013-08-01T20:09:17Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > I agree, professional sports are intensely stupid and pointless too. But this thread is about why spelling bees suck. The point is that people like to compete, and people like to watch other people compete. About anything. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-appeal-of-spelling-bees-to-me/665103/11 "2013-08-01T20:12:56Z")
I briefly worked as a temp for the guy (actually brothers) who owned the rights for the Scripts Spelling Bee. They were dumbass, cheapass idiots and I was glad when I heard they sold the rights for pennies and the show went on to become a huge success. I am sure they are kicking their asses today, realizing how badly they screwed up and practically gave away the rights. Just to give you an idea of their planning - they spent weeks agonizing where they could rent the cheapest folding chairs for the audience/parents to sit in during the event. They didn’t bother dealing with little things like television advertising or broadcasting deals or marketing…just worried about getting a good deal on folding chairs. I…d…i…o…t…s - idiots. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-appeal-of-spelling-bees-to-me/665103/12 "2013-08-01T20:15:14Z")
They are on TV because by the time you get to that level the only people left in them are the weirdos with strange mannerisms. Everyone likes to watch awkward people. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-appeal-of-spelling-bees-to-me/665103/13 "2013-08-01T20:28:00Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > The point is that people like to watch other people compete. About anything. Not bowling. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-appeal-of-spelling-bees-to-me/665103/14 "2013-08-01T20:35:44Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > I lost interest in spelling bees in junior high school. I participated, spelled the word correctly, but was disqualified because I didn’t say the word after I spelled it. I said, “screw that” and never bothered again. > > I did like being a mathlete, though it’s not a spectator sport. Yeah, I always thought that the fact you had to say the word twice was kind of stupid. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-appeal-of-spelling-bees-to-me/665103/15 "2013-08-01T21:30:21Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > The point is that people like to compete, and people like to watch other people compete. About anything. But you already know the Indian kid’s going to win. How is that even any fun? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2013, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-appeal-of-spelling-bees-to-me/665103/16 "2013-08-01T21:44:03Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > But you already know the Indian kid’s going to win. How is that even any fun? Yeah but WHICH Indian kid? ---
**Author:** ![Space\_Vegetable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Space\_Vegetable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Space_Vegetable)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-appeal-of-spelling-bees-to-me/665103/17 "2013-08-02T00:46:50Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > I briefly worked as a temp for the guy (actually brothers) who owned the rights for the Scripts Spelling Bee. Bzzt! I’m sorry, the correct spelling is S C R I P P S. But thank you for playing! ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-appeal-of-spelling-bees-to-me/665103/18 "2013-08-02T01:07:32Z")
> [@Space\_Vegetable](#): > > Bzzt! I’m sorry, the correct spelling is S C R I P P S. But thank you for playing! I actually thought of making that comment before, but I thought, nah, someone will beat me to it. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-appeal-of-spelling-bees-to-me/665103/19 "2013-08-02T03:05:17Z")
They put the judge through the hoops… forward, backward, forward again: - “Can I have the definition please?” - “What part of speech is it?” - “Can I have the language of origin?” - etc I guess that’s some sort of appeal - if you are there to sympathize with the judge. Otherwise no. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-appeal-of-spelling-bees-to-me/665103/20 "2013-08-02T03:07:19Z")
spelin beas are dum and stopid. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-appeal-of-spelling-bees-to-me/665103.md?page=2)