Deadspin
Hate to ruin your day, but Mike & Mike are out as hosts of the Scripps National Spelling Bee coverage on ESPN and ABC in May. Taking their place will be the perky Tom Bergeron — whose work on America's Funniest Home Videos was once again overlooked by the Nobel Committee — and a very special sideline reporter.
It's buried in the press release, but not in our hearts: The lovely Erin Andrews will also be on hand for the prestigious event. Hey, why should Little Leaguers have all the fun?
ESPN's live telecast (simulcast on ESPN360.com) is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., ET. ESPN360.com will provide coverage of the quarterfinal rounds from 2:00-5:30 p.m., ET on Thursday, May 29 on ESPN 360.com. ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews will be a correspondent for both the ABC and ESPN broadcasts.
Where exactly the "sidelines" are marked at a spelling bee is unclear, but they'll figure it out. Here's what I imagine the first interview will be like:
ANDREWS: "Kevin, you were knocked out on the word 'ubiquitous,' which you spelled 'b-r-e-a-s-t-s.' What happened?"
KEVIN: (Blushes) "Well, I ..." (faints).
That would be only slightly more embarrassing than this.
Tom Bergeron Hosts The 2008 Scripps National Spelling Bee [The Futon Critic]
Comments
"Hate to ruin your Tuesday"
you're a day late with this story.
It's Tuesday? Dammit.
Sanjaya Malakar made the Spelling Bee?
Yes, Yes
/shits pants
God, the hormones that will be flying that room. Lucky pre-teen homeschooled nerds.
So not only do those poor kids have to worry about spelling a word wrong, but also pitching a tent on national tv.
Can you still spell well when you have a boner?
/could have went with woody instead to make me sound like I'm in 8th grade
E-R-E-C-T-I-O-N
Hey babe, let me show you my language of organ.
Hey! I didn't write that post. I better check my passwo...
..oh. Critic.
I bet the winning word is "nocturnal emission".
hi, uh, Erin? Right? Um, hi. You have nice, um, hair.
(slaps forehead)
thanks for the link to Sophie Cortina. she is hotter than Erin Andrews
Some kid is totally going to screw up the spelling of masticate if Erin Andrews is there with that outfit on.
That kid must be doing his Balki Bartokomous impression and I bet it's awesome.
"Cousin Larry!!!"
Tom Bergeron < Harrison Bergeron
The Will Leitch hair cut is upgraded to fad
@The Most Dangerous Game of Grab-Ass: Tom Bergeron < Tom Berenger
Good move, Erin Andrews is spellbinding.
@Dead Wrestlers Society: deeply saddened that the Wheel of Fortune puzzle "Pitching a Tent" clip is not on You Tube.
That's a fantastic Erin Andrews picture. So fantastic I can't formulate something clever to say.
Like you don't have a boner often enough when you are in 8th grade?
Should have had the Sklar brothers host.
/Mogwai!
Their second choice was Debra Lafave.
@Weed Against Speed: With a lapdance of joy from Erin Andrews.
My nebulizer stock just doubled!
Erin looks like she has more of a Spelling "D" going on.
I'm setting the over/under on involuntary ejaculations at 8.5. Takers?
Tom Berenger>Tom Bergergon
Also, isn't Will from Illinois?
Also, Andrews is the sideline reporter for the Little League World Series, no? So, is ESPN's new programming manager Jocelyn Elders? Have to encourage teenage self-love to stem the tide of teen pregnancy & venereal disease...
@Weed Against Speed: Well of course not, don't be ridiculous.
That would be only slightly more embarrassing than this.
Rick, I'm assuming you mean the kid's haircut?
@blastitbiggs: One of the Spelling Bee episodes where they mock "Tennessee Ned" - I went to law school guy with that guy.
/ don't go to law school
I'd B-E-N-D her over a C-H-A-I-R.
@Dewey Decimal System: How clever of you.
So. You like...stuff?
@Burning River: I don't get it either.
Will the contestants be allowed to carry a notebook up to the mic with them?
Spell "bodacious tatas"
And they thought they had problems with kids fainting at the microphone before...
@MeSoHornsby: Don't think this is over.
@Burning River: Nope, being from Baltimore.
@Burning River: I know, I was hoping to see a boner. Wait, I don't mean it like that.
That spells trouble. In my pants.
If they recite the Pledge of Allegiance beforehand, half the crowd will still be at full staff after the pledge ends.
I'm sure there's an overprotective parent out there who's going to be upset that their son misspelled a work because he was distracted by Erin Andrews. I smell lawsuit!
@Stev D: They'll be more wheezing than during a Jeffersons re-run.
I heard Mike & Mike would only do the Bee if Dana Jacobson was the sideline reporter
When I was in the sixth grade I was a finalist in our school spelling bee. It was me against Raj Patel. And I misspelled, in front of the entire school, the word 'failure'.
M-O-O-N...that spells 'sexy"!
"Priapism. Can I get a definition?
(mumbles)
"Yeah, I've got that."
Life imitates show tunes, apparently:
My unfortunate protuberance
Seems to have its own exuberance
Anyone for M & M's?
Delicious and appropriate
Anyone for Chewy Goobers?
Inexpensive
Anyone for buying the shit that I'm selling?
Because my stiffy has ruined my spelling.
If they really want to liven things up they need to have Charles Barkley heckling the kids. "Hey Four-Eyes, you spell turrible!"
At least with Mike and Mike gone this year the contestants will actually get to use the hair products and the pre-show buffet backstage.
@Paul Zuvella: She will be providing the drinks during Golic's wing-eating contest.
@ghostsoftheSCupcountry: Laws yes.
@Peter Cavan: The ironing is delicious.
@Dewey Decimal System: I don't know about you, but I was referring to his work in October Road.
For the sake of Erin's sweater, ;et's just hope there are no "Stan Marshes" at the spelling bee this year.
Late May is the perfect time for twelve-year-old boys to fantasize about a February-June relationship.
Since ESPN loves synergy so much, wouldn't this be a perfect time to use Kenny Mayne?
According to this article, Erin loves the pasty white skin. Spelling Beers might have a shot.
[menshealth.com]
I'm hooked on monkey phonics.
Can you please use Cankles in a sentence? She is still overrated...
"Could you use it in a sentence, please?"
"Wednesday is named after the Germanic god, Woden."
"T-U-E-S-D-A-Y"
"...get off the stage."
Just wait until that guy from E60 confronts Evan O'Dorney with a birth certificate indicating he is actually a 40 year old Welshman. That's going to be awkward.
Uh, I think I finally see the appeal of Erin Andrews, hadn't caught her from that angle before. See you guys in a few minutes.
What if C-A-T really spelled "dog"?
/Ogre'd
Someone give that kid his asthma inhaler, stat!