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shifuimam · Jun 6, 2007, 09:49 PM

Unemployment Check: Spelling Bee Winner - Television - IFILM

I just want to smack this kid upside the head.

"I'm sorry...I can't spell it right if you don't say it right"

besson3c · Jun 6, 2007, 10:51 PM

Hee hee... that was very good.

What is shifuimam anyway?

BlueSky · Jun 6, 2007, 10:54 PM

I'd rather smack the anchor on the head for the product placement. Nothing wrong with the kid ASAICS.

jersey · Jun 6, 2007, 10:58 PM

Oh .... thats hurts so badly ..... I couldnt even make it through the entire thing.

Shame on his mother for home schooling him, and letting that happen. She has completely ruined this poor kid.

The only person I feel worse for is the poor anchor.

wallinbl · Jun 6, 2007, 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by shifuimam

I just want to smack this kid upside the head.

"I'm sorry...I can't spell it right if you don't say it right"

See, I wanted to smack the CNN woman. I know what it's like to be socially awkward, and she clearly doesn't. You can't treat that kid like that in that situation because he doesn't know how to deal with it. The adult news professional should know better. Don't blame the kid.

turtle777 · Jun 6, 2007, 11:22 PM

They had it all wrong. It's spelled

S C U M B I R D E G G !

What a bunch or morans !

-t

KeriVit · Jun 6, 2007, 11:58 PM

I don't think the anchor did anything wrong. I can only imagine her comments off-camera- for them making her do a shameless product placement that fell through and for having to drag this out 4 minutes. She was fine.

Dark_Lotus · Jun 7, 2007, 12:02 AM

How is it the news anchors fault that the kid cannot handle social situations? Him not having social skills is his mothers fault for home schooling.

goMac · Jun 7, 2007, 12:04 AM

That kid looks vaguely autistic.

zro · Jun 7, 2007, 12:10 AM

Yes, public school solves everyones social issues. What a stupid thing to believe.

Kerrigan · Jun 7, 2007, 12:15 AM

You KNOW that kid's first lay is gonna be a fat bird with bee stings all over her face.

analogue SPRINKLES · Jun 7, 2007, 01:02 AM

So often I see kids that were home schooled are totally socially retarded.

Super Mario · 03:19 PM

ok so that kid is a dweeb but the retard is the woman who pronounces scombridae as scomberday.

Spook E · Jun 7, 2007, 01:48 AM

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES

So often I see kids that were home schooled are totally socially retarded.

Chuckit · Jun 7, 2007, 02:11 AM

Originally Posted by jersey

Oh .... thats hurts so badly ..... I couldnt even make it through the entire thing.

Shame on his mother for home schooling him, and letting that happen. She has completely ruined this poor kid.

The only person I feel worse for is the poor anchor.

I know a guy who went to school and he is a lot like that except he's a pervert as well. Creepy mother****er.

Then again, people really need to learn how to interview better before they get into a position that, y'know, consists of interviewing people on camera. This chick got his name wrong, got the name of the fish wrong, and got the spelling of the name of the fish wrong. Good grief, set aside more than five seconds for prep, lady.

analogue SPRINKLES · Jun 7, 2007, 02:58 AM

To be honest that was less painful to watch than any interview or speech with Bush.

macgeek2005 · Jun 7, 2007, 03:55 AM

Now THAT is what normally happens when you homeschool someone. I was different, cause i'm not like that kid at all! I'm completely normal, when interacting with other people in real life. With an emphasis on the "in real life" part.

Oversoul · Jun 7, 2007, 06:32 AM

Of course, macgeek, whenever you say "[I]'m not like that . . . at all," you're really instead whatever you want us to believe you are.

JoshuaZ · Jun 7, 2007, 06:43 AM

One of my room mates in college was home schooled. Even though he went to Public high school,, he was still socially retarded. He's 24 and has yet to kiss a girl.

I guess home schooling combined with a conservative christian upbringing has made him a complete idiot when it comes to women.

I once had to drag him to a flower store to get him to buy flowers for a girl he was infatuated with. Geeze.

wallinbl · Jun 7, 2007, 07:25 AM

Originally Posted by Dark_Lotus

How is it the news anchors fault that the kid cannot handle social situations?

Know who you are interviewing and how to talk to them. Of course, in the race to be the first one to air something, they probably didn't do any real prep work. Thank goodness for 24 hour news coverage and the quality it has brought with it. If she can't adapt to who she's talking to and have an interesting conversation, then why is she being paid? Because she's cute?

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES

So often I see kids that were home schooled are totally socially retarded.

Call the kid "retarded" if you will, but he's better at math than he is at spelling and he's already composed a concerto that's currently being prepared for public performance. Sounds as though his education is coming along well. You can blame his social skills on home schooling, but it is unrelated. Kids that are this bright and this socially awkward are not good candidates for public school. Hell, public school may be the reason that kids like him turn into kids that make bombs and shoot people.

kmkkid · Jun 7, 2007, 07:56 AM

It looks to me as if the poor kid has aspergers disorder. He acts exactly like a friends child who has the disorder. They are brilliant, but lack social skills, and seem withdrawn.

macintologist · Jun 7, 2007, 07:56 AM

I'm totally with wallinbl on this one. Social awkwardness should not be a reason to throw a kid in a public school where he will be beat up, tormented and dumbed down. Would you rather have your brain fried by the awful public school system or would you rather be socially awkward yet smart and successful.

Dakarʒ · Jun 7, 2007, 08:20 AM

I'd rather be happy.

wallinbl · Jun 7, 2007, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ

I'd rather be happy.

Sounds like a vote against public school, then!

Oversoul · Jun 7, 2007, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by macintologist

Would you rather have your brain fried by the awful public school system or would you rather be socially awkward yet smart and successful.

With a few exceptions, intelligence only gets you so far and being socially adept has a lot to do with being successful.

My girlfriend and I were wondering just what these kids go on to do in life after winning a spelling bee. (Skills on resume: I can spell?) But I suppose the spelling bee is a memory game and their ability to memorize vase numbers of rules has applications elsewhere.

Dakarʒ · Jun 7, 2007, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by wallinbl

Sounds like a vote against public school, then!

I dunno. With home schooling I'm stuck taking my sister to the Prom. She doesn't put out.

shifuimam · Jun 7, 2007, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by besson3c

What is shifuimam anyway?

You can take one of two stories; the second sounds slightly less offensive.

I originally came up with the name after hearing the song "Everytime I Look For You" by Blink 182. I thought it was funny they used two swear words in one line of the song. I was in college - so sue me. Anyhow, the line and the name are from this: "Shït fück I made a mistake". The other story I managed to find through someone I worked with when I tech support. Apparently "shifu" or "sifu" is Chinese for "master", and "imam" is Malay for "leader". So I'm "the master, the leader". It amuses me. And doesn't contain any four-letter words.

Originally Posted by jersey

Shame on his mother for home schooling him, and letting that happen. She has completely ruined this poor kid.

Originally Posted by zro

Yes, public school solves everyone's social issues. What a stupid thing to believe.

See, that's just the thing. This kid would be a socially defective weirdo regardless of where he goes to school. I knew kids at my school who were like him - smart but incapable of functioning in any normal social situation (school projects, riding the bus, talking to teachers, etc).

This kid has a hard life ahead of him. It's no mystery why people like this - smart but socially retarded - end up in science and engineering jobs. You don't have to be normal or socially acceptable to design an engine or a car, or to develop the next big medical miracle pill. It's the job interview part that can be incredibly difficult if you're unable to talk to strangers or answer questions well - two things that were obvious with this boy.

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

Now THAT is what normally happens when you homeschool someone. I was different, cause i'm not like that kid at all! I'm completely normal, when interacting with other people in real life. With an emphasis on the "in real life" part.

Dude, you're not the only one with an ego the size of China and the idea that you're better than everyone else. If you're "completely normal", then I'm a purple tentacle monster with green polka-dots and an orange mohawk.

Just keep digging yourself deeper into that hole...

Originally Posted by wallinbl

If she can't adapt to who she's talking to and have an interesting conversation, then why is she being paid? Because she's cute?

First of all, you need to see John Stewart's bit on "News I'd Like to F@#ck". Secondly, how about you try to a live interview on national TV with a very small time frame and a kid who gives you absolutely nothing to work with...

Call the kid "retarded" if you will, but he's better at math than he is at spelling and he's already composed a concerto that's currently being prepared for public performance.

I think that the term "socially retarded" would lean more towards the dictionary-definition of "retarded": Occurring or developing later than desired or expected; delayed. You can't deny that this kid has the social skills of a two-year-old. He possess no tact, etiquette, or skill in talking to other people.

Originally Posted by macintologist

Social awkwardness should not be a reason to throw a kid in a public school where he will be beat up, tormented and dumbed down.

True. Kids with Asperger's (or simply social awkwardness or retardation) shouldn't be put into a situation that will, if anything, make their condition and/or defeciencies worse. But I would imagine that kids like him would have a chance if their parents worked at helping them gradually learn social skills. I'm guessing his mother is just as weird as he is.

Would you rather have your brain fried by the awful public school system or would you rather be socially awkward yet smart and successful.

It's the "successful" part that you can't guarantee. If a kid is so incapable of functioning in society that he can't make it through a job interview, his odds of being "successful" are pretty slim. This kid can't even handle a three-and-a-half-minute interview on television. How do you think he's going to fare in half a day of interviews at a major engineering, science, or medical corporation?

wallinbl · Jun 7, 2007, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by shifuimam

how about you try to a live interview on national TV with a very small time frame and a kid who gives you absolutely nothing to work with...

Why? I don't get paid for that! I get paid to write software. I don't expect her to write software, I expect her to competently interview people.

analogue SPRINKLES · Jun 7, 2007, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by wallinbl

Call the kid "retarded" if you will, but he's better at math than he is at spelling and he's already composed a concerto that's currently being prepared for public performance.

I didn't call him retarded I called him SOCIALLY retarded. With people like that it usually doesn't matter how smart they are as nobody wants to be friends with them or worse.... work with them.

imitchellg5 · Jun 7, 2007, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

Now THAT is what normally happens when you homeschool someone. I was different, cause i'm not like that kid at all! I'm completely normal, when interacting with other people in real life. With an emphasis on the "in real life" part.

And an online forum isn't part of real life? I've been dreaming for a long time.

BRussell · Jun 7, 2007, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ

I dunno. With home schooling I'm stuck taking my sister to the Prom. She doesn't put out.

Oh yes she does.

Jawbone54 · Jun 7, 2007, 10:28 AM

My school was fully of socially awkward people, and there were plenty of us. I'm not sure homeschooling had anything to do with it; some people are just awkward, and it's usually the strangely smart ones.

Jawbone54 · Jun 7, 2007, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by BRussell

Oh yes she does.

Oh, wow...
KA-POW!!!

Dakarʒ · Jun 7, 2007, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by BRussell

Oh yes she does.

I really am tired this morning... I think I would have seen the consequences of that statement before I clicked submit.

andi*pandi · Jun 7, 2007, 10:43 AM

his parents shouldn't have let him on television if he has difficulty with social situations. That could traumatize a kid. Although, perhaps part of his social disfunction is not realizing when he should be embarrassed, when he should be polite, when he should show emotion... he needed more coaching.

I also wonder if part of the (painful!!) delays in his responses was due to an earphone/time lapse problem.

If I were the anchor I would have bailed out of that thing asap. Back to you Jim!

Dakarʒ · Jun 7, 2007, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by Jawbone54

My school was fully of socially awkward people, and there were plenty of us. I'm not sure homeschooling had anything to do with it; some people are just awkward, and it's usually the strangely smart ones.

It's all that southern inbreeding. Of course you're awkward. The human body wasn't built to deal with genetic anomalies such as 3 arms or mullets.

Chuckit · Jun 7, 2007, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by macintologist

I'm totally with wallinbl on this one. Social awkwardness should not be a reason to throw a kid in a public school where he will be beat up, tormented and dumbed down. Would you rather have your brain fried by the awful public school system or would you rather be socially awkward yet smart and successful.

You say that as though assholes who act like they're mentally ill tend to be happy and successful.

BRussell · Jun 7, 2007, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ

I really am tired this morning... I think I would have seen the consequences of that statement before I clicked submit.

I hate to see a man lose his edge like that.

Dakarʒ · Jun 7, 2007, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by BRussell

I hate to see a man lose his edge like that.

But at the same time its so delicious to be the guy that got him while he's down.

Jawbone54 · Jun 7, 2007, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ

It's all that southern inbreeding. Of course you're awkward. The human body wasn't built to deal with genetic anomalies such as 3 arms or mullets.

By "us," I was referring to the number of students in the school, not the socially awkward ones. I definitely wasn't lumping myself into that category. Evidently I'm a bit tired today too.
Stupid, stupid, stupid, STUPID!!!

Dakarʒ · Jun 7, 2007, 11:29 AM

It's ok, just go grab a nap on the backseat of your car, which should located where a couch would be in the living room.

olePigeon · Jun 7, 2007, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ

But at the same time its so delicious to be the guy that got him while he's down.

Ironic, that's what your sister said at the prom.

Dakarʒ · Jun 7, 2007, 12:35 PM

She called herself a guy?

olePigeon · Jun 7, 2007, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ

She called herself a guy?

Come to think of it...

analogue SPRINKLES · Jun 7, 2007, 12:37 PM

I hoping that they will find the nerd gene one day and discover why nerd smarts also equals stereotypical nerdy physical characteristics.

macgeek2005 · Jun 7, 2007, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by kmkkid

It looks to me as if the poor kid has aspergers disorder. He acts exactly like a friends child who has the disorder. They are brilliant, but lack social skills, and seem withdrawn.

Apergers disorder doesn't exist. Do ANY of you people EVER do any research on your own? Or do you just believe what everyone tells you?

analogue SPRINKLES · Jun 7, 2007, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

Apergers disorder doesn't exist. Do ANY of you people EVER do any research on your own? Or do you just believe what everyone tells you?

Just like we are supposed to believe you?

kmkkid · Jun 7, 2007, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

Apergers disorder doesn't exist. Do ANY of you people EVER do any research on your own? Or do you just believe what everyone tells you?

You tell that to the dozen or so doctors that diagnosed my friends son then.

Do you EVER say anything even remotely worthy of reading? Or do you just post crap for the hell of it?

kmkkid · Jun 7, 2007, 01:14 PM

Oh, and if it doesn't exist, explain that to the doctor it's named after. Unless of course he didn't exist either.

Asperger syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Aspergers Disorder | American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

etc. etc.

nonhuman · Jun 7, 2007, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

Apergers disorder doesn't exist. Do ANY of you people EVER do any research on your own? Or do you just believe what everyone tells you?

Defensive much?