Washington Bureau

Hold your head up, Christian Thompson

11:00 a.m.

Christian Thompson, you are not alone.

The New Jersey speller was recently asked to spell obstetrician in round two of the national bee. Once he misspoke and said "i" instead of "e", he quit spelling his the word and left the stage. He knew he couldn't retract his spelling.

This isn't the first time this happened. In 2005, national media swarmed George Hornedo. He was supposed to be a contender for the championship, and he was playing a role in "Akeelah and the Bee," a fictionalized account of the national event.

In round three, Hornedo was asked to spell proprietorial. Once he said "pri" and realized he was subsequently eliminated, he ran off the stage. Not only was he eliminated, he was lampooned by national media and featured on "Sportscenter's Not Top 10 Plays."

Christian, hold your head high. George turned out just fine. He is currently a junior at a private school in Indianapolis where he has starred in debate and baseball. He will graduate near the top of his class, and he's very content with his life outside the bee.

-Josh Dawsey

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