Today I learned

The Sandbox General
1372

The radio station I used to listen to in Seattle used to have a Spelling Bee that had crazy high prizes relative to their normal prizes.

But the words were always homophones and the correct spelling was always whatever the contestant didn’t say. So every contestant always got every word wrong.

Spell “new”
N-E-W
I’m sorry, the right answer is K-N-E-W

Spell “bear”
B-A-R-E
I’m sorry, the right answer is B-E-A-R

And the contestants would always be SO disappointed that they lost. There wasn’t even a consolation prize and they kept the charade up for a stupidly long time and people kept calling in thinking they were going to win a crap ton of money.

1 Like
1373

I assume “please use it in a sentence” wasn’t an option…

1374

The man knew he needed new groceries since his shelves were bare having been ransacked by a bear.

2 Likes
1375

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4 Likes
1376

Correct.

I think sometimes they’d be smart alecks and give a sentence like “Most 3rd graders know how to spell the word ‘new’.”

1377

Yeah, or like that.

They were clearly never going to give a contestant an actual chance at winning so they gave no information that would actually let you get it right.

It wasn’t like half the time the contestant randomly guessed right. 100.0000% of the time the contestant “guessed” wrong.

1378

As in I knew the gnu was a new animal to him?

2 Likes
1379

They’re putting their new gnu over there.

1380

IFYP

2 Likes
1381

:tup:

Seeing with my eye, I knew they’re putting their new gnu over there.

1382

Aye, seeing with my eye, I knew they’re putting their new gnu over there.

Thought we were going with triplets.

2 Likes
1383

Aye, I can see the sea with my own eye, but I knew, too, they’re going to put their new gnu over there with the other two.

1 Like
1384

The best response to any stupid radio call in is the realization that all words are spelled F U C K U.

1385

Aye, as I write, I can see the sea with my own eye, but I knew, too, they’re going to put their new gnu right there with the other two, as part of the rite.

1 Like
1386

Aye, as I write, I can see the sea with my own eye, but I knew, too, they’re going to put their new gnu right there with the other two, as part of the rite, right?

1387

Wasn’t that a game show in some sitcom? I can’t think of which.

1388

I dunno, maybe. But I recall it being a thing on the Seattle radio station I used to listen to.

1389

As a sitcom premise, I could see that actually being quite funny.

If real people were calling in and essentially getting thier hopes crushed, not funny.

1390

Oh real people were calling in, thinking they were going to win. I mean, a few were obviously aware of the gag (why bother calling in that case?) but most seemed like they truly believed this was a game they had a legitimate chance of winning.

1391

Just to be part of the fun, imo.

1 Like