planetdan

Thursday, August 12, 2004 :::

There's no "lez" in scrabble.

I like Scrabble. I do. But no one will ever play it with me. I think it's relaxing. Smart people always play Scrabble in the movies, by a fire, drinking wine. How cozy does that sound? Anyway, some kid caused an uproar by playing the word "lez" in a Scrabble Tournament. I'm not sure what's more offensive, the word "lez" or the fact that there actually exists a Scrabble Advisory Board. From the SFGate:

It wasn't a four-letter word, but it was close enough to cause a stir at the National Scrabble Championship Thursday...In the final round, eventual champion Trey Wright played the word "lez," which was on a list of offensive words not allowed during the tournament.

Normally, no word is off-limits, but because the games were being taped for broadcast on ESPN, certain terms had been deemed inappropriate, including the three-letter slang for lesbian. "There are words you just can't show on television," Scrabble Association Executive Director John Williams said. "The ultimate absurdity is that you can't play the word 'redskins' on ESPN," he said.

Williams spoke with Wright and his opponent, David Gibson, then called an emergency meeting of the Scrabble Advisory Board. The board unanimously agreed to remove the word. Wright then returned the two tiles he had selected and played a different word, Williams said.

I like to imagine the emergency meeting being called late at night, with ladies caught off-guard in curlers and slippers and unshaven men with misbuttoned shirts, meeting in a war room somewhere to debate Scrabble tiles and to generally take care of all urgent Scrabble matters. The full article.

::: posted by dan at 1:58 PM :: [ link ] :: (11) comments

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11 previous comments:

For some reason I'm reminded of an episode of Family Ties- when Alex had the televised chess match with a guy from the then USSR. It ended with Alex tackling the guy.

It also reminds me of "Searching for Bobbie Fischer." Just a tad bit more high brow than FT. Now I want to go home and watch the movie right now. Its so good. "Don't move until you see it." I wonder if the Scrable kid was thinking that when he spelled the offensive slang- "Don't move until you see it; don't move until you see it." Then he looked off to the side & saw all of the letters scrambled on the floor; then looked back at the board to "see it."

And, for the record, you've only asked me to play Scrable once. And I did.

By

hot babe, at 3:27 PM

I would play with you.But truth be told...I am not the best speller the competitive edge just wouldin't be there for you.I'll play sorry though.

By

Stacy, at 3:33 PM

Well then I guess we'll have to have a Scrabble tourney. You bring the wine, I'll bring the fireplace.

By

dan, at 4:29 PM

2 things.

1. Why would ESPN want to broadcast a scrabble tournement? What's next? The national spelling bee?

2. yew shud play scrable with Coleen. She kan spel reel gud.

By

Trekgeekscott, at 7:25 AM

Bad spelling makes the game more interesting.

We play scrabble alot, and boggle too. You can play with us if you'd like.

By

Colleen, at 11:46 AM

Scrable, boggle- wow, the Miller siblings are into all of that crazy fun.

By

hot babe, at 12:52 PM

Yeah, well, you know how it goes. You can only sit pool side so many hours of the day and then you just have to finds some other way to entertain yourself.

By

Colleen, at 3:36 PM

You have a pool? Hmm. I properly take back everything I said about you being "dim". My apologies. Maybe I could sit poolside with you and play scrabble?

By

Anonymous, at 5:01 PM

Annonymous, you weren't paying attention. Smart people play scrabble fire side, not pool side. And no you cannot join us pool side in a game of scrabble or anything else for that matter because I have no idea who you are. That's a bit bold don't you think? Inviting yourself to someones house when they have no idea who you are?

By

Colleen, at 8:19 PM

Pool party at Colleen's everybody!

By

dan, at 12:55 PM

Only for the Scrabble playing, boggle lover, people I know. You are all more than welcome.

By

Colleen, at 8:44 PM

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