Laughter, Music, Spelling: Club Reinvention at Its Finest
The National Press Club's rich history propels us forward. The "Politicians vs. Press" Spelling Bee on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 7pm is a fine example.
In 1913, President Woodrow Wilson, Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan and nearly a thousand people gathered in the Willard Hotel after the Club challenged the House and Senate to a spelling bee.
Rep. Frank Willis, R-Ohio, won after Senator Miles Poindexter, R-Washington, stumbled on the word "hydrocephalous." Afterward, the audience enjoyed "a series of talking moving pictures," according to the U.S. House.
In 2013 we rebooted the event, and it was really funny. "It may be another 100 years before we have another spelling bee," Angela Greiling Keane, then NPC President, said that night.
Well, we had so much fun we are doing it again. (The real reason is we will keep doing this until journalists, now 0-2 against the politicians, win at least once.)
Spelling Bee III promises to be the best one yet, thanks to Julia Pyper, Jen Judson and the Young Members Committee. Sponsored by Discovery Communications, this year's event features comedian Tim Young, because members of Congress and journalists trying to spell isn't funny enough.
Winner of the "Best Speller in The United States" award, Sen. Tim Kaine celebrates at the NPC Centennial Spelling Bee on Sept. 18, 2013.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., will be back to defend his title from 2013. Other political spellers includes Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif. and Rep. Brad Ashford, D-Neb.
The journalist squad includes Greiling Keane of Bloomberg News, David Kerley of ABC News, Rebecca Sinderbrand of The Washington Post, Yochi Dreazen of Foreign Policy and Amy Ellis Nutt of The Washington Post.
Tickets are $10 for members and $15 for non-members. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the non-profit National Press Club Journalism Institute.
This is going to be a ton of fun. Don't miss it! See you there.