[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvXZytOm52A]
In 2003, the adorable Samir Patel broke onto the spelling scene and stunned everyone with his third place finish. That might have to do with the fact that Patel was only 9 years old at the time. He’s probably best known for his “Is it just me, or do I seem to be getting all the French words?” quip. His comical contestant banter and stage antics made him an instant crowd favorite. In his final Bee, despite being stumped by “clevis,”* Patel received a heart-warming standing ovation from the crowd. Behold, a montage of Patel’s mini-meltdowns, charisma and kid genius.
*\clev-is\ noun, a fitting for attaching or suspending parts