Jacques Bailly is the official pronouncer of the Scribbs National Spelling Bee. Bailly actually won the Bee in 1980 at the age of 14. In Spring every year he receives the top-secret spelling list of 800 words so that he can practice his pronunciation before the Bee commences in May. Bailly plays himself as the pronouncer in the 2006 fictional film Akeelah and the Bee.