Evan O’Dorney, a 13-year-old from Danville, Calif., became the 2007 Scripps National Spelling Bee champion last night. His winning word was “serrefine” — a noun describing small forceps used for approximating the edges of a wound — which he successfully spelled after a long, tense final showdown with Nate Gartke of Spruce Grove, Alberta. Gartke had hoped to become the first Canadian to win the bee. If anyone out there watched the last few rounds…

DCist is currently recruiting new contributors to join our fast-paced, exciting, fun-filled blogging lifestyle. Do you love to write almost as much as you love Washington, D.C.? Think your style would fit in with ours? We want to hear from you. These are the positions we’re currently looking to fill — and by positions, we of course don’t mean we can actually pay you cold hard cash, but rather the opportunity to join our community,…

(Editor’s Note: Sometimes, technology issues can slow down even the most tech-savvy DCist. Fortunately, DCist’s backup communications network using courier pigeons has brought us Hemal Jhaveri’s weekly “West Wing” roundup.) California … here we come … California! Ooops. Wrong show. It’s Super Tuesday in “West Wing” land, and the Dems are each fighting for a win in the California primary. Santos, Russell and Hoynes are in the depths of primary campaigning, each trying to eek…

(From DCist contributor Hemal Jhaveri) DCist apologizes for being a little late with this week’s recap of the West Wing, but we have family in town and the evil minions at our Internet provider have yet to come to our house and fix our connection. This post comes to you from our local library, where they let you use their dial up connection. We hope you appreciate it. This week on the West Wing, guest…

You won’t be able to escape it, so don’t even try. The first of the three Presidental debates airs tonight at 9pm on just about every network. While we bet that NBC is none too pleased about having to shuffle its Thursday night cash cow line up, they too will postpone an another helicoper-falls-out-of-the-sky episode of ER, to bring you Kerry vs. Bush. Or Bush vs. Kerry. Whichever you prefer, really. Of course, the debate…

(From DCist contributor Hemal Jhaveri) Is George Clooney going to the be the next Arnold? We, and every other media outlet, can only speculate. The Reliable Source gives us a heads up that the former ER doc will be hitting the Hill tonight:Washington’s favorite celebrity hunk, George Clooney, is back in town. Tonight he’ll be at a fundraiser at Lounge 201 on Capitol Hill for his father, Nick, who’s running for Congress as a Democrat…

(By DCist contributor Hemal Jhaveri) DCist got an invite in the mail a few weeks ago to attend a big shindig being held on Sept. 21 for the AT Children’s Project, a nonprofit dedicated to, according to their web site, “finding a cure for ataxia-telangiectasia, a rare genetic disease that causes progressive loss of motor control, cancer and immune system problems” in kids. Now, we’re all for charitable works, but we’re on a budget here…

(From DCist contributor Hemal Jhaveri) Rise and shine DCers! Thought you’d be able to sleep in this Saturday, didn’t you? Not so, my friends, not so. Tickets go on sale tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. for the Pixies. The indie rock icons sent fans into a ticket buying frenzy when the recently reunited band announced their first tour, in like, forever. Frank Black and co will hit D.A.R Constitution Hall on Dec. 7th. Tickets are…

(By DCist contributor Hemal Jhaveri) You loved him in Rushmore and now you can ask him whatever obscure little question you want. Of course, there’s no guarantee he’ll answer. Actor Jason Schwartzman, and director David O. Russell (Three Kings) will be online today at 12 noon for a chat on Washingtonpost.com. Schwartzman and Russell are out promoting their new movie, the existential comedy I (Heart) Huckabees, which also stars Jude Law, Dustin Hoffman, Lily Tomlin,…

(By DCist contributor Hemal Jhaveri) DCist had heard rumors about Republicans in Hollywood, but never really believed them until you know who was elected governor of California. Rated R: Republicans in Hollywood, a new documentary which premiers tonight on AMC, proves otherwise. Directed and narrated by one time Hill staffer and Democratic speech writer Jesse Moss, the documentary explores the conservative side of Tinseltown, and yes, there actually is one. In the olden Clinton administration…