TEXT: Act 1 Scene 1 - KACL [Fade in. Frasier is on the air with a caller, Roz is in her booth.] Frasier: Lilian, the next time your perfectionist tendencies drive you to distraction, just remember this quotation from Henry James: "Excellence does not require perfection." Lillian: [voice over] That's very helpful. Thank you. Frasier: Or is it "demand"? Hmm... "require", "demand" "Excellence does not require perfection." "Excellence does not demand perfection." Roz: Aren't they the same thing? Frasier: Of course not, Roz! Shush! "Excellence"..."demand", "require", "demand", "require"...Oohh! Or is it "mandate"? Lillian: [v.o.] I really have to go now. [There is a click and a dial tone as she disconnects.] Frasier: Oh, well, it doesn't really matter, anyway, does it? Meantime, Seattle, this is Doctor Frasier Crane, wishing you good day OH! It's "require", it is "require"! [he laughs victoriously] And good mental health. [He goes off the air and Roz comes over and holds something out.] Roz: Frasier, would you please give this to Freddie for me? It's for his spelling bee tomorrow. Frasier: [taking it] Roz, it's not a spelling bee, it's the National Championship. Roz: Oh. Ooh, when's Lilith coming in? Frasier: [rising] Actually, she's not coming in, she'll be watching the competition ion from home. Her victory dance at the state finals earned her a long overdue suspension. So, what is this anyway? Roz: It's a flattened penny. I found it at the railroad tracks once when I was going through a really bad time. But as soon as I picked it up, I started getting lucky. Frasier: Oh, so that's where it all started.
SUMMARY:
Frederick is due to compete in the National Spelling Championship, and Frasier has been training him very thoroughly, even in stance and diet. Frederick does extremely well in the spelling bee , and is crowned National Champion. However, the parents of the runner-up notice an anomaly when watching the recording: it seems that Frasier was unconsciously mouthing the letters of the final word as Frederick spelled it out. The trophy is then re-awarded to the runner-up, Warren Clayton, but Frederick and Frasier are still invited to the finalists' banquet, where they are subjected to taunts and accusations of cheating. Frederick will not tolerate his father being called a cheater, and challenges Warren to a re-match.