Yesterday’s episode of Oprah Winfrey’s syndicated television show covered miracles and other oddities caught on video. During the second half of the show, she ran footage of Akshay Buddiga’s performance at the 2004 Scripps Spelling Bee.

Buddiga became late night talk show fodder after he fainted on-stage when asked to spell “alopecoid.” He subsequently got up, spelled it correctly, and went on to capture second place in the competition.

This is an old story, and by now, you’ve probably seen it. In case you haven’t, or long for Oprah’s commentary on the matter, here’s a Quicktime video of the segment (1.5 MB, 1:30 mins.).

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Actress Lakshmi Manchu appeared on last Monday’s episode of “Las Vegas,” (via Hollywood Masala):

Her character (“Sarasvati Kumar”), who is a recurring guest, became the the love interest for none other than Sylvester Stallone!

“Las Vegas” airs on NBC on Mondays at 9 p.m.

Actor Ajay Mehta makes a guest turn on this week’s episode of “Without a Trace,” which on its own, is quite an enjoyable show. It’s the perfect way to top off a night of slothing it up with “The O.C.” and “The Apprentice.”

“Without a Trace” airs on CBS on Thursdays at 10 p.m.

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In case there’s any confusion, adopting a child from India is nothing like buying an end table from Target — you do not get to return the former if he or she does not work out in your home.

Shockingly enough, there are otherwise intelligent and reasonable adults who do not grasp this distinction. On a recent episode of “Dr. Phil,” the underlying point needed to be drilled home to Melissa and Bobby, a married couple that adopted a child from India named AJ:

When they brought AJ home, things were not what they expected. “He did not want to be held by us. He would cry and kick and scream whenever we tried to hold him,” Melissa explains. “We’re kind of like, ‘What happened? Where did things go wrong?’ I do not love AJ and I wonder if I ever will.”

Melissa and Bobby also learned that AJ has special needs. “I feel resentful. I didn’t bargain for that,” says Melissa. “I’ve told him, ‘I wish we never adopted you,’ and I call him stupid. I thought I would grow to love him, but I feel like I’m forcing myself to love him.”

There are two things in this world that you just don’t f–k with:
1. Wu-Tang Clan (obviously)
2. Dr. Phil

The imposing Texan laid the smackdown on Melissa, and made hapless Bobby watch, ’cause that’s how Dr. Phil rolls:

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Here’s a higher-resolution version of Aishwarya’s appearance on Letterman last night. It’s available via BitTorrent, here’s the torrent (73 MB MPEG, 7:52).

First get an easy BitTorrent downloader:

• For Windows: ABC
• For Mac: Tomato Torrent

Then click here. The download will start automatically.

Here’s Aishwarya on 60 Minutes: torrent (15 MB AVI, first 2:43).

Update: The shallowness of these questions surprises me. Letterman asks if she lives with her parents, 60 Minutes asks if she’ll kiss on screen. I half expect someone to ask if she ‘wears a dot on her forehead.’ She’s being treated gingerly, like a Martian, like Gandhi — talk about tension! Yeah, she’s not from Britain or Australia, get over it. On Aish’s part, she’s a lot more skittish, nervous and diva-ish in her American interviews than her Indian ones. And she was strangely combative: I dug her cultural smack-back on the living-at-home question, but it needed to be softened by a big smile.

The rant on American imperialism which Letterman showed was the strangest thing to pick out of a musical; it won’t do Bride and Prejudice any favors at the box office. And Aish dressed quite modestly, even more so than at Cannes or, for that matter, in most of her films. I get the feeling that she sees herself, and maybe the interviewers see her, as the Great Brown Hope.

Which is silly, really. I thought that was Kal Penn 😉

Update 2: Check out the video of Aishwarya on Nightline, and the rest of the 60 Minutes segment, here.

Previous posts: 1, 2, 3, 4

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Video clips for The Kumars at No. 42 have now been posted. I liked the sketch format of Goodness Gracious Me better, but the interviews generate an interesting tension: being in character means you don’t have to lob softballs like Leno. Sanjeev Bhaskar’s running gag is to wear the most outlandish outfit possible. And Meera Syal’s granny character is just wicked:

To Helena Bonham Carter: In this country you are seen as the epitome of elegance and good manners. But I personally was very, very happy to see you in Fight Club playing a right old slut. Did you enjoy it?

To a female fashion consultant: Can I just say thank you on behalf of my grandson. That’s the first physical contact he’s had with a woman since he went to the doctor.

To an interior designer: If you want to do an Indian theme party properly, you have to put plastic over your sofas, lots of Tupperware in your fridge and preferably concrete over your entire garden.

I loved the Tom Jones and Helena Bonham Carter interviews. Check out the clips.

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