Paris 2024 Olympics thread (the opening ceremony is Friday) on NBC/USA network/Peacock and other NBC Universal stations.

[monsterkitty]

I think it did exactly what they wanted. It was divisive and controversial. You don’t have drag queens dancing around little kids without a purpose in mind.

As a musician, I viewed the opening ceremony as a walkthrough of French history.

First, who do you think performed female roles in Shakespearean times? Wasn't women until around 1660-61.

If you're upset about the "drag show," you'd probably die if you knew who sang the alto and soprano parts in church choirs. The church didn't end the use of Castrati singers until 1861. Castrati were used in operas as well.

One of my former students just returned from a fashion show that he participated in France. The scene you're comparing to the "Last Super" looks just like a picture he posted on his Facebook page that was taken at the conclusion of the show. You would have hated the picture as he and a few others were dressed in a manner you would claim as drag, when in reality it was more flamboyant. The fashion industry is a big part of the history of France and the industry.

Could it be that the French are more accepting of others who don't fall into the social norms that you expect everyone to follow?

 

[Buzz Rules]

I thought it was classic French, they did a good job. No one will every match it

LA 2028 Hollywood will be. I just hope they include all parts of the USA culture wise and not just LA/Orange County, CA.

Yeah, don't care. if I did I would have googled it!

Opening ceremony definitely made me want to go back to Paris...

I am thrilled to see women's beach volleyball players wearing pants. Not sure if it is a weather issue or what, but I hated seeing them in those bikini bottoms. Seemed so exploitative.

I think they changed what beach volleyball athletes had to wear after the last Olympics.

 

[Buzz Rules]

As a musician, I viewed the opening ceremony as a walkthrough of French history.

First, who do you think performed female roles in Shakespearean times? Wasn't women until around 1660-61.

If you're upset about the "drag show," you'd probably die if you knew who sang the alto and soprano parts in church choirs. The church didn't end the use of Castrati singers until 1861. Castrati were used in operas as well.

One of my former students just returned from a fashion show that he participated in France. The scene you're comparing to the "Last Super" looks just like a picture he posted on his Facebook page that was taken at the conclusion of the show. You would have hated the picture as he and a few others were dressed in a manner you would claim as drag, when in reality it was more flamboyant. The fashion industry is a big part of the history of France and the industry.

Could it be that the French are more accepting of others who don't fall into the social norms that you expect everyone to follow?

Not to get political (that's why we have a controversial board now), but the French have definitely have had issues in the last decades alone when it comes to acceptance and tolerance.

 

[Buzz Rules]

Happy that the USA men's swim team won a gold today and the women won a bronze and silver. I'm sad that in cycling that our athletes could not have better results due to the weather.

 

[Buzz Rules]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1817264695117582526

USA and Canada have some work to do in the gold medal race.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1817303485534073021

 

[NAB]

Perhaps each country has their own idea of entertainment & theatrics, but I just didn't get most of the performances. Having the contestants arrive in boats was clever, but most of the rest I thought was awful. I never knew Lady Gaga had some association with France (or maybe she doesn't). At least those can-can dancers seemed like local talent, but their dance routine wasn't very good. Turned it off before C. Dionne apparently performed (I thought she is from Canada?). Seems it would be a bit like featuring Elton John at an Olympics hosted in the USA. I thought most host countries feature local talent.

I didn't get at all the 3 doing the announcing. M. Tirico just seems to be their go-to sports announcer who always shows up and talks in generalities whether it's golf/auto racing or horse racing. Not sure what Kelly has to do with sports but maybe she is on contract with NBC to make such appearances. Peyton does a good job with football, but clearly that isn't an Olympic sport. Most of the time it seemed like they had no idea what would appear next and tried to awkwardly fill the airtime.

Watched on a Canadian channel . They said Celine did three French albums over there .

It was great to see her after her illness. First singing in front of audience again.

Enjoyed the opening . Too bad it rained on them. I felt like it took a long time to get to the balloon .

 

[Buzz Rules]

I'm also happy we won a silver in diving.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I don't know why people are having issues with Celine. She's from Quebec which is predominately French speaking (it is its official language), her family is of French lineage but really neither of these would matter even if she wasn't but there are reasons why it does make sense too.

 

[Buzz Rules]

An Italian Olympian lost his wedding ring in the Seine.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1817313861026123797

 

[DCLMP]

As a musician, I viewed the opening ceremony as a walkthrough of French history.

First, who do you think performed female roles in Shakespearean times? Wasn't women until around 1660-61.

If you're upset about the "drag show," you'd probably die if you knew who sang the alto and soprano parts in church choirs. The church didn't end the use of Castrati singers until 1861. Castrati were used in operas as well.

One of my former students just returned from a fashion show that he participated in France. The scene you're comparing to the "Last Super" looks just like a picture he posted on his Facebook page that was taken at the conclusion of the show. You would have hated the picture as he and a few others were dressed in a manner you would claim as drag, when in reality it was more flamboyant. The fashion industry is a big part of the history of France and the industry.

Could it be that the French are more accepting of others who don't fall into the social norms that you expect everyone to follow?

Oh good grief. LOL

 

[Planogirl]

France as they are now tends to push the envelope and do things differently. People are blaming the Olympics and NBC but they don’t tend to get involved so that’s ludicrous.

I’m still all about the athletes so it’s all good for me. So far…

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

It's a total conspiracy. They said you know the show is great. But how can we make certain groups in the United States mad. Oh I know. Let's add this.

 

[Buzz Rules]

It's a total conspiracy. They said you know the show is great. But how can we make certain groups in the United States mad. Oh I know. Let's add this.

Some crazy people are saying the Beyonce video is a form of propaganda....

 

[longboard55]

what I really like about the ceremony is they did not try to make it for US audiences. That was 100% French. You don't go to chicago as a substitute for Paris

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Some crazy people are saying the Beyonce video is a form of propaganda....

LOL @ people like that.

 

[Buzz Rules]

what I really like about the ceremony is they did not try to make it for US audiences. That was 100% French. You don't go to chicago as a substitute for Paris

Why would the French care about us (besides when we have to help their nation in global affairs)?

 

[DCLMP]

Why would the French care about us (besides when we have to help their nation in global affairs)?

I’m waiting for them to start rioting and burning things down. Now that’s French.

 

[Buzz Rules]

https://www.nbcolympics.com/news/lo...er-us-divers-sarah-bacon-kassidy-cook-surreal

 

[Buzz Rules]

I’m waiting for them to start rioting and burning things down. Now that’s French.

They do that every Summer. See the yellow vest protests.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_vests_protests

 

[Moliphino]

What was it then?

Something about Dionysus. Hard to tell in the US broadcast, though, because they didn't actually show him.