ever hear of Munich 1972?
ever hear of Munich 1972?
Wet Coast wrote:
The Closing Ceremonies were good and bad. First off the Giant floating beavers, moose and all that is all done in a tongue-in-cheek way as a comment to say, 'we shouldn't take ourselves too seriously' or 'here we are laughing at ourselves - join in'. We were making fun of ourselves rather than thinking 'Disney'. Sorry, but Disney is Americana, this was about self-deprecation, Canadian style, after a massive 2-week party.
So it was all in good fun, the humour was lost on you - your issue.
The second half of the ceremonies fizzled when we had Hedley, Avril Lavigne et al performing songs not related to Canada.
ON the other hand, having Neil Young sing, Long May You Run was awesome, just as it was great to have KD Lang sing Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah during the opening ceremonies.
No one was going to point out to you Atlanta's gaudy and tacky and highly embarrassing 2-week moment until you put yourself out there. Perhaps you could do with a little self-deprecation.
No, the Giant Inflatable Beavers etc., were not done tongue in cheek -- they were an embarrassment. My girlfriend is part Canadian, her Mom, all Canadian, she got texts from both her mother and her sister on what an embarrassment the closing ceremonies were and how they had to change the channel.
The only thing missing was the giant floating back bacon, the giant floating spliff and the giant floating can of Molson's.
Blame Canada wrote:
Why were the closing ceremonies so jingoistic? I have never seen an Olympic ceremony that focused so much on how great the host country is. It is like they have a giant inferiority complex and have to be like: "Hey look at us we are really great!" It verged on the inappropriate as it felt like a long infomerical. Can you imagine the reaction if the US had used the ceremonies to show off like that? It is meant to be about the world coming together not about the host nation.
Both the opening and closing ceremonies were a huge disappointment. To the guy who was impressed by how they acknowledged their native people -- did you see that half of the natives were actually white people dressed up in the equivalent of black face? Disgraceful.
Ding Ding Ding! Winner!
--As to the Weather, I don't blame Canada for that...if these games had been a year earlier, they would have had snow up to their ears problems.
Revirginianator wrote:
Wow, the OP clearly got dumped by a Canadian at some point.
Not perfect Games, but perfect hosts. And don't give me some drama about "Own the Podium" or whatever. We've been doing the same thing for ever.
To the Canucks on this site, the OP doesn't represent most Americans - we thought it was 2 weeks of fun, despite you stealing the hockey medal from us ;-). We'll get you next time!
Considering I live with my Canadian girlfriend (well her mother is Canadian, so she's dual citizen type), you couldn't be more wrong.
I just live close to Vancouver, have worked with a for Canadian companies, and expected better.
As to the athletic, or sporting competitions being compelling, that has nothing to do with Canada, and everything to do with the athletes, their home country governing bodies, and the international governing bodies of each sport.
The humour claim comes from the organizers. So how could you say they weren't done tongue-in-cheek, when the people putting it together said so? You are confused.
i didnt know people actually watched the opening and closing ceremonies...
anyways, i enjoyed the Olympics immensely, except for figure skating and the X-games. i don't get CTV where i am, but the NBC coverage is getting better and better each time that they bring us the games. not perfect, but it's come a long way since 2004.
Wet Coast wrote:
No that was not embarrassing or anything else. A good sense of humour is a sign of possible intelligence, but you can be smart and humourless too.
The closing ceremonies were very tongue-in-cheek and meant to be self deprecating.
The organizers hoped that people would get it and most did, some can't and that is their loss.
William Shatner was brilliant. Perhaps the Canadian jokes were inside jokes - maybe that wasn't the best move, but as a Canadian, him and Michael J Fox were awesome.
The opening ceremonies should have had Leonard Cohen singing his song, or at least doing a duet with K.D. Lang.
Neil Young at the closing ceremonies was brilliant.
However, over all, with the Canadian celebs in the opening and closing ceremonies...it seemed to depict that Canada's greatest achievement was..exporting Anglo Canadians to the USA.
Given the choice, NONE of those people live in Canada anymore.
Where do they live instead? China? Russia? The UK? Spain?
Nope. The U S of A.
And this was after predicted ratings far exceeding predictions.
---Which had nothing to do with Canada, and everything to do with the great athletes.
The new XGames like events, have really helped the winter games be more interesting. Snowboard Cross? Off the hook fun to watch, although the course 4 years ago was more interesting. Ski Cross, ditto.
NBC's broadcast approach and strategy leaves a lot to be desired.
free willy wrote:
Sorry wetcoast, I respect your desire to support your local city (even if it isn't Victoria), but the closing ceremony was a yawner. The only thing I enjoyed was CLM lighting the cauldron (or whatever it was) - due to the mistake from the opening ceremony - and that too was an inside joke that probably wasn't understood by most people watching.
As for the entertainment, I happen to like Neil Young, but isn't there anyone more current? The others were also so old (Shatner, Fox and O'Hara) and really didn't add anything to the show in a vain attempt at humor(sic), self-deprecating or not - the show shouldn't be an inside joke, it is reaching out to millions of foreign viewers and foreign athletes as well (the guests that night). The whole beaver, moose thing really was a waste as well - many people already have some sense of Canadian stereotypes (eh?, Hoser, etc.). Perhaps some aboriginal totem pole stuff might have been culturally more appropriate to bring the first nations involvement in as well, like they did in Beijing and Sydney (much better closing ceremonies). I thought that the athletes might be involved more as well, other than wearing "mooseheads". I'm sure that other better ideas must have been dismissed as well, unfortunately.
I don't blame NBC either for not showing the rest of the CC, as the acts were terrible - who the heck were most of them - the only acts I knew were Lavigne and Nickelback (not a fan of either). Even taking Pamela Anderson away from DWTS for a night might have at least have been more entertaining than Catherine O'Hara.
Michael J. Fox was okay, I mean he's still relevant, barely. I've met him, and he is the gentleman he seems to be -- he's a genuinely nice guy to stars and nobodies alike (me), so I am biased toward him.
I would however have liked to see some YOUNG CANADIAN musicians / artists.
BC/Vancouver is known for a thriving progressive, alternative art and music scene going back many decades.
Show us some of that. And more celebration of the native culture would have been far better. At least the medals had a brilliant design - probably the best design ever.
Wet Coast wrote:
No you didn't take the time to read my post or absorbed what you wanted. I did say that the humour being 'inside' maybe wasn't a great idea. I also said the second half of the show was a yawn fest and that also covers the fact that better musical guests could have been chosen. Also, the ceremonies are contracted out to a company with a resume. Apparently the hydrolic faux pas also happened in Sydney by the same company. So it isn't a VANOC or Canadian mistake it is the companied that was hired, who has a long list of successes to their credit. Can't control everything.
Here is what I would have done with the musical guests. Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman, who were the two main people for The Guess Who and no they wouldn't have to play American Women, as they had another 10 - 15 top 10 hits. As for current acts, the hyper-patriotic Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip would have been way more appropriate than Nickleback, who by the way were boo'd by about 300 people on the upper deck of the local ferry we were riding on when we were coming back. It fizzled from there.
The two Brian Williams's met and visited each other's on-site studios. CTV's Brian William's studio was beautiful with CDN wood, nice fireplace, hardwood floors, stunning view (on a sunny day) the American Brian Williams from NBC had a big tent. $820 million for poor coverage from a tent? Sad.
Anyway, the Canadian coverage with CTV was massive, awesome, seemless and nearly mistake free...or was mistake free, I can't think of any - very well done with something like 1800 people involved.
Anyway for the most part the games were a very big success from a cultural and financial standpoint. In fact we did have much native involvement at the opening ceremonies and they had their own street downtown. Also just form international visa charges (not Canadian) there was $100million USD dollars charged.
Instead of focussing so much energy on 30 - 50 minutes of sub-par performance, I like to focuss on the 2-week of drama and excitement - it was epic!
How about Arcade Fire, or some of the recently emerged great talents out of Montreal.
You know it was like Canada was promoting its has beens.
THERE WAS NO YOUTH IN THE MUSIC. BTO guys would not have helped...
tcowboy wrote:
Vancouver is a nicer city ten fold than any of the shit holes you call cities in the US.
Not entirely true, but Vancouver does rock as a city.
Ah, and nice "peeler" bars by the way.
OP is the most embarassing wrote:
These were the most successful Olypic games ever. Better than Atlanta, Syndney, Salt Lake, Greece and Beijing. If you were in Vancouver it would change your perception of how a party should be. Greatest Olympics of all time.
Again, the greatness of the Olympics is always due to the athletes - the organizers and hosts can only add, or detract from the experience, and Canada detracted.
Too many snafu's and cluster fuucks. Ask the dead guy...ask Julia Mancuso...etc., etc., etc.,
Up yours, Canada is a wonderful place with great people.
Been there, done that.
These Games were just fine. I now HAVE to visit Vancouver and BC before I shuffle off this mortal coil.
Again, up yours and GO CANADA.
From a New England Yankee.
: )
Would you just shut up? wrote:
Wet Coast wrote:No that was not embarrassing or anything else. A good sense of humour is a sign of possible intelligence, but you can be smart and humourless too.
The closing ceremonies were very tongue-in-cheek and meant to be self deprecating.
The organizers hoped that people would get it and most did, some can't and that is their loss.
William Shatner was brilliant. Perhaps the Canadian jokes were inside jokes - maybe that wasn't the best move, but as a Canadian, him and Michael J Fox were awesome.
I live on the same soggy coast, just a couple hours south of BC. I feel much more at home in Vancouver than New York or Nashville and have always thought Canadians were great. That said, in terms of the closing ceremonies, What Were You Thinking?!!! After the inspired opening bit with the flame it went downhill fast. All I could think of was an SCTV parody of a Canadian Olympics Closing Ceremony with Eugene Levy in the Bob Costas chair, although Eugene would have lent the whole affair more dignity. All that was missing was Red Green to wrap the whole thing up in duct tape. I think we just have to attribute it to Olympic fever which raised its head in a few other places. Not letting foreign athletes practice on the Olympic sites. Wet Coast, that's just not the Canadian way.
Don't feel bad. The last time we tried to host something down here we got the WTO riots.
I'm sure you all will soon be back to normal as will be your terrific city.
Mostly I agree with this; but I also wonder what could have been achieved by spending the money those horrendous parade ballons of beavers cost, etc., if that money had been spent to clean up the massive, massive, massive heroin and drug addled street people problem in Vancouver, a problem worse than any US city (sans SF) or world city, that I have ever seen.
The story of Vancouvers thousands of heroin minions on the street was well covered up during these games. ...A few years ago, in the run up to these games, that story was reported on the US news.
Here is how bad it is on some streets, as you come to a stoplight, a dozen street people come out and start washing your windows...whether they need it or not, with newspaper and a bottle of water, and try and extort cash from you.
It is surreal, I mean it is nice to have your windows washed if needed, but it is just science fiction weird. Not to mention freaky if the persons are filthy, gross, sore infested etc.
Really a sad testament.
Wet Coast wrote:
What was who thinking? I didn't plan the closing ceremonies. I am confused.
Now hopefully this is the last time I have to explain, but it was about making fun of ourselves. You didn't get it. Listen I think it is great you feel more at home in Vancouver than NY. You may be in the same rain forest, but as soon as one crosses the border, stuff changes. People say, uh huh like Elvis, many don't say thank you , please, you are welcome. etc...etc...
We thought it was hilarious - those closing ceremonies. I know because about 300 people on a ferry crossing the straight all enjoyed it - a good little sampling.
Anyway...you guys have your Coke and Disney, have at her.
...Ever tell a joke that fell FLAT? Ever tell a joke that fell flat and then try to explain it?
BONK.
malmo wrote:
Wet Coast wrote:How much did you pay to watch?
Well lets see, NBC paid $820 million for the rights to televise the Winter Olympics. I don't know what they charged advertisers for time, but presumably it would be for more than the licensing fees. Advertisers collect those fees from the products that they sell, so that means that even though I didn't watch much of the Olympics I am being charged for entertainment that I didn't request and didn't use.
Q: How do you spell Canada?
A: C-eh?-N-eh?-D-eh?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-ZvAVcBIrQ
Malmo man, usually I think you're great but that was just awful.
GlobalView wrote:
I'm Canadian, and I agree that the closing ceremonies were dreadful. Poking fun at stereotypes and cliches shows very little imagination. How about taking a stab at what Canada is actually all about? That way, the rest of the world might learn something about us.
As well, the Michael Buble Broadway-styled number was pure Americana. And the jokes from Catherine O'Hara and William Shatner were quite lame.
Finally, I loved Neil Young and his performance of "Long May You Run", but the guy lives in California!
Thank you, finally an honest level headed Canadian opinion.
Neil Young was great, cos his song is great, although his hat made him look more like Bob Dylan!
Flagman wrote:
To be honest, I actually enjoyed hearing the Canadian national anthem.
In many ways, it is more enjoyable than ours.
Look, there were flaws in the Olympics. But so what?
Not a big amount that ruined everything.
The coverage was very good, and the athletes seemed pleased.
Remember, in the last 20 years of winter Olympics, only 1 former host city is not in the red from hosting. That is Salt Lake City Utah.
All the others are reported to have abandoned facilities that are not used, and a debt that is almost impossible to recover.
If I was a mayor, I'd see this and never want the Olympics in my city. Take a look at Bejing from the last Summer Olympics. The Birds Nest is never used. That cost 1 Billion $$.
The difference is, unlike most cities/countries, China can afford it. Since they manufacture almost everything we buy in the USA :-(.
Ideally, cities, and countries that build sites for the games, the sites would then serve as national training centers for future generations, it just doesn't seem to happen any more. With Vancouver...were they the largest city to ever host a winter games? --They may not have as many shuttered venues. The sliding center is probably a goner tho.
stillllll searching..... wrote:
ever hear of Munich 1972?
That was not embarrassing, that was TRAGIC.
As was the bombing in Atlanta.
The LA Olympics were pretty embarrassing...jingoism wise.
I was highly displeased with the lack of Kayne West.