Opening Ceremonies
13 Feb
After we watched the Winter Olympic opening ceremonies last night, I could hear Doug chuckling spontaneously for a couple of hours. He wasn’t laughing about the technical failures of the torch lighting (anyone who has ever had a powerpoint presentation fail on them right before the presentation feels sorry for all involved). He wasn’t laughing about Bob Costas and Matt Lauer’s comments that organizers discovered Canadian talent “at the circus” and “on YouTube” or that so many Canadians seem to be Scottish dancers recently released from prison.
Heck, he wasn’t even laughing about kd Lang, whose body was hidden somewhere in a giant white suit. By the way, just as an aside, if they were going to show someone while they were singing, why couldn’t it have been Joni Mitchell? I’m not sure that Joni was actually there, but I would have put her up on the stage if she was.
Anyway, back to Doug’s chuckles. He was really laughing at the look on Anne Murray and Bobby Orr’s face as a Canadian opera star ruined the Olympic Hymn and scared everyone involved. She looked and sang like a woman on fire. At least her hair looked like it was on fire. And I like Opera! It was hilarious how uncomfortable all of the special Canadians holding the Olympic flag were. You could see they just wanted to lean over and say to the next person, “Can you believe this shit? I think she’s off her meds!”
I must admit, I cried during “We Are the World,” and the prairie dance to Joni Mitchell, and the moment of silence for the fallen Georgian athlete, but I also cried laughing over that Olympic Hymn. If that was a hymn, it might have scared a few people away from singing at church tomorrow. Wow!
I missed the ceremonies. Was it funny humorous or funny awkward or bad?
I'm so glad that I was not the only one to find so many humorous moments in the Lauer-Costas commentary! My favorite was when they were talking about how Andorra (pop. roughly 22,000) made a bid to host these very games, " but for some reason. . . .they weren't selected." Said so seriously, yet with such a "no sh*t, sherlock!" attitude. I also kept laughing at how uncomfortable Wayne Gretzky looked holding that flame for what felt like 30 minutes, his eyes darting around as if to say "how long are you going to leave me standing here?!" I also seriously feared (before I actually saw how it would work) that the whole flame get-up would topple over since it had only three supports instead of four. I also did not realize that Canadians wear so much plaid.
But seriously, that opera woman scared me a little, too. She was so . . . . animated. All in all, highly entertaining!
Oh, now I see your entire comment, Janelle. It was truncated on my news feed without the read more. Thanks for adding to it, Kristina. I wish I would have seen it.
I know! I remember that comment, Kristina. Sarcasm is hard to pull off – Costas always ends up sounding like a jerk. And Lauer seemed only to be prepared for Denmark because his wife is from there. A few times Bob would say something that required a response and Lauer wouldn't respond and we'd be like, "Matt? Matt? Are you still alive? Matt?"Gretzky was pretty funny too. He looked much happier at the outside torch.The plaid thing killed me – as did the poet they "discovered on YouTube". Seriously, might have been better than watching The Office for once.
Funny! I missed it but feel like I didn't thanks to your post.
oh, my goodness. i am so glad i am not the only one who that the same thing! wow, is all i can say.
I meant "thought"…
Janelle, You make me wish I had a TV so that I could laugh along side you. I miss you friend!