China Olympics Opening Ceremony

I've not watched much TV here in Tacoma since my arrival. Til Friday, when all the current inhabitants of this abode watched the Opening Ceremony of the China Olympics on the big flat panel TV.

I tried to watch the last Olympic's opening, that being the one in Athens. But NBC's Bob Costas' constant pointless yammering ruined it for me. So, I bailed.

In Tacoma I had the option of watching the China Show live on Canadian TV at sometime like 3am and then again, repeated that afternoon. The Canadians did not run the re-run again in Primetime.

In past Olympics, the Canadians let you just watch the show, for the most part, they don't have some yapper constantly narrating that which needs no narration. How do those people watching it live, in person, manage without the help of Bob Costas pointing out the unneccessary?

So, we were stuck with the NBC American Bob Costas hosted edited version. I was ready to bail if Bob Costas talked too much.

I made it through almost the entire spectacle. I don't even know if Bob Costas was saying much of anything during most of the show. Because the over the top, incredibly well-done, Chinese Opening Ceremony was so jaw-droppingly impressive it didn't matter if some NBC talking head was yapping too much.

The only time I noticed Bob Costas being annoying was when the USA team came into the Bird Nest Stadium. They'd been making note of how the Chinese received various nations. As in the Japanese were received coolly. Which is totally understandable, seeings how Japan has treated China badly over time. Hong Kong and Taiwan were greeted loudly.

So, of course I was curious to hear how the Chinese reacted to the Americans walking into the stadium. But all I could hear was Bob Costas droning on about nonsense I did not care to hear. Eventually he shut up and the other talker, the name of whom I do not know, remarked that the Americans had been loudly greeted by the Chinese. We didn't get to hear that though.

We did see our Supreme Glorious Leader put his jacket back on in the sweltering heat when the American team walked into the stadium. I don't recollect an Olympics where so many of the major world leaders were in attendance.

Other than a couple times, when the pyrotechnics and light display reminded me of the Nazis' infamous Nuremberg rally, with huge spotlights making pillars of light into the darkness, and one unfortunate moment when some Chinese in uniform pretty much did a goosestep, this Opening Ceremony seemed like the best of this type thing I've ever seen.

Very enjoyable. But. NBC. Please fire Bob Costas.