Turin Olympics opening ceremonies

Is it me or does the "cauldron" look like 5 burning cigarettes??

i tuned into this half way, kind of after the teams did the walk (which i find very irritating - love watching the outfits)..but, is it just me or did they not have anything dedicated to the roman empire??! like a mini coliseum replica on wheels or something?? or did i tune in too late?? i was just thinking how pretty the summer '04 greek ones were...

They did feed the Jamaican bobsled team to the lions...

Hold on...what's this??? EuroSport presents "Daring Girls - Torino".

what was the relavance of having supermodel eva herzigova coming out of the shell and susan sarondon? everone else was italian in the performance, right?

Add Yoko Ono and Peter Gabriel to the list of non-Italians.

Here's the NBC blog for the opening ceremonies.

What on earth were you people drinking tonight??
And where can I get me some???

This was the most hilarious thread I have read in a while. I laughed the whole way through. A bit of a peanut gallery to assist the commentators.

Pavarotti made me all tingly.

And the spider men were the best part!

by the way...the ethiopian is in cross country...

My God, that was hands down the worst opening ceremony I have ever seen!

And I am one who loves to watch them and cries when all the teams come out.

What was UP with the symbolism. What were the big white balloons on their heads? The upside down legs?

Dragging out Yoko Ono was r1diculous! EVERYONE hates her. And a 3rd grader could have given a better speech.

The IOC chair looked as bewildered and bored as I was.

Only good part was the amazing male dancer and that spider web thingy when they made a dove.

Sure those Olympics opening ceremony are all a little bit bombastic, but it’s amazing to see how much anti-Italians prejudices are coming from the brits. It was a quite beautiful ceremony, great atmosphere, nice dressess, everything perfected organized.

There were BRITS on this thread?? Ewww...

Just to to lump things together. Let's say many english-speaking folk here.

i dont think it had anything to do w/ being anti-italian. it was more the quality of the spectacle

I was the only Brit on the thread, and I thought it was fab

Enough of them? They are probabily quite disappointed 'cause it was a no problem and no delay italian-cerimony.

100% agree. We we're being anti-Italian at all. No one said "Stupid Italians" or the like. Most were commenting on the uniforms, the non-Italians who made apperances and the types of symbols chosen.

I have a fuzzy recollection of the 1996 opening ceremony in Atlanta. I think they did a little dance routine to "R-O-C-K in the USA" by John Mellencamp. It was so horrible. Never laughed my ass off so hard watching that. Anyone remember that, or am I on bad crack again?

no, I didn't think it had anything to do with being anti-Italian, either
it's just these flippin Americans who can't appreciate art and style, innit?

yups! those damn americans w/o culture couldn't appreciate if it was thrown at them!

@topsy. More italian-bashing? go here: Italians at the Oktoberfest .

Hmmmm - not sure you should take the bashing thread to heart, Axxo.
I'd like to think that most of the posts on there were in jest (although tbh I haven't re-read the whole 16 pages of it).

Sure. But if you read them all you'll find even disturbing generalization. Anyway it's ok. Bye. Have a nice Weekend.

Axxo,
my comments and I assume those of the other English speakers on this sight were not intended as a slight against the Italians. In my opinion the event was poorly done, I would have made the same comments had it been put on anywhere else.

Why pick on me, sir? I've always been clean, I swear. Drugs are bad, very very bad. There... can I go back to the party now?

If anyone fancies a few hours of bizarre entertainment and a parade of patriotic sentiment, the CLOSING ceremony is on right now on channel 1 (ARD?)

What is with them playing YMCA??? I love how the entire audience got up and started dancing to it.

And do the people dressed up in the white jackets and flying goggles have any significant role? Or just random dancers?

I do however love the fact that they are playing the Gypsy Kings' version of "Volare" to bring out the flags of each country. I love Gypsy Kings.

Are those clowns motoring in the stadium or representives from the Vatican?

Was Ricky Martin the best singing act they could get?


and now... it has turned into a disco party.
hmm... I hope all those brides find some grooms.