Wow. With all the history and greatness to celebrate, we got the industrial revolution and a celebration of nationalized healthcare?
They might as well of had a celebration of bad teeth.
An episode of Downton Abbey has more action than that opening ceremony.
Well, now we know why Britain lost her empire.
And did anyone see those giant children’s book characters? Is it me or did it seem that L.A. Eucharistic conference lent the Olympics their liturgical puppets?
They put on a billion dollar spectacle and the best part by far was Mr. Bean making silly faces.
Somebody suggested that through the ceremonies, Britain was sending a stern message to the world. Don’t mess with Britain or we will bore you death.
July 28, 2012 at 2:48 pm
Even the Queen did not seem entertained, as not once was she shown with a smile.
July 28, 2012 at 3:19 pm
I don't know what was worse: the performance itself or the "we have to pretend this show isn't terrible" commentating of Meredith Viera and Matt Lauer.
July 28, 2012 at 3:23 pm
Maybe they should consider going by Mediocre Britain.
July 28, 2012 at 4:05 pm
Britain in 1948 would not have surrendered cravenly to the anti-Semitism of the International Olympic Commission. The racism shown against Israeli athletes in the last week is a jackboot-step back to 1936. I am ashamed that President Obama and Governor Romney have been silent in the matter.
God bless Bob Costas for standing up for civilization. He will punished, of course.
July 28, 2012 at 6:14 pm
I haven't understood anything that has been put forth by the London Olympics thus far… its all bizarre and makes zero sense. What happened to this once great nation????
July 28, 2012 at 7:35 pm
Loved your analysis, Matt.
Yes, Britain is leading the charge to end the glory of Western Civilization.
Their athletes appeared a bunch of hooligans (just their demeanor which was declasse) in those tacky, tacky, tacky uniforms. The queen looked grey and dour and the Adoration of the National Health Service was of course a wink to Obama-Nation.
Did you notice the hirsute bobbing head of the Archbishop of Canerbury behind the Queen, head of the C.O.E? Heretics, all!
July 28, 2012 at 7:39 pm
Sad, sad interpretation of a great opening ceremony. As a devout Catholic and a Brit, I love our NHS and though the opening ceremony was awesome.
July 28, 2012 at 7:47 pm
"They might as well of had a celebration of bad teeth."
We may no longer rule 1/3 of the globe, but we still get annoyed when our American cousins abuse the language. It's "may as well HAVE had".
You're welcome!
July 28, 2012 at 7:53 pm
Therese,
I want to love Britain, and there is much natural and man-made beauty there, and you have produced great men and women in St. Thomas More, Margaret of Clitherow, Robert Southwell, Shakespear, Byron, Keats, Austin, Dickens, etc, all the awesome Cathedrals, architecture, language, poetry, etc. But you are squandering it all. Your latter day culture is a cesspool, and we are not far behind!
July 28, 2012 at 8:16 pm
Redfeather
Thanks for the kind comments. I still disagree with the article however and will always love our NHS and was highly amused by the opening ceremony!
July 28, 2012 at 11:34 pm
C'mon, Pat, you have to admit that the Queen sequence was kind of cool.
I also liked forging of the Olympic rings.
July 28, 2012 at 11:35 pm
"The" forging. Woops.
July 29, 2012 at 12:10 am
Theresa,
Does your NHS offer abortion on demand. If it does, and you love it, I wonder about you.
July 29, 2012 at 1:23 am
Redfeather
Oh dear – I didn't mean it like that!
Of course I loathe abortion and would love to see an abortion free NHS. The article though seemed to refer to nationalized healthcare as a general concept – which I don't have a problem with.
July 29, 2012 at 1:39 am
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July 29, 2012 at 7:12 am
Considering that there are NHS atrocity stories in the news every week, it was fitting that Mike Oldfield accompanied that segment with some of his "Tubular Bells" music made famous by the movie "The Exorcist".
The depiction of the industrial era was awful Marxist history, as if history consisted of ecomonic history, period. It came complete with groups representing struggling workers and cigar-chomping Victorian bosses. Historical individuals were absent: the action was all about classes of people.
No wonder it started with a throng of tub-thumpers: I expected Chumbawumba to show up ad sing for the class struggle.
More entertaining, though, would have been a set by Spinal Tap, with a proper-sized Stonehenge.
July 29, 2012 at 7:14 am
PS: in another Exorcist touch, some of the NHS beds even levitated!
July 29, 2012 at 12:21 pm
Yeah, the NHS bit did seem a bit like a horror movie. I liked the bouncing kids, though. I think some people here have forgotten that an Olympics opening ceremony is an introduction to a glorified sports competition, not the sum of all national achievements and aspirations.
Historical individuals were absent: the action was all about classes of people.
I could have sworn that Brunel was central to the segment. Perhaps I imagined it.
July 29, 2012 at 3:26 pm
It was a political show, not one about the Olympics or sports. The theme was "Revolutions." James Bond? Bean? The factor I would lament is than today, Pop Culture is considered the Highest Culture. It is inescapable. Factor in all the adds now with Olympic athletes, and the event becomes calculated.
July 29, 2012 at 4:22 pm
I thought the show was so-so. I think some comments I've seen on the web just don't recognise the fact that in the UK whenever we "glory" in something, it's often done in a tongue in cheek manner, or at least it can be interpreted that way. Even the staunchest NHS supporter would admit its problems.
But it can never be called anything other than "Great" Britain, as that's the name of the island. It is called Great because there is also Brittany, which is the "little" Britain. Sorry about the rant, but as a Scot it drives me crazy whenever there is even a slight misunderstanding of the differences between UK, Great Britain and (most of all) England.
July 29, 2012 at 5:24 pm
Pattymelt, I don't know that I have seen the queen smile more recently than in the photos from her coronation. Her mother, yes, she was a very happy old gal; Elizabeth, not so much.