Opening Ceremony: Finally

[Meredith Quill]

Discuss the Opening Ceremony here!

[emma675]

It's official, Sue Bird (basketball) and Eddy Alvarez (baseball) are the US flag bearers at the Opening Ceremony. 

[SnideAsides]

Cauldron photo's making the rounds. Looks like it's just an average size (unlike Sochi or Beijing or Salt Lake City) and doesn't feature any moving parts that will risk breaking down (unlike Sydney and Vancouver and London). They'll try and do something quirky with it anyway, but it feels like the quirk might be in the moments leading up to the lighting rather than the lighting itself. (This would also fit Japan's previous history with cauldrons - in 1964 they picked a guy who was born in Hiroshima the day of the bombing, in Sapporo in 1972 it was a random highschool student to represent the future (like every Olympics was boringly doing in that era), and in Nagano in 1998 the lighter dressed as Madame Butterfly and got lifted five feet into the air to reach the cauldron.)

[AuntieDiane6]

Tonga does not disappoint!  Pita is BACK!

 

[chitowngirl]

Good morning Tonga!! I’m definitely awake now

[Crashcourse]

I finally got my Pita!  Go Tonga!

[chitowngirl]

I love that 2 1/2 hours into the opening ceremonies and the only comments we have are for Pita! 😆

[Minneapple]

I love the Opening Ceremony and the parade of nations. Just love seeing all the athletes and how thrilled they are, even with no one in the stands. It makes me ridiculously happy.

[backgroundnoise]

I wonder if it was intentional, but the way they staggered the coloring of seats really helps disguise that they are empty (somewhat anyway).  I was expecting this to be depressing, but it's really not.  USA uniforms are boring, though.  

Edited July 23, 2021 by backgroundnoise

[emma675]

For some reason, I thought only the two flag bearers for each country were going to be allowed to march into the stadium (yes, I'm pretty dumb, apparently). It feels a lot less depressing than I was expecting, I'm happy for all of the athletes. 

[Crashcourse]

I'm happy that the athletes seem happy; otherwise, it's pretty sad to me.

[SunnyBeBe]

I’m enjoying the ceremony.  The music is really good.  Love the birds and song about peace.   It’s nice to see those from the Paralympic games included.  
 

 

[Good Queen Jane]

Pita has competition.

[Arynm]

I loved the people acting out the pictograms for all the sports. It was so cute!!

[SunnyBeBe]

The story about how they made the Olympic Rings is incredible!

[Lady Whistleup]

Loved the sports emojis segment. So creative.

[Crashcourse]

48 minutes ago, Good Queen Jane said:

Pita has competition.

Hah!  Bless his heart! 😅

Too many sports.  I'll only be watching track and field, and swimming.

[SnideAsides]

To recap, they spent probably hundreds of thousands of dollars on the drone segment, and three dudes in zentai suits voguing stole the show anyway. I feel like that's a metaphor for where the world's at right now.

Naomi Osaka was an excellent choice to light the cauldron. There was a phase there for a few Olympics when they went with really crap options (the Greek windsurfer, the Chinese gymnast with government ties, the big pile of British nobodies), but Rio and Tokyo have both had really inspired, inspirational choices.

[Daisy]

MY PEOPLE!! I missed you!!! 

I'm watching it on PVR right now (NBC's first) and I was just
Wait, no montage? No Bob Costas? What's going on?! (then i forgot Bob retired? but they still denied me my powerful montage!)

[galaxygirl76]

2 hours ago, Minneapple said:

I love the Opening Ceremony and the parade of nations. Just love seeing all the athletes and how thrilled they are, even with no one in the stands. It makes me ridiculously happy.

I imagine that the parade of nations really makes it sink in for an athlete that they really are at the Olympics. It brings me great joy to see everyone so happy while marching in. 

[kittykat]

I'm so conflicted watching this year but I love Olympic time on the forums.  So much has happened that I completely forgot about Pita and it was a nice reminder.

The video game soundtrack was amusing as well.  Did I hear Final Fantasy victory music at one point?

[Daisy]

19 minutes ago, galaxygirl76 said:

I imagine that the parade of nations really makes it sink in for an athlete that they really are at the Olympics. It brings me great joy to see everyone so happy while marching in. 

The same. and especially with this one when you don't know if it's gonna happen it's like double special for these guys. Esp when in some sports you legit have a small window to compete. 

[CherryMalotte]

I would like to thank the nations of Tonga and Vanuatu for their sacrifices to my eye candy obligations.

[Daisy]

first of all: OOh that 68 games created the pictographs that we know and love 2nd and I have to say that was hands down my favourite part of the entire opening ceremonies. 

 

The Torch is really simple (and small). i kinda like it. 

Edited July 23, 2021 by Daisy

[rcc]

Doesn't feel right without Bob Costas. 

[Daisy]

33 minutes ago, rcc said:

Doesn't feel right without Bob Costas. 

right? it felt soo weird. it took me forever to adjust to no Brian Williams (CBC version). but Bob has been part of my Olympic Career for so long not hearing his voice was so jarring. 

[Raachel2008]

My people! I missed you!

Eh, that was disappointing. I know, I know, Covid, and all the scandals surrounding the organizers... Still: Rio 2016 >>>> Japan 2021.

 

 

[Daisy]

1 minute ago, Raachel2008 said:

My people! I missed you!

Eh, that was disappointing. I know, I know, Covid, and all the scandals surrounding the organizers... Still: Rio 2016 >>>> Japan 2021.

I mentioned this else where. - this is going to be really interesting because a lot of people are griping about the Opening Ceremonies,  and some people defended it that it was always gonna be simple because Japan is really simple (and it's a reflection on culture, and what's going on) so you have to wonder how it would have been had it been last year BC19. Would it have been grander? Were a lot of segments cut? 

To be honest I don't remember Rio's (Well I don't remember a lot of them maybe i am getting older. Like I remember MOMENTS). Except for Beijing. I remember most of Beijing for how epic almost everything was. Tokyo 2020's just felt more of a .... bid? If that makes sense. Like "this is what we'd do if we'd get the Games. and Go!" Everything seems so minimal. Even the Torch. 

My favourite part I will say was the Pictograph section. 

[emma675]

What's funny is that I can remember London's opening ceremony but I can't remember Rio's. I think it was because I was laughing so hard over the juxtaposition with the Spice Girls, the Queen, James Bond, et al. 

[BlackberryJam]

Didn't Gisele walk a 3 mile long runway in Rio and it took like an hour? And that was a big part of the ceremony?

I remember laughing at that. The neverending runway.

 

[Lady Whistleup]

4 minutes ago, emma675 said:

What's funny is that I can remember London's opening ceremony but I can't remember Rio's. I think it was because I was laughing so hard over the juxtaposition with the Spice Girls, the Queen, James Bond, et al. 

I remember Gisele Bundchen doing a catwalk and that's about it.

[legaleagle53]

I remember watching London's and thinking, "Two thousand years of history, literature, and culture to choose from, and they went with THAT?"

[Raachel2008]

47 minutes ago, Daisy said:

I mentioned this else where. - this is going to be really interesting because a lot of people are griping about the Opening Ceremonies,  and some people defended it that it was always gonna be simple because Japan is really simple (and it's a reflection on culture, and what's going on) so you have to wonder how it would have been had it been last year BC19. Would it have been grander? Were a lot of segments cut? 

To be honest I don't remember Rio's (Well I don't remember a lot of them maybe i am getting older. Like I remember MOMENTS). Except for Beijing. I remember most of Beijing for how epic almost everything was. Tokyo 2020's just felt more of a .... bid? If that makes sense. Like "this is what we'd do if we'd get the Games. and Go!" Everything seems so minimal. Even the Torch. 

My favourite part I will say was the Pictograph section. 

Nah, the Japan segment during Rio's closing cerimony was ten times better than this.

To call Japan "simple" is almost offensive, IMO. It is a rich cuture, with many layers and a long history, not to mention its contemporary impact. They could have done muuuuch better.  They did a bad opening cerimony and I'm comparing to Rio because Rio had no money and relayed heavy on visual effects, lights, etc.

 

[Daisy]

Just now, Raachel2008 said:

Nah, the Japan segment during Rio's closing cerimony was ten times better than this.

To call Japan "simple" is almost offensive, IMO. It is a rich cuture, with many layers and a long history, not to mention its contemporary impact. They could have done muuuuch better.  They did a bad opening cerimony and I'm comparing to Rio because Rio had no money and relayed heavy on visual effects, lights, etc.

 

I'm sorry if you found it offensive - I didn't mean it to be. I know that Japan has a long history and depth of culture but I wouldn't figure they would have been flashy, whizz-bang wow like Beijing and Rio. (maybe more akin to Athens  who had all those moving dioramas etc and didn't have a lot of visual effects lights etc). 

[Raachel2008]

9 minutes ago, Daisy said:

I'm sorry if you found it offensive - I didn't mean it to be. I know that Japan has a long history and depth of culture but I wouldn't figure they would have been flashy, whizz-bang wow like Beijing and Rio. (maybe more akin to Athens  who had all those moving dioramas etc and didn't have a lot of visual effects lights etc). 

I didn't mean you personally, sorry if looked that way. I understand the comparison with Athens/Rio/Beijing, but I still think it was poorly done. There are several articles about the problems with organizers, including changing people, sexism, etc. It was all reflected on what we saw. I don't think it was the result of the culture or Covid, that is what I meant. I think it was a huge huge fail.

[Lady Whistleup]

I wouldn't say Japanese culture is "simple." I'd say it's reserved. Japanese audiences are renowned for their warmth and manners. Their opening ceremony was never going to be a huge splashy party though, it's not their style.

[Daisy]

2 minutes ago, Raachel2008 said:

I didn't mean you personally, sorry if looked that way. I understand the comparison with Athens/Rio/Beijing, but I still think it was poorly done. There are several articles about the problems with organizers, including changing people, sexism, etc. It was all reflected on what we saw. I don't think it was the result of the culture or Covid, that is what I meant. I think it was a huge huge fail.

it's okay - we're good!
yeah I get what you mean. We didn't get to see Tokyo or Japan in that opening Ceremonies at all. (at least to me). I guess in a way we'll never know for sure, but yeah these ceremonies aren't going to hit anyone's top 10 list. 

1 minute ago, Lady Whistleup said:

I wouldn't say Japanese culture is "simple." I'd say it's reserved. Japanese audiences are renowned for their warmth and manners. Their opening ceremony was never going to be a huge splashy party though, it's not their style.

that's the word i should have used. 
reserved. (or even quiet). not simple. thanks for that. 

[emma675]

I think the opening ceremony was a little reserved but I think that was due to a combination of the Japanese culture and the fact that we're still in the middle of a pandemic that has taken millions of lives worldwide. Going big and splashy and over the top would have been in poor taste, IMO. I think Japan balanced it pretty nicely. I do wish they had let the athletes sit in the stands during the second half of the ceremony after they marched in. That's a lot of standing in very hot and humid weather. 

[Lady Whistleup]

Kevin Durant's IG live gives some idea of the opening ceremony from the athlete perspective:

 

[Raachel2008]

On a different note, things I enjoyed:

The Argentinians - there are a feew videos of them backstage waiting to enter the arena and it's insane,

Brazil in flip flops.

Toga oil hottie.

The parade as a whole.

The soundtrack. 

The pictograms.

Including Paralympics.

I'm ok with the caldron.

I'm on the fence about Naomi Osaka to be honest. For all the reasons everybody knows, but above it all, because they have Olymmpians who deserved it. The cynic in me thinks they just checked the boxes: native born, woman, half Asian, half black, young, and at the top of her sport.

Edited July 23, 2021 by Raachel2008

[SnideAsides]

I mean, pretty much all those criticisms against picking Naomi could have been applied to Catherine Freeman in Sydney too, but it was never an issue there.

[Bill1978]

8 hours ago, Arynm said:

I loved the people acting out the pictograms for all the sports. It was so cute!!

Hands down my favourite part of the ceremony, mistake and all. I would love to re-watch that part again. The rest of the ceremony was very very underwhelming. I described it to my friend this morning that it felt like a teacher had given their class a project to work on and each group had a different part to create. When time was finished, the presentation was done based on when the groups volunteered to do their part. I honestly felt the structure as all over the place. Was there even a plot?

[Raachel2008]

14 minutes ago, SnideAsides said:

I mean, pretty much all those criticisms against picking Naomi could have been applied to Catherine Freeman in Sydney too, but it was never an issue there.

But Cathy's Aboriginal. With Australia's history of killing, mistreating, etc Aboriginal Australians )who where in the land before Australia even existed) I get it - you take the chance and use the ceremony for some sort of historical reparation. 

 

[Crashcourse]

During the parade of nations, there was a country called Eswatini and I was stumped because I'd never heard of it.  I looked it up and it was Swaziland until it was renamed in 2018.  So at least I learned something, lol.

[Raachel2008]

9 minutes ago, Crashcourse said:

During the parade of nations, there was a country called Eswatini and I was stumped because I'd never heard of it.  I looked it up and it was Swaziland until it was renamed in 2018.  So at least I learned something, lol.

Wow, I didn't see them - and that's mind blowing.

[Crashcourse]

1 minute ago, Raachel2008 said:

Wow, I didn't see them - and that's mind blowing.

Yeah, I don't think there were that many athletes so they went by pretty quickly.

[crimsongrl]

I watch every Olympics with my aunt and we were both disappointed. The only things we liked were making the Olympic rings, drone ball, and pictographs. 

What happened to lowering the flag that held the last Olympics and handing it off to someone from there? Isn't that tradition?

2 flag bearers holding the flag was awkward.

My biggest complaints were for NBC. Was the music NBCs doing? It was way too loud. Team USA bus cam (why?), Team USA interviews during the parade of nations (you have 2 weeks to talk to these people!) and too many mentions of Michael Phelps (and I like him!).

[galaxygirl76]

4 minutes ago, crimsongrl said:

What happened to lowering the flag that held the last Olympics and handing it off to someone from there? Isn't that tradition?

 

I think that happens at the closing ceremony. They take down the flag from the stadium and hand it over to the next host city.

[Daisy]

5 minutes ago, crimsongrl said:

I watch every Olympics with my aunt and we were both disappointed. The only things we liked were making the Olympic rings, drone ball, and pictographs. 

What happened to lowering the flag that held the last Olympics and handing it off to someone from there? Isn't that tradition?

2 flag bearers holding the flag was awkward.

My biggest complaints were for NBC. Was the music NBCs doing? It was way too loud. Team USA bus cam (why?), Team USA interviews during the parade of nations (you have 2 weeks to talk to these people!) and too many mentions of Michael Phelps (and I like him!).

That's in the closing Ceremonies. So Japan will hand the Flag to France :)

[Crashcourse]

9 minutes ago, crimsongrl said:

2 flag bearers holding the flag was awkward.

Yes, that was very awkward.  There was one country (can't remember the name) where the man and woman looked like they were fighting over it.