So yeah, that letter I wrote to all those Trump supporters... it certainly got people's attention. Thankfully, most of it has been relatively positive, save for a few of the aforementioned Trump supporters and the occasional well-meaning libertarian here and there. Still, I have been concerned I have been alienating a good portion of my audience with fiery political rhetoric that a good portion of you all do not agree with unanimously. This is not something that I deliberately try to do, even though the aforementioned "good portion" would strongly claim otherwise.
In that spirit, allow me to offer you, dear reader, something that will be more palatable yo your tastes. Let's talk about NBC's coverage of the Olympics in general and last Friday's opening ceremony in particular. It doesn't matter what you think is right, or where you come from. Just grab a gun and gather around this fine barrel, because we are going to shoot some fish!
Even though the Olympics are all about the athletic competitions, the opening ceremony is what sets the tone, what makes what follows something special. It is the time when the host nation in general and the host city in particular get to show off the best of what they've got [Insert Rick and Morty meme here]. It is the time when those with artistic talent get to put on a live performance for all the world to see. Or rather, it would be for viewers in the great United States of America, but NBC decided to waste our collective time with tape delays and endless commercials that cut into the stuff that they made us wait for. Even this has happened time and time again with the Peacock covering the Olympiad, the need to complain about it always feels new and fresh.
Well, dear reader, are you one of those people who unironically enjoy watching The Today Show in the morning? Yeah, me neither. Because oh Lord, Meredith Viera, Matt Lauer and Hoda Kotb do not know the meaning of the term "Shut the HELL up!" I guess it would be fine, even alright, if they actually provided the context they promised or had said anything interesting - but they didn't. Yes, yes, Hamilton is a major part of the current pop culture zeitgeist - but the Parade of Nations is not the time to discuss the lyrics. Not to mention the numerous other things that many on Twitter were quick to call them out on.
And as many a person who goes online found out quickly, those who wanted a ceremony without an obnoxious commentary and constant commercials were told to eat dirt. This demonstration of unity amongst nations has been turned into American capitalism at its worst, pure and simple. Or actually, there's a better metaphor to describe how we all felt: Imagine going to a music festival that you're absolutely psyched to go see. But in order to get to the place and to get cheaper tickets, you have to bring along an obnoxious older relative who pretends to be one of the "cool kids". And the festival is covered in ads and the drinks are nothing but overpriced beer and Red Bull.
