Saturday, February 11, 2006

Watching the opening ceremonies for the Winter Olympics is a big tradition in our family and tonight Vic, Ian and I set down to watch the crazy spectacle, giant balloon headed dancers and all.

In typical Olympic fashion it was a happy feely explosion of the bizarre, boisterous and bombastic, devoid of current politics save for the obligatory plea for peace followed by perfomers dressed as post modern doves doing acrobatics in a futurist avant garde frenzy.

Oh and Yoko Ono.

Ian's quote: "I've seen NFB films and I don't get this shit."

But there was one bit that made me smile and that was the entrance of athletes. Whoever was choreographing the music seemed to be having a huge laugh. Disco and 80s hits, like a great big grad medley from hell, playing a different song after every couple of countries. Songs like Hot Stuff (Finland), Disco Inferno (Uzbekistan) and Sweet Dreams (Poland). But the absolute best was at the entrance of Denmark and the stadium rang with the lyrics "I'm just a soul whose intentions are gooood! Oh lord, please don't let me be misunderstood!" We laughed so hard. Then Iran came out, "Won't you take me to...FUNKY TOWN!"

The United States came out to Aretha Franklin: "You better think (think) think about what you're trying to do to me. Yeah, think (think, think), let your mind go, let yourself be free."

That was so cool.

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