By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor.
One of the reasons I seldom watch television is that I’ve grown tired of having my intelligence insulted by ever increasing numbers of childish, and inane commercials which offer nothing of substance to convince me why I must buy their product or service. The mindset and goal of advertisers to race to the lowest common denominator who they perceive lacks the capacity to think for themselves.
Yet one possible relief from the deluge of televisions scorns such as the endless sitcoms, television shopping networks, religious charlatans, and political advertisements, could be found in the modern epic and magnificent Olympic Games, with its spectacular and well choreographed performances, light, movement, and cultural flavor of the host nations. The tradition of bring the flame and the showing of the athleticism and conglomeration of the peoples of the world surely brings a true sense of awe and wonder to those ancients if somehow they blessed the clairvoyance to envision what would become of theirs millennia later.
Eighty years ago, the Games of the XI Olympiad was the first to feature a television broadcast bringing forth to an eventual world wide audience the ability to witness the Olympics without the burden and cost of live attendance. Unfortunately, it has given rise to the sports broadcaster style of news, the dark side of which is the seemingly endless need to describe the minutia in every detail, flapping jaws incessantly, and often destroying the poignancy of the moment. We the audience are capable of understanding what we witness. So to all the Olympics broadcasters of the world, do us a favor–Shut UP!
The problem of garrulous newscasters is more prominent with the Winter Olympics, especially in the choreographed events such as figure skating. Endless chatter, such as “now the lutz…excellent execution.” or “ohh, she fell down. That’s going to cost her.” The entire world saw the same thing the broadcaster does and yet they continually state the obvious.
The lip service presents a losing choice for the viewer. Turn the volume off to silence the talking heads and consequently lose the tie-in with the musical score essentially integrated into the performance and artistry of the skater or having to be painfully distracted by the host.
Attendees of the event sitting in the arena’s audience have the blessing of a minimalist interdiction against the athlete by the announcer. As the athlete enters the arena, the announcer states her name and country represented, the athlete performs to conclusion, he perhaps mentions her name again and waits patiently to enumerate the scores of the judges. A very simple format and it is most respectful to the athlete and the audience.
Events such as the downhill. Being a former skier myself enjoy the comfort and thrills of the event. I enjoy hearing the scrapes and cuts made into the snow as well as the fun of listening to the cheers of the crowd upon their favorite son earning a record time. I don’t need to hear a talking head goading a skier to tears by continually resurrecting the pain of him losing his brother as an example.
But for this year’s opening ceremonies, I resigned myself to experiencing the music and sounds of the event itself just to avoid the distraction of the talking heads. I just muted the sound and watched as the deaf would. Sometimes theirs in an enviable plight.
At the very least, with 700 channels of “nothing on” could at least one be dedicated to an announcer-free broadcast of the Olympics?
I have to wonder what would become of a contemporary television Olympics announcer if he was transported back to Ancient Greece and pestered the crowds with incessant drivel. I suspect the closing ceremony would consist of a great smashing of amphorae and pottery, followed by the running of Scribes to etch the name of this pariah announcer onto Ostraka.
If only we had the power to ostracize the announcers into exile. Five Olympic games with the talking heads in exile will be most welcome. Society needs an electronic form of casting someone into exile–perhaps an e-Ostracon.
By Darren Smith
Image Credit: Marsyas
The views expressed in this posting are the author’s alone and not those of the blog, the host, or other weekend bloggers. As an open forum, weekend bloggers post independently without pre-approval or review. Content and any displays or art are solely their decision and responsibility.
In my ideal universe, there would be a permanent Olympic Stadium, in Greece, where ALL Olympics would take place. I haven’t yet come up with a plan for permanent siting of the Winter Olympics but, again, the same thing. Make them a Mecca for athletes and quit placing these insane burdens, worldwide, along with the circus-like competition for siting them and the residual devastation and vacant buildings left behind. Stop the overproduced and crazy-ass mega media productions. Get back to the ATHLETICS! Oh, and my other pet peeve about the modern-day Olympics – can we PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE go back to amateurs instead of these overpaid pros hogging their already hogged spotlights? I know that this would necessitate some type of system for nurturing talent but can’t we at least try?
I could care less.
I find this post somewhat ironic since two thirds of this blog has turned into little more than click-bait for trolls like wannabe assassin. You should get rid of the garbage, moderate the comments to get rid of the vile and contemptible human beings that spend most of their life here, and then it might be worthy of all the so called awards lauded on the right side of this page.
NBC’s talking head Matt Lauer in Rio makes $25 million a year. I’d do it for less.
In the early 1950’s there was a Dutch comedian Willem Kan (famous in Holland) who refused to do his stick on TV. When asked why he answered: “TV will become a desert”. He was some 90% correct.
MAYBE They are really reaching for the blind demographic?!?!?!
Given it’s horrible track record in cleaning up pollution, dealing with medical emergencies such as Zika, and dealing with it’s own political corruption, Brazil is outdoing even the United States for sheer brazen ability to pretend all is well in the best of Olympic worlds while reality (raw greed) tears it apart from the inside out.
The spectacle of the Olympics being held amid such corruption makes Fellini’s Satyricon look quaint.
Alan Sherman had a song out, about 55 years ago. It was called Little David Susskind, Shut Up!
If I can find a copy I will post it on the blog. It can be played to drown out the announcers and the commericals.
I would rather watch Mutiny On The Bounty.
The pre-olympic events are where it’s at. Watching 3000 or so poor and lower middle class family’s get kicked out of their own homes by forced gentrification is what these obnoxious broadcasters should be covering in such “squeeze it dry” detail.
http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2014/02/27/276514012/as-brazil-gears-up-for-olympics-some-poor-families-get-moved-out
Unfortunately, cities such as Boston don’t really need the excuse of Olympics tourist lucre to displace whole communities of hard working tax paying citizens (propagandized as moochers and dead beats by those who want to swindle them) who simply don’t have the clout of rapacious big money developers.
Agree about the chatter – mute button is great. I have very mixed feeling about the Olympics being hosted in Brazil given the growing numbers of the poor in the favelas. The insane amounts of money spent on the World Cup a few years ago irritated me though I watched most of the games because I love soccer. Mixed too – because I remember when Carter did not allow the the US to compete — those athletes were essentially iced. Why can’t the games be hosted in countries which already have invested in the infrastructure to host the games? Maybe rotate them around? So while I do want to support these amazing people I cannot forget the plight of the poor – and I doubt the money will “trickle down” to them or even provide them with jobs.
Darren, say these 2 words like Dr. Evil would say “Death Ray” while gesturing quotation marks;
“Mute Button”
HT to shelly
The Olympics are on? I just watched an interesting documentary on Tab Hunter. Commercial TV sucks.
I have decided to wait for the highlight reel on the Olympics. The last one drove me crazy with the inane commentators breaking in with nothing to say.
Buy an up to date TV. They have a mute feature.
While we’re venting, what’s with the air rifle thing? Next there will be marbles and pick up sticks, Texas hold-em, and perhaps paper, rock, scissors. I don’t watch TV and grew tired of the overly orchestrated Olympics long ago. Put on ‘Chariots of Fire’ if you want to watch the Olympics or that oldie but goodie with Jane Mansfield.
Thank god for reality TV.
That is so true. You cannot just focus on the performance.
Plus they need more equestrian coverage. For those of you wanting to see riders with enough pressure on them to turn coal into a diamond, here is the schedule: https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=equestrian+olympics+rio&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8#mie=oly%2C%5B%22%2Fm%2F0jxw5%22%2C5%2C%22r%22%2C1%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%222016-08-07%22%2Cnull%2C0%5D
Where the heck is the coverage of the equestrian events? What’s more adrenaline pumping than eventing? Those cross country fences are huge and do not come down. All I can find is water polo.
And you’re right. The announcers pick apart each ride live.
It’s why I watch the CBC and BBC Olympic feeds online. NBC has ruined the Olympics with its curious scheduling, awful content, and intrusive personalities.