Olympics Opening Ceremony | 12pm, Fri 23 July | BBC1

[Lord Camomile]

So, this is going to be a weird opening to a weird games.

I'm casually into various aspects of Japanese culture, so have been looking forward to what they do with the opening ceremony, but obviously this probably won't be the full shebang.

Alongside an empty stadium, the athlete's parade is expected to be severely reduced (which sucks along with everything else for the athletes to miss out on ). Apparently around 30 GB athletes are expected to feature.

Plus, obviously, the ceremony's director was sacked earlier this week, joining a few high profile Tokyo 2020 figures.

Fun fact: alongside the tradition of Greece entering first and the host nation entering last, the countries will actually enter in Japanese-language order (katakana, to be precise)

 

[QueenOfGoths]

I shall be watching and forcing the Small One to watch while he moans that it's stopping him from playing Minecraft

 

[Lord Camomile]

Oh, yes, Mohamed Sbihi, one of our two flag bearers today, is our first Muslim flag bearer

 

[Lord Camomile]

Oooh, in't that clever with the shadow

 

[QueenOfGoths]

Oh that's rather sad about the boxer.

 

[Lord Camomile]

Oh that's rather sad about the boxer.

Yeah, good to have those athletes recognised, but still sucky

 

[Numbers]

Why a special mention to the Israeli delegation in Munich nearly 50 years ago?

 

[Lord Camomile]

Why a special mention to the Israeli delegation in Munich nearly 50 years ago?

I missed that specific reference, but I guess that was in reference to those who have lost their lives during the Olympics? I don't know what other deaths there have been actually during games, though, and can only imagine there have been.

 

[Petcha]

God I forgot how camp these things are. it's fucking brilliant. it does need partridge/madeley offering comments now and then though

 

[Petcha]

Why a special mention to the Israeli delegation in Munich nearly 50 years ago?

Because the guy in charge of the ceremony was sacked yesterday after footage emerged yesterday of him making jokes about the holocaust in the 90s (he's a former standup comic or something)

im guess that was a very last minute addition.

 

[QueenOfGoths]

I rather like this woodwork dancing bit.

 

[Lord Camomile]

Ooh, like that about where the wood for the rings comes from

 

[Lord Camomile]

Would be nice if the BBC had a Japanese commentator, just to add a bit of first-hand cultural insight.

 

[Lord Camomile]

Because the guy in charge of the ceremony was sacked yesterday after footage emerged yesterday of him making jokes about the holocaust in the 90s (he's a former standup comic or something)

im guess that was a very last minute addition.

Ohhhh, wouldn't be surprised if it was that, tbh.

 

[Lord Camomile]

No PoLiTcS iN tHe OlYmPiCs

 

[QueenOfGoths]

"Final Fantasy" music!! I'm excited.

 

[QueenOfGoths]

Wasn't that keen on the Italian outfits

 

[Lord Camomile]

Wasn't that keen on the Italian outfits

Aye, Armani can get fooked

 

[Lord Camomile]

Hm, interesting GBR outfits...

Doing a much better job than a lot of nations on the ol' dual flag bearers, though

 

[belboid]

Can’t watch at the mo, so I shall have to ask - can you hear the protests from outside the stadium during the musical lulls?

 

[Lord Camomile]

Can’t watch at the mo, so I shall have to ask - can you hear the protests from outside the stadium during the musical lulls?

Not that I've noticed, not really sure there have been many 'lulls', tbh.

Saw a couple of clips on Twitter, though.

 

[quimcunx]

Bah. Only just saw this in time for the boring waving at no one.

 

[quimcunx]

Would have sworn Suriname was in Africa.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Arrrgh. We were supposed to be there (2020 and 2021).
My wife is glued to it. She's from Tokyo, but also has nerd level LOVE of Olympic opening ceremonies. It's like Christmas for her. . . . apart from her not being there. I can't be in the same room, as there is a chance I will make a comment, and any comment I make has the potential of being the wrong comment and it's not worth the risk.

 

[Lord Camomile]

Arrrgh. We were supposed to be there (2020 and 2021).
My wife is glued to it. She's from Tokyo, but also has nerd level LOVE of Olympic opening ceremonies. It's like Christmas for her. . . . apart from her not being there. I can't be in the same room, as there is a chance I will make a comment, and any comment I make has the potential of being the wrong comment and it's not worth the risk.

Shame she's not on commentary

 

[Lord Camomile]

Ooh, interesting idea from Brazil there, one holds the pole, one holds out the flag itself.

 

[flypanam]

I thought the Irish team bowing was a nice touch. Felt for the Finns, their outfits were beyond appalling.

 

[Lord Camomile]

"Full" gender equality, you say...?

 

[Petcha]

I think the olympics.com bit there at the end says it all. These games should never be going ahead, let's face it. Japan's curve is getting out of control and nobody there wants it. Too much money at stake though.

 

[Lord Camomile]

Ohhhhhhh, no, not Imagine!

(Did like the drones, though)