China’s Dopey Torch Relay
Let’s put aside for the moment that the international legs of the Olympic Torch Relay have been an utter PR disaster. Just on its merits, this might be the most boring event ever created. Think about it: it lasts more than four months and consists of people running with a flame around the world surrounded by 3,000 police and a team of SUVs. Are people aware of the fact that the Olympics happen every two years? And each only lasts two weeks. That means the Relay is 800% longer than the Olympics. People are acting like this is a revolution, when it’s more like a mid-term Congressional election (okay, the Winter Olympics are the mid-terms, but s
till).
Today I was watching the Celtics playing the Cavaliers in the NBA playoffs. After watching the first half I expected to, you know, see the second half. Instead, CCTV 5 cut to the Olympic torch being run through the provinces. There was commentary! There were FUWA! There was boredom!
Imagine watching a marathon that last 100 days but wasn’t actually a race. That’s the Olympic torch relay.
Now I’ll give you that if you’re in Anhui, it might be exciting to see a stick with fire at the end run past your house, but it is not exactly must see television. In fact, the only must see television on the Olympic Torch Relay was when jack-asses were throwing themselves at the torch bearers as thousands of police beat them back. People like that stuff. Blind nationalists fighting back morons.
Now THAT’S a sport! Too bad China never covered that stuff live!
stuart responds:
Posted: May 11th, 2008 at 6:08 pm →
It’s certainly gripping stuff to tune in every evening and see all those flags. I find waiting to hear that a particularl day’s leg of the torch relay has been ‘a success’ especially nail-biting.
Lois responds:
Posted: May 14th, 2008 at 6:04 am →
I have heard that the tradition of the torch relay started in Nazi Germany when they held their Olympics.
corneilius responds:
Posted: June 21st, 2008 at 12:57 am →
I have two songs relevant to this page – “the perfect cup of tea” and “the olympics are here” which you can hear at my website, on the music page.