# Let's discuss the Olympic opening ceremonies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 14, 2004, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802 "2004-08-14T04:33:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2004, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802/21 "2004-08-14T22:17:20Z")
Did the opening ceremony have the Apollo chasing Daphne scene? ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802/22 "2004-08-15T04:12:01Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > They did that in Sydney too. It’s a meaningless display of Korean “oneness.” North Korea is still run by a band of psychotic thugs, and I guarantee you that the NK athletes were ordered to cooperate with the South Koreans under threat of torture. Why would democratic, capitalist South Korea go along with that? ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802/23 "2004-08-15T04:59:01Z")
> [@Abbie Carmichael](#): > > And Afghanistan brought women! Wow! (Maybe Iraq did too; I don’t remember.) > SIZE] I’d just like to point out, since it is a common misconception, that Iraq and Afghanistan are not and have not ever been comparable on their treatment of women. Even under Saddam, Iraq was a secular state and did not base it’s laws directly off of the Quaran. Women participated in public life, held jobs, and even held high level government offices. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802/24 "2004-08-15T10:44:47Z")
> [@Terminus Est](#): > > Why would democratic, capitalist South Korea go along with that? Democratic, capitalist countries are capable of meaningless displays, too. Many people in the South want reunification as well, of course, they would rather everyone be free instead of enslaved. ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802/25 "2004-08-15T15:47:51Z")
I watched the opening ceremonies on German television (ZDF), and it was a good feed. Commentary to explain things, but not overbearing, and they didn’t cut to commercial once. It was very nice. I also thought the cauldron looked really silly when they lit it (light the cigarette), but I thought the way it lowered itself was awesome, and I think it looks really cool when it’s vertical. Overall, very cool ceremony. Loved the people dressed as the art of the time period…very, very cool costuming. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802/26 "2004-08-15T18:08:38Z")
**friedo** : So you’re claiming that the South Korean athletes wanted to march together with their North Korean counterparts and the North Koreans were ordered under threat of torture to comply. Got any legitimate citations for that? ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802/27 "2004-08-16T17:14:43Z")
> [@tsarina](#): > > Yes, Bob and Katie need to be drawn and quartered for their stupid jokes. (“You know Katie, if you say you’ve ‘ended up in Timbuktu’, you’d really be in the country of Mali.” SHUT UP! Do you have any idea how much hard work it takes for people from poor countries like that to come here? Show some respect!) :rolleyes: With 200+ countries participating, you can only say “What an inspiration this delegation from [insert country here] is!” so many times. I didn’t hear a single disrespectful word from their mouths when it came to the countries (mostly cutesy “factoids”), and I was impressed that they when they cut to commercials, they played catch-up so none of the countries were omitted. Then again, I didn’t catch the OCs preceding the country walk, so maybe Bob & Katie would’ve gotten on anybody’s nerves by then (especially if they were yammering on during the performances). Mrs. AG and I played a game on who could guess the country name closest to the end (not counting the host, Greece) based on the Greek alphabet. I guessed Uruguay, she guessed Portugal; I lost. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802/28 "2004-08-16T17:41:42Z")
The “pregnant” woman was absolutely beautiful! Who is she? Anyone famous in Greece? (and for all you naysayers about the belly, haven’t any of you heard that a pregnant woman glows? 😃 ) I was impressed with the DNA lights as well. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802/29 "2004-08-16T18:04:58Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuyI was impressed that they when they cut to commercials, they played catch-up so none of the countries were omitted. [/QUOTE] This is definitely one area where NBC showed a marked improvement this year. Ed ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802/30 "2004-08-16T19:07:36Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > What stuck with me was that the North Korean and South Korean teams marched together, in a mingled group, distinguished only by the color of their jackets --red and blue, respectively-- and I saw some NK and SK athletes holding hands. I just hope that portends something for NK/SK relations. Athena knows we need some good news from there. The men wore blue jackets and the women wore red jackets ([links](http://english.kbs.co.kr/olympic/news/news/1327365_10678.html) [here](http://english.kbs.co.kr/olympic/news/news/1327401_10678.html)). I’m glad they marched together. The Korean _people_ still think of themselves as one nation unfortunately divided between two states. But the march was only symbolic. The teams are still competing separately. I loved the quasi-two-dimensional parade of human art. Entertaining and neat effect. NBC’s commentary was summarily muted in my household. ---
**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802/31 "2004-08-16T20:05:02Z")
I’m surprised **GorillaMan** didn’t share my thoughts: I’ll probably never be able to listen to the finale of Mahler’s Third Symphony again without picturing that dude walking on top of the cube. Thanks, Athens. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802/32 "2004-08-16T21:06:40Z")
Anybody who knows B5 will understand why my boyfriend and I were convinced the woman was pregnant with a Vorlon. And my mom said somebody she knows online thought the torch (that thing ain’t no cauldron) looked like a death ray. I wish I’d thought of that. Otherwise, it was cheesy as always, but isn’t that the point? ---
**Author:** ![merrily](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@merrily](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/merrily)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802/33 "2004-08-16T21:32:40Z")
Anybody know how that centaur worked? That looked cool. From some angles, it looked like the guy’s feet were in the front feet, but from other angles it looked too thin for that. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802/34 "2004-08-16T21:39:11Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I’ve always wondered- does the torch REALLY light the cauldron or is there an internal igniter that is activated when the torch comes near it? I’m guessing that there is a backup internal igniter in case something unexpected happens, but that in this case, it looked to me that the torch really lit the cauldron’s pilot light. Good thing the gas wasn’t going full blast when he put the torch up next to it… Barcelona’s archer still hasn’t been topped yet, even though I’m fairly certain that the flaming arrow didn’t really light that cauldron. I’m willing to bet the Chinese will come up with something really original in '08. I thought the pregnant lady was a really nice symbolic touch to close the singing and dancing portion of the festivities, and she looked pretty damn hot. That is, until her tummy started glowing, oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802/35 "2004-08-16T21:41:39Z")
I thought the centaur’s front legs belonged to the guy. I remember seeing some really muscular thighs and going “woah.” _shrug_ ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802/36 "2004-08-16T22:22:55Z")
**Abbie Carmichael** , it doesn’t look like anyone has said so yet, so: the Iraq team does include a woman, Alaa Hikmat, a runner. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802/37 "2004-08-16T22:56:52Z")
> [@whiterabbit](#): > > Anybody who knows B5 will understand why my boyfriend and I were convinced the woman was pregnant with a Vorlon. And my mom said somebody she knows online thought the torch (that thing ain’t no cauldron) looked like a **death ray**. I wish I’d thought of that. > > Otherwise, it was cheesy as always, but isn’t that the point? Ah, a 2004 Style Death Ray! ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802/38 "2004-08-17T01:20:43Z")
> [@Dog80](#): > > Ah, a 2004 Style Death Ray! You know, the presence of death rays would have made the Pelopennisian Wars far more interesting (and perhaps easier to spell.) ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802/39 "2004-08-17T02:19:26Z")
I knew somebody would come along and say it, so I didn’t have to. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ntcrawler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/34f0e0/32.png) [@ntcrawler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ntcrawler)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802/40 "2004-08-19T04:24:48Z")
Regarding the opening ceremonies, due to work I was unable to watch them, and due to recently moving and not having my gear set up, I wasn’t able to record it. I’d really love to see the opening ceremonies. Would anyone who recorded it be willing to make me a copy? If anyone here from Canada who recorded the CBC broadcast be willing to make me a tape? I’d be willing to pay for costs of media and shipping. Anyone? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-olympic-opening-ceremonies/259802.md?page=3)