NBC: Thanks, but I don't want to watch her cry (mild Olympics bitch)

The BBQ Pit
#21

I’m going to agree that they went way over the line in following the Canadian diver behind the wall to show her cry (and have a bit of a tantrum). If I’d invested the years she must have and then blown what could be my only chance I’m sure I’d feel the same, but jeez Louise, let them have a bit of privacy. That’s what that area is for.

I thought with the marathoner it was okay to show the torture on her face since that’s what marathon is about, pushing physical and mental limits. It made me appreciate all the more what the others had done. But once she went to the curb they should have just let her be, like they (mostly) seemed to do. The tears on the American’s face were priceless, the joy and overwhelming emotion just came through. She even mentioned as much in her interview. Heck, I was amazed she could talk, I would have been panting for a week.

As for Deavers, I think the point of the replay was to show that she popped something before she even got to the hurdle. A few too many times, but not in bad taste.

I do like when they show tears of joy during the medals ceremonies, that is true to the moment.

#22

Was the crying swimmer from the op misnamed or miscountried? I watched that competition on CBC and didn’t see Emily Heymans lose her shit, though she was rather red eyed when they interviewed her later (I figured chlorine). Was CBC tactful, or was it an Australian who cried? Loudy Tourky did mess up pretty bad on her handstand, though she came away with a medal.

I’ve stayed away from the NBC coverage mostly. Even when it’s not despressing, they seem to focus on the most mundane shots of the American athletes just to have them on camera. I can only watch an American pole vaulter chew gum on a bench for so long before I have to flick back to CBC to watch actual events.

#23

Now that is a whole new kind of routine…

#24

I watched the whole deal on NBC & am pretty sure it was Emilie Heymans whom the camera followed around the wall; I remembered a brightly-coloured, sort of patterned swimsuit & blonde hair - I think the Australian team swimsuits were solid, dark blue.

#25

Not me, I knew exactly what she meant.

#26

It was definitely Emilie Heymans. I went back and checked my DVR recording to be sure. Heymans is a short-haired blonde, Tourky is a long-haired brunette. I guess Heymans was the reigning World champion, so it was a big disappointment for her not to medal at all.

I also fast-forwarded through her breakdown, again. It didn’t come right after her bad dive-- it wasn’t until after Australian Chantelle Newbery made her last dive, which was damn near perfect and solidified her hold on the gold. At that point, Emilie was out of the running for a medal. She specifically walked far away from the pool into an area where they seemed to be storing equipment or something. No way did she want that outburst to be seen.

I also noticed that as Emilie Heymans walked by Laura Wilkinson after totally fucking up, Laura looked right at the camera, laughed and shrugged. That was clearly a reaction to Heymans’ distress. Hmmm, either Laura doesn’t like Emilie, or Laura is experiencing some schadenfreude herself.

Another minor bitch: we see two divers do each dive 5-6 times in replay, then sit through about 5 commercials, then two more. Fast forwarding through the whole thing really brought this home. How fucking annoying! Though I have to say, watching gymnastics in fast forward looks pretty cool.

#27

Among the many godawful moments with the NBC coverage, the Emily Heymans incident is the worst. Even if you’re famous (for a moment) and even if you enter a contest, you have the right to privacy when you need it, and she was clearly making a bid for some solitude to let her emotions out. I don’t understand how anyone could think intruding on someone when they’ve clearly made an effort to be alone is appropriate. Show what’s made public; the cameras don’t have the right to stalk people in the name of dramatic moments. It was shameful behavior.

#28

I think its in bad taste when they interview the athletes just after they get done their event. Runners are still out of breath, swimmers still dripping wet. Let them chill and compose themselves for a moment or two at least, its really not necessary to leap in there and shove a mic in their faces, especially if they did not perform well.

#29

Oh my god, was the diving footage awful. There are dramatic moments and then there is harassment. She left to go get some privacy and that damn cameraperson - I’m so proud she only lost it that far, because I would have dropped the camera in the pool. Probably after bouncing the camera person’s head against a wall. (You want drama for your little show, asshole?) That was so sick I was embarrased to watch it. Show her walking around a wall, obviously upset, that’s a fine dramatic counterpoint. Follow the poor girl and dispassionately record and project her loss of control? Not cool.

Yeah, if that camera person’s face ends up mashed to a curb, I want pictures. I also hope that the editor who chose to air that “dramatic” ten minutes of personal torture finds a way to get their reaction to being in a disfiguring car accident or their child’s death aired on national tv as well. With commentary. (“Wow Jim, he’s really taking this one hard.” “I guess its understandable Sarah, given that it was his eldest daughter.” “He seems to be having trouble controlling his emotions, what an event…”)

Ugh.

#30

The CBC did not show Emilie Heymans crying. They showed an interview with her were she looked like she HAD been crying, but they didn’t air any behind-the-wall crying to my knowledge.

#31

Felt like a minute or so to me, not three or four or ten.

And don’t blame the camera operator - the show wasn’t live. The producers had time to decide what to show and what to not.

Personally I don’t have a problem with the coverage. It’s part of the games for me.

#32

Of course, today CBC was happy to show Perdita Felicien crying after her amazing screwup in the 100m hurdles. (Choking at the Olympics is fast becoming the Canadian national sport, I am not pleased to report.) Granted, she wasn’t hiding, but then, she didn’t have anywhere to hide.

#33

I was at work and unable to watch the hurdles finals, so I called up one of my friends and had him turn up his TV so I could listen to the call over the phone. Between the heartbreak of her falling and the baseball team giving up six runs and a guaranteed gold medal to the Cubans, (sorry Aussies, but we already beat you 11-0 once, we could do it again), it was a dissapointing day to be a Canadian Olympic fan.

Oh yeah, we still had our best day in spite of that with a gold and a silver. That kind of makes me feel better, but now I feel like crying. Things aren’t going well…

#34

I agree. Following the athletes when they’re trying to get some privacy seems like scummy journalism to me.

[hijack]
While we’re at it, could the commentators please either shut up or discuss the routine we’re seeing rather than mouthing platitudes and stupid opinions to each other that have nothing to do with the athlete who’s performing? And stop commenting on how pretty the female athletes are unless you’re prepared to say as well, “Those Hamm brothers are so buff!” And another thing: Beach volleyball is not a sport, and those little beach volleyball outfits obviously don’t fit or the athletes wouldn’t have to keep tugging at them. They don’t enhance performance, just spectator enjoyment. Play the damn games naked or not at all.
[/hijack]

#35

Perdita FELL? Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

#36

Oh, and another thing I noticed during the diving competition.

I think Lao Lisha was the diver. She did a somersault-esque dive (sorry for my lack of proper terms) and the female commentator remarked “The Chinese are known for not pointing their toes”. On her next dive, the commentor said that again. Then on her last dive, there was another “The Chinese are known for…” something that I can’t recall.

For some reason it irritated me. She never said anything like that during the Australian, US or Canadian dives.

#37

No, “falling” is what Gail Devers did, on her ass. Felicien slammed into the first hurdle as if it was the first one she’d ever seen (and then ran into another hurdler, ruining THAT poor woman’s Olympics.) She didn’t even come close to clearing the hurdle.

It’s getting frustrating. It seems the athletes from other countries, faced with the biggest competition of their lives, step it up an extra notch. Ours largely don’t. Maybe there’s something to the criticisms that the Canadian team has too much of a “it’s great to just be here” attitude.

#38

What really bugs me is that Perdita wiped out poor Irina Shevchenko, who seemed as visibly upset as you could imagine she’d be. The really fucked up thing about this is that Shevchenko petitioned for the race to be rerun and was denied. Why? Why should Shevchenko lose her chance to run that race through absolutely no fault of her own? Maybe I’m looking for fairness where there can be none.

#39

They didn’t allow Mary Decker to re-run the 3000 meter in Los Angeles in 1984 after she and Zola Budd tangled ankles. Does a re-run happen often?

#40

I suppose it would seem unfair for the other athletes to have to re-run. Maybe they should do something like re-run it (for all but Perdita), and the runners get to keep their best time from the two races. That way everybody would benefit.