# Opening Ceremonies, London 2012...what would you do? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 20, 2008, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731 "2008-08-20T22:48:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731/21 "2008-08-21T14:19:39Z")
cats and dogs living together, mass panic … ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731/22 "2008-08-21T14:59:29Z")
[QUOTE=Bearflag70] Here’s a good theme… “We used to own you (but you weren’t worth the fuss)” As each nation enters the arena, the athletes walk under an archway. If the nation passing under the arch is a former British colony, a sign lights up on the arch that says, “PWNED” and midgets holding Union Jacks pop up on top of the arch and wave their flags. Then Duran Duran plays _Rio_ [/QUOTE] Dammit people. I am tired of fighting this ignorance on my own. Midgets is not correct. The proper term is _ **Cornish Game People** _. I’m going to hell, aren’t I? ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731/23 "2008-08-21T16:37:21Z")
[QUOTE=BrotherCadfael] Parade of athletes, bring in the flag, light the torch, the Queen declares the games open, call it a night. The extravaganzas have gotten beyond ridiculous. [/QUOTE] Indeed. I must admit I was awestruck by Barcelona’s effort, but in general, I love seeing the old film clips where a guy just walks up some stairs and simply dips the torch into the flame bowl. It would be great if London had the balls to do just that. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731/24 "2008-08-21T16:47:07Z")
[QUOTE=hawthorne] Chas and Dave. [/QUOTE] Somebody said that on the BBC live text commentary of the opening ceremony. Chas and Dave, party hats, and pass round the sausage rolls. Me, I think they should have a giant laser writing Welcome to London on the moon. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731/25 "2008-08-21T19:30:21Z")
[QUOTE=Tristan] Dammit people. I am tired of fighting this ignorance on my own. Midgets is not correct. The proper term is _ **Cornish Game People** _. I’m going to hell, aren’t I? [/QUOTE] Oh, _very_ nice. \ I suggest something traditional. Didn’t the Ancient Greeks begin with a sacrifice to the Gods? That’s it! A nice Human Sacrifice. Any _particular_ pop star you’d like to get the chop? ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731/26 "2008-08-21T19:36:15Z")
[QUOTE=tagos] The British Olympics will open with Queen Elizabeth 1 and 2 riding into the stadium on dinosaurs. Then Margaret Thatcher as Lady Godiva, but on a unicorn. At the climax the whole arena will be flooded and the Battle of Trafalgar re-enacted with Spitfire air support. It’s going to be totally awesome. [/QUOTE] Oh man, that’d be the coolest thing ever! ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731/27 "2008-08-21T20:13:13Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] Didn’t the Ancient Greeks begin with a sacrifice to the Gods? That’s it! A nice Human Sacrifice. [/QUOTE] I completely agree. Personally I think it would only be right and proper for the honour to go to someone who did such wonders for the UK, Margaret Thatcher. That would give the whole country two reasons to celebrate during the game. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731/28 "2008-08-21T20:25:12Z")
- Bagpipes. Thousands and thousands of pipers. - Football hooligan battle between Manchester United and Leeds United fans. - When the U.S. athletes emerge into the stadium for the parade of nations, British naval officials will be on hand to impress them into service. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731/29 "2008-08-21T21:03:13Z")
In the center of the empty arean sits a blue Police box. All the teams enter out of that. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731/30 "2008-08-21T22:55:56Z")
[QUOTE=mutantmoose] He said they’re gonna do something completely different [/QUOTE] They’re gonna get Monty Python? ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731/31 "2008-08-22T11:54:59Z")
I’m picturing a parade of John Cleese look-alikes demonstrating silly walks. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731/32 "2008-08-22T20:05:10Z")
[QUOTE=Illuminatiprimus] I completely agree. Personally I think it would only be right and proper for the honour to go to someone who did such wonders for the UK, Margaret Thatcher. That would give the whole country two reasons to celebrate during the game. [/QUOTE] Rejoice! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731/33 "2008-08-22T20:20:25Z")
And Boris Johnson should be allowed to enter the cycling events. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731/34 "2008-08-22T22:08:01Z")
[QUOTE=Dewey Finn] How about 2,012 Morris dancers? Or more seriously, something about the Queen’s anniversary. [/QUOTE] 2,012 Morris Dancers versus 2,012 Krumpers in a old v new danceathon face-off competition, and you’ve got my vote! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2008, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731/35 "2008-08-23T06:16:36Z")
All the athletes come running into the stadium chasing a woman and man in skimpy undies as the Benny Hill song plays ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2008, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731/36 "2008-08-23T07:01:55Z")
MP style drag races now an Olympic sport. BTW \*where \* are they doing this? I thought London was pretty much 100% densely occupied and developed. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2008, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731/37 "2008-08-23T07:42:17Z")
London will show a replay of the Beijing opening ceremony using CGI to transform Beijing to London and the Chinese participants to English. While the world is watching the British Navy will sneak in and reclaim all the colonies. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2008, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731/38 "2008-08-23T15:34:05Z")
Sometimes life is weirder than postings on the dope. [Olympics: Shipping forecast and rejigged anthem to kick off 2012](http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/aug/23/olympics2012.olympics20082) > [@](#): > > The shipping forecast, a new version of the national anthem sanctioned by the Queen and the most famous footballer on the planet will herald the start of the London Olympiad tomorrow when the capital briefly takes centre stage in Beijing’s Bird’s Nest stadium. > > As China’s games officially draw to an end with a closing ceremony certain to be epic in scale and execution, London has just eight minutes to mark the official handover of the Olympic flag. > > Organisers are pinning their hopes on a very British affair marked by an innovative score, a live performance of Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love, a double-decker bus and David Beckham to set the tone for 2012. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731/39 "2008-08-23T15:41:39Z")
They have to work the [ferris wheel](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Eye) in somehow. Maybe light fireworks on it and let it free-roll into the stadium. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2008, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731/40 "2008-08-23T15:50:09Z")
Oh, and 2,012 [Lisas](http://www.itemsofpotentialinterest.com/?p=10). _Hamster Edit_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-ceremonies-london-2012-what-would-you-do/460731.md?page=3)