Greetings, party people. First of all, let me redirect you to last week when I shared probably the best idea I ever had, Olympics Bingo. Seriously, I'm obsessed. Are you playing? You should be playing. Are you watching the Olympics on a regular basis? Then you should be playing.
Are you not watching the Olympics on a regular basis? What is wrong with you?! There is so much excitement to be shared, commentators to mock, countries to learn about, and athletes to ogle. Like Heather said yesterday, it's all the greatest things in TV in one place.
Several of the bingo spots reference the sponsors of the Olympics. Or rather, the sponsors of the NBC coverage of the Olympics. Or maybe both. I'm not really sure how it all works. I imagine at one point the peacock and the Olympic torch had a closed-door meeting where a very, very large amount of money changed hands. The repercussions of that are mostly a mystery to me... but I just discovered an entire Wackopedia entry on this so I'm going to stop making stuff up.
Ready for me to read this Wackopedia entry outloud to you? Okay. (I was going to write about McNuggets, but this is way more interesting.)
The first time NBC broadcast the Olympics was the Summer 1964 in Tokyo. Thanks to some sort of satellite magic they had a "highlights" reel from that day to play. Everything else got flown over from Toyko to here so we could see stuff the next day.
The 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul had NBC producers convincing Olympics officials to plan the medal ceremonies around live prime time coverage in the States. Wackopedia doesn't tell me how much money earned them the right to do this, but seriously, wouldn't it have to be a lot? Olympics officials are pretty no nonsense. Seoul was also Bob Costas's first Olympics. He did the late night coverage that Weird Mary so steadily holds today. He became primetime host in 92 and still holds that spot.
Ah ha! (Seriously, just reading this out loud to you guys.)
It wasn't until 1996 that they got exclusive coverage. And together with Olympics 2000 through 2008 NBC paid $3.5 billion. DOLLARS. They've now paid another $2.2 billion for 2010 (what what) and 2012 coverage. (This means that they didn't have sole rights to 1998 Nagano which is one of the first Olympics I remember fully. Weird.)
Okay, so that's how that went down. I have one other thing to say before I let you be and stop yammering about the Olympics.
Cris Collinsworth is one of the correspondents this year. He looks JUST LIKE Will Arnett. He tells these stories and he makes these faces and it's like he is being Will Arnett in a skit.
Cris:
Will:
I yanked the photo of Will from the NBC website where he was attending the USA/Canada hockey game. Will and Cris were both there in the SAME BOOTH. I can't believe the world didn't explode. I also cannot believe that NBC did not take a picture of them together. Come on, Bob.
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9 comments:
true story: olympics commercials made me go out and eat mcdonald's for the first time in two years. that mcnugget sauce was delicious.
During the Olympics, I cry like a baby at least ten times a day over the drama of victory, defeat, and sportsmanship. Well, it's not really crying teardrops, but rather welling up with emotion for a few seconds at a time to the point where I make funny faces. Please tell me I'm not the only one. Please. Even if it's a lie.
This means that Bob Costas has been hosting the Olympics (yes. hosting. I like to believe that the Olympics are Bob's personal gift to the world) since we were in preschool.
It's nice to know that someone has taken charge of some things around here.
And Kat, I have been thinking about that mcnugget sauce for a week.
But I don't like Bob Costas. I'm sorry, I just really, really don't.
Peefer, you're not the only one. Sometimes I have to stop watching. I CAN'T TAKE THE EMOTION.
Kat! That's what I was going to write about. All I want every meal is mcdonalds! That limited time sauce is so delicious.
Shari, I don't like Bob either. Enduring him is just part of the Olympic spirit!
Cate... I've been listening to Bob Costas since I was in preschool. Seriously, ask your parents...
Talk about getting tired of his voice. Sheeesh. Enough already.
Cate, write more things about the Olympics.
Mary is weird. So weird! Also, the biggest difference between Cris and Will -- the eyes. I'd say Cris might be part wrinkly dog. (I was too lazy to look up the breed, but you know what I'm talkin bout.)
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