I'll keep my comments relatively brief about the Opening Ceremonies last night - but as a Canadian, I was very embarrassed. I was really hoping for so much more.
I understand that Olympic Opening ceremonies are all about "Look at me, look at me!!", and maybe that's the real problem I have with it, it all just seems so disingenuous.
These ceremonies are about sending a message to the rest of the world. I guess we Canadians want to cast aside some of the old stereotypes of Canada like "Igloos" and "Mounties". The Igloo thing had to go anyway, for some reason clubbing all those cute little Baby Seals and dragging them back to the igloos was just not going over too well in the rest of the world... I guess our "focus group" said "Igloos equals Baby Seal clubbing - we want First Nations, and lots of 'em!!". So... World... the Inuit and igloos are out and First Nations is in. Forget that we stole all their land and took away their kids to put them in special schools to teach them about Jesus, yes all that is behind us now - we just adore our First Nations peoples - love 'em to bits - and they just love to entertain too, they always put on such a great show at these big events. Our "focus group" also felt that the Mounties thing was getting a little stale, keep a few around 'cause everyone loves horses, but let's change that stereotype as well - so we'll replace the Mounties with... hmmm... let's see.... oh this is a tough one... got it.... FIDDLING!! Huh??
Don't get me wrong, I really did like a lot of the show. Sarah McLaughlin sang beautifully, KD Lang was terrific though she has obviously started eating beef again (and plenty of it... meow), I loved those shoes some of the dancers were wearing that shot fire out the sides (great for clubbing!), kilts and black leather pants actually work very well together (I did not know that before last night). I liked that little lesbian Peter Pan flying around bit, but only 'cause I love that Joni Mitchell song "Both Sides Now". The big dildos were pretty cool... lol... when they worked... and that big jelly fish thingy... I want one! The best part? Anne Murray not singing "Snow Bird"!! Also that our GWB-wannabe Prime Minister did not speak! (no wonder the chiefs were so late, they didn't want to sit near him!)
When it was finally over, as KD sang so brilliantly earlier... hallelujah!!
So have you got that World? No more about the fucking igloos! Canada is now all about First Nations and Fiddling! Oh yeah... and LED lights... 'cause we're so green!
How absurd!