London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony

[footfootfoot]

You are the man Bruce.

[glatt]

Thanks Bruce. Just loaded it and BBC is so much better than NBC.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Here's a wonderful story about one of the torchbearers using her torch to make people happy after her run.

I realised then that the torch could either sit awkwardly on my mantelpiece, or it could embark on its own journey. I don’t want to sound cheesy, but I wanted it to have some sort of use beyond grating cheese. So when we returned home, I put out the word via email: WHO WANTS A GO WITH THE OLYMPIC TORCH?

Suddenly, I was the most popular girl in my social group. The torch sped off to East Sussex, where it visited some schools my friends teach in. When it got back to London it visited Edith Neville Primary in Somers Town, where the staff were as excited to hold it as the pupils (possibly even more so). One teacher, Miss Crowther, photographed every child and member of staff with the torch – about 300 pictures in all – and a few days later the copies were snapped up at the summer fair, raising funds for the school.

Next it went off to St Joan of Arc primary in Islington, just four miles from the Olympic Park. At their summer fête, they set up a ''Have your photo taken with the torch’’ stall. The kids turned up in their national colours – Jamaica, Barbados, France, Spain (the school has a high intake of students from outside the UK) – and queued all day for snaps. Then it went round the corner to St John’s Highbury Vale, where the week before the pupils had made torches out of papier-mâché, old socks and crêpe paper. The mother of a child who had been ill that day called to say her son was distressed at having missed it. The torch stayed so that he could hold it. Later, at Our Lady of Muswell Primary, it experienced the kind of adulation usually accorded to Justin Bieber.

Much more at the link.

[Sundae]

We had two torchbearers come to our school for our Olympics Closing Ceremony (we had 2 weeks of Olympics themed lessons and sports before the end of term".

They both spoke about the torch, why they'd been nominated, how they felt - it was extremely moving. The younger children oohed and aahed at the bling but the adults were quite choked up.

The female torchbearer had to rush off to another appointment, but the male stayed in the playground afterwards, speaking to staff, parents, children and having photos taken. I asked Tiger if he wanted one, but he was completely oblivious. I just wish I'd had one taken of myself, but it seemed mean to jump in in from of all the children and parents, and too awkward to wait for them all to disperse!

[glatt]

The torch is exciting. I don't remember if it was for Atlanta or Salt Lake City, but the torch came a block from our apartment, so we walked down to watch it go by. It was really cool to see.

[DanaC]

My youngest niece, Sophie, was one of the On the Spot reporters for the local radio station when it came through our town. It actually came down past the village too, and through the crossroads: visible from my brother's house.

[Sundae]

I was devastated not to get time off to watch the torch come through Aylesbury.
My home town. The place I grew up and came back to. The Olympic Torch.
And I've been a huge Olympics fan since the LA Games.

But there was a blanket ban on staff time off (excepting illness or family emergency of course, and I respect my job far too much to fake it).

But wouldn't you know, I got a better deal in the end.
Class 2 - my class next year - had the live streaming. They tried to get it to work in the Hall, but something always goes wrong down there - on Cine Night, during Music Assembly, during play rehearsals. Sigh. Anyway, the sainted Mrs I, who doesn't throw her hands up and say things are broken - managed it in her classroom. So we piled all our children into hers.

And then the rest of the school
Even with TAs doing end-of-term jobs I still think we had 1 adult to 8 children!

Anyway, instead of watching the torch walk, stroll, run or dance past once, I saw the best part of 2 hours of it. And got to chopse about Mars to the teacher who I will be working with in September. I rarely get to talk to her because she is KS2 and therefore has different break and lunchtimes. I was really encouraged by the questions she asked. Also Mrs B (works with a girl with Downs Syndrome) says she is very appreciative of the knowledge LSAs bring with them.

Anyway, I will remember the day the Torch came fondly, as it was the birthday of my Great Nephews. And I saw the Torch come through my own town.

[Griff]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

http://tvpc.com/Channel.php?ChannelID=3
Had to install their plug-in, carefully declining a shit load of toolbars and crap, but it worked. Now when I go to the bookmark I get a 30 second commercial but then it's cool. You can full screen it too.

Brilliant, thanks Bruce!

[wolf]

How charmingly British it all was. The American TV commentators were ... morons. And lame.

I recognized Glastonbury Tor for what it is, and about cried (did you too, els?) when they ripped the tree of life out by the roots to begin the industrial revolution section. The set changes were pretty impressive.

I am entirely disappointed that no one identified the Child-Catcher from Ian Fleming's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang during the salute to the NHS. And what is with Tubular Bells as the music to that bit? Speaking of odd music choices, of all the OMD out there, they pick Enola Gay? Really? And they should have been kinder about the costume choices ... some of those girls in the harlequin suits will be quite regretful of that video! Did think the Rowan Atkinson bit was funny, but the he really seems only to tell one joke. Did like HM's entrance, though, even it he isn't my Bond. And there was insufficient Beatles.

I think that will do it for comments at this point.

[Sundae]

Our commentators identified the child-catcher, don't you worry Wolf.
'Cept the silly woman identified him as "the character which haunted all our nightmares as children"

Errr - no. Watched the film as far as the child-catcher about 10 years ago. A bit too old by then. Still haven't managed to make it past Benny Hill... The only childhood character to feature in my nightmares was Heidi. And they were really fever dreams when I had mumps; Mum had been reading me the story.

During the opening ceremony, Mum went to the loo, came back and asked what had happened to the tree.
"Kenneth Branagh killed it" I said.

Re Mr Bean, I read an American reviewer who said they switched off after that segment as British potty humor is not as appreciated as we think it is (or something like that). A fart. One fart in a couple of hours of magic. And not even a real fart! A machine-generated-mistake! I am no fan of Mr Bean but apparently I am a potty humourist.

I was also puzzled by the overseas reviewers concern about "in-jokes". So I watched it again. Yes all of it (except the parade of athletes which doesn't count). Yes, I suppose there were some Brit-centric jokes. But nothing very obscure. Nothing intentional I suspect. I've learned from being here how easy it is to be surprised by an international break in communication. But I am willing to concede. After all the Shipping Forecast is not a joke as such, but it's pretty insular.

I swear I heard the Tardis once or twice. But no-one I've spoken to has backed me up. Perhaps the Doctor really was in my garden with the hedgehogs and I just carried on regardless.

[footfootfoot]

I loved the Mr. Bean bit. I think to single out the potty joke either as hilarious or offensive indicates some deep seated issues.

Seriously, his whole bit was genius and the potty bit was far from the weakest link.

[glatt]

I thought it was neat how they built that hill in the middle of the stadium and grew weeds on it that looked like they were real and in need of mowing.

[footfootfoot]

And the tree rising out of the ground-- a clear reference to Spinal Tap

[DanaC]

Yep, definite tardis noise. The Gallifrey base people confirm :p

@ Wolf: Atkinson has a much greater range than one joke. But his Mr Bean type character is very popular.

[Sundae]

Oh I back that up completely.
When he appeared, Mum & Dad were "Oh! Mr Bean!"
Because of his apparel I immediately thought "Johnny English". I dislike both characters.
It was so lovely to see a split second from The Blackadder in the TV montage.

One of our comedy channels (Gold? Dave?) is showing one of his few stand-up shows. They're using the clip where he is the Devil welcoming people to Hell. Far more to my taste. I also adored his unrepentant Headmaster, which I had on audio tape. "Stiff as a board and bright green... and beginning to smell!" Sadly, like some Spitting Image lines, it's in my head as a great quote but rarely gets used. I shall be chaste and virginal* until the comedy references I drop are picked up by my true love.

Glad I wasn't going mad re the Tradis though










* Apparently it seals up after a while.