By Spiro Zavos
August 12th 2008 @ 1:45am
The most stupid question at this Olympics, so far
There was Libby Trickett, still panting heavily after winning the Women’s 100m butterfly, and a Channel 7 hack thrusts a microphone into her face, showing off the television channel’s logo, and asks: “Is it everything you’d thought it would be?”
Even though it early days in the 2008 Beijing Games, this latest variation of the usual stupid question, “How does it feel?”, wins my award for the most stupid question.
However, a close watch will be kept to see if the “Is it everything …” question stands up to the pressure of constant inane questions asked of successful athletes.
It’s already clear from the broadcasts so far that the athletes and their performances save the Olympics from the genial mediocrities, providing commentary and colour for the television broadcasters.
I’m sure that, Sandy Roberts is a fine chap, for instance, but as a broadcaster (or his writers), is he capable of giving us the passion and the tactics and narratives of the competitors and the events that a great broadcaster is able to do?
And where are Roy and H.G. when we need them to amuse and inform us (the boys really know their sport, which is part of the fun) about the inanities of the officials and the marvellous deeds of the athletes?
I have a suspicion that Channel 7 has been so concerned about not offending the Chinese hosts that they have substituted the masters of irony and invective with Kylie Gillies and Andrew Daddo - their program, Yum Cha, as bland as the faux Chinese meal.
Let me finish off this diatribe by praising Phil Leggett as one of the great sports broadcasters.
His calls of the men’s and women’s road races made something essentially boring to non-cyclists like myself about as exciting as any sports event can be.
Television people always think that the medium is about pictures.
That is partly true.
But they need to remember the opening words in the Book of Genesis: “In the beginning was the word …”
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(14)
Dublin Dave said | August 12th 2008 @ 1:23am | Report comment
That’s actually the Gospel according to St John, Spiro.
Holier than Thou.
Captain Carnage said | August 12th 2008 @ 2:49am | Report comment
It’s certainly from the Ben Ikin school of interviewing.
Poor coverage (for anyone not interested in endless swimming (who cares about watching heats?)), poor commentary and no Dream with Roy and H.G…about what I expected from Channel 7. Yum Cha with Gillies and Daddo instead of the Dream is downright insulting. How can there be an Olympics without an Assclown of the Week award?
jools-usa said | August 12th 2008 @ 4:52am | Report comment
Can’t see what is shown in OZ, but have to say (proudly?) that Yanks wrote the book on “going beyond the
athelete” to intimate revealing of their lives.
Seems you can win multiple gold medals but networks would rather dwell on the fact you had no father, and/or
mother, was an outcast at school, in society, in EVERYTHING, until………….. “tah dah”, you discovered volleyball.
But worth watching the great close-ups of the “still in diapers” Chinese female gymnasts.
Jools-USA
Suchy said | August 12th 2008 @ 9:12am | Report comment
Roy and HG are doing a daily radio program on Triple J at 4:30, somewhat rudely titled “The Golden Ring”
Rabbitz said | August 12th 2008 @ 12:23pm | Report comment
Actually the dumbest question would have been “Lets give China the Olympics, what could possibly go wrong?” or perhaps it received the dumbest answer…
Harry said | August 12th 2008 @ 1:43pm | Report comment
Seven’s cringeworthy poolside antics are no worse Spiro than the inane and pointless interviews and resulting banalities that take place after every rugby test with the opposing captains.
Thanks Suchy these Olympics on Australian TV are sadly lacking 1) a decent highlights section of other sports and countries achievements and 2) Roy and HG.
Is SBS restricted in what it can and can’t show (presumably it can’t show “big ticket’ Aus events like the swimming, but has a pretty fair go elsewhwere).
Personally, I’d like a half hours coverage of the weight lifting everyday. I know they are all on the Roids - more acne that a 14 year olds dance party - but it always great and relatively simple to follow viewing - unlike stuff like cycling, judo, diving, the equestrian (shouldn’t the horse get the medal rather than the human?), archery etc. i was watching the archery last night and after they came second was hoping an Italian might have launched an arrow into the Korean crowd with their extremely annoying chanting.
When the synchronised swimming start?
Homer said | August 12th 2008 @ 1:55pm | Report comment
SBS has been fantastic to watch during these games, as they were during the soccer world cup and every other sports tournament they cover. Passionate sports fans with knowledge of what is happening giving real insight, how Leggett can make 7 hours of cycling enjoyable was a pleasure to watch.
Compare that to Sonia Kruger asking if the 48kg class of weightlifting refers to the weight of the athlete or the weight they must lift on the bar!
The Link said | August 12th 2008 @ 2:12pm | Report comment
My favourite is Tom Williams commentating on Canoe / Kyak slalom
Darryl said | August 12th 2008 @ 10:07pm | Report comment
Yum Cha bland?! Come on Spiro, as someone who has a Chinese mother I feel offended but that comment.
Just because NZ have already been overtaken by Tajikistan on the medal tally.
Jaffa said | August 12th 2008 @ 11:41pm | Report comment
Phil Leggett is without a doubt the best sports commentator going around. He combines an encyclopaedic knowledge base with a real insider’s appreciation of the technical aspects of the athletes’ performances. He conveys all the drama and passion of the contest without ever descending into cliche or banality. The gormless gushing idiots currently polluting the airwaves on the channel 7 broadcast out of Beijing would do well to listen and learn how a real professional does the business.
Harry said | August 13th 2008 @ 9:37am | Report comment
Homer they are showing too much crap soccer on SBS, and not enough stuff like handball, Judo, Archery and Weightlifting (in particular). I love watchign that stuff once every four years.
True Tah said | August 13th 2008 @ 9:51am | Report comment
Harry,
SBS’ mandate is futbol above all other sports, they have established commentators in the sport and it has been their lifeblood for so long…I would expect that to be their priority above these niche sports
I would like to see more womens beach volleyball and basketball as opposed to every futbol game, but I guess Im just being a bit red blooded.
Harry said | August 13th 2008 @ 10:01am | Report comment
Fair enough True Tah but they are taking their love of football too far. Another sport which has been undercovered is the rowing by the way.
Sam Taulelei said | August 14th 2008 @ 12:08am | Report comment
Actually I think Sonia Kruger has asked the dumbest question of the games so far when she asked the Yum Cha panel - Does the 48kg weight division in the womens weightlifting mean they weigh 48 kgs or they are lifting 48kgs?