Closing ceremony

I like the USA Closing Ceremony Varsity Jacket. LOVE IT

We watched with young(ish) French friends who were staying over. They found it utterly boring and we all went to bed early as we were leaving for a trip at 8am the next day.

I finished watching the closing ceremony and whilst the spectacle was good and the lights were clever, the entertainment was not brilliant. The renditions of Star-Spangled Banner and My Way were slow and tedious with too many vocal gymnastics. The Tom Cruise scenario was fun. I thought they got that idea from our James Bond/Queen jump.

However, when the show went over to California, the entertainment was just awful. So sad to think this was where the Beach Boys' surfing sound was born. Chili Peppers, can't sing and looked like homeless people needing a good wash. Billie Eilish, what a dismal depressing sound. The rapper and his dancer were hardly family entertainment, but then I suppose none of it any more which is sad.

We thought it was fabulous, so artistic and creative. Watching in the States there was little commentary and we were able to appreciate the spectacle. Well done France; altogether an impressive Olympic Games.

I watched till all the athletes were in (all very happy and smiling) and the volunteers were thanked and Sifan Hassan got her well deserved gold. I loved all the sport and even enjoyed some I’ve never watched before. But I disagree that it was very well organised, there were dodgy decisions about false starts etc and the boxing debacle, the IOC have a lot to think about. But to each and every athlete, and volunteer, who took part 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

The opening ceremony was weird and depraved, enough to give younger children nightmares. Headless women in windows, people waving around on sticks, scary looking dancers and evil looking people of unknown gender disappearing into a bedroom for a very obvious threesome. Not nice. Children today have a lot to cope with. I'd say the Eurovision Song Contest and Olympic ceremonies are no longer family entertainment. Very sad.

The closing ceremony, well I haven't finished it yet but it was nice to see all those happy young people although I fast forwarded 99% of it. Not yet sure about the rest yet. Edward Scissorhands in his Christmas outfit, well done for the best remark Spec1alk 😂😂😂

All our team were brilliant.

But we found the closing ceremony tedious. In fact, we were only a few minutes into it when I said to DH that they could learn a few lessons from Kynren (as anyone who has been will understand).

Boring although the tenor sang beautifully. It only livened up when the Americans took over. I’m surprised. I’ve seen opera in Paris which was spectacular

Were we all watching the same thing?
The imagination; the artistry; the creativity; the fun ; for the games in general the massive enjoyment shown by all the crowds; the wonderful Paris / Versailles backdrops.
For the opening I felt so sorry for them for the rain that tried to ruin it after the massive effort put in by everyone firstly the athletes and then the volunteers. Like 2012 what a feat of planning, organisation and execution.
Successful security with no incidents. They must all have been worried sick over that.....
The cauldron.... was that balloon tethered ????
President Macron beside himself over Leon Marchand's races.
To get back to the Paris opening , the wonderful political incorrectness of the guillotining in the historical tableaux; the Cancan ! Well done ladies.... the polite version but a saucy dance nevertheless.....
The power strength and beauty of Céline Dion's Ciel de Paris...... I barely noticed what she was wearing.
EErrrrrrr............ I loiked it . I'll give it five.......( for those who remember Juke Box Jury).

What does he think of ours?

He said the lyrics are dire, the tunes okay, and is now singing www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pKmQiClghs - sarcastically, he hates those lyrics too.

Loved the singalong, especially Au Champs Elysees. Great song with many memories of pupils joining in. I actually liked the first song too, In fact I thought they did well .

Boring!😴😴. US singers/bands were all grim! Point of ceremony was beyond me....Loved The Olympics though.

After watching the first 15 minutes I turned to my iPad and found a post that said “Paris, please don’t do mystical or symbolic dancing. Oh, too late!” I didn’t watch very much, just so so boring. Perhaps you had to be French to appreciate the spectacle.

I just thought it was all rather sloooow ......

Such a great Olympic Games but such a dire closing ceremony. I stuck with it to the very end moaning and grumping, though DH tells me I could have switched it off... The rendition of the Star Spangled Banner was the last straw. I detect a lot of egos among those "creatives" who put it all together, and an eye-watering budget. But none of that should detract from the athletes. They remain the heroes.

Siope

I didn’t see the handover, but my American husband thinks the Star Spangled Banner is a terrible anthem, for what that’s worth.

I’m also slightly amused by all the ‘not as good as 2012’ comments here and on the opening ceremony thread. It was, for Britons, amazing and evocative. But that’s because it was incredibly culturally specific (as the French ceremonies were) and for many other countries it really didn’t resonate impress at all (just like the French ones).

my American husband thinks the Star Spangled Banner is a terrible anthem, for what that’s worth

Interesting!
I like it.

What does he think of ours?

Oh! I thought it was Edward Scissorhands in his Christmas outfit!

TiggyW

Well done to all the Olympians! 😎👍👏👏👏
As I’ve never been good at sport, I always feel as though I’m watching an exclusive party! I did enjoy watching the boulder climbing, where GB won gold. 👍😎
As far as I can see, the arrival of Tom Cruise was the highlight of the closing ceremony.

Ditto.. well done all. I avidly watched many of the sports, but that closing ceremony was dull and duller, the music terrible, except Tom Cruise’s exploits, tho I gave up when the flag finally arrived in LA to more awful music….
At least our closing ceremony had Brits who had some sort of universal appeal… .
It may have been steeped in what someone here described as “French Culture”… but for a worldwide event,…. I have few words! I enjoyed a lot of the Opening ceremony, but that last night was a disaster! In my view of course!

Well done to all the Olympians! 😎👍👏👏👏
As I’ve never been good at sport, I always feel as though I’m watching an exclusive party! I did enjoy watching the boulder climbing, where GB won gold. 👍😎
As far as I can see, the arrival of Tom Cruise was the highlight of the closing ceremony.

I didn’t see the handover, but my American husband thinks the Star Spangled Banner is a terrible anthem, for what that’s worth.

I’m also slightly amused by all the ‘not as good as 2012’ comments here and on the opening ceremony thread. It was, for Britons, amazing and evocative. But that’s because it was incredibly culturally specific (as the French ceremonies were) and for many other countries it really didn’t resonate impress at all (just like the French ones).

Anniebach

Quote Callistemon213 Sun 11-Aug-24 23:03:08
ixion
Will our care homes have the tv on in the 'lounge' or will it be 'lights out' by now?
9 pm cocoa and a rich tea biscuit, two if you're lucky.
Lights out by 9.30 pm.

No reading with a torch under the bedclothes. Or a sneaky look at Gransnet.

I live in a nursing home. 11.18pm, my tv on, this is GransNet,
light still on, it will be switched off when I choose.
Supper when I choose.

Which one, Anniebach?
I'll put my name down (if you'll let me in 😃)

Bodach

RosiesMaw2

Syracute

Well as far as the negative comments go in regards to the Star Spangled Banner goes it was brilliant ! The whole handover to the USA was brilliant and the LA music was spot on. Sadly here there is a bunch of grumpy curmudgeon comments that didn’t see the creativity behind the ceremonies.
Which is sad. Back to your stale biscuits and soapy tea,

Some people are clearly easily pleased.
A National Anthem such as The Star Spangled Banner is meant to stir, to rouse, to celebrate. Not to slip and slide around the notes before reluctantly settling on or near the right one - in the way of a type of popular warbling.
If the (original) Marseillaise had been sung at the pace of last nights subfusc version, les enfants de la patrie would still have been allons-ing and le jour de gloire woukd have been over and gone.
When a French Maman says “Allons, enfants” she usually means “Come on, hurry up”.
You could see why.

Spot on, RosiesMaw2! An essential facet of a National Anthem must surely be that it is performed in a manner that encourages/enables others to join in. Performers who mangle The Star Spangled Banner in this awful way make it all about them - not the Anthem.

I was looking forward to listening to the Star Spangled Banner and commented to himself that other anthems are so much more rousing than the British Anthem.

However, this was not a good rendition and was over-dramatised warbling, unfortunately becoming more and more popular.

America deserved better.

Joseann

All we need now is for Meghan and Harry to make an appearanceon the beach!

It may be Brighton beach they appear on should Trump win the election.

RosiesMaw2

Syracute

Well as far as the negative comments go in regards to the Star Spangled Banner goes it was brilliant ! The whole handover to the USA was brilliant and the LA music was spot on. Sadly here there is a bunch of grumpy curmudgeon comments that didn’t see the creativity behind the ceremonies.
Which is sad. Back to your stale biscuits and soapy tea,

Some people are clearly easily pleased.
A National Anthem such as The Star Spangled Banner is meant to stir, to rouse, to celebrate. Not to slip and slide around the notes before reluctantly settling on or near the right one - in the way of a type of popular warbling.
If the (original) Marseillaise had been sung at the pace of last nights subfusc version, les enfants de la patrie would still have been allons-ing and le jour de gloire woukd have been over and gone.
When a French Maman says “Allons, enfants” she usually means “Come on, hurry up”.
You could see why.

Spot on, RosiesMaw2! An essential facet of a National Anthem must surely be that it is performed in a manner that encourages/enables others to join in. Performers who mangle The Star Spangled Banner in this awful way make it all about them - not the Anthem.

You definitely made the right decision Calendargirl, as those of us whovwatched it through to the end will testify.

It's OK to start of with a bit of mournful, dreary stuff as long as it builds up to something rousing at the end. But there was nothing!
The French put on a very dull party, but I repeat, the lighting, once it got dark was cracking.