Olympic Balladeer’s Voice Was Dubbed
By JIM YARDLEY (New York Times)
Published: August 12, 2008
BEIJING — Pigtailed and smiling, Lin Miaoke, age 9, stood in a red dress and white shoes during last Friday’s Olympic opening ceremonies and performed “Ode to the Motherland” in what would become one of the evening’s most indelible images: a lone child, fireworks blazing overhead, singing a patriotic ballad before an estimated one billion viewers.
Except that she was not really singing.
The article goes on to say that the Chinese authorities found a cute girl who could not sing well enough and a good singer who was not cute enough so ...
What will they think of next?
Showing posts with label Olympics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Olympics. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Friday, August 8, 2008
08-08-08
If I knew how, I planned on posting this at 8:08 a.m. also but I’ll be at a meeting during that time-frame so this will have to do.
More on the Olympics.
I don’t put this on equal footing with the war in Iraq but there are some similarities.
I never thought going into Iraq was such a good idea in the first place. But – and I don’t think this is hypocritical – I am concerned for all the young men and women who are risking their lives and for the families of those who have already lost their lives. I heard today we reached a 500-casualty milestone in Afghanistan. Most of them probably never asked to be sent there but they are loyal and brave and so they go. Some don’t come back. Some don’t come back the way they left – either mentally or physically or both.
I never thought letting China host the Olympics was such a great idea. It seems only to reward the largest human rights abuser in the world. Arguably the most prolific polluter. And for what? So numerous American companies can make money. I realize few in the U.S. had anything to do with the IOC’s decision to award the 2008 Olympics to Beijing. But I didn’t hear a chorus of boos from corporate America when the selection was made either.
So shame on the IOC for picking it. Shame on NBC for tempering their news coverage so as not to offend corporate sponsors and those affiliated with their parent GE while they televise hundreds of hours of coverage. OK I heard this on that bastion of fair and balanced coverage – NPR, so it may need some qualifying.
But for the athletes – all the best. I wouldn’t want to deny some of these kids what might be their only shot at Olympic glory. Even just the honor of participating. So for them – good luck. Swim, run, throw, jump well and make American proud.
More on the Olympics.
I don’t put this on equal footing with the war in Iraq but there are some similarities.
I never thought going into Iraq was such a good idea in the first place. But – and I don’t think this is hypocritical – I am concerned for all the young men and women who are risking their lives and for the families of those who have already lost their lives. I heard today we reached a 500-casualty milestone in Afghanistan. Most of them probably never asked to be sent there but they are loyal and brave and so they go. Some don’t come back. Some don’t come back the way they left – either mentally or physically or both.
I never thought letting China host the Olympics was such a great idea. It seems only to reward the largest human rights abuser in the world. Arguably the most prolific polluter. And for what? So numerous American companies can make money. I realize few in the U.S. had anything to do with the IOC’s decision to award the 2008 Olympics to Beijing. But I didn’t hear a chorus of boos from corporate America when the selection was made either.
So shame on the IOC for picking it. Shame on NBC for tempering their news coverage so as not to offend corporate sponsors and those affiliated with their parent GE while they televise hundreds of hours of coverage. OK I heard this on that bastion of fair and balanced coverage – NPR, so it may need some qualifying.
But for the athletes – all the best. I wouldn’t want to deny some of these kids what might be their only shot at Olympic glory. Even just the honor of participating. So for them – good luck. Swim, run, throw, jump well and make American proud.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Politics and the Olympics
Yesterday I heard that Olympic speed skater Joey Cheek was denied a visa to attend the games in Beijing. I mistakenly thought he would be competing (oops he skates in the Winter Games!) but I guess he was going to protest. Still in their on-going effort to stifle dissent, the Chinese government revoked his visa. His crime? A group called Team Darfur which among other things calls attention to China's involvement and support of the Sudanese government and their continued oppression, genocide - pick a word that means horrible treatment of your own citizens - of the distressingly poor, destitute etc. in Darfur which for the uninformed is an area in western Sudan. Not to be confused with the portion of southern Sudan that for so many years was the site of a civil war where the government of Sudan (sounding familiar?) was attempting to purge anything non-Islamic from that portion of their country. I realize that nothing, no one, nobody, no how - is truly God-forsaken, but Sudan must be pretty darn close.
My title is Politics and the Olympics and prompted mostly by the inane comments of an IOC spokesperson yesterday saying basically that the IOC does not get involved in matters relating to the host country or some such drivel.
I guess maybe from a purely technical point of view they (certainly not at this late date) don't have any authority over what Beijing does or does not do. What are they going to do - threaten them? "No more Olympics in China until at least 2024!"
A quick look at Olympic history shows politics playing a major role in many Olympic games going back to 1936 when much to his dismay, Hitler had to watch as Jesse Owens took Gold Medals in track. In Mexico in 1968 Black Power rose again but in the form of a two gloved fists. We remember the massacre in Munich in 1972 but may forget this act was carried out by Palestinian terrorists against the Israeli team. 1980 saw us boycott the Olympics in Moscow and of course Russia did the same for our coming out party in LA in 1984. The list goes on and on.
It will be interesting to see how the next two weeks play out.
My title is Politics and the Olympics and prompted mostly by the inane comments of an IOC spokesperson yesterday saying basically that the IOC does not get involved in matters relating to the host country or some such drivel.
I guess maybe from a purely technical point of view they (certainly not at this late date) don't have any authority over what Beijing does or does not do. What are they going to do - threaten them? "No more Olympics in China until at least 2024!"
A quick look at Olympic history shows politics playing a major role in many Olympic games going back to 1936 when much to his dismay, Hitler had to watch as Jesse Owens took Gold Medals in track. In Mexico in 1968 Black Power rose again but in the form of a two gloved fists. We remember the massacre in Munich in 1972 but may forget this act was carried out by Palestinian terrorists against the Israeli team. 1980 saw us boycott the Olympics in Moscow and of course Russia did the same for our coming out party in LA in 1984. The list goes on and on.
It will be interesting to see how the next two weeks play out.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Mia Farrow, Sudan and China
I wonder how and why celebrities get such a big soap-box from which to voice their opinions but then again all of us should be free (we are) to do the same. We just don't get a large and immediate audience for our collective ramblings.
Today I listened to a live phone interview with Mia Farrow from a refugee camp in Chad - near the border of Sudan. She is there symbolically speaking out against China's involvement in supporting the government of Sudan - mostly by buying their oil. She has been vocal in calling for people to boycott or protest or something against the Olympics being held in Beijing. I'll give her credit.
It must be 110 on a cool day there; it is dangerous, not pretty, un-glamourous etc. but she is there making her point. She doesn't draw the attention of Ms. Jolie but she could be at home in her Park or 5th Avenue penthouse spending Frank's, Andre's or Woody's money but she's walking the talk, so to speak.
I can't go to Chad or Sudan but I'll be starting up my Olympic boycott on 08/08/08 by not watching any of the Olympics this year.
Today I listened to a live phone interview with Mia Farrow from a refugee camp in Chad - near the border of Sudan. She is there symbolically speaking out against China's involvement in supporting the government of Sudan - mostly by buying their oil. She has been vocal in calling for people to boycott or protest or something against the Olympics being held in Beijing. I'll give her credit.
It must be 110 on a cool day there; it is dangerous, not pretty, un-glamourous etc. but she is there making her point. She doesn't draw the attention of Ms. Jolie but she could be at home in her Park or 5th Avenue penthouse spending Frank's, Andre's or Woody's money but she's walking the talk, so to speak.
I can't go to Chad or Sudan but I'll be starting up my Olympic boycott on 08/08/08 by not watching any of the Olympics this year.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
more on Beijing
Some months ago I wrote a post that said I would be boycotting the Beijing Olympics. I had no idea I would be in such esteemed company.
Seems sometime last year Mia Farrow - yes formerly of Woody Allen, Frank Sinatra and Rosemary's Baby - wrote an Op-Ed piece in the Wall St. Journal calling for artists to stay away from any involvement. I guess somewhere along the line Steven Spielberg had talked about helping to produce the opening ceremonies.
Here's the link to the Mia Farrow thing which was published in The Wall Street Journal, March 28, 2007
The 'Genocide Olympics'
By RONAN FARROW and MIA FARROW
"One World, One Dream" is China's slogan for its 2008 Olympics. But there is one nightmare that China shouldn't be allowed to sweep under the rug. That nightmare is Darfur, where more than 400,000 people have been killed and more than two-and-a-half million driven from flaming villages by the Chinese-backed government of Sudan." more here
Here's a link to the news about Spielberg who has now decided NOT to participate.
Honestly I had no idea China had any connection whatsoever with Sudan and Darfur but it makes sense and seems believable. I intend to research this some more in my spare time - perhaps so can you.
Seems sometime last year Mia Farrow - yes formerly of Woody Allen, Frank Sinatra and Rosemary's Baby - wrote an Op-Ed piece in the Wall St. Journal calling for artists to stay away from any involvement. I guess somewhere along the line Steven Spielberg had talked about helping to produce the opening ceremonies.
Here's the link to the Mia Farrow thing which was published in The Wall Street Journal, March 28, 2007
The 'Genocide Olympics'
By RONAN FARROW and MIA FARROW
"One World, One Dream" is China's slogan for its 2008 Olympics. But there is one nightmare that China shouldn't be allowed to sweep under the rug. That nightmare is Darfur, where more than 400,000 people have been killed and more than two-and-a-half million driven from flaming villages by the Chinese-backed government of Sudan." more here
Here's a link to the news about Spielberg who has now decided NOT to participate.
Honestly I had no idea China had any connection whatsoever with Sudan and Darfur but it makes sense and seems believable. I intend to research this some more in my spare time - perhaps so can you.
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