Trash talk

[vettecat]

Has anyone else noticed that the ice-skating commentators at the Olympics are being particularly nasty and snarky this year? (Scott Hamilton is being a gentleman, as usual - I'm referring to the other two, who do most of the talking.) It's one thing to say, e.g., "oh, he did a double instead of a triple, that's going to cost him points." It's quite another to say someone's costume reminds you of your dining-room drapes (yes, they really said that), or to say a competitor's choreography is "trite," or to make sweeping less-than-complimentary comments about the competitors from a particular nation. These are the best skaters in the world, trying their hardest to perform extremely difficult moves under intense pressure; the least they deserve is a little respect. There were points both last night and tonight when I was so disgusted by their insults that I was seriously tempted to hit the mute button, but it's hard to fully appreciate the beauty of a skating routine when you can't hear the music. Is this making anyone else's Olympic-watching experience unpleasant, or is it just me?

Comments

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

So you're not among the 70% of American women who watch skating, eh? (One of my few ventures into the majority.) I see your point about spending more time on practice than on schoolwork, but you could say that about many extracurricular activities. I generally feel that most sports (professional team sports in particular) are a waste of time and resources. But in this instance I am impressed by their skill, and admire their determination. And I would think that dedicating oneself to improving until they reach the level of world-class competition is at least as worthwhile as working at McDonald's. I don't agree that it's just for the well-off either, a pair of skates aren't really more than a pair of sneakers these days. It's more a matter of coming from a supportive home and having a family that will stand behind you - which may be more common among the well-off, but I don't think it's an absolute. Most of the American champions have been middle-class.

I do agree about the pandering, though - and I don't like what that says about societal trends.