I watched the Beijing Olympic opening ceremony on Friday night. At first I thought it was wonderful, so synchronised so technical. Then I saw the military walk in carrying the Chinese Flag and the National anthem was sung. I thought it odd as this is usually done after the president opens the games. I lost interest in it and by the time the flame was lit I was over it.

Today it was revealed that the little girl who was singing was actually miming to a recording sung by another girl. It turns out that this other girl was dumped because she wasn't as pretty and had uneven teeth.

It was also revealed that the dazzling chain of massive fireworks that traced Route One north from Tiananmen Square to the main Olympic zone during the opening ceremony, amazing television viewers and the audience in the Bird's Nest stadium, was mostly computer-generated.
"It was the image of our national music, our national culture. And especially since it accompanied the arrival of the national flag in the arena, this was an extremely serious matter," he said.

I feel for the poor little girl. What does something like this do to her self esteem?

I look back to Athens and the opening ceremony which was the most amazing ceremony I have ever seen. You cannot compare the two. The Beijing ceremony was all about China and not the Olympics.

What is next, will something else come to light during these games?

I do not believe that China given it's human rights record should have been awarded the olympic games. Yet another mistake by the IOC which was headed by Juan Antonio Samaranch at the time.

i was at work whilst the opening ceremony took place so i cant comment on that aspect.

What i loved about the Greek opening ceremony was that it was spiritual. just beautiful.

I didnt like it either, it felt like I was getting a facial (You know how the spas play really soft relaxing music?) I got bored I think just after the people in the type writer bit and I was struggling to keep my eyes open, I ended up waking up at 3am to turn the TV off, didnt even last until the flame was lit, that ceremony knocked me the fuck out.


You're right about not being able to compare the two, but how easy it for Greece to make their Opening Ceremony more Olympic history related? It originated in Greece. That's why it was so amazing. What has China got that has anything to do with the Olympics? Other countries only have the history and culture of their countries to offer the world, we had that little bit more.