Here’s my take on the Olympics from a “marketing professional” position and as a grandmother.
People will always see what they see. I hope this is an example of WHY major organizations should have a panel to run their ideas by. Feedback from likely viewers would help decrease or eliminate these issues. In our tumultuous times, when conservatives are censored for using or refusing to use pronouns, I think non-conservatives should be held to similar standards.
When I saw the replay, because I didn’t watch it, I instantly saw The Last Supper, just like most of their audience did.
Organizers HAD to know what viewers would see. There is plenty of data available showing more people are familiar with The Last Supper than people who know anything about the Greek God they claim to be the inspiration for the performance. With feedback, they COULD have presented the performance revealing the Greek God reference. I do think they knew, didn’t care, and had their “canned excuse” ready to rebut.
MOST people have no clue about Greek mythology. MOST people DO know the Olympics is ancient, competitive sports, and strength. Save the obese, promiscuous mythological party references for the arts, off Broadway and the people who appreciate that sort of thing. Stick to performances that highlight what the Olympics IS and has ALWAYS been about.
Offending half of the viewers who value SPORTS is a serious disservice to the athletes. That’s the real tragedy here.
SPORTS people are NOT the same breed as artsy-tartsy people.
If organizers were not aware, they should resign and make make a career change. It’s their JOB to know how their product will be received.
I was most disturbed by the severed head scene. I instantly “got” the historical reference but my first thought went to all the CHILDREN watching and daydreaming about being an Olympian someday.
Our kids are already subjected to broad desensitization as it is. It’s no wonder kids today are so darned mean. Families deserve to have their own “normal” and access to programming that doesn’t cram gruesome or uncomfortable images in their face. I never thought the Olympics would sensationalize things I am NOT prepared to explain to my grandkids.
I already had the uncomfortable question about two men kissing in a commercial on the cartoon channel. I’m not ready for that shit! I’m NOT homophobic at all, it’s just not part of our “normal.” There should ALWAYS be a slow, natural process to exposing children to the vast differences in the world. Too much in their little minds IS confusing. Let them be innocent children as long as they can.
For the first time EVER. The Olympics SHOULD have had a parental warning in the opening credits.
Politics, media, television networks, nor public schools have the right to force progressive ideology on our kids. Indoctrination, regardless of how it’s packaged and served, is unacceptable!!!
