US broadcasters threaten boycott of Olympics clichés
by Aaron Hotfelder
Apr 1st 2008 @[EMAIL PROTECTED]
10:40AM
http://www.gadling.com/2008/04/01/us-broadcasters-threaten-boycott-of-olympics-cliches/
As activists urge the US Olympic team to boycott the 2008 Olympics in
Beijing, China, a group of US broadcasters are threatening to send
China-- and the rest of the world-- a message the only way they know
how: by boycotting their favorite Olympics clichés.
Bob Costas, NBC's anchor for the channel's Olympics coverage, is
demanding change in China's controversial relation****p with Tibet.
Said Costas: "If China remains unwilling to grant Tibet its
independence, I will boycott the use of phrases like 'For so-and-so,
making it here is a dream come true,' and 'This is what the Olympics
are all about.'"
Other announcers at NBC have followed Costas' lead, threatening to
eliminate from their repertoire well-worn statements like, "There are
no losers here today," and "This is a David versus Goliath matchup."
Veteran play-by-play man Dick Enberg, who will be covering tennis and
basketball at the Beijing Games, believes the threatened boycott is a
unique op****tunity for broadcasters to make a difference on a global
scale. "If I refuse to say that an athlete is an inspiration 'on and
off the court,'" said Enberg, "it's not really the Olympics."
Chinese president Hu Jintao was visibly shaken when he first received
news of the proposed boycott yesterday afternoon. The president
re****tedly said through an interpreter: "I simply must hear Mr. Costas
declare that a person has 'overcome a lot of adversity' and is 'on top
of the world.'"
The Chinese president was then re****tedly overheard telling a top
aide, "Set up talks with Tibet immediately."
Filed under: Activism, China, April Fools Posts
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