Month: February 2006

A record-breaking thing in NYC: some more than 20 inches. 26.9 in Central Park. So is it a plain ol’ nor’easter, or a real blizzard? The National Weather Service can’t seem to figure that out yet. Quite something. The weatherforecasters are already saying we’ll be back to the 50’s by the end of the week. Got to be kidding me…

The Opening Ceremonies of the Winter Olympics of Torino (or Turin), 2006 – quite something, I had to say. Lot of abstract stuff. I kept thinking, “Boy, am I glad I read the Divine Comedy, so I can read much more into the symbolism than I probably should.” The Italian poet, Dante, would have been so proud. And, really, I think it’s great that now, Turin will now be more than just the town known for the Shroud of Turin or for the Ferraris. (well, okay, so they just had to have a Ferrari in the Opening Ceremony).

Bob Costas was joined by Brian Williams and Mary Carillo (who joined the men later on). It felt weird, since one wondered where Katie Couric was (and wondering if those rumors in the newspapers were serious – was NBC really doing something to Katie Couric because CBS is interested in her?). Yahoo! posted this interesting analysis from AP, where AP writer David Bauder observes:

“The games begin at an interesting, some say dicey, time in our world,” NBC News anchor Brian Williams said at the ceremony’s outset.

Williams and Bob Costas were the network’s hosts for the ceremony and parade of nations. Katie Couric has helped handle those duties for the last few Olympics but, with her NBC contract nearing an end and CBS courting her, she was benched this time in favor of Williams.

Perhaps no entertainment event truly approaches an Olympics opening or closing ceremony for general loopiness, and this was no exception. There were girls raising flags mounted on the backpacks of men, an unfortunate fellow being forced to continually pound a fire-breathing platform with a mallet and those model cows being led around the ice.

Costas tried gamely, at first, to try to decipher it all: “The universal symbol of passion, the beating heart,” he said.

But eventually he seemed to simply give up and the narrators allowed long stretches of silence.

Well, that was rather notable – I kept thinking, “Gee, Brian, where are you?” when it felt like Bob and Mary were doing the talking. Kind of odd that. And, nice surprise as far as the torch bearer was concerned (I kept thinking, now where is that Alberto Tomba, and pleased that Italy had other Oympians to honor). Otherwise, beautiful ceremony (and that Pavarotti – you can’t keep a legend out, right?).
Michelle Kwan stepping out of the Torino Olympics. She will be honored for her achievements.

Plus, tonight, Part 2 of “Grey’s Anatomy” – the resolution to the cliffhanger episode of last week’s Super Bowl episode. Poor Meredith Grey. But, you figure she’ll be fine, since, her name is the title of the show.

Stay warm!

Saw the opening for the Olympics on the DVR. It’s so much more efficient playing it from the DVR – was able to watch the whole thing in 2 hours. Thumbs up for the acrobatics and synchronized dancing – the skier stunt was excellent. Thumbs down for the disco music when the athletes came in – surely they could have found some Euro Dance music. Torch run was excellent as well. The opera closing with Luciano Pavarotti singing “Nobody’s Sleeping” from Pucini’s Turandot was spectacular – it’s the one opera piece everyone must know.

Yeah, it’s Friday! I took the half day off to check out the Alumni Law School’s program on Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the subject of the new biography by Joan Biskupic. It felt like a nice sequel, so to speak, to the Justice Blackmun program, the subject of the Linda Greenhouse book – I mean, both Biskupic and Greenhouse were there! – so it was very, very cool. I so want to read both books. But, I’m not planning to get the books for awhile yet. (supposedly, to stay consistent with my whole idea of not buying too much stuff this 2006).

The passing of Franklin Cover, the actor best known for playing the character Tom Willis, the Jeffersons’ neighbor (whose tv marriage was one of those few bi-racial marriages celebrated on tv, I must say); Tom, George Jefferson’s foil/best friend/son’s father-in-law. A tv thing to note, I guess, but then again, I used to watch way much of the Jeffersons.
I watched Harrison Ford on Charlie Rose and Tavis Smiley last night. Interesting interviews – none of the annoying tabloidy feel, more like conversation. Ford’s really no spring chicken – he really looked his age and he seem very realistic, telling Charlie Rose that he’d like to do more character roles and being very gracious to Tavis Smiley, who was being such a fan (well, apparently, it was his first interview with Harrison Ford, so the enthusiasm was genuine). If Hollywood isn’t kind to aging women actors, it’s no less kind to aging male action heroes. I’d like to see Harrison Ford do more than the usual Indignant Man Forced By Circumstances To Be A Hero. I think he might have it to be a character actor, especially when it’s not that believeable for him to jump off cliffs like he used to do (an aging Indiana Jones? Doesn’t anyone realize that getting Sean Connery to play Prof. Jones, Indy’s dad, was a little odd, since he’s not that old enough to be Harrison Ford’s dad?). Good luck to Harrison Ford.

Ooh, the New Doctor Who is going to be on Sci-Fi channel (the 9th Doctor, played by Christopher Eccleston). Funny thing is, the 1st season was already shown in Canada and Britain, and they’ve already gotten a 10th Doctor, played by David Tennant (who played a strange character in the latest Harry Potter movie). See, I’m not a Doctor fan at all (only saw the FOX movie with the 8th Doctor), but I like hearing about a sci-fi franchise that won’t die. (as opposed to the franchise to which I keep sticking by, somehow).

Will there be snow this weekend? I so want to go out tomorrow night to see the whole gang…

And, last but not least, time for the Olympics! My VCR will tape the end (?) of “Arrested Development.”