tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56660801769062023962024-03-13T08:52:58.626-07:00Olympic Rings and Other ThingsNicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.comBlogger639125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-32385175232121653562024-03-12T22:06:00.000-07:002024-03-13T08:52:25.867-07:00Gracie Gold Gets Real with Page-Turning Autobiography "Outofshapeworthlessloser"There's a dose of ominous foreshadowing in the table of contents to Gracie Gold's new autobiography "<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/715821/outofshapeworthlessloser-by-gracie-gold/">Outofshapeworthlessloser: A Memoir of Figure Skating, F*cking Up, and Figuring It Out.</a>"<div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHq_uEXeEMseJJcdXedvDVLD8_RX38Nbg6OmYOvsPa8TXjH-8IZvAndYacLj-zMqAKOfjLfmyESXq4fAy62Liq_OwQYBCVkD1U8nBT2lhG_sYi9S1ikP1280_i0-VprJhq1M5bzT9nZcVlRDf96YDQxAw2_BPTW87AaMkr7ytlexNsP48jCLoTDr9KLY/s2475/Outofshapeworthlessloser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2475" data-original-width="1650" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHq_uEXeEMseJJcdXedvDVLD8_RX38Nbg6OmYOvsPa8TXjH-8IZvAndYacLj-zMqAKOfjLfmyESXq4fAy62Liq_OwQYBCVkD1U8nBT2lhG_sYi9S1ikP1280_i0-VprJhq1M5bzT9nZcVlRDf96YDQxAw2_BPTW87AaMkr7ytlexNsP48jCLoTDr9KLY/s320/Outofshapeworthlessloser.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Arranged in four parts, the 329-page bestseller includes chapters ranging from "Perfect Obsession" and "Four Is the Loneliest Number" to "Failed Anorexic" and a nod to another dark page-turning literary work (and soundtrack to a skating performance), "East of Eden." </div><div><br /></div><div>As reported by initial critical reviews for the book titled after one of Gold's self-disparaging nicknames or personas, her work includes vivid and frank details of life experiences the 28-year-old endured and from which she continues to heal. Anorexia, OCD, pill popping and alcohol abuse populate the club flush of crud and wild Jokers on the table for readers to ponder. </div><div><br /></div><div>Gold's mostly no-holds-barred perspectives about U.S. Figure Skating and the unglamorous (often ugly) behind-the-scenes realities of international figure skating competitions also are in full view. Her take on recent doping revelations is aptly stern. She also alleges a rape at the hands of a fellow competitor, references her bisexuality, and delves into nearly three decades of family secrets including her parents and fellow athlete twin sister. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMAOYrOxxo1rYJvDn-aNm36oE2dSXgdFF8KKddAGH6MwWJP_n8bx5S0Vikc0cXItRr8GO0Yovu6AMJu_odxNSyyrSC_fsNlynRSaLiyX1f8i847tH2hm1nqXz4cpvHm-fbRpdKDL5EK3w8oBFcd4wyuRDXuZVU230tREJa-v0e1bmooAD1HtVNuQmsVjE/s2796/Gracie%20Gold%20in%20Sochi%20by%20Nicholas%20Wolaver.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2076" data-original-width="2796" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMAOYrOxxo1rYJvDn-aNm36oE2dSXgdFF8KKddAGH6MwWJP_n8bx5S0Vikc0cXItRr8GO0Yovu6AMJu_odxNSyyrSC_fsNlynRSaLiyX1f8i847tH2hm1nqXz4cpvHm-fbRpdKDL5EK3w8oBFcd4wyuRDXuZVU230tREJa-v0e1bmooAD1HtVNuQmsVjE/w200-h149/Gracie%20Gold%20in%20Sochi%20by%20Nicholas%20Wolaver.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>Impressed (or distressed) the morning after a full read, I described to friends that "Outofshapeworthlessloser" is akin to "watching a slow-motion train wreck or seemingly avoidable car crash" for the narrative's "ability to inspire both gasps and cringes amid an irresistible desire to keep watching, err, reading" with "reader remorse at an inability to take the wheel, inspiring one to holler out, as in a horror movie screening, 'Stop, girl, don't go near there!' or similar when the protagonist in danger is about to make a terrible decision." </div><div><br /></div><div>The book also inspired some rabbit hole searches of social media archives to view past posts, images or videos and competition footage referenced by Gold. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPvHHxnZFfRCkvzqeTowzLaN7rrYXBfuoz0AQUUxawiENPOALPFxV0-h-mH6869b_dcELCqqI2WDTynUXCRY7QtqwmsHmN2ESiOV2epYEw4fvEjnpOrsgs0PfqZVCVBNaOhdexuF2SPMRZZFgtHavY9NIe9CPqUsIsAeIzR3Zkr8ys1jvkosw-w274mUc/s2769/Gracie%20Gold%202015%20U.S.%20Championships%20conference%20Nicholas%20Wolaver.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1914" data-original-width="2769" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPvHHxnZFfRCkvzqeTowzLaN7rrYXBfuoz0AQUUxawiENPOALPFxV0-h-mH6869b_dcELCqqI2WDTynUXCRY7QtqwmsHmN2ESiOV2epYEw4fvEjnpOrsgs0PfqZVCVBNaOhdexuF2SPMRZZFgtHavY9NIe9CPqUsIsAeIzR3Zkr8ys1jvkosw-w274mUc/w200-h138/Gracie%20Gold%202015%20U.S.%20Championships%20conference%20Nicholas%20Wolaver.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>While she did not specifically reference the 2014 Team USA Media Summit <a href="https://olympicringsandotherthings.blogspot.com/2014/02/gracie-gold-woman-on-move-and-on-her.html">at which I reported</a> on her ascent to the Sochi Olympics, Gold did describe her experiences at the 2015 U.S. Figure Skating Championships <a href="https://olympicringsandotherthings.blogspot.com/2015/01/big-night-in-boro.html">from which this blogger posted</a> interviews. Some of her harshest on-ice self-flogging is revealed in a chapter describing the 2016 World Figure Skating Championships in Boston. </div><div><br /></div><div>There are some light moments, too, that brought a smile or chuckle to this reader. Gold's wry sense of humor shines through some of her interactions with coaches or media. In an early chapter, while detailing work with a youth skating coach nicknamed <i>Cruella</i>, Gold punctuates several paragraphs of verbal abuse with this gem:</div><div><br /></div><div><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy8REmrQwrJ6sCInZ8IUXrEd3eEdXVtsLQEiakCiL0_MR-ZjC3XLJJxkj_IRw69II9McGWSdqKiCG8E4NRW6VH8KIF0-Aszd4agkx1TjZZZ0PUTK1Yz2bO3XWmDfc6kDsNDEdkr5LLwZDgbxqhrtqTNGd2br7o1KMKS9Q6RytuGlaH7tXlFLBsNf9-yCM/s2457/Gracie%20Gold%202015%20U.S.%20Championships%20Spin%20by%20Nicholas%20Wolaver.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2457" data-original-width="1638" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy8REmrQwrJ6sCInZ8IUXrEd3eEdXVtsLQEiakCiL0_MR-ZjC3XLJJxkj_IRw69II9McGWSdqKiCG8E4NRW6VH8KIF0-Aszd4agkx1TjZZZ0PUTK1Yz2bO3XWmDfc6kDsNDEdkr5LLwZDgbxqhrtqTNGd2br7o1KMKS9Q6RytuGlaH7tXlFLBsNf9-yCM/w133-h200/Gracie%20Gold%202015%20U.S.%20Championships%20Spin%20by%20Nicholas%20Wolaver.jpeg" width="133" /></a></div>"When Cruella lashed out at me, I lashed back louder. Anger was my protection. It got back to me years later that Cruella told people she had always known I'd become a star. I call bullshit! She was doing her best to humiliate me. Or maybe she didn't like me because I stood up to her."</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>On a more serious note, Gold continues while aptly taking to task the notion of coaching as a bully.</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>"The years I spent with Cruella normalized the kind of controlling behavior that even if it produces positive results on the ice, can be ruinous to a child's personal development."</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Readers may find joy through the Olympian's interactions with Taylor Swift (they baked cookies together) or descriptions of collaboration with sponsors including cosmetics brand CoverGirl. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCA4d48OXpeD1vxR-gC5UFOX6jZddG4m9R8p7HjAIPW0Vcw3q21w8zOAjZC2pDN8E5e-Oa0jux-KMIjTAdypr3BeeZ3IENvyVwuTn0LHUuDCixZJWcjUSTxhem1_W6KHKWU4CGgqVskLe0cxITOvRwXreqTDo2NUiyVsv3yMUNPLg5bfROnS34HDeMBpw/s1911/Gracie%20Gold%20in%20Sochi%20close%20up%20horizontal%20Nicholas%20Wolaver.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1255" data-original-width="1911" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCA4d48OXpeD1vxR-gC5UFOX6jZddG4m9R8p7HjAIPW0Vcw3q21w8zOAjZC2pDN8E5e-Oa0jux-KMIjTAdypr3BeeZ3IENvyVwuTn0LHUuDCixZJWcjUSTxhem1_W6KHKWU4CGgqVskLe0cxITOvRwXreqTDo2NUiyVsv3yMUNPLg5bfROnS34HDeMBpw/w200-h131/Gracie%20Gold%20in%20Sochi%20close%20up%20horizontal%20Nicholas%20Wolaver.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>In the realm of funny-not funny, Gold describes some of the name-punctuated headlines published to preview Sochi 2014. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>"I remember someone tweeting out to me, 'If I hear one more Gracie Gold headline, I'm going to scream.' And I was like, 'Me too, bud.' It was enough to make me start wishing for a new name. Stacy Silver or Bonnie Bronze, anyone?"</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Gold's dry wit also shines in the Chapter 23, in which "chest size and its impact on exercise is absolutely a conversation worth starting." While several notes echoed remarks of female friends who, like Gold, opted for breast reduction surgery, I found the author's self-deprecating comparisons to Charles Schulz drawings -- and her inventive use of (one-time PR client'o'mine) KT Tape -- both original and funny (back in the day, we <i>never</i> had Gold's method in KT press materials). </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimV3jlmgV0194wlJ_Q4SZMkMgOzICi_NLMyneEX3lNCqQ2AaSAVhUfYdkKEL0RvoNrKG0JCrc694GYVvEZGjvv3SE1pI3YkMxcCtHhrb3MmAJCP4qPPHJ934AW6YnDTj4gfQvPPGRtO5FXk-Z68aSjfG3K11d-xIMpM5SDm5tYqENQHLTpvQPoDsOEW_4/s2117/Gracie%20Gold%20in%20Sochi%20smiling%20by%20Nicholas%20Wolaver.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2117" data-original-width="1493" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimV3jlmgV0194wlJ_Q4SZMkMgOzICi_NLMyneEX3lNCqQ2AaSAVhUfYdkKEL0RvoNrKG0JCrc694GYVvEZGjvv3SE1pI3YkMxcCtHhrb3MmAJCP4qPPHJ934AW6YnDTj4gfQvPPGRtO5FXk-Z68aSjfG3K11d-xIMpM5SDm5tYqENQHLTpvQPoDsOEW_4/w141-h200/Gracie%20Gold%20in%20Sochi%20smiling%20by%20Nicholas%20Wolaver.jpeg" width="141" /></a></div>The only letdown from "Outofshapeworthlessloser" was Gold's restraint from sharing more than a few sentences about another professional mental health diagnosis: attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), buried on page 246. </div><div><br /></div><div></div><div>Like Gold, my attention-deficit diagnosis arrived in my mid-20s, and upon reading her disclosure I was eager to learn the treatment options or behavior modifications she chose, only to find a succinct reference that she is "on medication for it" without specifics (for moi, decidedly drug-free and it worked/works <a href="https://stoicquotes.com/it-works-if-you-work-it/">when you work it</a>, though it's compelling to admit it took me over two weeks sidelined by countless Instagram scrolls to find focus and complete this book review post).</div><div><br /></div><div>Juxtaposed with comparative oversharing around other wellness challenges, Gold's omission of ADHD details inspired a wave of questions, starting with the extent to which her physicians or therapists place ADHD as the deepest roots of the battery of her other mental health diagnoses. In my case, the hypochondriac on my shoulder labeled, or mislabeled, a lot of "stuff" that more recent therapists consistently trace back to ADD of youth. </div><div><br /></div><div>As her childhood memories fill the early pages of "Outofshapeworthlessloser," Gold describes persistent restlessness. If ice hockey was among her parents' attempted remedies for channeling her boundless energy, can Gold relate to other kids' ADD-ness enlightened by her adult experiences? Guess we'll have to find out in her mid-life or later life follow-up books after planting her ADHD "sea legs" on thick ice. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs9sWs77CY2EMsX-owJ3RJJyLtJU4UcAMeoBthupnuN2vBh7b27FFASR7TX_LCErcDYMAn4jTMgWeDE_6yMFdz_vtpw2-V3s_nXQOu3g1peVrPJvd0sh3mMBqCBSUXoX3e4lJkPhhYZcVW6zg4eAqBcNTJ9_9JH6x1FaU_0hi_AiJ480MrOdUfWOMgNrE/s1433/20240225_001215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="1433" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs9sWs77CY2EMsX-owJ3RJJyLtJU4UcAMeoBthupnuN2vBh7b27FFASR7TX_LCErcDYMAn4jTMgWeDE_6yMFdz_vtpw2-V3s_nXQOu3g1peVrPJvd0sh3mMBqCBSUXoX3e4lJkPhhYZcVW6zg4eAqBcNTJ9_9JH6x1FaU_0hi_AiJ480MrOdUfWOMgNrE/w200-h121/20240225_001215.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Since interview requests for Gold went unanswered by her publicity team, I turned to another source for insights: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/karencrouse59/">Karen Crouse</a>, Gold's seldom-cited "Outofshapeworthlessloser" ghost writer. </div><div><br /></div><div>As of this March 12 post, only two <a href="https://www.globetrottingbyphiliphersh.com/home/2024/2/7/nxuy4g3ffs9s2b3qwp4sjntyg8iruz">other book reviewers</a> <a href="https://olympics.com/en/news/figure-skating-book-gracie-gold-exclusive-memoirs-comeback">mentioned Crouse</a> by name. </div><div><br /></div><div>Via email, Crouse affirmed my hunch that only Gold could speak more about her ADHD management and the reasons for sparsely addressing the topic. It's perhaps too recent a diagnosis or it's simply not as page-turning urgent as other mental health challenges, from my view.</div><div><br /></div><div>Crouse also was generous in explaining how she tackled the "Outofshapeworthlessloser" project and when she started the writing on Gold's initiative.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I signed (gladly) a contract that stated I would ghostwrite Gracie's book and that my name would not appear on the cover or title page," wrote Crouse in a Feb. 26 email response. "I had no issue with that arrangement ... it was plenty good enough for me."</div><div><br /></div><div>Crouse continued that, "My satisfaction was wholly and richly derived from the collaborative process. I loved the work. From the time I spent <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/25/sports/gracie-gold-figure-skating-.html">talking with Gracie</a> for a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/30/sports/figure-skating-gracie-gold.html">2019 New York Times profile</a>, I suspected that this project would be interesting and profound, with great potential to help many readers who recognize themselves in the challenges [Gold] has faced."</div><div><br /></div><div>According to Crouse, once a proposal and contract got formalized, the collaboration hastened in early 2022 with "at least three" in person visits as well as phone conversations "at least twice a month ... recorded and that I transcribed myself so I could get a feel for Gracie's vocabulary and speech patterns." </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhccno4-cyd7elE65AIsjCjWrOsNbSj7bvE0X62cpXaAVIxseOZPmhsIaYsYJTevbp-wCV8ekeGZYZJHTFZTrCLSzJYJhaPtJT-ImnW9ywkZOMHgVHxkdpovz54SxvJTVcDRMi6o-f32u_XwxuWmYiuqbBd9aWSgVtwKSCUeTayEb6Eod3ao4nWkiNL3Zw/s2024/Gracie%20Gold%20in%20Sochi%20by%20Nick%20Wolaver.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2024" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhccno4-cyd7elE65AIsjCjWrOsNbSj7bvE0X62cpXaAVIxseOZPmhsIaYsYJTevbp-wCV8ekeGZYZJHTFZTrCLSzJYJhaPtJT-ImnW9ywkZOMHgVHxkdpovz54SxvJTVcDRMi6o-f32u_XwxuWmYiuqbBd9aWSgVtwKSCUeTayEb6Eod3ao4nWkiNL3Zw/w158-h200/Gracie%20Gold%20in%20Sochi%20by%20Nick%20Wolaver.jpeg" width="158" /></a></div>Rounds of drafts later, the lion's share of work concluded last July. Crouse also volunteered background on the foundation for the text.</div><div><br /></div><div>"It was Gracie's choice to lay bare her soul in the pages," wrote Crouse. "She told me before I signed on ... that she didn't want 'another fluffy sports memoir' and that was all I needed to hear as I had no interest in hagiography.</div><div><br /></div><div>"From the start I simply asked the necessary questions to develop and deepen the narrative," Crouse added. "[Gold] provided the compelling stories that I, in concert with our editor, crafted into a coherent - hopefully - structure." </div><div><br /></div><div>Gold closes the book's acknowledgements "To Matt Inman for the edits" shortly after a dedication "To Karen Crouse for going on this journey ... and helping me write a better memoir than I could have ever dreamed possible." </div><div><br /></div><div>For anyone who can't get enough of Gold's perspectives, Crouse also helped the skater with a thoughtful and timely Olympic figure skating commentary <a href="https://www.thecut.com/2022/02/america-olympic-medals-womens-singles-skating.html?origSession=D240226LfZUm1OjVT56KS1%2FeUlESoBxEgW0g90jqXIOVZmoNKU%3D&_gl=1*8q6ves*_ga*Nzg2MTg2MzQxLjE3MDg5ODMyNTE.*_ga_DNE38RK1HX*MTcwODk4MzI1MS4xLjEuMTcwODk4MzI3Mi4zOS4wLjA.#_ga=2.88296283.1127248273.1708983251-786186341.1708983251">published in The Cut</a> during the Beijing 2022 Winter Games. </div><div><br /></div><div>"Outofshapeworthlessloser" is an absorbing read that inspires questions, sheds light in dark corners of international skating, and leaves readers with optimism for Gold's future on or off the ice. No matter the degree to which readers manage ADD, they may find themselves hyper-focused on learning the Olympian's lifetime of hard work. </div><div><br /></div><div>As of this post, there are no publicized book signing events in the weeks ahead, but <a href="https://www.instagram.com/graciegold95/">Gold</a> may appear at November's 8th edition of "Scott Hamilton & Friends" in Nashville (where she performed in 2022 and 2023) -- details are posted <a href="https://www.scottcares.org/">at this link</a> during summer months. </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Book cover provided by Crown Publishing with book design by Caroline Cunningham. All other images -- except of Karen Crouse's Instagram profile image -- are photos copyright Nicholas Wolaver and may not be published nor reposted without written advance permission. </span></div>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-23027624401113381112024-02-03T21:19:00.000-08:002024-03-12T22:09:02.660-07:00They Just Felt Like Running; Notes from Orlando, Hosts to U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Marathon<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig6KOAYHbrrANKK3xc5y4rXthPIIJL3qvYpr6LMe5m9Mv2HKFqcGoUQiy8eXBXJeYjqKdcAKTurZ6vpnUjs3FLYebWqwDT_Z9wm7LfED83jLaRHNA7JdmojMg0vME7GMg29aRQ4qPfgOLvVqOT2tR6CELRRG41B-N_yl4dk57-kMph8zrMW5tGyh0KeTM/s2998/20240203_135357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1712" data-original-width="2998" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig6KOAYHbrrANKK3xc5y4rXthPIIJL3qvYpr6LMe5m9Mv2HKFqcGoUQiy8eXBXJeYjqKdcAKTurZ6vpnUjs3FLYebWqwDT_Z9wm7LfED83jLaRHNA7JdmojMg0vME7GMg29aRQ4qPfgOLvVqOT2tR6CELRRG41B-N_yl4dk57-kMph8zrMW5tGyh0KeTM/w400-h229/20240203_135357.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Feb. 29 marks four years since <a href="https://olympicringsandotherthings.blogspot.com/2020/02/atlanta-hosts-tokyo-olympic-marathon.html">Atlanta hosted</a> what may be called the "Pandemic Eve" Olympic trials for marathon on Team USA's road to Tokyo. <p></p><p>This week in <a href="https://www.orlando2024trials.com/">Orlando</a>, U.S. Track & Field's entourage set up shop for the Paris 2024 edition, with elite runners taking to the streets of the city's Thornton Park, Lake Eola Heights and Milk Districts, a few blocks east of downtown. </p><p>With a three-lap, eight-mile loop course, the qualifying standards for Paris varied for women and men.
In simple terms, the top three women with times of 2 hours, 29.5 minutes or faster (Nov. 1, 2022, to today) will represent Team USA this summer, while the men at 2:18 faster punch their ticket to the City of Lights. There were 165 female entrants to 215 men, ranging from age 22 to 47 for both genders. Also noteworthy were the four men and two women for whom the 2024 race marked their fifth consecutive marathon Olympic Trials. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1SIYLzFduDaWotDAo1YFKq5Mu3MdWNelPzlAzhVR8RtK6Qr3IUfHFVgTNwuk92OtM3SIvoSWR8oXSIC6tygGna5HLGNb3ixzKKPic2zaO6WJpXgcNDA1q-LpQSpBDoOiHLUAnI9CoULANQufIsloK2bYz5X25dETNP173CoTXYCyOMFHkT06iLUBcxPM/s2829/20240203_103854.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1453" data-original-width="2829" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1SIYLzFduDaWotDAo1YFKq5Mu3MdWNelPzlAzhVR8RtK6Qr3IUfHFVgTNwuk92OtM3SIvoSWR8oXSIC6tygGna5HLGNb3ixzKKPic2zaO6WJpXgcNDA1q-LpQSpBDoOiHLUAnI9CoULANQufIsloK2bYz5X25dETNP173CoTXYCyOMFHkT06iLUBcxPM/w320-h165/20240203_103854.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I shudder to think about finishing a single marathon let alone five or more spanning 20 years/five Olympiads!<p></p><p>As a member of the working media who touched down at MCO yesterday, from my perspective USATF and the Orlando organizers killed it on organizing. </p><p>The positive vibe with fellow reporters, hundreds of volunteers (including a couple of friends from Atlanta) and spectators was high energy, and the weather cooperated with mostly sunny skies yet moderate temps. </p><p>During the races, thousands of spectators lined the route including a mix of locals and out-of-towners. In a live interview with NBC Sports, Orlando's longtime <a href="https://www.orlando.gov/Our-Government/Mayor-City-Council">Mayor Buddy Dyer</a> stated his glee to add an Olympic trials and more guests atop the 70+ million annual visitors to the city. </p><p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwpkelCWCLEcfL2NUuirRXdZi5rkFinHLdrLSiLnEtmai-sjRM2j6eNbpDYWO0JGRXzhpi6w-Evun_m3KMZjjNoAslQc6S37-3UANCbA5UrD6kYd7X6zp4txYVkt5zsqDePps1JIXmsLu5qzHE53SwJ4RmoeWqaz4cPoKzgBvwFAtTJXAODVNlUuYaUUA/s1055/20240202_123456.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="1055" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwpkelCWCLEcfL2NUuirRXdZi5rkFinHLdrLSiLnEtmai-sjRM2j6eNbpDYWO0JGRXzhpi6w-Evun_m3KMZjjNoAslQc6S37-3UANCbA5UrD6kYd7X6zp4txYVkt5zsqDePps1JIXmsLu5qzHE53SwJ4RmoeWqaz4cPoKzgBvwFAtTJXAODVNlUuYaUUA/s200/20240202_123456.jpg"/></a></div>At a Friday press conference, 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor and 1984 Olympic marathon champion Join Benoit Samuelson were on hand to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Benoit's gold in the first five-ringed marathon. </p><p>"Patience is going to be the name of the game," said Benoit Samuelson, referring to a runners' strategy for tackling the marathon course. She also offered that, in observing many of this year's entrants in the lobby of the host hotel, many runners are distracted now more than in the 1980s.
"Everybody's online constantly, and I think that needs to change," she said. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMA29TSXTReZrmiQE1xFK7mWe5zX19vmBKKUXVHuKVK54CVKD7DPJN9qPmkQZTiZ_4ZLvtQukCjBBulVLUDGoT8qrGjmXDWauA2kjsfGvcYzon4MK5HJvkDiiOIoRcvuJGjVXRVLvKU5EcL6Id_QUQza8Ac-MrgbEWyuQl08xutODEY29nKUVc_CLVdL0/s1689/Faces%20Faces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1270" data-original-width="1689" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMA29TSXTReZrmiQE1xFK7mWe5zX19vmBKKUXVHuKVK54CVKD7DPJN9qPmkQZTiZ_4ZLvtQukCjBBulVLUDGoT8qrGjmXDWauA2kjsfGvcYzon4MK5HJvkDiiOIoRcvuJGjVXRVLvKU5EcL6Id_QUQza8Ac-MrgbEWyuQl08xutODEY29nKUVc_CLVdL0/w200-h151/Faces%20Faces.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>By the marathons' conclusion, the Paris-bound runners included race favorites and Utah neighbors Conner Mantz of Provo and Clayton Young of Springville, as well as Leonard Korir of Colorado Springs, finishing in 2:09:05, 2:09:06 and 2:09:57, respectively.<p></p><p>In her marathon and Olympic trials debut, <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/fiona-okeeffe-14639376">Fiona O'Keeffe</a> of Chapel Hill, N.C., finished first for the women in 2:22:10, with one of the race favorites -- 2020 Olympian in 10,000m <a href="https://www.teamusa.com/profiles/emily-sisson-907607">Emily Sisson</a> of Flagstaff, Ariz. -- at 2:22:42, then Hopkins, Minn., runner <a href="https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-native-dakotah-lindwurm-makes-us-olympic-team-in-marathon/600340813/">Dakotah Lindwurm</a> in 2:25:31.</p><p>O'Keeffe also became the first first-time marathoner to win the Olympic trials at this distance, setting an Olympic trials record in the process. During the post-race press conference, she said her marathon naivite was a factor in the race.
</p><p>"Not knowing what I was getting myself into was a good thing," O'Keeffe said. Part of the main pack for the first laps of the race, once she pulled ahead several reporters noted O'Keeffe "never looked back" as she gained an ever-increasing lead to the finish.</p><p>Via NBC's finish line camera work, when Mantz and Young came into view, they were visibly sharing words of encouragement for several hundred meters, following a mid-stride high five.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnuSTIx8Y9c5yFb6VhkFj6g8B9jZ2m_gj_bIiloVQZ_q3FTuLZPKcwghP3aDi0nBeWg5s3DjG5vfW0f4Mb0fqpQayNG-GKMxAedVqMRF94vWIcrszCoxUT9isHjfaZUjs2N6JBErS0I0POcwSjiCVNl5WCPFHw_DG2r4PMmwU5Pu_KxEvlc2Nt83PG6OQ/s995/20240203_121828.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: right; float: right;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="995" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnuSTIx8Y9c5yFb6VhkFj6g8B9jZ2m_gj_bIiloVQZ_q3FTuLZPKcwghP3aDi0nBeWg5s3DjG5vfW0f4Mb0fqpQayNG-GKMxAedVqMRF94vWIcrszCoxUT9isHjfaZUjs2N6JBErS0I0POcwSjiCVNl5WCPFHw_DG2r4PMmwU5Pu_KxEvlc2Nt83PG6OQ/s200/20240203_121828.jpg"/></a></div>
</p>"I just wanted to take every step of the way with Conner over the last couple miles,” Young said. “Conner is the guy who has pulled me this entire build, day-in and day-out in practice. He works hard and he deserves this just as much as I do.”
</p>Young's daughters donned custom T-shirts proclaming "My Daddy Just Made the Olympic Team" (see photo below).
</p>Meanwhile, Korir dedicated his race to his U.S. Army commander and unit, who encouraged him since his fourth place finish in 2020.
</p>"For me to make the team ... this is for everybody who is serving in the Army," he said in a finish line interview with NBC Sports.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTE8FKw2QpFv-d-ji5sdUs1BH_nmX-bBAmSLeB40ETpKASYcxfnIZhK86xBeJgCfd6NOxcw37EkgGJBdajYeN0NM9AT3bZG1OSmcbaxivWLh93N8b0DFOpbGkI6IC_O6ZpoyqvxsloQQjba44GgEHCzXS6jAP-6A2Df80wx_W2pgf0ip2VHNn6NSKAy08/s1670/20240203_133753%20%281%29.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="1670" data-original-width="1603" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTE8FKw2QpFv-d-ji5sdUs1BH_nmX-bBAmSLeB40ETpKASYcxfnIZhK86xBeJgCfd6NOxcw37EkgGJBdajYeN0NM9AT3bZG1OSmcbaxivWLh93N8b0DFOpbGkI6IC_O6ZpoyqvxsloQQjba44GgEHCzXS6jAP-6A2Df80wx_W2pgf0ip2VHNn6NSKAy08/s200/20240203_133753%20%281%29.jpg"/></a></div>
</p>Korir will have to patiently await official word of his Paris travel status, with an additional qualifying stage The Athletic explains in the penultimate paragraph of <a href="https://theathletic.com/5248988/2024/02/03/us-olympic-marathon-trials-paris-2024/">this article</a>. This blogger sure hopes he makes it, and that "The Three Musketeers" of both Team USA's marathon women and men find a way "one for all and all for one" when they race on Aug. 10 and 11 in the Olympic city.
</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image credit: Nicholas Wolaver in Orlando. Race footage on big screens via USATF and NBC Sports.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy__CfXRYYXd_NtmVJT1D1pup3OK8FgX3Z5Ob89ktIvvb3P0yTJuevWrpNpjlAwl5zbn4JzB7j7IYB7SgeHmUOVMidNoQSfEyl72hnbPMwItdF1rejAoqbbTZpRbcawSQwNe0Z0G-pR7-S5jE8pxCWNaZxsi1ZsGvQc5ctw8Gbu02xmVfCP6vuk2jfeSg/s2920/20240203_140554.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2920" data-original-width="1476" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy__CfXRYYXd_NtmVJT1D1pup3OK8FgX3Z5Ob89ktIvvb3P0yTJuevWrpNpjlAwl5zbn4JzB7j7IYB7SgeHmUOVMidNoQSfEyl72hnbPMwItdF1rejAoqbbTZpRbcawSQwNe0Z0G-pR7-S5jE8pxCWNaZxsi1ZsGvQc5ctw8Gbu02xmVfCP6vuk2jfeSg/w324-h640/20240203_140554.jpg" width="324" /></a>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-70642595211125518512024-01-10T22:42:00.000-08:002024-01-11T09:27:40.904-08:00Shallow Writing Sinks "The Boys In The Boat"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW6x1xGUD_a6adD8PT-DantxSLHp3uWDQsXXDqx0xwdMJUBWTLeqYfNSW1V3y3gkupW_rCuSh1MpK_2YFazV_txkGYbP2vROHgTUIH3UQaJL6Mt7rzdQm7D-hkdSzT4QodG4jGJCHK-dQnaK2C9shcA-aPcF2iV0jcFmxGuW8TG9-J67xzSPITgl1Ync0/s1000/Boys%20In%20the%20Boat%20book%20cover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="652" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW6x1xGUD_a6adD8PT-DantxSLHp3uWDQsXXDqx0xwdMJUBWTLeqYfNSW1V3y3gkupW_rCuSh1MpK_2YFazV_txkGYbP2vROHgTUIH3UQaJL6Mt7rzdQm7D-hkdSzT4QodG4jGJCHK-dQnaK2C9shcA-aPcF2iV0jcFmxGuW8TG9-J67xzSPITgl1Ync0/w209-h320/Boys%20In%20the%20Boat%20book%20cover.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>Following a recent press screening for "<a href="https://mgm.com/titles/the-boys-in-the-boat/">The Boys In The Boat</a>," the host asked my thoughts of the five-ring-related film. <p></p><p>With thanks to Allied Global Marketing for the pre-Christmas media ticket, my response to their rep was that I really wanted to love this movie -- based on <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/310727/the-boys-in-the-boat-movie-tie-in-by-daniel-james-brown/">a great book</a> by Daniel James Brown -- but didn't as there were too many issues, starting with writing as shallow as the eight-man sculls on screen.</p><p>In the weeks since the Dec. 18 screening in Atlanta, an online search yielded that at least <a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/12/25/the-boys-in-the-boat-pull-together-for-stellar-tale/">one film critic deemed</a> the George Clooney 2023 picture comparable to the <a href="https://olympicringsandotherthings.blogspot.com/2011/02/oscar-comes-to-atlanta.html">1981 Oscar-winning best picture directed by Hugh Hudson</a> with a screenplay by Colin Welland (who also earned an Academy Award, among four wins from seven nominations for the outstanding earlier film). </p><p>"'The Boys In The Boat' is like 'Chariots of Fire' on the water," <a href="https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/12/25/the-boys-in-the-boat-pull-together-for-stellar-tale/">wrote James Verniere</a> of the Boston Herald. </p><p>With all due respect to Mr. Verniere, it's not. </p><p>Not even close. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj170sy0UsMFDFPcWSojzSRM8thJ5rPUESvrp-s5qqW0K25tqiAd2xI_wODgs6H32z4K-Fuc9YIX1p0e-QRyYGKXhYwDhXJ7t0tgHRgjNIReWVgDvLlhbUyBf4d0OBFMRF7vBkjpK_SVJZe36fevNUc0HPKZr-fdK5NQyu2q03tsWBPrPjI8ctF_zP5fX8/s2048/Uniforms.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj170sy0UsMFDFPcWSojzSRM8thJ5rPUESvrp-s5qqW0K25tqiAd2xI_wODgs6H32z4K-Fuc9YIX1p0e-QRyYGKXhYwDhXJ7t0tgHRgjNIReWVgDvLlhbUyBf4d0OBFMRF7vBkjpK_SVJZe36fevNUc0HPKZr-fdK5NQyu2q03tsWBPrPjI8ctF_zP5fX8/w200-h133/Uniforms.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>Looking for the good, the costume team led by veteran designer <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0247064/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1">Jenny Eagan</a> nailed it. <p></p><p>It's impressive on the big screen that "The Boys in the Boat" Olympic attire -- from Team USA's uniforms to the athlete and official Berlin Olympic pins -- all pops with authenticity, right down to the colored ribbons that served as the era's Olympian accreditation. </p><p>In a publicity video, Eagan describes some of her team's creative process:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W0JRY7Mj1S4" width="320" youtube-src-id="W0JRY7Mj1S4"></iframe></div><p>While drafting this post, I sent a LinkedIn message to Eagan requesting an interview as her press clip above did not answer my key questions on her team's research of the Berlin uniforms, pins and other 1936 attire (when she responds, a follow up post or update in this one may follow).</p><p>Paraphrasing the night-of-screening remarks by <a href="https://silverscreencapture.com/movie-review-the-boys-in-the-boat-2023/">my guest</a> for the viewing event, the film's production design team also deserves a shout-out for what seemed to be a mostly accurate depiction of the 1936 Games on the waters of Berlin's Langer See, the river-filled lake which served as the rowing venue. From the credits, it's my understanding a Canadian reservoir was the crew's home and set for many takes. </p><p>But back to the issues that sunk the film for this blogger. </p><p>As noted, strike one was the writing as I found Mark L. Smith's screenplay flat, predictable and, more than once, annoying for its missed opportunities. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGABzNCsn-09wvKD3q379D3qYCy25zG7ClGBKOBRO4ffqg3SLLnnlAUKgtvtwasI2dMihIjcFAIPMMRwTCGsoLybjHXpPZieHniUgDwRy6JS_OIxvP6CY5EpdG_-7kQMqTv2yYyLoTntvhsB_Qdv5Soudp4Q65oe1OBlrkGgsXaK03JRSPepchtNOmz8Y/s604/Sparham.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="527" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGABzNCsn-09wvKD3q379D3qYCy25zG7ClGBKOBRO4ffqg3SLLnnlAUKgtvtwasI2dMihIjcFAIPMMRwTCGsoLybjHXpPZieHniUgDwRy6JS_OIxvP6CY5EpdG_-7kQMqTv2yYyLoTntvhsB_Qdv5Soudp4Q65oe1OBlrkGgsXaK03JRSPepchtNOmz8Y/w174-h200/Sparham.jpeg" width="174" /></a></div>Too many times I felt like turning to my seatmates and stating, "and now [insert character name] is going to state [fill in the blank with aptly anticipated often monosyllabic retort]." Did the head coach reject his wife's late-night flirtations because he was tired or because they were written so silly? Tough call. But worse, who cared? As evidenced with a mid-film popcorn and pee break, I stopped paying attention an hour earlier! <p></p><p>In another example, viewers meet the wise old longboat craftsman who spouts wisdom and the lore of rowing from a lifetime of experience, but the writing is so dumbed down, my thoughts drifted to fresh lyrics for the popular nursery rhyme, "Row, row, row your boat, gently on the screen, wearily, wearily, wearily, wearily, weaker than a meme!"</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K3NeEGhYEDjZWe5m7meNW8hefshtH5_ayW_NMdnQgOreWWFdr8Wv_dIxSQCjOooDZLqEXcCJn-c_uB-HgPz5HHiE0WoKCmWF_dTJqHELjcSwLns7bkFOAJ2PKZvgzR7mQ6IJBjq9M4KhXR5rVKRKdAcnTwzMjxyHHD84s-2V2KKMa8hA2j4YK7brFTw/s599/sinking%20boat.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="599" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K3NeEGhYEDjZWe5m7meNW8hefshtH5_ayW_NMdnQgOreWWFdr8Wv_dIxSQCjOooDZLqEXcCJn-c_uB-HgPz5HHiE0WoKCmWF_dTJqHELjcSwLns7bkFOAJ2PKZvgzR7mQ6IJBjq9M4KhXR5rVKRKdAcnTwzMjxyHHD84s-2V2KKMa8hA2j4YK7brFTw/w200-h133/sinking%20boat.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>The second strike was shallow character development. While Brown sank the oars deep into history and his Olympian (and coaching) characters on the pages of his book, Smith's screenplay only skimmed the surface floating too many stories with no depth while failing to tie up numerous loose ends by the final scenes. <p></p><p>The audience meets, for instance, the main protagonist and his love interest, who clearly supports his athletic interests across two continents and an ocean. But by the time the closing credits roll, the audience exits wondering what happened to her once a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZgoufN99n8">flashback device lifted directly from "Saving Private Ryan"</a> returns viewers from Berlin '36 to modern times. Did the main character marry her? Who knows? Who cares? Not Smith, and the screenplay instead called for rolling the credits. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUaFp95kwBhKsM8mInogycAUORZtIntyZu56FdpwvksEWSIYsfKvEeU6oSZ5TJ_7WYfAqxzh1_UA3r-SHSJ6x6QAJcbf8hOSFBmCdEZAxw6i3lqrDJm2YTV2y_r3Na3_MfscmYUJHYKJatCMjo7E2MrLA77pxkatDT1LOJy7K4NBt6Mht2usdYq28Csc4/s992/boys-in-the-boat-joel.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="992" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUaFp95kwBhKsM8mInogycAUORZtIntyZu56FdpwvksEWSIYsfKvEeU6oSZ5TJ_7WYfAqxzh1_UA3r-SHSJ6x6QAJcbf8hOSFBmCdEZAxw6i3lqrDJm2YTV2y_r3Na3_MfscmYUJHYKJatCMjo7E2MrLA77pxkatDT1LOJy7K4NBt6Mht2usdYq28Csc4/w200-h113/boys-in-the-boat-joel.webp" width="200" /></a></div>Squandering Joel Edgerton's talent -- on the heels of his memorable lead role in "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-TnWcIPFss">Master Gardener</a>" -- also left me scratching and shaking my head. The scenes of the coach he portrayed, and his wife, were just weird, or too PG, and their relationship status proved another unresolved cliffhanger by the film's conclusion. Worse still, he's never given the words nor actions to equal coach Sam Mussabini as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXxpisVAtdU">portrayed by Sir Ian Holm</a>. <p></p><p>Strike three: Non sequitur micro-dramas also abound, such as the awkward introduction of a dining car social class showdown aboard the New England-bound train to the Olympic trials, or a square-pegged moment with Jesse Owens that omits mention of Team USA's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFUMMyUnv9s">other Black athletes</a> in Berlin. Then, after this nod to history, the screenplay has the audacity to suggest the F<span style="background-color: white; color: #202122;">ü</span>hrer himself became more exasperated by Team USA rowers than Owens' track and field feats. <i>Nein.</i></p><p><i>Auch Nein</i> for portraying the international rowing judge in Nazi attire. But thanks to Eagan's team, at least the uniform looked right. </p><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy233KKpHiJu-UeztMB5zXmwHjPhyk9r8cLAEuAd29KTq1WbCuAxXNU-8F3LJMZUoYIoqAYv_dmm-kWb_B7v2F2RHNG8HO66T-3wUB7kjVEbQZwR_mNx4NRk9Zy5iK3moObi0pq1feZ5Y7aABFKKDEMXTiCdy_kZmh_rxertOMvVyy01EYPz0BCVjMT2g/s640/the-boys-in-the-boat-bitb-.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="640" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy233KKpHiJu-UeztMB5zXmwHjPhyk9r8cLAEuAd29KTq1WbCuAxXNU-8F3LJMZUoYIoqAYv_dmm-kWb_B7v2F2RHNG8HO66T-3wUB7kjVEbQZwR_mNx4NRk9Zy5iK3moObi0pq1feZ5Y7aABFKKDEMXTiCdy_kZmh_rxertOMvVyy01EYPz0BCVjMT2g/w200-h199/the-boys-in-the-boat-bitb-.jpg" width="200" /></a></i></div><i>Mega NEIN</i> the protagonist's love interest could find a radio broadcast of Olympic rowing ... live ... from Berlin ... with a nine-hour time difference that assumes the race on a lake half-way across the globe had an afternoon start time. Even if you were in love, as a 1936 Seattle resident, would you be awake before dawn rapturously tuned-in to rowing commentary live from Germany? Would you be tuned in from the East Coast, or anywhere? <p></p><p>The most <i>nervig</i>, er, annoying scene of all arrived when a key character finds himself kicked off the team only to have his Olympian status restored thanks to poor man's version of Richard Gere's "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g2JN2PrHJg">I got nowhere else to go!</a>" speech to Louis Gossett Jr. in "An Officer and a Gentleman." Sadly, the rowing version is not at all quotable. </p><p>Also missing from "The Boys in the Boat" is a memorable soundtrack. For all of Alexandre Desplat's strengths and skills as a composer, it was disappointing that even the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DetiIHuF1dA&list=PLLv3qeuV3YDqZWIo6gykpHCLKTPPAOstp&index=17">film's score</a> seemed to be trying too hard. The only time it worked was in support of the final race. No Vangelis here. </p><p>For a comparison, you can hear the Greek composer's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEyK-3yDDcY&list=OLAK5uy_nUm1b53HQHPIv-CFVbrWXN4BbsCPl2v8o">Oscar-winning score</a> just by its mention here, yes? No one's gonna by humming nor jogging, nor rowing, to "The Boys in the Boat" soundtrack. </p><p>I'm not pulling solo, single skull-style with some of my perspectives, according to the AP's review by Jocelyn Noveck. Though she's a bit kinder and more professional in <a href="https://apnews.com/article/movie-review-boys-boat-george-clooney-c6d97f588c8c484d342727958ae37701">her remarks</a>, her notes on the screenplay are apt. <a href="https://silverscreencapture.com/movie-review-the-boys-in-the-boat-2023/">Silver Screen Capture's writer</a> also catches my drift. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8oAi5LfcpUjd55gXSH0aE-TLgkyMVoNDIZwmOlP0KakfGS47JIbVKISCu-qSsiPEl1luU4xFtCK_Bww4SbF50V8YYoVLJR8bkfspBLEhpwoVBc3MQj2UZ7VQmhwPPKoWEaF3rLgHX2v-LbvsyWvvV4RDJtWMHFZhb1RHs7TGAfvdckDk39oY13a0g2X8/s600/Usselman.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="600" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8oAi5LfcpUjd55gXSH0aE-TLgkyMVoNDIZwmOlP0KakfGS47JIbVKISCu-qSsiPEl1luU4xFtCK_Bww4SbF50V8YYoVLJR8bkfspBLEhpwoVBc3MQj2UZ7VQmhwPPKoWEaF3rLgHX2v-LbvsyWvvV4RDJtWMHFZhb1RHs7TGAfvdckDk39oY13a0g2X8/w200-h141/Usselman.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>To his credit, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpLIlTd80R2eSmBfC12Qzdg">Clooney mentioned</a> one point of the film was to bring people together to cheer a common cause. He must be onto something because, curiously, there were a lot of cheers when Team USA won gold in the Dec. 18 screening auditorium. A crowd pleaser? Perhaps. (Our screening was packed with high school and college rowers.)<div><br /></div><div>Only time will tell whether ticket sales leave MGM cheering as well (as of this Jan. 11 post, the film is still $4.9 million shy of recouping its $40 million budget). According to <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082158/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_7_nm_1_q_Chariots%2520of%2520Fire">online sources</a>, "Chariots of Fire" banked $59 million atop a $5.5 million budget. <p></p><p>Someday when I'm afforded an opportunity to speak with <i>Herr Director</i> George, just like Sister Nancy Usselman (see photo), my first question will be the extent to which the final Olympic race and its clunky camera angles took inspiration from SCTV 3-D Theatre. In the early 1980s, was Clooney tuned in to John Candy, too (at the :45 and 1:20 marks in this clip)?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ekqiSUjNURo" width="320" youtube-src-id="ekqiSUjNURo"></iframe></div><p>The bottom line is that too often it felt "The Boys in the Boat" tried too hard (<i>und scheiterte</i>) to accomplish too much, and audiences can do themselves a favor by instead watching "Chariots of Fire" for inspiration.</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image credits: Penguin Random House book cover, Calum Turner image via the X account <a href="https://twitter.com/cturnerupdate/status/1530085470650114049/photo/1">@CTurnerUpdates</a> on which no photo credit was shared, stills by Laurie Sparham/MGM, Clooney red carpet premiere photo via the <a href="https://media.pauline.org/Resources/Blog/ArticleID/1904/United-we-Overcome-The-Boys-in-the-Boat">Pauline Center for Media Studies blog</a> on which no photo credit was given to Sister Usselman's camera operator. </span></p></div>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-27197915864590921782023-12-22T14:39:00.000-08:002023-12-22T14:40:26.915-08:00Post Pan Am Depression<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhefJqf-iSPRj_zDT6mzoppsF0kRQIlnEDW8ydtonTEqiY3LTQmnwiPWDVZL5jCcC2RviC4Tzq8ET_wW0KsmrDPtaOx_NP9RhkBMGaY94R2CBdqkr316Gpv6VBxzu32bNdP5epgY7boIeQiY9ZElDwoOY0RZBAb520BO9nUl-cSjAHnr84kh0nIRebO6t8/s3363/PAN%20AM%20LOGO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1246" data-original-width="3363" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhefJqf-iSPRj_zDT6mzoppsF0kRQIlnEDW8ydtonTEqiY3LTQmnwiPWDVZL5jCcC2RviC4Tzq8ET_wW0KsmrDPtaOx_NP9RhkBMGaY94R2CBdqkr316Gpv6VBxzu32bNdP5epgY7boIeQiY9ZElDwoOY0RZBAb520BO9nUl-cSjAHnr84kh0nIRebO6t8/w400-h149/PAN%20AM%20LOGO.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The Pan American Games eluded me until 2023. And I've been in a funk since their conclusion last month. <p></p><p>Happily, the recent "<a href="https://www.santiago2023.org/en">19th Edition</a>" of the event hosted at Santiago, Chile, added this international athletic festival to my sports CV. </p><p>Too young to travel to the '87 edition of Indianapolis, too American (as in being a U.S. passport bearer) for Havana '91, and too oblivious for most Pan Ams since (save Rio 2007 and Toronto '15), on a whim I applied for Santiago media credentials after learning about the Games' feathered mascot, Fiu, in a pin trade at the World Athletics Championships in Hungary. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PbCAHVWgdD2bQIFSLDPRADGZH-RneYWnh9eZmsp3HW0wWISLQYOfGdLIwphBDwO-TQKqN9TMrWqiCTKNoiMzr2y7Yclo4BiCo36bHniFbgZGEy54E-hY19CYtbl7spwb_nsTW0dpY3k20ER_3CDB4yGHaQlmdECxGuKnBbT4_9Dxz_fyBdR_RnoYLkQ/s187/PASO%20logo%20crop.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="187" data-original-width="155" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PbCAHVWgdD2bQIFSLDPRADGZH-RneYWnh9eZmsp3HW0wWISLQYOfGdLIwphBDwO-TQKqN9TMrWqiCTKNoiMzr2y7Yclo4BiCo36bHniFbgZGEy54E-hY19CYtbl7spwb_nsTW0dpY3k20ER_3CDB4yGHaQlmdECxGuKnBbT4_9Dxz_fyBdR_RnoYLkQ/w166-h200/PASO%20logo%20crop.gif" width="166" /></a></div>The serendipity of that exchange proved a great memory. What fantastic hosts the Chileans proved to be for the athletes and attendees from Oct. 18 to Nov. 5. <p></p><p>While client work in Atlanta kept me grounded at home for week one of the Pan Ams, I booked passage from Oct. 28 to Nov. 2 with stopovers in Miami. Thanks to an unruly passenger who disrupted our overnight flight to Chile -- through which fellow passengers and I enjoyed and impromptu and surreal 18-hour layover in Panama City -- it was fun to finally touch down in Santiago in time to attend the first four days of track and field competition at Parque Estadio Nacional, which also hosted aquatics, field hockey and gymnastics venues near the Main Press Center, which was a well-oiled operational machine for over 1,800 accredited journalists. </p><p>Through an organizing committee led by Pan-Am Sports Organization (PASO) President and International Olympic Committee Member <a href="https://olympics.com/ioc/mr-neven-ilic">Neven Ilic</a>, I learned the 2023 Pan American Games were a first for Chile with over 6,900 competitors. </p><p>My focus turned to track and field entrants from Team USA, which afforded access and introduction to several emerging stars of Team Chile. Highlights from the experience include:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Witnessing Team USA's two-time Olympian <a href="https://www.teamusa.com/profiles/deanna-price-880939">Deanna Price</a> win <a href="https://www.teamusa.com/video/deanna-price-heaves-to-gold-in-the-womens-hammer-throw-finals-track-field-santiago-2023">gold in hammer</a>, followed by her<br /> medal ceremony (see photo)</li><li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDaSAi7SV7LxDFzV1i8ofg-Ex2Rd-tn26Rod_4hfKYdxMkbKXGzNnaN8vn6maADS44K-Fle0oerE5FPm9j5NDurkB_KkXwxPAqDZA5XODa8sJPxIqEXcB8qrYxTv9rk6qjf3tV4-8RTkk0h8T1Qe7IZsvO5HHPmgjArgdaEQ0S7FJZXnrEXfqSHsJY1k/s2405/20231101_191349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2405" data-original-width="2162" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDaSAi7SV7LxDFzV1i8ofg-Ex2Rd-tn26Rod_4hfKYdxMkbKXGzNnaN8vn6maADS44K-Fle0oerE5FPm9j5NDurkB_KkXwxPAqDZA5XODa8sJPxIqEXcB8qrYxTv9rk6qjf3tV4-8RTkk0h8T1Qe7IZsvO5HHPmgjArgdaEQ0S7FJZXnrEXfqSHsJY1k/w180-h200/20231101_191349.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>Learning about fellow American <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/ryan-talbot-14970717">Ryan Talbot</a> who won bronze in decathlon with a score of 1,086 (see photo at base of post)</li><li>Capturing <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CzILMP3OQCQ/">on video</a> the last 300 meters of the women's 400m run, during which Team Chile's Martina Weil <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CzILMP3OQCQ/">achieved hometown legendary status</a> on a rain-soaked track (not since Usain Bolt's 100m victory in Rio have a heard such an elated crowd)</li><li>Meeting <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/chile/isidora-jimenez-14407566">Isidora "Isi" Jimenez</a>, also of Team Chile, following her silver medal performance in the 4 x 100m relay.</li></ul><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWEQRfEtJ42NYqazgCipwqIbXMluZVvNCDQHoMmO4oFQNOhUtFUY-aPhtj1AbLdqHyGX1Oq7ozIcFHJDLD5keWmbieoRhWofoiHp3PEpyTvoa0b1zgukn0ZTLsmnDa8egur6r8PVFxlGd5LRSwsT1NhanFQh0MM1P_6M1L5Ck_hZw3umz1q1AZ9dkvAqU/s2992/20231101_184902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2992" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWEQRfEtJ42NYqazgCipwqIbXMluZVvNCDQHoMmO4oFQNOhUtFUY-aPhtj1AbLdqHyGX1Oq7ozIcFHJDLD5keWmbieoRhWofoiHp3PEpyTvoa0b1zgukn0ZTLsmnDa8egur6r8PVFxlGd5LRSwsT1NhanFQh0MM1P_6M1L5Ck_hZw3umz1q1AZ9dkvAqU/w200-h200/20231101_184902.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The biggest win of the Santiago experience, however, was finally meeting in person a one-time PR client, fellow Georgian and Team USA's <a href="https://www.letwomendecathlon.org/">Jordan Gray</a>, who in 2021 launched the <a href="https://www.letwomendecathlon.org/">Let Women Decathlon</a> campaign for which a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/06/sports/olympics/us-track-field-decathlon-women-heptathlon.html?searchResultPosition=1">half-page New York Times article</a> was a feat for us both (f you have not done so already, please <a href="https://www.change.org/p/international-olympic-committee-end-gender-discrimination-in-the-olympics-let-women-decathlon?utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=custom_url&recruited_by_id=24a597e0-3a32-11eb-b6ad-c13ca8c59437">sign the petition</a>). </div><div><br />In Santiago, Gray competed in heptathlon to earn bronze with a score of 5,494, with Team USA's <a href="https://www.instagram.com/erinnmarshh/?hl=en">Erin Marsh</a> earning gold with 5,882 (visiting with her father during day one of heptathlon, I learned Marsh is also from Georgia). </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWoBoRLxO3g7FGvvqml4hoHfv-BGE17j8u2ji5-9NkcAWw6DEmP2ngDDg23-vvktBbBgzmA9gTS6YTcn2AQu6X2Zm9ZZ2-WIJ1HJNH7zfW334jRPEiJhMnzoPO4AsvocdsP4BKT_WWjr8vFMMPA0FYvZOy5H8AQvVpJGm6KHeLMDz6_TJPh9vS7tQ8B4g/s1023/20231101_210932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="649" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWoBoRLxO3g7FGvvqml4hoHfv-BGE17j8u2ji5-9NkcAWw6DEmP2ngDDg23-vvktBbBgzmA9gTS6YTcn2AQu6X2Zm9ZZ2-WIJ1HJNH7zfW334jRPEiJhMnzoPO4AsvocdsP4BKT_WWjr8vFMMPA0FYvZOy5H8AQvVpJGm6KHeLMDz6_TJPh9vS7tQ8B4g/w203-h320/20231101_210932.jpg" width="203" /></a></div>Off the track I found time to take in a women's water polo match, some field hockey and rhythmic gymnastics and some pin trading, ultimately returning stateside with about 50 new designs. </div><div><br /></div><div>The trip also afforded time to visit three great museums including <a href="https://fundacionneruda.org/en/museums-houses/la-chascona-museum-house/">La Chascona</a>, Pablo Neruda's home shared with his mistress, as well as the modern art collection of <a href="https://www.rallimuseums.com/es/Santiago_de_Chile/">Museo Ralli</a> steps from the city's fantastic public trails, and the top of South America's tallest building with spectacular views of the surrounding Andes. </div><div><br /></div><div>Is a return to the Pan American Games in works? Yes, please count me in for the <a href="https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1142330/barranquilla-host-pan-american-games">XXth edition of '27</a> in Barranquilla, Columbia. </div><div><br /></div><div>And a return to Santiago? Absolutely, as soon as possible!</div><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photos by Nicholas Wolaver</span></div><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5s-ESF8doe_0jXyTpzZb59-HjCVvzAQkzpjdijjG4iXuj7Xnw4MscxcTI3KdXVGSZtRte1BHxnyqGr2JKdu-585IK2V6mbRT1ucbpdovGxO66BisRpRiRqr5AT12V-95il095ux58_CO8zA86zrQyyD89bxlORVFsD_9BdUz1epa68BYLcemsByVZ_0/s2992/20231101_174357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2992" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5s-ESF8doe_0jXyTpzZb59-HjCVvzAQkzpjdijjG4iXuj7Xnw4MscxcTI3KdXVGSZtRte1BHxnyqGr2JKdu-585IK2V6mbRT1ucbpdovGxO66BisRpRiRqr5AT12V-95il095ux58_CO8zA86zrQyyD89bxlORVFsD_9BdUz1epa68BYLcemsByVZ_0/s320/20231101_174357.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ62k6elBLBJpgP_1jg6lP2eL9yX-kyZlc_owFiv-SdywL7LdnnKVEPS-6LEUt_RFXv-Zt4SVjVOHdI2DNdLqDPRGlJuLLIQ-VQt8aLdtfAcaDvk3E25lS1ZX-W0bKdcw5MqHtb-JzdMGmZzQVTL2q2Gpj4SBYQgpF9lFlsMp-GuQwmBAKAr0ryeopVHE/s1889/20231102_164205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1647" data-original-width="1889" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ62k6elBLBJpgP_1jg6lP2eL9yX-kyZlc_owFiv-SdywL7LdnnKVEPS-6LEUt_RFXv-Zt4SVjVOHdI2DNdLqDPRGlJuLLIQ-VQt8aLdtfAcaDvk3E25lS1ZX-W0bKdcw5MqHtb-JzdMGmZzQVTL2q2Gpj4SBYQgpF9lFlsMp-GuQwmBAKAr0ryeopVHE/s320/20231102_164205.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUIU8N5c4azn8LB6gpmY2H4CuN6mTqfITieWlO62GG1YwptLMl4TrraGUuio4_IuEygExciXLOrQeoW7RSDfLnRVZKtejzWAIo-rb0GV0F4TQnCpoORJrjKrVPBAwGdHutUrOTB8ITiJzvwRASeDhFioMPgaNutHt-ppI3KF-z36Wv6om0TAjCe96e8BI/s2601/20231101_210326.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2010" data-original-width="2601" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUIU8N5c4azn8LB6gpmY2H4CuN6mTqfITieWlO62GG1YwptLMl4TrraGUuio4_IuEygExciXLOrQeoW7RSDfLnRVZKtejzWAIo-rb0GV0F4TQnCpoORJrjKrVPBAwGdHutUrOTB8ITiJzvwRASeDhFioMPgaNutHt-ppI3KF-z36Wv6om0TAjCe96e8BI/s320/20231101_210326.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcitTHyMnJZN30R8LzmZqw2Hjk_GWrD-aM7C7xrt-dBJfvtU-jlPn1CcFkNq0RdamWq11jFr67s6nWQiNhP3rRygV3K9E8iPQ70RH_0aPQTdVnCvMEbDXl-oEWf8pOYrUI0u_BoAK3YplVshyqYzhh8CLsIzwiHS1Ls3NdaAVZgdImAAO3m834h5dSh5U/s1936/20231101_204506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1936" data-original-width="1161" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcitTHyMnJZN30R8LzmZqw2Hjk_GWrD-aM7C7xrt-dBJfvtU-jlPn1CcFkNq0RdamWq11jFr67s6nWQiNhP3rRygV3K9E8iPQ70RH_0aPQTdVnCvMEbDXl-oEWf8pOYrUI0u_BoAK3YplVshyqYzhh8CLsIzwiHS1Ls3NdaAVZgdImAAO3m834h5dSh5U/s320/20231101_204506.jpg" width="192" /></a></div><p></p>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-70484751322306845682023-07-31T01:56:00.003-07:002023-07-31T11:01:54.655-07:00Reflections From Thrice Meeting Sinead O'Connor<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJQ0SivxkcmLGVSVyq_JpZY0VNf4BHWF9K2u1I4GRAVQiRgZ36L5J_lK1PbToC3R8XNKZY-QcWvO38E2PWTDD4CHKJzKLnma2zgdVsrD10U1J86BPTYNFsfARRlGE1hgEo80piW8fxXhmfbLl8-o78cfz6L2DfknX4E5BVP2qIzmSDjgNyvPBNY26GSs/s691/OConnor%20Olympic%20Ballroom%20Getty%20Images.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="691" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJQ0SivxkcmLGVSVyq_JpZY0VNf4BHWF9K2u1I4GRAVQiRgZ36L5J_lK1PbToC3R8XNKZY-QcWvO38E2PWTDD4CHKJzKLnma2zgdVsrD10U1J86BPTYNFsfARRlGE1hgEo80piW8fxXhmfbLl8-o78cfz6L2DfknX4E5BVP2qIzmSDjgNyvPBNY26GSs/w400-h288/OConnor%20Olympic%20Ballroom%20Getty%20Images.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />About 10 years ago I started compilation of a most-loved "Big Song List." <p></p><p>Of the 2,850 tunes saved to date, few artists enjoyed as many or more noted works as Sinead O'Connor, who sadly died earlier this month.</p><p>Reflecting on her passing and my personal journey with her catalog brought to mind three introductory encounters with the Irish singer. </p><p>Like tens of millions of fellow fans, my first brush with O'Connor's powerful voice and iconic gaze arrived in early 1990. The new decade had just opened, and on a mid-winter weekend to attend a Rotary Teen Leadership Retreat held near the <a href="https://www.marlandmansion.com/">Marland Mansion</a> in Ponca City, Okla. (hometown of 1960 Olympic gold medal wrestler <a href="https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/60799">Shelby Wilson</a>), Sinead first appeared.</p><p>In my shared room for the weekend, MTV was the only decent channel for a 17-year-old, and on the night of our arrival "Nothing Compares 2 U" was in heavy rotation. And, oh, my God, it was captivating! (In those days we did not abbreviate OMG!)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0-EF60neguk" width="320" youtube-src-id="0-EF60neguk"></iframe></div><p>Memorable was the visual alternation from pensive garden strolls to tight, tearful closeups of O'Connor's hypnotic eyes, which climactically spill over as the song crescendos, a scene later replicated twice my Margot Robbie, <a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/i-tonya-crying-scene/">first in the title role</a> of "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iY2NLPKpK1Q">I, TONYA</a>" (<a href="https://olympicringsandotherthings.blogspot.com/2017/12/golden-moments-abound-in-i-tonya.html">reviewed here</a>) then again as the lead "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ey9mXUrsdh8">Barbie</a>" -- but I think directors of Sinead's video took their cue from Glenn Close's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02Vo_Q0nt-k">final scene</a> in 1988's "Dangerous Liaisons." </p><p>The video inspired discussion among the impressionable teen attendees before and after the event's keynote speaker, prominent Oklahoma businessman <a href="https://oklahoma.gov/careertech/about/foundation/hall-of-fame/inductees/vince-orza.html">Vince Orza</a>, presented his remarks. </p><p>The 1990s and early 2000s provided further opportunities to get acquainted with Sinead's work. I purchased a cassette of "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got" and received "Universal Mother" at Christmas 1994. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTObRWQRDvPp3GXiwITAs5lL5myvoa79zwMVsdrssmvq6Zmq9Otx0yktiO-nzQVH6_7d5Ta8scR94w2LWV8apZxpvXlmkAjRBQA857orRla3irew7xwdLSI_hw-z-ZcsgTyLyHQpFSlVhlWdjTbjqZ6kBsniOMfop0L_xKrySvcxsBZqXqjjKRw-ZnMMw/s397/Jan%20Hooks.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="294" data-original-width="397" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTObRWQRDvPp3GXiwITAs5lL5myvoa79zwMVsdrssmvq6Zmq9Otx0yktiO-nzQVH6_7d5Ta8scR94w2LWV8apZxpvXlmkAjRBQA857orRla3irew7xwdLSI_hw-z-ZcsgTyLyHQpFSlVhlWdjTbjqZ6kBsniOMfop0L_xKrySvcxsBZqXqjjKRw-ZnMMw/w200-h148/Jan%20Hooks.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Between the acquisitions, the famous "Saturday Night Live" incident occurred, which I missed in real-time, later citing <a href="https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/sineads-plea/n10317">SNL skits</a> of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SdIJimk-w8">preceding</a> and following weeks among my favorites. Not surprisingly, NBC.com is experiencing "technical issues" preventing clip access. <p></p><p>By the early 2000s, my career started to gel in Atlanta, with The Tabernacle -- an historic downtown church restored as a concert hall in time for the 1996 Olympics -- emerging as a media relations client. When O'Connor <a href="https://www.ajc.com/entertainment/music/sinead-connor-performs-the-tabernacle/Q2f6OXkjewBYLDTdWpB4OJ/">performed for a packed house there</a> in 2007, attending was a no-brainer, and she put on a fantastic show for which apparently few recall the <a href="https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/sinead-oconnor/2007/tabernacle-atlanta-ga-6b9f8ef2.html">exact setlist</a>. </p><p>After the intimate concert, dozens of fans including myself lined up in the parking lot, cautiously optimistic for an autograph or photo. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiik6ydQ5FxIUrFmXyJhsae05Gk2D90DHz53uCUUTdrmpI5C0co8ACP9TsGQo6DhfoAwSewZz1hzRW6PrE-lQTHiHkjFnBBQuaVWs6aCohnhsrKlPq_wHFhuOZAf_NcXKN0DKqAsp0rbe4Y7KlvMfy64Eutc8z8fSspVmhfF2KCh6NuYgFbwIE8Ke6pfRc/s2553/20230729_212834.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="967" data-original-width="2553" height="76" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiik6ydQ5FxIUrFmXyJhsae05Gk2D90DHz53uCUUTdrmpI5C0co8ACP9TsGQo6DhfoAwSewZz1hzRW6PrE-lQTHiHkjFnBBQuaVWs6aCohnhsrKlPq_wHFhuOZAf_NcXKN0DKqAsp0rbe4Y7KlvMfy64Eutc8z8fSspVmhfF2KCh6NuYgFbwIE8Ke6pfRc/w200-h76/20230729_212834.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>When she eventually obliged, signing my concert ticket, I asked her to verify whether she once <a href="https://www.ajc.com/life/radiotvtalk-blog/sinead-oconnor-lived-in-atlanta-in-the-late-1990s-and-early-2000s/CDX3MFWMVREBZNHU5YTHG73FVI/">resided in Atlanta</a> as <a href="https://www.gpb.org/news/2023/07/26/georgians-remember-irish-singer-sinead-oconnor-who-frequented-atlanta-at-the-height">heard around town</a>. <p></p><p>She had indeed, replying in her friendly and softspoken voice that she lived here with "her boy" (her youngest?) for a spell. In retrospect, it's possible her "boy" in this context was an agent who, years later, she referenced in her autobiography as a frequent guest of Atlanta's thriving strip club scene. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1cYLmIdkRmy8xuI-8YUFgnaZ67jSM-cV38IkeYGYa_83_5XezciNJzPZHXB45azaUtLHnkzZL2juru78xde7eym5qUgqPyRAFNIROA4B3carx_Uw8fT8oTtYVYOQwqjGfxf8d_NiYeLAcqD2OWNUehNWCrSyWSDX0sUHS14f4k2rl1jQufpr0Qg8GNI/s421/Tabernacle%20Robb%20Cohen%20AJC.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="421" data-original-width="394" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1cYLmIdkRmy8xuI-8YUFgnaZ67jSM-cV38IkeYGYa_83_5XezciNJzPZHXB45azaUtLHnkzZL2juru78xde7eym5qUgqPyRAFNIROA4B3carx_Uw8fT8oTtYVYOQwqjGfxf8d_NiYeLAcqD2OWNUehNWCrSyWSDX0sUHS14f4k2rl1jQufpr0Qg8GNI/w187-h200/Tabernacle%20Robb%20Cohen%20AJC.jpg" width="187" /></a></div>Now, nearly 16 years later, I don't recall much more from the conversation except that she not only made, but also sustained for more than a minute, sincere and smiling eye contact for our entire chat, which was very powerful. She also had a firm handshake as she thanked me and moved on to the next fan with her black Sharpie pen on the ready.<p></p><p>I also came to respect what came next. Excited by the surroundings and eager to pose another question (and to attempt a second autograph, this time with my Sinead cassette liner notes), I stood in line again while she spoke with others, eventually asking what became my standard query of other celebrities: <i>What's been your experience related to the Olympics?</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzosCc_1x_ch0Y1kn_zm6TYZWmwso-KpTaITppcW910fnQvVSCXUyBc70Bs_hIyb388Y4JxkmqDmPsEimJFZ1W0k1dvrxUxPDTY6zPeSb4VOKWg4uZ07Wa0LseToQ9meuSiPtWVU3-fQu-Mv2SwBX19fH5WWZ1NRqVFCnlBEWpvBWlSt3RWX0lVJmEpu0/s450/Rolling%20Stone%20Cover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="375" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzosCc_1x_ch0Y1kn_zm6TYZWmwso-KpTaITppcW910fnQvVSCXUyBc70Bs_hIyb388Y4JxkmqDmPsEimJFZ1W0k1dvrxUxPDTY6zPeSb4VOKWg4uZ07Wa0LseToQ9meuSiPtWVU3-fQu-Mv2SwBX19fH5WWZ1NRqVFCnlBEWpvBWlSt3RWX0lVJmEpu0/w167-h200/Rolling%20Stone%20Cover.jpg" width="167" /></a></div>Sinead politely paused with another fan, turned my direction and softly admonished me, "Now, please, I was able to answer your question earlier and now it is another person's turn (implying <i>so let's not spoil it for them</i>,<i> </i>while motioning to my already-signed ticket, as though to state, "sorry, only one to a customer"). <p></p><p>Message received, I smiled back and sincerely thanked her again while making space for others to interact. And then she turned to board a bus and exited the scene. </p><p>Over the years of sharing this story, it's set a high bar for other A-list conversations, also shaping how I respect other fans in those moments. </p><p>Flash forward to October 2019, when a pair of Sinead concerts went on sale scheduled for March 22 and 23 at City Winery Atlanta the following year. Lucky me, I snapped up one front section seat for each evening ... at a bargain price of $105 each! Would this pair of events provide an option for long-awaited follow-up questions? </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnxxE1aihd9dhCMij_k59N2KUOwDAhjej7YZsKT519S0Xt1oJb5v3pWX37aixkOqkkwdRXV3KHH7uVDUzWR-VqTE7pe_wE-Y6Q1m-bm7h28LokxFnImCpvIpP8yAZ2NH_6RrKn01qpw8Z9lrqDVD8wdvxbe8ZYyaUk13Zrq_S-F3vn17_6Z81sFbjozDo/s660/Rememberings.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnxxE1aihd9dhCMij_k59N2KUOwDAhjej7YZsKT519S0Xt1oJb5v3pWX37aixkOqkkwdRXV3KHH7uVDUzWR-VqTE7pe_wE-Y6Q1m-bm7h28LokxFnImCpvIpP8yAZ2NH_6RrKn01qpw8Z9lrqDVD8wdvxbe8ZYyaUk13Zrq_S-F3vn17_6Z81sFbjozDo/w213-h320/Rememberings.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Sadly, by March 12, 2020, the world shut down due to COVID-19, and both shows got rescheduled for June 2021 only to be indefinitely postponed again. Reading her autobiography "<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/18/arts/music/sinead-oconnor-rememberings.html">Rememberings</a>" was small consolation -- on the last page she wrote, "I've decided to start school in autumn 2020 and go out on tour again (I hope) in the summer of 2021." Regretably, that never happened. <p></p><p>Through the arc of these 1990-to-present experiences, O'Connor's religion shapeshifting resonated with me. Here's another person who grew up with questions about organized religion and tested the waters with several. </p><p>Her book and archived interviews delve into her personal journeys with Catholicism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, which she Tweeted, "This is the natural conclusion of any intelligent theologian's journey" according to <a href="https://www.irishpost.com/entertainment/sinead-oconnor-renounces-catholicism-converts-islam-161261">news reports</a>.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFv8ASZbt1jtjDK_y56W1-cXv9mCut-YB2Ah-OBl3mwKwbtbyM5QGFVZ3LYwsbp0F-Tu2hyH-Y1WT6G9xs_LndGwgBAO_aP4zU4mjHFhpSsJ-D72vl1LxxW3PW5OT7aKtC7thDhfNMCYOhTQYALUJI-vbAu-QmrUTKoFvd9-z_xqvP-BvSloB_jgNG6Hk/s6000/Vox%20Lux.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4050" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFv8ASZbt1jtjDK_y56W1-cXv9mCut-YB2Ah-OBl3mwKwbtbyM5QGFVZ3LYwsbp0F-Tu2hyH-Y1WT6G9xs_LndGwgBAO_aP4zU4mjHFhpSsJ-D72vl1LxxW3PW5OT7aKtC7thDhfNMCYOhTQYALUJI-vbAu-QmrUTKoFvd9-z_xqvP-BvSloB_jgNG6Hk/w216-h320/Vox%20Lux.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>And in 2019, upon viewing Natalie Portman's role as a pop star with serious issues in "Vox Lux" I could not help wondering the extent to which O'Connor's roller coaster career <a href="https://www.bustle.com/p/is-celeste-based-on-a-real-singer-vox-lux-was-influenced-by-some-very-famous-names-13235532">impacted the writers and performers</a>. <p></p><p>Some did <a href="https://www.vogue.it/beauty/beauty-in-vogue/2011/07/stars-testa-rasata">compare</a> Portman's and Sinead's shaved heads <a href="https://www.femalefirst.co.uk/celebrity/Natalie+Portman-4062.html">back in the day</a> and <a href="https://pagesix.com/2023/07/26/all-about-sinead-oconnors-signature-shaved-head-it-said-dont-fk-with-me/">more recently</a>. The former's fictional media interviews in the film definitely are reminiscent of the latter's real life media convos. When given the chance to one day speak with Portman, I'll be sure to ask. </p><p>During summer of 2017, while traveling in New Jersey, <a href="https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/new-jersey/2017/08/07/sinead-oconnor-says-shes-suicidal-while-living-south-hackensack-hotel/547351001/">reports of O'Connor's post</a> from a Hackensack Travelodge gave pause. Which brings us to the now. </p><p>My third time "meeting" O'Connor arrived these last few days since the BBC and other international news organizations announced her death. With each tribute post or report, such as <a href="https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2023/07/27/remembering-sinead-oconnor">NPR's summary</a> of O'Connor's career, I started learning about fantastic recordings by Sinead that proved new to my ears or not heard in years. </p><p>Here's are a few notes from by "Big Song List" favorites and/or the recent discoveries marked with an asterisk:</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c4v7fp5GC8"><b>Troy</b></a>, with perhaps my favorite of her lyrics:</p><blockquote><p><b><i>"Oh, I love you.</i></b> <b><i>God, I love you. I'd kill a dragon for you. I'll die, but I will rise. And I will return: The Phoenix from the flame! I have learned, I will rise, and you'll see me return, being what I am. There is no other Troy for me to burn."</i></b></p></blockquote><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpwsK2mLFeI"><b>Heroine</b></a>, with The Edge, for the film "The Messenger." <i>Bring me into your arms again. </i></p><p><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWa-aMiqQKE">Sacrifice</a></b>, the Elton John classic reimagined.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecVRugLuaBw">Harbour</a></b>, a personal favorite discovered in 2002 via Moby's "18" release. <i>The saddest songs are played on the strings of my heart. </i></p><p>*<b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlGtKt0gHhY">Never Get Old</a></b>, with Enya reading Psalm 91:13. <a href="https://www.songfacts.com/facts/sinead-oconnor/never-get-old">Sources</a> state O'Connor wrote this at age 16. Thanks, <a href="https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2023/07/27/remembering-sinead-oconnor">Neda Ulaby</a>.</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zON0hoRwqSw"><b></b></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz7bKON6-i11JdndhXeLRcki4KG6y7Fp9-bBP9DbRv7CqJ3-p4-SCK2S5pvrd7LE3t4JIRV_lSp1MS0XbA3iaAWt6Ghc9iyoHTU1ZS61tphATf7xmYBvY_mv0mfslUoaA_zti_v-f_MQJpHDcJxoyGuE4jpUqu9KP64ufNPrDDBiRFxHZIXV-KS8Lqjgc/s294/You_Made_Me_the_Thief_of_Your_Heart.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="294" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz7bKON6-i11JdndhXeLRcki4KG6y7Fp9-bBP9DbRv7CqJ3-p4-SCK2S5pvrd7LE3t4JIRV_lSp1MS0XbA3iaAWt6Ghc9iyoHTU1ZS61tphATf7xmYBvY_mv0mfslUoaA_zti_v-f_MQJpHDcJxoyGuE4jpUqu9KP64ufNPrDDBiRFxHZIXV-KS8Lqjgc/w200-h177/You_Made_Me_the_Thief_of_Your_Heart.jpg" width="200" /></a></b></div><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zON0hoRwqSw">You Made Me the Thief of Your Heart</a></b>, her second collaboration with U2 members, this time with Bono, in the name of cinema. <p></p><p>*<b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ2tluarzZs">Mother</a></b>, with Roger Waters in Berlin. OMG!</p><p><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XhDGkg8SpQ">Blood of Eden</a></b>, with Peter Gabriel. </p><p><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k6YeLjQDBY">Feel So Different</a></b>, ... taught me the "Serenity Prayer" and a few other things. <i>Started off with many friends and we spent a long time talking. I thought they meant every word they said, but like everyone else, they were stalling.</i></p><p>*<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awwNVhRdIik"><b>Irish Ways and Irish Laws</b></a> -- A fantastic discovery via "The Arsenio Hall Show" archive (her 15+ minute <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAf7fGEeRQs">conversation with the host</a> is one of the best celebrity interviews out there in TV Land)</p><p><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khOR5Ej-h2I">Drink Before the War</a></b>, with these contemplative lyrics ... admonishing an unnamed someone at the top of her lungs:</p><blockquote><p><i><b>"And your parents paid you through, You got a nice big car - nothing bothers you. Somebody cut out our eyes, you refuse to see, ah, Somebody cut out your heart, you refuse to feel. And you live in a shell, you create your own hell. You live in the past and talk about war. And you dig your own grave, yeah, but its a life you can save, oh, So stop getting fussed, it's not gonna happen. And you'll cry, but you'll never fall, no, no, no. You're building a wall. Gotta break it down, start again."</b></i></p></blockquote><p><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhfATC9baPo">The Emperor's New Clothes</a></b>, which O'Connor referenced in the April 5, 2020, epilogue to her autobiography. Of Donald Trump she wrote, aptly frustrated, "None of the reporters ever ask him, 'Sir, what is wrong with you?' Negligence ... and it goes on and on. No matter what he does."</p><p><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34zj4_8Qzec">Last Day of Our Acquaintance</a></b>, which, if the mood is right, I quote to fellow passengers after boarding and fastening my seatbelt on flights: <i>"I know you don't love me anymore." </i>At least once, the person next to me replied with the rest of that lyrical sentence,<i> "You used to hold my hand when the plane took off." </i>Then we laughed, until deplaning with, "<i>I'll meet you later in someone's office</i>." </p><p><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpOprrQfryo">Scorn Not His Simplicity</a></b>, by fellow Irish songwriter Phil Coulter. </p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxrCesRRZIY"><b>Tiny Grief Song</b></a>, ... <i>my grief, my grief, my grief, my grief, my grief. </i></p><p>*<b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxX242lnqoY">Dagger Through the Heart</a></b>, performed as requested by Dolly Parton.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MFDam_cWCA">I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got</a></b>, ... <i>for the bread of life is mine. </i></p><p><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MV6T9BusOVE">You Do Something to Me</a></b>, the Cole Porter standard she recorded for charity.</p><p>*<b><a href="http://V.I.P.">V.I.P.</a></b>, one of her last songs, through which Sinead rhetorically asked fellow celebrities (specifically, <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-07-28/sinead-oconnors-2013-letter-warning-miley-cyrus-that-nudity-would-obscure-her-talent-goes-viral-again">Miley Cyrus</a> and her peers, perhaps):</p><blockquote><p><b><i>"To whom exactly are we giving hope, when we stand behind the velvet rope, or get our pictures taken with the pope, like some sick April fool's kind of joke?" </i></b></p></blockquote><p>On the day of Sinead's passing, one of my close friends quipped that he knew of no obvious O'Connor Olympic connection for a tribute by this five-ringed blogger. Inspired and challenged by his comment, I searched for and found two, the first of which tops this post. It's an image taken in the late 1980s at Dublin's popular Olympic Ballroom. </p><p>The other regards Sinead's starstruck notes in her "Rememberings" chapter titled "The Greatest Love of All." This is my favorite section for the apex of joy it seemed to deliver, and it tethers to various <a href="https://olympicringsandotherthings.blogspot.com/search?q=ali">memorial posts logged on this site in 2016</a>. </p><p>"The most incredible experience I ever had, apart from having children, was meeting Muhammad Ali," wrote O'Connor. "Not only did I meet him, but myself and my eldest son, Jake, escorted him to the Special Olympics in Dublin in 2003."</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWM9nz8ySkUlZvNVoEAXO8J3obmKahy5SYO4-KWprKxhtuD74GQbzGiMgwADnJCATGVRbgdOZkYNxOKSJsy_0H3M5fCq5Uvnofgdtq3zHrMX4cpeywo7mIyO1BhoGUMLnpZ_xlQ1r8q1hMCJQXF-fVbKIadUKTH6z9fYLS0y2-Or8iLyrddTggWB_WCn8/s476/Ali%20via%20Associated%20Press%20Esquire%20Getty.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="412" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWM9nz8ySkUlZvNVoEAXO8J3obmKahy5SYO4-KWprKxhtuD74GQbzGiMgwADnJCATGVRbgdOZkYNxOKSJsy_0H3M5fCq5Uvnofgdtq3zHrMX4cpeywo7mIyO1BhoGUMLnpZ_xlQ1r8q1hMCJQXF-fVbKIadUKTH6z9fYLS0y2-Or8iLyrddTggWB_WCn8/w173-h200/Ali%20via%20Associated%20Press%20Esquire%20Getty.jpg" width="173" /></a></div>In her description of that Rome Olympian encounter she later wrote, "That guy is my biggest hero ever" (her quote to Jon Bon Jovi, who set up the Ali introduction and, indirectly, inspired the moment of conception of O'Connor's fourth son, Shane, whose full name includes the Olympic champion's <i>nom du guerre</i>). Through this chapter, O'Connor at once poignantly and accidentally sets the joyful antithesis of her son's later suicide. It's a happy chapter, though tough to read with that later context. Another cheerful and insightful version of her Ali encounter appears in <a href="https://www.esquire.com/sports/a470/muhammad-ali-now/">this Equire article</a> from that time in their lives. <p></p><p>To wrap up this tribute post of appreciation, scroll down for an Irish all-star assemblage courtesy of "The Late Show with David Letterman" archive. </p><p>Only Sinead could get away with laughing in Van Morrison's face. Brilliant!</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Top photo from Dublin's Olympic Ballroom via <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/26/style/sinead-oconnor-bald-power.html">The New York Times</a> and Independent Newspapers Ireland/Getty Images. Jan Hooks/SNL photo via NBC. Ali photo via AP/Esquire/Getty Images. Ticket photo by Nicholas Wolaver. Tabernacle photo by Robb D. Cohen via <a href="https://www.ajc.com/entertainment/music/sinead-connor-performs-the-tabernacle/Q2f6OXkjewBYLDTdWpB4OJ/">AJC.com</a>. "Rememberings" jacket designed by Mark Robinson w/photo by Herb Ritts via Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. "Vox Lux" image via IMDB. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wJy77VV4okk" width="320" youtube-src-id="wJy77VV4okk"></iframe></div>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-27935815693973526812023-07-25T02:08:00.002-07:002023-07-25T03:20:00.125-07:00Paris 2024 Unveils Nouveau Olympic Torch Design<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsq7PKo6dBO833bELonw_-PcW1Ehyz13mmYs-UD6Y3jM8qTzjthHKBb1q1gB-9zWCMi9tIfJi2M71OmPSzM9VdtXCsrjtzFJDep1EKR0w9U6m8UtT6ije1QbQ_OE-bLCXsfRA6CSe6EE557oaesK3Q-Z_XOtYbr3AlnbP-AuCw5127GMJrUsaaSCLtE0A/s2689/20230720_102328.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="2689" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsq7PKo6dBO833bELonw_-PcW1Ehyz13mmYs-UD6Y3jM8qTzjthHKBb1q1gB-9zWCMi9tIfJi2M71OmPSzM9VdtXCsrjtzFJDep1EKR0w9U6m8UtT6ije1QbQ_OE-bLCXsfRA6CSe6EE557oaesK3Q-Z_XOtYbr3AlnbP-AuCw5127GMJrUsaaSCLtE0A/w400-h159/20230720_102328.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Building upon <a href="https://bit.ly/OlympicTorchRelay2024">last month's announcement</a> of the torch relay route for next summer, Paris today revealed its 2024 Olympic torch design, with blended themes of equality, fluidity and tranquility. <p></p><p>Or to be more precise, the new torch is "inspired by equality, water and peacefulness" according to press materials shared under embargo until today's unveiling in the French capital. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXyOZ8wKein9apJDpAUvYaGv9K4ymkBZyO2tillCqFDURi59dx-jeQy9LbpCjhG1Qci7TR9CobFmfcNxqWcHNcyBt0IHWn1VKdaHDri7NblWJDAQu0QScWAiCKhHem00R-6Q8Dc0cyLMc67dYTJf7Llrr_bbpQcvGeiEARucuakeGNDvWjmAdTthmHyDk/s344/Tower%20Reflection.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="169" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXyOZ8wKein9apJDpAUvYaGv9K4ymkBZyO2tillCqFDURi59dx-jeQy9LbpCjhG1Qci7TR9CobFmfcNxqWcHNcyBt0IHWn1VKdaHDri7NblWJDAQu0QScWAiCKhHem00R-6Q8Dc0cyLMc67dYTJf7Llrr_bbpQcvGeiEARucuakeGNDvWjmAdTthmHyDk/w157-h320/Tower%20Reflection.jpg" width="157" /></a></div>On a press preview call last week, Paris 2024 officials shared numerous details in anticipation of the announcement du jour, the penultimate date for tomorrow's "one year to go" milestone for next year's opening ceremony.<p></p><p>When the design competition opened, each of the 10 entrants enjoyed near <i>carte blanche </i>options to dazzle the selectors. From a finalist field of three, French designer <a href="http://www.mathieulehanneur.fr/works">Mathieu Lehanneur</a> earned the assignment "chosen for his poetic and highly symbolic approach, along with his ability to grasp the values and expectations of Paris 2024," according to <a href="https://olympics.com/en/news/paris-2024-olympic-paralympic-torch-designer-mathieu-lehanneur">this announcement</a>. </p><p>On the press call, Lehanneur also shared that organizers encouraged his team to submit multiple design proposals, but in spite of this option, they went all-in and did not deviate from the final, reflective concept that was at once elegant in its simplicity and complex in its operational features to withstand intense wind, rain or other forces of nature. </p><p>"We wanted to be sure it achieved balance with a message," said Lehanneur. "We [later] discovered in the process that it is a super complex design to keep the flame beautiful and visible."</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKb925CZFGYOELu-36VL4CV8O990xEb03xXo8I-tuZf51Dh06Fd2DxI0gck0-eosofnI9zpuDw5_cdOUavyhF-cS7hCCRWl79IQAQM3cOJ854-lTabzMCbfZSw4g-ZbHW5O5aLEGA8jhaAfd47-pIoZXjvTN3acIJ64E77thod3vj4iF-qsWws6nvdKSM/s1048/20230720_102203.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1048" data-original-width="685" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKb925CZFGYOELu-36VL4CV8O990xEb03xXo8I-tuZf51Dh06Fd2DxI0gck0-eosofnI9zpuDw5_cdOUavyhF-cS7hCCRWl79IQAQM3cOJ854-lTabzMCbfZSw4g-ZbHW5O5aLEGA8jhaAfd47-pIoZXjvTN3acIJ64E77thod3vj4iF-qsWws6nvdKSM/w131-h200/20230720_102203.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>The Paris 2024 torch is sleek and original, for the first time equal in shape and curves from the center to its top and its base handle. The "perfect symmetry" features an "equator" of gold. <p></p><p>Perhaps a figurative "toast" to the torchbearers, my take is each of the halves resemble stylized bottles of wine fused at their bases. </p><p>While the top half of the torch is smooth with a Champagne-colored matte finish -- showcased in the press kit as "bead-blasted" -- the lower half is fluid and mirrors light like waves of, and reflections from, surf or a running stream, symbolic of the Paris 2024 Olympic Torch Relay's planned journey across the Mediterranean Sea and four oceans. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzgxbfmeauchx5A5oTB3dPyZ842jAoIJ3d5qcRIkbtA5b8rgd1lXvwNz0Q_J0mylAEZVbTdTEqC1s-DesXvuXvTc42-sd_4Gca8VBzmLngKLzsMrLAyHb6sI5EUAivZzd9bjvnUr7lTTm1Co1RE_q6p1iDb4Zw_qPTVvYv685g-72kqmK7aiHFuAxk-lM/s2634/20230720_102210.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2634" data-original-width="1423" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzgxbfmeauchx5A5oTB3dPyZ842jAoIJ3d5qcRIkbtA5b8rgd1lXvwNz0Q_J0mylAEZVbTdTEqC1s-DesXvuXvTc42-sd_4Gca8VBzmLngKLzsMrLAyHb6sI5EUAivZzd9bjvnUr7lTTm1Co1RE_q6p1iDb4Zw_qPTVvYv685g-72kqmK7aiHFuAxk-lM/w108-h200/20230720_102210.jpg" width="108" /></a></div>When I asked if this torch was designed for use beneath the surface -- like the flame sticks of <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/807872.stm">Sydney 2000</a> and <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/olympic-torch-takes-a-dive-in-world-s-deepest-lake-1.1557239">Sochi 2014</a> held by scuba divers -- officials confirmed there are "no plans" for this torch to be submerged, but that "new surprises" will be revealed during upcoming months, including the cauldron from the same firm.<p></p><p>The design's hollow, round top enables the fire within to burn up and out, but also a "flame slip" cut into the steel will encourage fire to wave outward "like a flag" as the torchbearer walks or jogs forward. </p><p>Other facts about the new torch:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Fabricated from 100% recycled scrap steel with equipment typical of auto manufacturing lines</li><li>Finished with a high-tech coating that "cleans easy" while encouraging patina from flame ignition</li><li>Weight is 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg)</li><li>Measures just over 27.5 inches (70 cm) long</li><li>Widths = 1.38 inches (3.5 cm) to 3.94 inches (10 cm) </li><li>The smooth, groovy "waves" enable even <i>nerveuse/nerveux</i> torchbearers to get a grip</li><li>While the torch exterior and assembly is <i>tous Français</i>, the inner workings rely in-part upon engineering used for the Tokyo 2020 torch design as well as fabrication in partnership with Luxembourg-based <a href="https://www.thesportsnews.in/arcelormittal-becomes-an-official-partner-of-the-paris-2024-olympics/">ArcelorMittal</a>, which built the public art/attraction "<a href="https://arcelormittalorbit.com/about/about-the-arcelormittal-orbit/">Orbit Tower</a>" at London 2012's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and will install the cauldron as well as monumental Olympic rings of steel at iconic Parisian sites.</li></ul><p></p><p>One surprisingly<i> petit </i>number for the Paris 2024 torches is the quantity produced: Only 2,000, which was a conscientious decision by organizers in the name of sustainability. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFIQ70VvqcJsymI4dorqONI96N7CzmXLYOhKqpRtzcZ_UiL3QClqWmqfh8vu8bmW4UjfUweHKXfIJBOAaw0qb8fNsXS7AMZI04-MQsSZdt9oB8R_Iop8Z_uXe_pjRvS4Yc1dyLHq2ONeg_j1Vb9S6sIagqiXdV9EkwXLUqrw5pdDI_5QDZjbMl5ozLvYw/s293/Equator.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="293" data-original-width="241" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFIQ70VvqcJsymI4dorqONI96N7CzmXLYOhKqpRtzcZ_UiL3QClqWmqfh8vu8bmW4UjfUweHKXfIJBOAaw0qb8fNsXS7AMZI04-MQsSZdt9oB8R_Iop8Z_uXe_pjRvS4Yc1dyLHq2ONeg_j1Vb9S6sIagqiXdV9EkwXLUqrw5pdDI_5QDZjbMl5ozLvYw/w165-h200/Equator.jpg" width="165" /></a></div>I personally wondered, but stopped short of asking, whether they realize this vast reduction from over 10,000 may make the collector's market go <i>fou furieux</i> (berserk), but then, their mission had nothing to do with the relay's likely aftermarket. <p></p><p>When more than one reporter pressed about the quantity, organizers explained that "some" (dozens? hundreds?) replica torches of the original size will be made, but not carried in the relay, for sponsor, educational/museum or ceremonial purposes. Miniature replica torches also will be produced, presumably for retail sale. </p><p>Now that <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/lvmh-to-sponsor-the-2024-olympic-games-in-paris">LVMH signed on</a> as a Paris 2024 sponsor, maybe the torchbearer uniforms will be touched by Dior or Louis Vuitton.</p><p>Back to the inspiration behind Lehanneur & Co.'s bold work: In terms of equality, the parity of female:male entrants at Paris 2024 led to the reflective, symmetrical design from the center of the torch outward. </p><p>In addition to the seas and oceans the flame will cross, Paris' "backbone" the Seine and "waves, reliefs and vibrations" influenced the fluid forms that resemble the "<a href="https://www.mathieulehanneur.fr/project/ocean-memories-bowl-low-table-282">Ocean Memories</a>" series of surreal furnishings in <a href="https://www.mathieulehanneur.fr/works/?cat=places">his New York studio's portfolio</a>. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCdm6hKfgZg_VT9MWracTH5pwfVJjIiVo_8OLy92K-2Eiayn3DZQQBRUhtV-VfFGvKuGoR_scmGlC2Wv89YOkYl9n8RuMNX4UUpkdj2bXxjwBCJACb8LmptLqEjZ_cO3VPh5iHc9-eexHvVOcS1dWXy7UIJlU1s7PZIuWVlAxmbcySwPC6wYgHIXRJQA/s474/Workshop.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="474" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCdm6hKfgZg_VT9MWracTH5pwfVJjIiVo_8OLy92K-2Eiayn3DZQQBRUhtV-VfFGvKuGoR_scmGlC2Wv89YOkYl9n8RuMNX4UUpkdj2bXxjwBCJACb8LmptLqEjZ_cO3VPh5iHc9-eexHvVOcS1dWXy7UIJlU1s7PZIuWVlAxmbcySwPC6wYgHIXRJQA/w200-h169/Workshop.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Finally, the soft curves, rounded edges and gold touches via the 2024 Games' blended Olympic/Paralympic logo are intended to convey generosity and peace to those who witness the relay.<p></p><p>"Our intention was to break away from past designs" which Lehanneur described as "vaselike" or typically featuring a larger diameter at the flame end in the last several Olympiads. </p><p>Videos posted to the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17923966409742550/">design firm's Instagram account</a> show some of the wind tests and other engineering feats -- such as slicing one of the "flame slips" with a steel cutting device -- are impressive. </p><p>"Form is the substance which rises to the surface," said one of the greatest French writers of all time. Of the Paris 2024 torch design, I think Victor Hugo would, and all of France should, be proud. </p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Most photos via Paris 2024 press preview documents; Eiffel Tower reflection image by Piotr Jacqewski/Getty Images. </span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWoahmZrfLwfKS5TL4quTTWvocfz0ujR5j3NnyMhbHH1V5lAdbayumi9LqNnqe84-4b0vLa-1lXOc5O_t_ot1otzR8IzXgOxLLYWxXAGPWZEuOjmvb3rn_h0VpQVQhvamf-7p-Xs8UAZFBFp8Vb9JUAAYoCBxs_i6hln7RdfhWcdpgrpmk-hY9MItyRw/s501/CEO%20and%20Designer.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="354" data-original-width="501" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWoahmZrfLwfKS5TL4quTTWvocfz0ujR5j3NnyMhbHH1V5lAdbayumi9LqNnqe84-4b0vLa-1lXOc5O_t_ot1otzR8IzXgOxLLYWxXAGPWZEuOjmvb3rn_h0VpQVQhvamf-7p-Xs8UAZFBFp8Vb9JUAAYoCBxs_i6hln7RdfhWcdpgrpmk-hY9MItyRw/w400-h283/CEO%20and%20Designer.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0T8aUawbWhHmIIT1HtROJW_NAPiL9OxOByJUVrfA6zOScvPP7EUvrKclhNjagQ5ttVPqH7SIGmuB7wvRF-ZCjvgzpvmOiPq4IWMCpyBKS0ei1eDXKznZF5G8uuVdRIm_KOAeBFfSPyxkrRHaB85DynyFqYSMcS87XFOSmcviwwD4OF9hJcMj61ie4e0/s1508/20230720_102531.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1508" data-original-width="1460" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0T8aUawbWhHmIIT1HtROJW_NAPiL9OxOByJUVrfA6zOScvPP7EUvrKclhNjagQ5ttVPqH7SIGmuB7wvRF-ZCjvgzpvmOiPq4IWMCpyBKS0ei1eDXKznZF5G8uuVdRIm_KOAeBFfSPyxkrRHaB85DynyFqYSMcS87XFOSmcviwwD4OF9hJcMj61ie4e0/w388-h400/20230720_102531.jpg" width="388" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHwT0ro1GwSPVs5R2SE8dG9sFc1_H94_r9FPPc8dS6DPLR5BbGaMTDo3U1m0Q1t0-3_lSwv1REgbRsXz_3j90W8akQZ0yI9ssCZ_Qcvh11k8VwdcTfSha0x0XFULW4UcRYRVL3PjQOtl04kIMXJ9R5RC39KGojI7CjbB44ddLR_8ZPT7alIccSDVv3t6I/s3198/Paris2024-3D%20visual-olympic%20games%20torch-1.1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3198" data-original-width="3182" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHwT0ro1GwSPVs5R2SE8dG9sFc1_H94_r9FPPc8dS6DPLR5BbGaMTDo3U1m0Q1t0-3_lSwv1REgbRsXz_3j90W8akQZ0yI9ssCZ_Qcvh11k8VwdcTfSha0x0XFULW4UcRYRVL3PjQOtl04kIMXJ9R5RC39KGojI7CjbB44ddLR_8ZPT7alIccSDVv3t6I/w398-h400/Paris2024-3D%20visual-olympic%20games%20torch-1.1.jpg" width="398" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtF8xs6vcSStO3PokVODX4KkZrXsk8gSWtgyT4OIr9XXGHG-cDGsj9ZbvWdl_Tx-bA5ggKGOs8p0Z0sJdpIE9OZ-FPuLqeu6mnmSR8v1hPm00JsBgSzYLR2-pSBvt6VbCIqquVzWT98D8LXtB3XyXsGpbVNxvGy9PDEb8cXdSTXHoJmt_tlMRBQGUX9U/s532/Paris2024-3D%20visual-olympic%20games%20torch-16.9.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="532" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtF8xs6vcSStO3PokVODX4KkZrXsk8gSWtgyT4OIr9XXGHG-cDGsj9ZbvWdl_Tx-bA5ggKGOs8p0Z0sJdpIE9OZ-FPuLqeu6mnmSR8v1hPm00JsBgSzYLR2-pSBvt6VbCIqquVzWT98D8LXtB3XyXsGpbVNxvGy9PDEb8cXdSTXHoJmt_tlMRBQGUX9U/w400-h386/Paris2024-3D%20visual-olympic%20games%20torch-16.9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTzhZQ-W04DBL-PQMuRWeH0viggeIUJkC1aZwrRcMWSsyjYym2EoIJYggrQfgfsckbzYUutfPIUN0afMjnIdYddi7I1u666KbQmHuVzKdjrY_vasuhXo9ddRQ_cql7tKjkAEhNV0sb-JVmCXaqw7gfNNy-BPI7hL9HmGQpehZmzxQalz7Q0CYLt76zpk/s2358/20230720_102845.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1107" data-original-width="2358" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTzhZQ-W04DBL-PQMuRWeH0viggeIUJkC1aZwrRcMWSsyjYym2EoIJYggrQfgfsckbzYUutfPIUN0afMjnIdYddi7I1u666KbQmHuVzKdjrY_vasuhXo9ddRQ_cql7tKjkAEhNV0sb-JVmCXaqw7gfNNy-BPI7hL9HmGQpehZmzxQalz7Q0CYLt76zpk/w400-h188/20230720_102845.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-60179054537432879332023-07-22T21:46:00.002-07:002023-07-23T05:29:16.234-07:00Good Trouble Earns U.S. Stamp of Approval<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKRSxeQ93US_MTgj6NSCc-UbTelpvj0x6m40iEB2zATgp2BjIoGfkzSH0rLF-9_BKgx-5opfcY7WkKmOQDxYxtHREwl1aMr8N2H5JFmVQIcwrB3gjF62WeGrEEH4BUrkvtQenmu1koQEvoSXt_Koi0tB_nWCRT_sAWLIrI5bRtXqC_Y4nGBlrJfIRNsk/s2640/20230721_124815.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="2640" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKRSxeQ93US_MTgj6NSCc-UbTelpvj0x6m40iEB2zATgp2BjIoGfkzSH0rLF-9_BKgx-5opfcY7WkKmOQDxYxtHREwl1aMr8N2H5JFmVQIcwrB3gjF62WeGrEEH4BUrkvtQenmu1koQEvoSXt_Koi0tB_nWCRT_sAWLIrI5bRtXqC_Y4nGBlrJfIRNsk/w400-h175/20230721_124815.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Through most of my 27 years in Atlanta, Congressman John Lewis provided elected representation for this blogger's home district. </div><p></p><p>As noted in <a href="https://olympicringsandotherthings.blogspot.com/2015/12/get-on-bus-for-civil-rights-tours.html">previous posts</a>, I also enjoyed the good fortune of speaking with the Civil Rights icon and "the conscience of the Congress" more than once. </p><p>Sadly, when Lewis died during the early months of the pandemic, a suitable public memorial in Atlanta was not possible. </p><p>On a brighter note, this unfortunate timing finally got corrected July 21, when the U.S. Postal Service hosted the First Day of Issue ceremony for the first-class stamp honoring the legend. Most seem to love the classy design. A recording of the entire ceremony is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJC3fdmJ3oM&t=9s">available via YouTube</a> and at the base of this post. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhen8nNI8Q5FME_MpNgVt6gyxBfkwL-tYLNJTCjd0LAigXVutmjSDm5uwgJZ5EwYP6yxoftKr5V4yw9ugTnSnd1qxCg0uQwGrtbiRerMg465LhcCbqh5CzolOpQd5mYFrEM03vUYYs_ZXbHDvC4xvEfhY4RXM4JTBcf7l3XULJvcLET4Z8QMcKuEPvxUek/s1280/Ceremony%20sign.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhen8nNI8Q5FME_MpNgVt6gyxBfkwL-tYLNJTCjd0LAigXVutmjSDm5uwgJZ5EwYP6yxoftKr5V4yw9ugTnSnd1qxCg0uQwGrtbiRerMg465LhcCbqh5CzolOpQd5mYFrEM03vUYYs_ZXbHDvC4xvEfhY4RXM4JTBcf7l3XULJvcLET4Z8QMcKuEPvxUek/w400-h226/Ceremony%20sign.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>During the festivities held in the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College, it was inspiring to be reminded of Lewis' lifetime of service, and to learn a few surprises during remarks from postal officials, two former Atlanta mayors and Lewis' son. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEPuMZhj-3fvMomPEylI3aaa7Ir2nXybYX-gzDy1y2PHQENJHekhMb96cwMAaAaltwdNDQLCQ3HtU3Yvo2nnQEWdAwJnJuFEBCCgsAxLHoxtdpmHR0pifumk4qGTLlOExR95H2zSSwhRJLs97HjZ2CuKRQeRAkEnx_QRrZIgOwCQ8KuPSKCXS8qHBq6rY/s1699/20230721_122553.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1699" data-original-width="1125" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEPuMZhj-3fvMomPEylI3aaa7Ir2nXybYX-gzDy1y2PHQENJHekhMb96cwMAaAaltwdNDQLCQ3HtU3Yvo2nnQEWdAwJnJuFEBCCgsAxLHoxtdpmHR0pifumk4qGTLlOExR95H2zSSwhRJLs97HjZ2CuKRQeRAkEnx_QRrZIgOwCQ8KuPSKCXS8qHBq6rY/w133-h200/20230721_122553.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>Golden Globe and EMMY-winning actress Alfre Woodard emceed the event (am I the last to learn <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLct_DAhEvs">she is from Oklahoma</a> like me?), while U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock, who is also senior pastor at Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church, delivered the benediction as fellow U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff, a former intern of Lewis' office, looked on from the front row of the packed venue, which also included the actor Emanuel Lewis. <p></p><p>Prior to the stamp's ceremonial unveiling, Ronald Stroman of the USPS shared details of its design, which features a photograph Marco Grob snapped for Time magazine in 2013 as the centerpiece of a design by Derry Noyes. </p><p>"Look carefully at how the shadow falls on the right side of [Lewis'] face, illuminating the left side, in a way that seems to take the viewer from darkness into the light," said Stroman. "A fitting tribute to a man who sought to awaken the conscience of a country."</p><p>The congressman's son, John-Miles Lewis, and other speakers later revealed that the elder Lewis was an avid stamp collector who deployed both family members and staff to purchase stamps on a regular basis.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4GiW8mWSKsriUjPcGOKqHddWUGvSfgOK0JmYXPXC-gPYUXZHqb6Es0crbKUcoF-R9Y4eSPK459etVEYRxAo3HGOOnacaE1kBbDUssB84lpnYFL46pv5zOi7goN_H47zOdOWfVH2FCqVPQitV2XOlIokVLDgAffPtCrUT0D4TSnEK5OfqMQMona3QEPc/s699/AAMuseum_large-story.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="699" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4GiW8mWSKsriUjPcGOKqHddWUGvSfgOK0JmYXPXC-gPYUXZHqb6Es0crbKUcoF-R9Y4eSPK459etVEYRxAo3HGOOnacaE1kBbDUssB84lpnYFL46pv5zOi7goN_H47zOdOWfVH2FCqVPQitV2XOlIokVLDgAffPtCrUT0D4TSnEK5OfqMQMona3QEPc/w200-h159/AAMuseum_large-story.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Among Lewis' favorite designs: a 2017 Forever stamp commemorating the National Museum of African American History and Culture. A former colleague who knew of the congressman's passion for stamps speculated on how his former boss might react to one featuring his likeness. <p></p><p>"The release of this stamp is an honor that would overwhelm him and leave him speechless," said Michael Collins, former chief of staff for Lewis. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9PMNZWM67JeEku3d1p0OPCfO7Fk64NdHdfCek7xN3u24ljbV2ABbxmjG7uiixZq8cj1XUBxjeLCOmcISWlGQBN43MnGpigY9eL_fHtTs2YUJb1lNJfApKitsS7uwDi6gV2dV9ohG80HhwOfU1rI2xYCRKlDcz66xujFxT3uszQ49r-Sdzpu3OKx-pG1k/s2773/20230721_142832.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1953" data-original-width="2773" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9PMNZWM67JeEku3d1p0OPCfO7Fk64NdHdfCek7xN3u24ljbV2ABbxmjG7uiixZq8cj1XUBxjeLCOmcISWlGQBN43MnGpigY9eL_fHtTs2YUJb1lNJfApKitsS7uwDi6gV2dV9ohG80HhwOfU1rI2xYCRKlDcz66xujFxT3uszQ49r-Sdzpu3OKx-pG1k/w200-h141/20230721_142832.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>After describing his father's love for philately and encouraging the exchange of ideas through letters, John-Miles also relayed family and national lore of the initial mail exchanged by a youthful Lewis and MLK Jr. (also described <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ayewOtuixI">in Lewis' own words in this video</a>). <p></p><p>"Two stamps with letters changed history," he said. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMGUpFSTXbCVRolib3X26G4EuzBW2iG3_GtHAJ-siUXtJa1eT057vad2NwWG9bB97TcibFlFvez-AcKfRuM3RLHCQGL9z3RS8O0tQ-nhAh47Q-26miuYUi6Hhe0Nk0nSxmcC0wY3MQNKwsfmYSpJEgvk5GVB4KZmBnJOHJUg1pcCsEdwSYL1MN8js2pI/s2551/20230723_003912.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2551" data-original-width="2114" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMGUpFSTXbCVRolib3X26G4EuzBW2iG3_GtHAJ-siUXtJa1eT057vad2NwWG9bB97TcibFlFvez-AcKfRuM3RLHCQGL9z3RS8O0tQ-nhAh47Q-26miuYUi6Hhe0Nk0nSxmcC0wY3MQNKwsfmYSpJEgvk5GVB4KZmBnJOHJUg1pcCsEdwSYL1MN8js2pI/w166-h200/20230723_003912.jpg" width="166" /></a></div>As a philatelist since family and a childhood friend encouraged the hobby in 1986, I never coveted First Day of Issue covers, the envelopes with the special day-of-issue cancellations. <p></p><p>But I very much enjoyed attending this, my first official stamp-centric ceremony since the U.S. Postal Service in Oklahoma City hosted me for a thank you celebration after U.S. Olympic Festival-'89 (see the fine print of the Daily Oklahoman clip for details). <br /></p><p>Though it was news to me that Lewis enjoyed philately, it's no surprise he found value in the unlimited lessons of the hobby from history and geography to design, creativity, leadership and understanding other perspectives. There's a lot to unpack from each miniature work of art. </p><p>Other fun facts from the Lewis ceremony press kit: </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The postal service printed 30 million of the stamps in panes of 15</li><li>The image is one of approximately 25 designs approved each year, culled down from "about 30,000 suggestions" received annually for consideration by the <a href="https://about.usps.com/who/csac/?_gl=1*1rns1fv*_gcl_au*MjE0MDc2NjI0Mi4xNjkwMDgwODE0*_ga*NTkzMjQ4NjQ1LjE2OTAwNzk5OTQ.*_ga_3NXP3C8S9V*MTY5MDA4MDgxNC4xLjEuMTY5MDA4MTA4OS4wLjAuMA..#overview">Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee</a> (CSAC)</li></ul>What's not in the press kit is that the CSAC and its <a href="https://about.usps.com/who/csac/?_gl=1*1rns1fv*_gcl_au*MjE0MDc2NjI0Mi4xNjkwMDgwODE0*_ga*NTkzMjQ4NjQ1LjE2OTAwNzk5OTQ.*_ga_3NXP3C8S9V*MTY5MDA4MDgxNC4xLjEuMTY5MDA4MTA4OS4wLjAuMA..#members">11 members</a> have yet to respond to my detailed questions about the USPS halting Olympic stamp approvals since 2010. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAhdClGnNycWBtm7cBqPZdQixeWEaG-Fe5rUcWoQXOnBqzPjZWUhJc8INyutf0T1tCG0aWUroLdmaDwnlc9ylQiwa54IRfdpMIZJnE7TGU6Dupet9OdoXLKJMoT2jfp3ohroJK9S_16Kn9hnMUyt01oll_c570bzGaNU6QEX4l_yQVXsXaGchz9QRmudw/s1265/20230721_135957.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1265" data-original-width="1031" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAhdClGnNycWBtm7cBqPZdQixeWEaG-Fe5rUcWoQXOnBqzPjZWUhJc8INyutf0T1tCG0aWUroLdmaDwnlc9ylQiwa54IRfdpMIZJnE7TGU6Dupet9OdoXLKJMoT2jfp3ohroJK9S_16Kn9hnMUyt01oll_c570bzGaNU6QEX4l_yQVXsXaGchz9QRmudw/w163-h200/20230721_135957.jpg" width="163" /></a></div>But anyone who agrees U.S. Mail should include Olympic stamps again in the future may nominate the topic for consideration by submitting a letter to the committee by mail via the <a href="https://about.usps.com/who/csac/?_gl=1*1rns1fv*_gcl_au*MjE0MDc2NjI0Mi4xNjkwMDgwODE0*_ga*NTkzMjQ4NjQ1LjE2OTAwNzk5OTQ.*_ga_3NXP3C8S9V*MTY5MDA4MDgxNC4xLjEuMTY5MDA4MTA4OS4wLjAuMA..#process">instructions posted at this link</a>. <p></p><p>While exiting the ceremony to purchase two panes of Lewis stamps, I noticed the neighboring Morehouse track, recently <a href="https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-news/morehouse-college-comes-full-circle-with-edwin-moses-track-dedication/WL5X72TJTZCVHDHRN5735PTSOM/">resurfaced and named in honor</a> of Olympic champion Edwin Moses, prompting a query about Lewis' own five-ringed experiences. The only definitive answer located so far was a <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?73104-1/olympic-torch-arrival-ceremony">June 1996 video archived by C-Span</a> in which the congressman welcomed the Olympic flame to the U.S. Capitol steps (toggle to the 20-minute mark for Lewis' remarks).</p><p>The ceremony also inspired attendees to make time for personal correspondence and to find unlimited ways to engage in "<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/07/18/rep-john-lewis-most-memorable-quotes-get-good-trouble/5464148002/">good trouble</a>" for all their days. If you have not done so already, I strongly recommend your investment of time to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/opinion/john-lewis-civil-rights-america.html?smid=em-share">read or listen to Lewis' final op-ed</a> published by The New York Times shortly after his death. </p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Event photos by Nicholas Wolaver; stamp images via USPS; quote image below via BlackAlliance.org</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhztEB-nI5AyuQPWq9SHHQCT5uHNk53MTsrzLw_UT1GS0EKL2ca2s6tn9Wu1qG7ZWLXmE3R3P6CI6lra11CEIGPPWa78aZAaDxePMX9CMq2DYgD0O2qtbt67c4Fjlx_q7iuO-IY4mzwa9_v8jadERel88go8VxAfcKjjn775lE2-Pb1UFRBVqZ9rHL0_Ww/s2642/20230721_141050.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2352" data-original-width="2642" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhztEB-nI5AyuQPWq9SHHQCT5uHNk53MTsrzLw_UT1GS0EKL2ca2s6tn9Wu1qG7ZWLXmE3R3P6CI6lra11CEIGPPWa78aZAaDxePMX9CMq2DYgD0O2qtbt67c4Fjlx_q7iuO-IY4mzwa9_v8jadERel88go8VxAfcKjjn775lE2-Pb1UFRBVqZ9rHL0_Ww/s320/20230721_141050.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWk03m3FdGlvQ5qlKTzMCF04Pjwe8khmyUg_TZVaxkO0oqnuqiH8oaWdbV7PrU03l_LyakMqxBe83DTpSQakglooz4y88KvacZrd-w2kk8GgT__TZYUqpl5tk4cKsngWYqmJikvfj-GjicoVo8n_gzMhK5dnK0zwSaptB6WVS8js2aYxkm6ypsbThF36A/s1230/john_lewis_quote_good_trouble.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1230" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWk03m3FdGlvQ5qlKTzMCF04Pjwe8khmyUg_TZVaxkO0oqnuqiH8oaWdbV7PrU03l_LyakMqxBe83DTpSQakglooz4y88KvacZrd-w2kk8GgT__TZYUqpl5tk4cKsngWYqmJikvfj-GjicoVo8n_gzMhK5dnK0zwSaptB6WVS8js2aYxkm6ypsbThF36A/s320/john_lewis_quote_good_trouble.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KJC3fdmJ3oM" width="320" youtube-src-id="KJC3fdmJ3oM"></iframe></div><p></p>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-2659373072811554392023-06-23T03:06:00.003-07:002023-06-25T21:00:47.101-07:00Paris 2024 Unveils Grand Relais de la Flamme<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZHeTmFP7qxkuxfoa4XgTcG-SnWubhURDcq0G7v9NWUJwv-LL-XfqI-cn9ijU1eaXKhPWVFE-y_WAA6Evp31sYcZJc1IuZh65aN-XHwftepghCsX-QK5j_SUx4HCLFEZPyTeaqxSaZraUyXbnDAwd-Qt1ziR0cVxTcPYIskLKYwE6S8LzirYHY_e_3cqA/s1080/KV-OTR-ECLAIREURS-EN-double-embleme-9-16.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="787" data-original-width="1080" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZHeTmFP7qxkuxfoa4XgTcG-SnWubhURDcq0G7v9NWUJwv-LL-XfqI-cn9ijU1eaXKhPWVFE-y_WAA6Evp31sYcZJc1IuZh65aN-XHwftepghCsX-QK5j_SUx4HCLFEZPyTeaqxSaZraUyXbnDAwd-Qt1ziR0cVxTcPYIskLKYwE6S8LzirYHY_e_3cqA/w400-h291/KV-OTR-ECLAIREURS-EN-double-embleme-9-16.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Want to help the Olympic flame reach Paris? </span></div><p></p><p>There's still time for <a href="https://www.paris2024.org/en/torchbearers/">nominations</a> -- deadline 15 July -- for those seeking to fill one of the 10,000 torchbearer segments unveiled this Olympic Day. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW6hDHf8R6wDBoSQFxDJOvVG0pOMD_CzwtRyBxL28l5PFs-w7lopz2xzhgyStTFtSnm-XKjiR9eMgFbM9yIAHdxhzOkTEzIe2xfH7NTRW3dRE564cVRpJ0pJa99qDpI--tkPn3s6bXcA8Q4ZVbL9cXJ_1LHPFBrMaKl7DOLKsaUWNMTEV-wnI6_bWTyl0/s992/2787192b-c0de-449f-8e4b-b5e4aab7961b-80fa7f8345d6815055dafaef6a331e52.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="992" data-original-width="592" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW6hDHf8R6wDBoSQFxDJOvVG0pOMD_CzwtRyBxL28l5PFs-w7lopz2xzhgyStTFtSnm-XKjiR9eMgFbM9yIAHdxhzOkTEzIe2xfH7NTRW3dRE564cVRpJ0pJa99qDpI--tkPn3s6bXcA8Q4ZVbL9cXJ_1LHPFBrMaKl7DOLKsaUWNMTEV-wnI6_bWTyl0/w119-h200/2787192b-c0de-449f-8e4b-b5e4aab7961b-80fa7f8345d6815055dafaef6a331e52.webp" width="119" /></a></div>Each torchbearer will transport the flame about 200 meters, or just over 650 feet, which is shorter than my occasional Midtown Atlanta walks for lunch at <a href="https://marymacs.com/">Mary Mac's Tea Room</a>. <p></p><p>In press materials, this is estimated at four minutes per segment for the average torchbearer. Less officially that's 19 to 22 seconds for Usain Bolt or Florence Griffith-Joyner, respectively, the world and Olympic record holders for the same distance. </p><p>With help from Google Translate, I call it <i>la petite segment</i> (though <i>la petite tranche</i> sounds more dramatic). </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TdEMzff0mCVhQ_nQxsf9jlegOs9QC6y9OTOp7--TWdpxWJsx2WFXOtvqH77iCrC4YtbyQu4h5OTqxPdD02zCF-6QkW1l4vzvyELE5QBFrTIxq_-2m5BqoD7pWdBohoymaun_KHsFpASFkIMTYw-QkBfNxPyCO0GxCRKZw8lMJjZ6iwlEjehF0E3pARk/s1024/Torch%20Relay.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TdEMzff0mCVhQ_nQxsf9jlegOs9QC6y9OTOp7--TWdpxWJsx2WFXOtvqH77iCrC4YtbyQu4h5OTqxPdD02zCF-6QkW1l4vzvyELE5QBFrTIxq_-2m5BqoD7pWdBohoymaun_KHsFpASFkIMTYw-QkBfNxPyCO0GxCRKZw8lMJjZ6iwlEjehF0E3pARk/w200-h133/Torch%20Relay.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>During an online media preview held Tuesday morning, 2024 Olympic press team members showcased next year's torch relay route and other details under embargo until noon today in Paris. Since the first media question on the call regarded the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/20/world/europe/paris-2024-olympics-corruption-raid-france.html">in-progress police raid</a> at Paris 2024's headquarters, it was not immediately clear how much resonated with other reporters in attendance. <p></p><p>For this writer, the scope of next year's five-ringed route is impressive, as much for its blend of torch relay traditions with new elements as for its first-time <i>destinations exotiques</i>. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Mhn5cCm0YQzZdsasgS24dWYBb1Lsu0OmcE1usNVOQSou9uQ4gbBIMwWK_cTZ_XANk86KBDuavhC2ecuyKiY191BO2RH3MDsnfGjq0qHFrMlEjSbDLzKwcJebe4PfQtW6wa6NYTlkvWNu3yd2IWdO6jQQMuxAthF76PWtoo_XmVIX5eyci8Jj85qZmIY/s1800/Paris2024_CARTE-RELAIS-FLAMME-OLY-HEXAGONE-DROM-EN-carre.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Mhn5cCm0YQzZdsasgS24dWYBb1Lsu0OmcE1usNVOQSou9uQ4gbBIMwWK_cTZ_XANk86KBDuavhC2ecuyKiY191BO2RH3MDsnfGjq0qHFrMlEjSbDLzKwcJebe4PfQtW6wa6NYTlkvWNu3yd2IWdO6jQQMuxAthF76PWtoo_XmVIX5eyci8Jj85qZmIY/w200-h200/Paris2024_CARTE-RELAIS-FLAMME-OLY-HEXAGONE-DROM-EN-carre.png" width="200" /></a></div>Of course, the map starts in Olympia, Greece, where the Hellenic Olympic Committee will welcome the host city to launch the relay <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yD58s2ikdHE">with rays from the sun</a> on April 16, with VIP and Greek runners helping whisk aloft torches toward an April 26 ceremony at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens. <p></p><p>Borrowing from past relays, the Olympic flame and its entourage will next travel by ship -- specifically aboard the triple-masted <i><a href="https://www.fondationbelem.com/">Belem</a> </i>-- embarking from the Port of Piraeus on April 27, heading westward to Marseille in time for a May 8 arrival ceremony. Historians may appreciate the <i>Belem</i> <a href="https://www.fondationbelem.com/actualites/item/12925-le-belem-transportera-la-flamme-olympique-de-la-grece-a-marseille">enjoyed its maiden voyage</a> in 1896, the year Athens hosted the first modern Olympiad. </p><p>I'm not sure how the route overlaps with past torch relays on French soil, but the chosen path generally hugs the southern coast and border -- including a hop to Corsica -- then north through several western towns until arriving at coastal Brest, where on June 7 things get <i>intéressante</i> thanks to the crew of another sailing vessel, the impressive <i><a href="https://www.voile.banquepopulaire.fr/bateaux/maxi-banque-populaire-xi">Maxi Banque Populaire XI</a></i>, capable of getting the Flamme Olympique across the Atlantic in eight days. <a href="https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8bc3w5">This video</a> provides a peek aboard.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyTKzFNjnENWWBs4CaXh-gm5Oiz81dgv_zDpZA9iKpZ7IiUsIwDWs-AUYSZ9A-LQXpKawjHQpi1KbczPsKJzBIgnj1fGbNBlhXE8KaYwSr85e7x-2_iVBxZaRjdMwdRs0m4UiiJKTZBLnP_O5UBm_Tt_j5UiSD4-QwzpeezIAaHqFrgJqkC4Ljq9Y2IRg/s1920/Maxi%20Banque%20Populaire%20XI.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyTKzFNjnENWWBs4CaXh-gm5Oiz81dgv_zDpZA9iKpZ7IiUsIwDWs-AUYSZ9A-LQXpKawjHQpi1KbczPsKJzBIgnj1fGbNBlhXE8KaYwSr85e7x-2_iVBxZaRjdMwdRs0m4UiiJKTZBLnP_O5UBm_Tt_j5UiSD4-QwzpeezIAaHqFrgJqkC4Ljq9Y2IRg/w200-h113/Maxi%20Banque%20Populaire%20XI.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>Simultaneous to this oceanic crossing for the flame's first visits to Guadeloupe (June 15) and Martinique (June 17), other segments will be carried at ceremonies in French destinations including Guyana (June 9), Reunion (June 12) and French Polynesia (June 13), where weeks later Olympic surfers will ride the waves. Sidebar: Martinique is where Humphrey Bogart <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9Ay727EYzw">got quizzed RE: whistling</a> in "To Have and Have Not."<p></p><p>Not sure how -- my guess is by jet (as it was not made clear in the press kit) -- but on June 18 the flame returns to France <i>tout suite</i>, where <i>voilà</i>, the route resumes in Nice for its five-week final march to the City of Lights. </p><p>One noted <i>curiosité</i>: though the eastern map pinpoints a visit to 1924 Olympic host Chamonix, the route was charted <i>sans</i> Albertville and Grenoble, perhaps intentionally, which may leave each city's <i>chambre de commerce</i> to exclaim <i>sacrebleu</i> and others with their <i>culotte dans une liasse</i>.</p><p>No matter the possible flaming snubs, of the 2024 route -- it's a lot! </p><p>Not the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Summer_Olympics_torch_relay">longest</a> nor most elaborate torch relay, but definitely an expansive plan that will give tens of thousands of islanders or South American mainland and French residents a new or renewed option to experience the moving Olympic flame tradition. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj597veV0GC6iI1JdAkjGvw20O0rycHWucooWiHlRCFUQVYD3n7rMVkCCPU9DbOmhb0IsI9THGvV76RQUwjlW26K2qs8POW0z2RQJjKvef6aBbp4_D7mFhIJAq4NO0cfr5rMTgS-K5ue7_9e7T-Q5urzY_kDd5Pc-nL1IoqardCaEo87vZLUn58wSGsQlQ/s335/Bacall%20with%20flame.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="226" data-original-width="335" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj597veV0GC6iI1JdAkjGvw20O0rycHWucooWiHlRCFUQVYD3n7rMVkCCPU9DbOmhb0IsI9THGvV76RQUwjlW26K2qs8POW0z2RQJjKvef6aBbp4_D7mFhIJAq4NO0cfr5rMTgS-K5ue7_9e7T-Q5urzY_kDd5Pc-nL1IoqardCaEo87vZLUn58wSGsQlQ/w200-h135/Bacall%20with%20flame.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Those seeking to complete nominations may find helpful the Paris organizing committee's <a href="https://www.paris2024.org/en/faq/topic/torch-relay/">FAQ for the process</a>.<p></p><p>As for the crew of <i>Maxi Banque Populaire XI</i>, they'll be looking for Mother Nature to follow Lauren Bacall's instructions to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9Ay727EYzw">put [her] lips together and blow</a>. </p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Images courtesy Paris 2024, CFP on <a href="https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-10-18/2022-Beijing-Olympics-torch-lighting-ceremony-starts-in-Greece-14sDCr2UDGU/index.html">CGTN.com</a>, and <a href="https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8bc3w5">this Dailymotion link</a>. Lauren Bacall photo via <a href="https://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2014/09/lauren-bacall-lives-saturday-morning-hi-pointe/to_have_and_have_not-dvd-r1-01347/">We Are Movie Geeks</a>. Florence Griffith Joyner photo via <a href="https://www.oklahoman.com/picture-gallery/news/2021/07/21/flashback-1989-u-s-olympic-festival/8048422002/">Paul Hellstern/Daily Oklahoman</a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Ra8sapdYZGTBYJ7XHW8FsNe5Dos49uwGnmHD2E5VbAcHfHYdgv0iAC05uMTh7T5y-ptzSRz7xUA0G0PJXgggTk15zOyFK2y0amA4bnWdxC-fxI44A7oRQ0-dnNnhyz5QTlh7e5YEMq6Tgjz-ffC69_qHH5bpec_Q_gMEub1D0QO39_b6hoIFNmx_qJ8/s2721/Paris2024_CARTE-RELAIS-FLAMME-OLY-HEXAGONE-DROM-EN-16-9.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1530" data-original-width="2721" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Ra8sapdYZGTBYJ7XHW8FsNe5Dos49uwGnmHD2E5VbAcHfHYdgv0iAC05uMTh7T5y-ptzSRz7xUA0G0PJXgggTk15zOyFK2y0amA4bnWdxC-fxI44A7oRQ0-dnNnhyz5QTlh7e5YEMq6Tgjz-ffC69_qHH5bpec_Q_gMEub1D0QO39_b6hoIFNmx_qJ8/w400-h225/Paris2024_CARTE-RELAIS-FLAMME-OLY-HEXAGONE-DROM-EN-16-9.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-17052329480259398012023-04-03T22:53:00.006-07:002023-04-06T07:12:13.966-07:00Fleet of Foot Film "AIR" Scores Big with Olympic Nods and Matt Damon/Viola Davis Bank Shots<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdukMaT-OTFtrY9jtzahLMUJkAAEQKWX_gfqE8ROzepp--Wmt7m0Zf7eWdnpGW5qixidDmiVDkSxWMYdh-oc-RuohPLmE0jmPHHfvguIXu0f6GKGCuZ8MR9q0XI9phQyVDvZE63GO-qcxzQfFMQCVvQeIwkbmTczSKvoAv4Ka4PYWngGAN8V_7nbqo/s1920/Air%20Poster.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdukMaT-OTFtrY9jtzahLMUJkAAEQKWX_gfqE8ROzepp--Wmt7m0Zf7eWdnpGW5qixidDmiVDkSxWMYdh-oc-RuohPLmE0jmPHHfvguIXu0f6GKGCuZ8MR9q0XI9phQyVDvZE63GO-qcxzQfFMQCVvQeIwkbmTczSKvoAv4Ka4PYWngGAN8V_7nbqo/w400-h225/Air%20Poster.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Cinephiles and sports fans of all shoe sizes may revel that "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Euy4Yu6B3nU">AIR</a>" -- the new Nike-centric feature directed by Ben Affleck -- scores with <i>almost </i>nothing but net on the big screen. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7t1XWuyC6Dx0aYnV_zVJo81gL8G1JhXmbHd2wn-KAtICXxPlUCvRLJ6Qv4Co_F2GQcvDNJgw37D_Odd5NGf6gKkQXjcdW79Q2bafs6YI2Wll7gPorbNhTMcDL4-L3fQ4CexSS-Etz_drWvKuAGDQ-C-xj5UeXjBt-WcJ4kIM1ywpegbCcjCIQNr9/s464/Affleck%20AIR.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="317" data-original-width="464" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7t1XWuyC6Dx0aYnV_zVJo81gL8G1JhXmbHd2wn-KAtICXxPlUCvRLJ6Qv4Co_F2GQcvDNJgw37D_Odd5NGf6gKkQXjcdW79Q2bafs6YI2Wll7gPorbNhTMcDL4-L3fQ4CexSS-Etz_drWvKuAGDQ-C-xj5UeXjBt-WcJ4kIM1ywpegbCcjCIQNr9/w200-h137/Affleck%20AIR.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The fast-paced crowd pleaser centers on a few autumn '84 days when the global sports equipment brand courted then-recent Olympic gold medalist Michael Jordan as the era's B-ball shoe stalwarts Converse and Adidas also pursued the rising star. <p></p><p>Much like the basketball legend approaching his rookie NBA season, screenwriting newcomer Alex Convery weaves great storytelling with compelling dialogue peppered with light-hearted moments and inspiring monologues. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWojsobAVb1ixyzI6P9Ih8SBxbIwftApxNzgM_6iOWa7b3EPHK5H7izVtn4-cLz9KqCYmI6hM9-xdC8dA7XtvMCUlqZsX9xmeae5FHWnW7XZ04bdjK1BFSLeI8FZa7PbwUnrAPWgT9tzm2eLGuMqkWptLf-QyJewgkiT2q_BrsideyjvSPlo2gHKyx/s426/Davis%20in%20AIR.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="426" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWojsobAVb1ixyzI6P9Ih8SBxbIwftApxNzgM_6iOWa7b3EPHK5H7izVtn4-cLz9KqCYmI6hM9-xdC8dA7XtvMCUlqZsX9xmeae5FHWnW7XZ04bdjK1BFSLeI8FZa7PbwUnrAPWgT9tzm2eLGuMqkWptLf-QyJewgkiT2q_BrsideyjvSPlo2gHKyx/w200-h149/Davis%20in%20AIR.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The clear scene stealer is Viola Davis as Jordan's mother, one of several dealmakers including Nike's Michael Knight (Affleck), marketer (Jason Bateman), VP of athlete relations (Chris Tucker) and salesman Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) who ultimately must convince the Jordan family of the potential to write history for professional athletes, sports apparel and other industries touched by the world's all-time greatest basketball player.<p></p><p>Several moments of Davis' performance brought to mind her Oscar-nominated role holding her own with Meryl Streep in "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThsZ8wfhJpk">Doubt</a>," this time matching wits with Damon while they both circumvent a seasoned and, at times, slippery sports agent David Falk (Chris Messina). </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfWVUlJUajznpZDaXJW9rP3gcowNt9bQuTKEzPb_wcPn5QH3m4gz2p5I2B-tdUfxZBdi_dc_xFsqPN6zzL8CEH7P6kqx4mKueXIuHRty4s3yYgzh9yhg78PVyC8jZYHV8AjE-0Cd_9kMCxb837bnLXbHMTjErrhS1VkQxspivMfM-nQjn_18c43GVv/s537/Davis%20and%20Damon%20in%20AIR.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="537" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfWVUlJUajznpZDaXJW9rP3gcowNt9bQuTKEzPb_wcPn5QH3m4gz2p5I2B-tdUfxZBdi_dc_xFsqPN6zzL8CEH7P6kqx4mKueXIuHRty4s3yYgzh9yhg78PVyC8jZYHV8AjE-0Cd_9kMCxb837bnLXbHMTjErrhS1VkQxspivMfM-nQjn_18c43GVv/w200-h141/Davis%20and%20Damon%20in%20AIR.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Damon's Vaccaro channels some of his best elements from "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z860fRUigqU">The Informant!</a>" with a more ample, chuckle-inducing spare tire. Affleck as a bearded Knight (like "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9TdwetEIQ8">Argo</a>") and Tucker (a la "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vfTYfnwhpw">Silver Linings Playbook</a>") also shine, as does Marlon Wayans as LA84's golden Team USA Assistant Coach <a href="http://coachgeorgeraveling.com/">George Raveling</a>. <p></p><p>Affleck & Co. included a few five-ringed Easter eggs throughout the film, including an authentic looking Olympic gold medal and cauldron mosaic as set pieces of Adidas' German HQ. The film's climax also pops with archival <a href="https://olympics.com/en/athletes/michael-jordan">Dream Team</a> footage of Jordan on Barcelona's courts. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbeBLMOEMTjAGm3Xlu5YHtQOXiqfvACbLhh5LOX2LqDuDWSd2BRaI-0tlPDxC-DEOgm9jmJ0hx4m3TfnzSC3-hAko9-haOL-gsc9shGTLYG2fOdNavKjEHOGETRJ6vHX2omK9ufyIolbHNFnpGoSlNAhYca90EKwBxsGoWL60sshzuQG486S_yjsvb/s700/Shoe%20Lab%20in%20AIR.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbeBLMOEMTjAGm3Xlu5YHtQOXiqfvACbLhh5LOX2LqDuDWSd2BRaI-0tlPDxC-DEOgm9jmJ0hx4m3TfnzSC3-hAko9-haOL-gsc9shGTLYG2fOdNavKjEHOGETRJ6vHX2omK9ufyIolbHNFnpGoSlNAhYca90EKwBxsGoWL60sshzuQG486S_yjsvb/w200-h133/Shoe%20Lab%20in%20AIR.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The shoe lab scenes, which tee up the original design and naming of Air Jordans while introducing shoe designer Peter Moore (Matthew Maher) also resonate, and discovering a cameo by a personal favorite actress, Barbara Sukowa, this time as an heiress to the Adidas brand (reminiscent of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41NUqGNe-uc">her role</a> in "Europa" a.k.a. "Zentropa"), also proved fun, especially when juxtaposed with cool cucumber Davis across the boardroom table. <p></p><p>One fact-checked Achilles' heel, however, is the assortment of timing issues that play in the ample (and excellent) soundtrack, hand-picked by Affleck, according to <a href="https://www.showbiz411.com/2023/03/22/ben-affleck-on-air-80s-soundtrack-couldnt-get-van-halen-song-because-of-group-infighting-was-too-chaotic">published reports</a>. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoK2CeXd5Jm3nYIY2ev8mOyNt-vu_aKtZzGDAH1hIhgCmN_HwSNPRlitpeOm-oUbkouwNfAB5ZPf0R2SvWRDjU_AiuuW6ldhMB9G_imGWGxDfFXzlrPAZm1SAcTBfRbZZwKYMGGQQBvKuAz87zycqYlnqdds2Swst8bbxq8A2QzuFq2gwrM6TYad0L/s346/Knight%20AIR.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="294" data-original-width="346" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoK2CeXd5Jm3nYIY2ev8mOyNt-vu_aKtZzGDAH1hIhgCmN_HwSNPRlitpeOm-oUbkouwNfAB5ZPf0R2SvWRDjU_AiuuW6ldhMB9G_imGWGxDfFXzlrPAZm1SAcTBfRbZZwKYMGGQQBvKuAz87zycqYlnqdds2Swst8bbxq8A2QzuFq2gwrM6TYad0L/w200-h170/Knight%20AIR.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I lost count of songs -- starting with "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAD6Obi7Cag">Money for Nothing</a>" during the opening credits -- that are hits that only existed months after the October 1984 story (DUH! Dire Straits' first smash landed in June 1985, and Mike + The Mechanics' "All I Need Is A Miracle" arrived, for better or worse, as a 1986 single). According to one report, I'm <a href="https://www.startribune.com/rosalia-jason-isbell-snarky-puppy-danilo-perez-air-matt-damon-ben-affleck-shemekia-copeland-nike/600263432/">not alone</a> in wondering why the Olympic year's hitmakers Madonna, Prince and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbMX7Zg1HII">the other M.J.</a> went missing (at least <a href="https://www.showbiz411.com/2023/03/22/ben-affleck-on-air-80s-soundtrack-couldnt-get-van-halen-song-because-of-group-infighting-was-too-chaotic">Van Halen's omission</a> was explained). <p></p><p>These errors are forgivable, however, given the wealth of other strong selections including The Alan Parsons Project, Big Country, Bruce Springsteen, The Clash, Tangerine Dream and Cyndi Lauper, though I questioned the choice of her "Time After Time" over "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ffc0TCGIG4">Money Changes Everything</a>" given the portrayed financial stakes for all of the film's main characters. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZvaT-LOL2kwe-q5bfIg7AfJNonvyBs7snSMpYr4iNPccPr5jD23db2w-UxhFAR2s1-NhmJ_bSYcOSu78xlk1aL3RAk4nGACoqoX1FPsjvpNXy7BLRfwEMhLaG8N2NK9JsUkkRh2HO01NU-uXk5CN-BIe0QSEOauSJGyREK38WmOqU6QRPdCHa5SmH/s574/AIR%20Ana%20Carballosa.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="574" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZvaT-LOL2kwe-q5bfIg7AfJNonvyBs7snSMpYr4iNPccPr5jD23db2w-UxhFAR2s1-NhmJ_bSYcOSu78xlk1aL3RAk4nGACoqoX1FPsjvpNXy7BLRfwEMhLaG8N2NK9JsUkkRh2HO01NU-uXk5CN-BIe0QSEOauSJGyREK38WmOqU6QRPdCHa5SmH/w200-h114/AIR%20Ana%20Carballosa.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The other, less-forgivable error is the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ctz_YJMa4s">preposterous scene</a> in which Vacarro calls Knight from a rental car phone in rural North Carolina. Yes, car phones existed in 1984, but from this blogger's perspective, it is doubtful that Avis, Hertz or any other rental company offered such expensive equipment in their fleets of any year in that decade (or ever). <p></p><p>But these minor flaws are easy to overlook. What's apparent in "AIR" is that Affleck, Damon and the team had fun while fine-tuning their craft. Alley-oops abound, and just like Mike, this story makes us want to fly. </p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photos via Amazon Studios and Ana Carballosa/Prime</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kgnqxQizrW8" width="320" youtube-src-id="kgnqxQizrW8"></iframe></div><p></p>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-4867262325373776182023-03-14T11:26:00.000-07:002023-03-14T11:26:11.085-07:00Paris 2024 En Cinq Cents Jours<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XT0JD0-P2hy-F8gBIXrgJkJ45eVFJkWy9RZXVQRpXF8Rx7rpJugcCiumRfxONUzLlpnGE8lnc1onoC8e17kxhvgeQlmx8Y7xsavwo_w7b-jULXR2I0d3Xizbyb3K1IUFY4TtjgBu4eskuf84SJJQuAF7cc2YrHCDTTfGgKN3cdUm-rFjyUCKBF_l/s1386/2023-Olympics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1386" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XT0JD0-P2hy-F8gBIXrgJkJ45eVFJkWy9RZXVQRpXF8Rx7rpJugcCiumRfxONUzLlpnGE8lnc1onoC8e17kxhvgeQlmx8Y7xsavwo_w7b-jULXR2I0d3Xizbyb3K1IUFY4TtjgBu4eskuf84SJJQuAF7cc2YrHCDTTfGgKN3cdUm-rFjyUCKBF_l/w200-h156/2023-Olympics.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Where will you be in 500 days? <p></p><p>With God, a bit of planning, several serendipities and a month's pay, my aim is to be somewhere along the Seine. </p><p>That's where, rain or shine, the flotilla of French watercraft will transport athletes of the Games of the XXXIIIrd Olympiad as part of the riverfront <a href="https://www.paris2024.org/">Paris 2024</a> opening ceremony. </p><p>A lot can happen in 16 months. It's perhaps easier to predict my location just after next year's 26 July, since the recent <a href="https://tickets.paris2024.org/en/">five-ringed ticketing sale</a> yielded two wish list track and field tickets at Stade de France. </p><p>What tickets did you secure so far?</p><p>It's also easier to predict my desired location in about 400 days, when the next Olympic Torch Relay begins in Greece. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiV1H1RiyqUC1oms-WIbVjPW5BxlsNYmWW5_EHWfO8Kqwx2b77njFcR0rKOcPBVJICjuYl1OMAstYo8GbFESEO70TwyE93Uce2-V-Z3E7sidinvmzrpvP-NxbIBjUpFVmEJ3CX9ZsF8D8d2AHrneRF7bAHvwjVX1HnwHhusFZHYhlVDUpJ200GMRhI/s750/Marseille.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="750" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiV1H1RiyqUC1oms-WIbVjPW5BxlsNYmWW5_EHWfO8Kqwx2b77njFcR0rKOcPBVJICjuYl1OMAstYo8GbFESEO70TwyE93Uce2-V-Z3E7sidinvmzrpvP-NxbIBjUpFVmEJ3CX9ZsF8D8d2AHrneRF7bAHvwjVX1HnwHhusFZHYhlVDUpJ200GMRhI/w200-h120/Marseille.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The traditional route from Olympia to Athens will be a fitting preamble to the <a href="https://press.paris2024.org/news/marseille-will-welcome-the-olympic-flame-as-it-begins-its-journey-through-france-6f0b-7578a.html">flame's arrival aboard the Belem</a>, a massive ship, at the scenic French port of Marseille, fitting as the Greeks founded the city <a href="https://archive.org/details/marseille2600ans0000duch">around 600 B.C.</a> (thanks, Wikipedia).<p></p><p>In addition to Paris' opening ceremony, my hope is to also discover ticket options for tennis at Roland Garos, as well as climbing (already sold out), diving and equestrian, one of the Olympic sports not yet experienced in person. </p><p>Also curious which City of Lights parks may emerge as pin trading hubs (a personal favorite is <a href="https://www.louvre.fr/en/explore/the-palace/from-royal-garden-to-public-park">Tuileries Gardens</a>). On which points of the Paris map would you pin your badge exchange dreams?</p><p>See you in 500 days -- bon voyage on the journey and adventures that await us all!</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Images via Paris2024.org and <a href="https://oseniblog.com/key-issues-for-the-2024-olympic-games/">this site</a></span></p>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-80169300434975519652023-03-12T10:08:00.009-07:002023-03-12T21:09:48.324-07:00Blockbuster Vermeer Exhibition Yields Surprise Olympic Find in Amsterdam's RijksmuseumJust one line of <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/vermeers-secrets-review-a-master-under-the-microscope-11669464001">an October news article</a> inspired a February jaunt to Amsterdam. <div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDCISRExsdoYZ6eMz-o8GxCDz7aXcqEqNJfRhd5f2huy_8tOpH5rS1LznduFrALRwl0EOZTaTgHmC7LqHvnjEuuFH32kUjufWvB1I8-X-9KHVdVGmLbpppdJGwjxP425oCuKJGKdOKAPrbel44L6HU7fQpet4IFnudKxhIn80mxySxHqbPAJTaf58/s2206/20230225_212947.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1837" data-original-width="2206" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDCISRExsdoYZ6eMz-o8GxCDz7aXcqEqNJfRhd5f2huy_8tOpH5rS1LznduFrALRwl0EOZTaTgHmC7LqHvnjEuuFH32kUjufWvB1I8-X-9KHVdVGmLbpppdJGwjxP425oCuKJGKdOKAPrbel44L6HU7fQpet4IFnudKxhIn80mxySxHqbPAJTaf58/w200-h166/20230225_212947.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>"Vermeer retrospective to be held in 2023 at the Rijksmuseum" was all it took. </div><div><br /></div><div>In recent years (though we could not pinpoint exactly when), a close friend, his wife and I began an informal competition, each vying for the title of s/he "who has seen the most Vermeer paintings."</div><div><br /></div><div>With a reported "record number" (28) of the artist's canvases under one roof, it made sense to go Dutch post-haste, not only for the sake of advancement in our playful contest but also for the joy brought with each Vermeer viewing. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjIn-ePNCDod8iLszI28i7kFhz_WDpgXtdZMU6oPiY4DWOPINpi4tiiWp1nUwnHfOrZ16kU7FiiIfCnltp0Lxvswu9-OihbG3YbFLnQYEPfTd4bl7w2yiRFlQl6ks27_S8p9mYrwenwDg-axubOMZACcgO6Jm1iHuy1WhqfPmGyQj10JtF2zBtctHn/s2660/20230225_210837.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2416" data-original-width="2660" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjIn-ePNCDod8iLszI28i7kFhz_WDpgXtdZMU6oPiY4DWOPINpi4tiiWp1nUwnHfOrZ16kU7FiiIfCnltp0Lxvswu9-OihbG3YbFLnQYEPfTd4bl7w2yiRFlQl6ks27_S8p9mYrwenwDg-axubOMZACcgO6Jm1iHuy1WhqfPmGyQj10JtF2zBtctHn/w200-h182/20230225_210837.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Of the artist's 37 known works (down to 36 if one discounts a canvas still <a href="https://www.thehistoryofart.org/vermeer/concert/">missing from a 1990 burglary</a>, reduced further to 35 given <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/07/arts/vermeer-impostor-national-gallery.html">recent study</a>), each of us had experienced some of the "easy access" Vermeer portraits on view at the National Gallery in Washington, in the Manhattan-based galleries of The Met and neighboring <a href="https://olympicringsandotherthings.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-frick-collection-unfrickenbelievable.html">Frick Collection</a>, or in The Louvre, while neither of us yet journeyed to the more elusive Vermeer paintings further afield in museums of Germany, Ireland and Tokyo. The exhibition also promised, and delivered, a look at some works held in private collections. </div><div><br /></div><div>My own introduction to Vermeer was through client publicity work when "The Girl with the Pearl Earring" made its world tour <a href="https://olympicringsandotherthings.blogspot.com/2013/06/delight-der-dutch-details.html">summer stop at Atlanta's High Museum of Art</a> in 2013. It was love at first uncrating, setting in motion my quest to experience her siblings. </div><div><br /></div><div>Landing at Schipol was characteristically easy, and after short rail rides by train to Centraal and tram to the Leonardo Hotel, which faces the same canal as Rijksmuseum, it was just a short stroll to engage with Vermeer's masterpieces. In fact, the public transport commute was shorter than the three-hour exploration of the special galleries. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSuf-oLl7tPC3kP5ixthELXLZBPC0RhOOzQlN6SNaiEdbGtIvavGDQMjq7Tj1onkgOLfTpmYu0CdCKh-tZa5VM6RcHY05-zU29klZsvsGp1LNFYxFgCqsBfr_A_1de2VRKP4TUsaysTkA45aZ-N0cH_xOv1P1jTrEET2K2vpG0A2A6cOlZLaAAvRt/s2491/20230225_190044.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2491" data-original-width="2468" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSuf-oLl7tPC3kP5ixthELXLZBPC0RhOOzQlN6SNaiEdbGtIvavGDQMjq7Tj1onkgOLfTpmYu0CdCKh-tZa5VM6RcHY05-zU29klZsvsGp1LNFYxFgCqsBfr_A_1de2VRKP4TUsaysTkA45aZ-N0cH_xOv1P1jTrEET2K2vpG0A2A6cOlZLaAAvRt/w198-h200/20230225_190044.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>With some intention, it's now my habit (when museum security does not intervene) to first walk through art exhibitions in reverse, starting at the exit and slowly studying each work sans mobile phone and without reading wall texts. It's all about the art and just the works, not the organizer's narrative nor "expert" perspectives, though often there are informative notes to absorb during the second pass. </div><div><br /></div><div>Since most special exhibitions of late have a gift shop near the end, crossing this retail space usually teases the "must see" and "nice to see" highlights arranged by the curators. This proved especially true with Vermeer's retail opportunities, including a Rijksmuseum-specific batch of Playmobil sets. </div><div><br /></div><div>I learned Vermeer painted from the mid-1650s to 1672, sometimes investing two or three years on one creation, and occasionally working on more than one painting simultaneously. Paraphrasing Rijksmuseum General Director Taco Dibbits' foreword to the exhibition catalogue, 'Closer to Vermeer' could be the exhibition's motto, which rings true in than I got my face right up within a half-meter of almost everything hanging on the dark blue or taupe walls. </div><div><br /></div><div>The first visual feast was "Woman with a Pearl Necklace" in town from Berlin, one of four or five Vermeers in which his model dons a yellow fur with what may be snow leopard cuffs and collars. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh4niI-d-MWgzmMHv7tY-vP9yAeNScJsqJVFkOrmudCKwJ6oQGFJc8KQW1Vj-PpjSgkcHSdkurMAFsZxPy9PZ7sY3e7wZBLW2MNsvyt7RsMslVS3MQyju5vzEt_o34mSzYIoeD7uzzh14brPiq3Qg5o7S8sJvqCrz6WEhLU2RjWg6jLMCVZLmRANxV/s2992/20230225_210946.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2992" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh4niI-d-MWgzmMHv7tY-vP9yAeNScJsqJVFkOrmudCKwJ6oQGFJc8KQW1Vj-PpjSgkcHSdkurMAFsZxPy9PZ7sY3e7wZBLW2MNsvyt7RsMslVS3MQyju5vzEt_o34mSzYIoeD7uzzh14brPiq3Qg5o7S8sJvqCrz6WEhLU2RjWg6jLMCVZLmRANxV/w200-h200/20230225_210946.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Not far from her, "The Geographer" which travelled from Frankfurt, gazed out the artist's studio window that graces the left side in many other works. </div><div><br /></div><div>The galleries did not seem overcrowded from my 7 p.m. entry to closing time at 10. More than once I overheard English speaking guests referencing the outstanding Penn & Teller feature documentary film "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPL7D0Ha1kQ">Tim's Vermeer</a>" regarding a businessman who invested in study of the artist's technique. Other languages overheard include Dutch, French, Mandarin, Japanese, Spanish or Portuguese and at least one indecipherable conversation from Eastern Europe (possibly Russian or Polish). </div><div><br /></div><div>With an exception or two, each gallery included five-to-seven works, with Vermeer's two known hometown street or landscapes, assorted character study tronies and more monumental works generally grouped together. </div><div><br /></div><div>While I spent about five to seven minutes with each work -- about 2.5 hours plus a Nescafe/waffle break and exit through the gift shop -- certain canvases really popped or resonated:</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4WKmuiY2OOPp8Ty3hbVUc01xkqpS_D0xDLVln7HeX_lb9Ow_y1eeVbapZ9T3R7TLQF1F_0XZ4dwIA_OtjjkrTBdbKxm8JK2GqS0lhoKkIkV_7kkNII4lJuKqR8qyWTK_UOnPSUY5iOBzDfhizVZFcnY0pLefLho_oFulaoXEmfQrN3rriwVx4010/s2343/20230225_214422.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2343" data-original-width="1954" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4WKmuiY2OOPp8Ty3hbVUc01xkqpS_D0xDLVln7HeX_lb9Ow_y1eeVbapZ9T3R7TLQF1F_0XZ4dwIA_OtjjkrTBdbKxm8JK2GqS0lhoKkIkV_7kkNII4lJuKqR8qyWTK_UOnPSUY5iOBzDfhizVZFcnY0pLefLho_oFulaoXEmfQrN3rriwVx4010/w267-h320/20230225_214422.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>From Tokyo's National Museum of Western Art, "Saint Praxedis" was entirely new to me and one of the boldest surprises, not only for its subject's vivid rouge attire but also the drama -- a decapitated martyr and another woman approaching his corpse -- looming in the background. The squeezing of blood from her foreground cloth or sponge into an elaborate urn is reminiscent of another fluid-spilling work displayed around the corner (and painted three years later), "The Milkmaid" in a temporary new space of her home museum. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrf4Hl4kxPNSf5oM8NkOSgcNUkEb0axBb7WEtcTUwZ6MWvCZR5TVrnc8l_45kI-wTf97KGJu5CWvu4tguN5sSWwVLMbacH-FtjMZDrOmt4hGdzCrjBM-yPaBaiS6V-hQmNCxaRX33i0xATlUJJkzgPTNgWKcy5LDJNMeBcr_WLTFBjVzDf69o7EQF/s2137/20230225_214328.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2137" data-original-width="1654" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrf4Hl4kxPNSf5oM8NkOSgcNUkEb0axBb7WEtcTUwZ6MWvCZR5TVrnc8l_45kI-wTf97KGJu5CWvu4tguN5sSWwVLMbacH-FtjMZDrOmt4hGdzCrjBM-yPaBaiS6V-hQmNCxaRX33i0xATlUJJkzgPTNgWKcy5LDJNMeBcr_WLTFBjVzDf69o7EQF/w310-h400/20230225_214328.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>"Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window" in town from Dresden. This canvas enjoyed a bit of its own, well-deserved <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/09/arts/design/vermeer-cupid-restoration.html?searchResultPosition=1">international press</a> in recent years for the museum discovery and restoration of a painted-over Cupid portrait aloft in the artist's studio.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgru0uVred-6SED6S6HAMRmNXek22Q2rY9Yun8oO7Qa6Rf0QDQ0JNe-c0lmPgDjgYePUL6jZCr0-9uapw5H0LoS2QBVQMgqa3LeeY525LRJ9xPm7KZi3NIYS_Io0dlJFn73RzidzQfJMfZssoOJlPmFVx_uSZMh_-fHbXeA0-wfzGgq_GhjGRKx15F-/s910/800px-J_Vermeer_van_Delft_-_Lady_Standing_at_a_Virginal_-_National_Gallery,_London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="910" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgru0uVred-6SED6S6HAMRmNXek22Q2rY9Yun8oO7Qa6Rf0QDQ0JNe-c0lmPgDjgYePUL6jZCr0-9uapw5H0LoS2QBVQMgqa3LeeY525LRJ9xPm7KZi3NIYS_Io0dlJFn73RzidzQfJMfZssoOJlPmFVx_uSZMh_-fHbXeA0-wfzGgq_GhjGRKx15F-/w351-h400/800px-J_Vermeer_van_Delft_-_Lady_Standing_at_a_Virginal_-_National_Gallery,_London.jpg" width="351" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>"Young Woman Standing at a Virginal" which had fellow attendees or docents and me pointing out "there's that Cupid again." The youthful musician breaks the fourth wall with a sly smirk while fingering the instrument's keys, as if to state, "Here's another ditty from Delft!"</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAgf5lH08DdBllpwxO76sbX3P33z8lW4bT_O5aehzEMvsZ6OENTd7z4zhhGKTn8s1iZHW_cvDL0QRh0C46ANCSjx4vTvD4qZT_H0iIFjUfLPmFeL5nFO7zX4UPJoLun-lmA4Q1f_gqD7H6H-GFbfrBtjQ1GpYfBo7hIg5lhtemLFzxeeU5LtAzErMV/s1024/Girl_Interrupted_at_Her_Music.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="1024" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAgf5lH08DdBllpwxO76sbX3P33z8lW4bT_O5aehzEMvsZ6OENTd7z4zhhGKTn8s1iZHW_cvDL0QRh0C46ANCSjx4vTvD4qZT_H0iIFjUfLPmFeL5nFO7zX4UPJoLun-lmA4Q1f_gqD7H6H-GFbfrBtjQ1GpYfBo7hIg5lhtemLFzxeeU5LtAzErMV/w400-h355/Girl_Interrupted_at_Her_Music.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>"Girl Interrupted at Her Music" with another Vermeer model breaking the fourth wall, this time with less mirth and more of a melancholic or <i>j'accuse!</i> gaze. This painting inspired the title and themes of the early 1990s <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/90573/girl-interrupted-by-susanna-kaysen/">memoir</a> and later <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/girl_interrupted">film</a> starring Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie and Elisabeth Moss. This was my second encounter, a follow up to a <a href="https://olympicringsandotherthings.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-frick-collection-unfrickenbelievable.html">2015 intro at The Frick</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMY9hqh6fkWx-JU0H_Uz97qUnhg8qIKg5ZqZ0FNfMXj0724OBRg4_XvboEfn9EVIGdza03HIu0w38GhJ95KEvobcrahynpKyCA4M4BCxZ-_V4WSGotl0OzUOWGPskDmoTNAvBwi606wy-8IhgU0uTnshDiKpfdXA1ubzthm121LtN0Kf9YxJczE6JG/s2324/20230225_211303.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2007" data-original-width="2324" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMY9hqh6fkWx-JU0H_Uz97qUnhg8qIKg5ZqZ0FNfMXj0724OBRg4_XvboEfn9EVIGdza03HIu0w38GhJ95KEvobcrahynpKyCA4M4BCxZ-_V4WSGotl0OzUOWGPskDmoTNAvBwi606wy-8IhgU0uTnshDiKpfdXA1ubzthm121LtN0Kf9YxJczE6JG/w400-h345/20230225_211303.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>"The Glass of Wine" featuring a young woman polishing off a serving of vino while a Dutchman motions as though to refill her glass. My eyes kept shifting to the brightly backlit stained-glass window, which I later learned depicts Temperance. </div><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">But the pi</span><span style="background-color: white;">è</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">ce de r</span><span style="background-color: white;">é</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">sistance painting that brought a tear of joy was another new-to-me Vermeer titled "The Procuress" featuring a mix of favorite elements framed by the artist elsewhere. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsyEXlBJhGHfX6hPMB3XgtfQHO5oFGFeJ5PE0CB2rLcTihkMn5nRZNwr3K0TofMH8Ph_cJjrLcBr_ha7JMaIP3S-gy0KguopmeGIjIpSexAKQN94AZydxch1A1JFPxciGCz638_zs7JY0uIkkRhP34RQOcvCrrdkR65uOD_sJy-2hf61iRYsoSj_kN/s2722/20230225_214558%20(1).jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2722" data-original-width="2088" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsyEXlBJhGHfX6hPMB3XgtfQHO5oFGFeJ5PE0CB2rLcTihkMn5nRZNwr3K0TofMH8Ph_cJjrLcBr_ha7JMaIP3S-gy0KguopmeGIjIpSexAKQN94AZydxch1A1JFPxciGCz638_zs7JY0uIkkRhP34RQOcvCrrdkR65uOD_sJy-2hf61iRYsoSj_kN/w153-h200/20230225_214558%20(1).jpg" width="153" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The tapestry, for instance, is so detailed you could almost count individual threads. Or the light reflecting from the Dutch porcelain, drinking glass and hand-held guilder also pops delicately from the grin of Vermeer's self-portrait (far left). This canvas made me beam from ear to ear -- I would happily book future passage to experience it again in its Dresden museum home.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Of course, it was fun to reacquaint with "Girl with a Pearl Earring" after all these years (paraphrasing Bobby Brown's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGySW4HMdRE">late 80s single</a></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">, "my heart belongs to this tronie"), and also to again experience The Frick's "Officer and Laughing Girl" which, like "The Astronomer" in Paris (regrettably absent for unknown Louvre reasons) is a longtime favorite. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXocctAbSdTqL04c3FtroLcoFxZVBVwE8MGQitjazAgD7LRI6xIYslAzTXPxDYnf7mA0EwDzounzDHlX3uSCBwakI0epU5b8RdTYCkNmPsVXX9AZIrwEWJ3d37y3eN3KXufamU3_Gu30CntE-_HbG8E75MGsMbPiR0nO7bji_-r-ElU1nXotiqb3vq/s1521/20230225_211639.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1521" data-original-width="1334" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXocctAbSdTqL04c3FtroLcoFxZVBVwE8MGQitjazAgD7LRI6xIYslAzTXPxDYnf7mA0EwDzounzDHlX3uSCBwakI0epU5b8RdTYCkNmPsVXX9AZIrwEWJ3d37y3eN3KXufamU3_Gu30CntE-_HbG8E75MGsMbPiR0nO7bji_-r-ElU1nXotiqb3vq/w176-h200/20230225_211639.jpg" width="176" /></a></div>Observation of "The Love Letter" from the Rijksmuseum collection inspired remarks to a friendly museum guard in that the paper missive might instead be handed over from a neighbor imploring the featured young musician to "put down that lute!"</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The same guard explained that for the Vermeer exhibition -- which <a href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/rijksmuseum-shuts-down-website-ticket-sales-overwhelming-demand-johannes-vermeer-1234659957/">sold out tens of thousands*</a> of tickets during the early days of availability -- the museum assigned about one guard per canvas, perhaps in response to recent protest-centered vandalism that literally brought ruin within only a glass pane's width of a Vermeer in The Hague (a dreadfully misguided and overly risky PR stunt I and other professional communicators have deplored via direct messages to the protesters' media counsel). </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">* I was not yet able to verify numbers, but another guard estimated "over 200,000" tickets including thousands of stretch timeslots added in response to overwhelming demand. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIosrbPCP5gRQhFqJ9_vXmugP6qv0sIfL4yflZO3FIGvbvXLVFlVJiXDiNYy9mG07w_YwJ0-8rbTVArfcWH-ZSiSAGCc9DHQAaAbSvlxcGFXvBmogEa5oVci5T5KS60t0mWrqAGNhwjFkYAg8xJzJC4ZCCNBafs4bVOu9Ns1vlBC1zLzmEpEsUZuML/s789/20230225_212636.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="631" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIosrbPCP5gRQhFqJ9_vXmugP6qv0sIfL4yflZO3FIGvbvXLVFlVJiXDiNYy9mG07w_YwJ0-8rbTVArfcWH-ZSiSAGCc9DHQAaAbSvlxcGFXvBmogEa5oVci5T5KS60t0mWrqAGNhwjFkYAg8xJzJC4ZCCNBafs4bVOu9Ns1vlBC1zLzmEpEsUZuML/w160-h200/20230225_212636.jpg" width="160" /></a></div>Though my ticket purchase went through with ease on Feb. 4, a day or two after my friend's wife purchased her passage to Holland for mid-March, within a few days of their on-sale and the opening week blitzkrieg of publicity for the show, the <a href="https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/whats-on/exhibitions/vermeer">museum website now states</a> "The Vermeer exhibition is definitively sold out" with a <a href="https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/nl/johannes-vermeer">link</a> provided to view the entire experience virtually. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's hoping those who secured tickets enjoy the experience as much as I did through my reverse-course, the start-to-finish sequence and back again to gather photos for this post. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The race to discover the next and remaining, unseen Vermeers ... <i>is on!</i></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Since my special exhibition ticket was for an after-hours Saturday evening, the press office at Rijksmuseum was kind enough to help me purchase a media ticket to view the main collection the next day. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_1NXmFDxdlkjPNddOCY5NwhmcARXqcAwdODXv4Q2ab4DzJl2HGFdVuDVUUpeWWm4PymYjxR-G-mJcl-bnhtAyBNxt47TnhE2XgaO27dyJGMkwbeMGASwG1hNN2zojqZz_luAN1piQTEyTybAhdI607LZV6v08cpLCneTPrz8QmoyXr2mhPdTf_y_r/s2058/20230226_150815.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2058" data-original-width="790" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_1NXmFDxdlkjPNddOCY5NwhmcARXqcAwdODXv4Q2ab4DzJl2HGFdVuDVUUpeWWm4PymYjxR-G-mJcl-bnhtAyBNxt47TnhE2XgaO27dyJGMkwbeMGASwG1hNN2zojqZz_luAN1piQTEyTybAhdI607LZV6v08cpLCneTPrz8QmoyXr2mhPdTf_y_r/w123-h320/20230226_150815.jpg" width="123" /></a></div>While I will eventually craft a separate post about Rijksmuseum's outstanding treasures, as noted in the headline to this Vermeer summary, a five-ringed discovery was revealed in close proximity to the special exhibition galleries. </div><div><br /></div><div>Peering in on Suday, around the corner from the Vermeer entrance, signage prompted a peek inside an Asian Collection gallery in which one of the museum's newest acquisitions -- a donated assemblage of Japanese prints spanning several decades -- yielded a gorgeous platform diving image that, according to the wall text, was a color woodblock print by Onchi Koshiro. </div><div><br /></div><div>"According to collector Elise Wessels, this is one of the most beautiful prints in the donation ... Onchi made it for the exhibition at the Los Angeles Museum of History, Science and Art organized for the 1932 Summer Olympics."</div><div><br /></div><div>Bravo, Koshiro!</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photos by Nicholas Wolaver</span></div><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVHMpNVAQCK9pZVnPcVu2jXaz_vIbYRTSCf5IMaT-YPhazWilaGYD0IIy6JBzleL4ciWddBigSu8P3xT-XgXqs9t8IZKrLzD5Dq8E_HF4c_8sVpIcHvNwVoqd-sla9egPxXFR1mDcunwvIsz4FK6BfU-xM6l2Yq1GelyFJ5pJpHZ3nxQXXku8Y-Ooi/s2077/20230225_214347.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2077" data-original-width="1900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVHMpNVAQCK9pZVnPcVu2jXaz_vIbYRTSCf5IMaT-YPhazWilaGYD0IIy6JBzleL4ciWddBigSu8P3xT-XgXqs9t8IZKrLzD5Dq8E_HF4c_8sVpIcHvNwVoqd-sla9egPxXFR1mDcunwvIsz4FK6BfU-xM6l2Yq1GelyFJ5pJpHZ3nxQXXku8Y-Ooi/w366-h400/20230225_214347.jpg" width="366" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1289" data-original-width="1879" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6W8phdzp0X9tXSyE-42JugNoh7L1yXhkiGPQ-V-M_fVhXpj--lIOq5uA1qRwnPjxdOu4e6_1W4JkZvKe6XkN2oNzy4-SXsi2o0T2bUBJg-mahqDB-m-EgnO-0u84ysuxLoERY2_FsfP1iyhZMsrIQMcSel5gj5lVntABfPjQMVd7j0rQ9t3Z-N_n/w400-h275/20230225_213647.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-40477274308139431202023-02-16T22:08:00.004-08:002023-02-17T14:25:23.927-08:00Guggenheim Presents "Alex Katz: Gathering"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-45n5GfQ4DObyaHHqXW0clRiSPBWn0zmCwhWZQhXf_pJ60aCjx31iF6-F2sSC_3oAssouNsb5o8W8WMWymn4AN2jllXd09_7OfVdj2zJMWMDBBnp5ezuzvyna7oze0MArRKHKSIBiRw-7LpKwcLylJIWnxceS-LowHTtWnsIEJnmD5Ua1TjkKAu3A/s2039/20221107_121939.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2039" data-original-width="1666" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-45n5GfQ4DObyaHHqXW0clRiSPBWn0zmCwhWZQhXf_pJ60aCjx31iF6-F2sSC_3oAssouNsb5o8W8WMWymn4AN2jllXd09_7OfVdj2zJMWMDBBnp5ezuzvyna7oze0MArRKHKSIBiRw-7LpKwcLylJIWnxceS-LowHTtWnsIEJnmD5Ua1TjkKAu3A/w261-h320/20221107_121939.jpg" width="261" /></a></div>When the High Museum of Art presented 60 works by Alex Katz in 2015, I learned and <a href="https://olympicringsandotherthings.blogspot.com/2015/06/this-is-now-alex-katz-out-of-bag.html">wrote about</a> how the artist captures "quick things passing" as part of his craft. </div><div><br /></div><div>Borrowing lyrics from the Olympic anthem "One Moment in Time," Katz succeeds in enabling viewers of his works to "feel eternity" in frozen family memories, knowing glances of friends, still scenes from nature or portraits of his muse and wife, Ada, depicted 1,000+ times since they met and married in 1957.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5OryMkN04No3HdU4ZP0sqI3nKK2QxiGaSuczoxcQH4N-XYzoa33otrFYnR1n4W2iJ6zgqZvga3JN4iLuvKWKZmj0_6HwzWt5t4_CIZDU8so8xHXVO1LRe0KMJhsHycbdD_SixNiRYc9iyTHCCeRumvIp4AeSQJpWjq_j24qWNrzR2i-FFUCMuhcc/s2992/20221107_121818.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2992" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5OryMkN04No3HdU4ZP0sqI3nKK2QxiGaSuczoxcQH4N-XYzoa33otrFYnR1n4W2iJ6zgqZvga3JN4iLuvKWKZmj0_6HwzWt5t4_CIZDU8so8xHXVO1LRe0KMJhsHycbdD_SixNiRYc9iyTHCCeRumvIp4AeSQJpWjq_j24qWNrzR2i-FFUCMuhcc/w200-h200/20221107_121818.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>So, when summer <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/18/t-magazine/alex-katz.html">news reports emerged</a> announcing the Guggenheim would present a "career retrospective" in the Frank Lloyd Wright rotunda, I marked my calendar for an autumn return to Manhattan for the potential assemblage of "must see masterpieces." </div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, curiosity piqued while wondering whether Katz's 1976 work "Olympic Swimmer" might appear (as it was absent at the High).</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnfrFPA9CGUGDzCQvLufCF3Izbu9_BtRlbfgtK8KFFxuIGsvVd3gylYDKRI7o-bsvShbbLvk0xYD0iMi2S6pZLQF-MsW94Tz91E58-EGyTKt3W2QFOgp-6LCHq0strwlHQ_NbfBHHfdNX38jdfmkRht_6PZPY-0sPsrWcwJPQC-CMEj1eGOwC-f8zc/s2502/20221107_120331.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="652" data-original-width="2502" height="52" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnfrFPA9CGUGDzCQvLufCF3Izbu9_BtRlbfgtK8KFFxuIGsvVd3gylYDKRI7o-bsvShbbLvk0xYD0iMi2S6pZLQF-MsW94Tz91E58-EGyTKt3W2QFOgp-6LCHq0strwlHQ_NbfBHHfdNX38jdfmkRht_6PZPY-0sPsrWcwJPQC-CMEj1eGOwC-f8zc/w200-h52/20221107_120331.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Though this five-ringed work is not presented in "<a href="https://www.guggenheim.org/exhibition/alex-katz-gathering">Alex Katz: Gathering</a>" on view through Feb. 20, there are dozens of other gorgeous and thoughtful canvases -- including some aquatic depictions -- as well as cutouts, collages and sketches that easily justified the special journey to Manhattan in November. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sadly, life and procrastination brought me to this point of posting a review just days before the exhibition closes, much later than intended when the museum press office kindly provided a media ticket for access.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFoZjTawk1YRcKEeU2gg34PzZTHExtxepEactpJWy9Zl-ZRtc4_Qu7JmkLb4OyJc66Nte4gpgSQ1E5XUd4LI7ykp1Fg_ZwhOKvk-J7RH2Q13X6KRUVkEsaPTV49f3BQ2thg8YHccQysCwu36-hK6Wsebn2l--fHQkVbPwFld8XfVA_nFmByxFHb-O/s1906/20221107_114029.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1472" data-original-width="1906" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFoZjTawk1YRcKEeU2gg34PzZTHExtxepEactpJWy9Zl-ZRtc4_Qu7JmkLb4OyJc66Nte4gpgSQ1E5XUd4LI7ykp1Fg_ZwhOKvk-J7RH2Q13X6KRUVkEsaPTV49f3BQ2thg8YHccQysCwu36-hK6Wsebn2l--fHQkVbPwFld8XfVA_nFmByxFHb-O/w200-h154/20221107_114029.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>If you are fortunate to be in or near the Upper East Side area through Monday, this gathering is well worth a visit. </div><div><br /></div><div>Though the works are presented chronologically for Guggenheim visitors to experience while ascending the iconic atrium ramp, once my ticket was scanned, I made a bee line to the elevator to enjoy the works top down. </div><div><br /></div><div>In my two-hour descent starting with the artist's most recent works, I enjoyed piecing together relevance to earlier works then affirming some hunches via the wall texts. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMUScGJpQ6hIdhrqH9PL6AoaWrrzwjWossWhBUhxAdYr2NB09nIwIJM9k8YsE_3ipjNErl3CK_HPcrJw8xKfW7qqQus6MEcul5JGk0I5nyh4yay-NchSLpeUeYB-Ws3DpQVNFcFemoFBq95E6lPFx2TFMnPEdiMRNY6wOSbL0HNR6fz4eMr85GNYf/s1510/20221107_112417.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1420" data-original-width="1510" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMUScGJpQ6hIdhrqH9PL6AoaWrrzwjWossWhBUhxAdYr2NB09nIwIJM9k8YsE_3ipjNErl3CK_HPcrJw8xKfW7qqQus6MEcul5JGk0I5nyh4yay-NchSLpeUeYB-Ws3DpQVNFcFemoFBq95E6lPFx2TFMnPEdiMRNY6wOSbL0HNR6fz4eMr85GNYf/w200-h188/20221107_112417.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Over here, an assortment of portraits. </div><div><br /></div><div>Over there, a docent trying her darndest to keep some third graders' attention on a backyard scene. </div><div><br /></div><div>New to my eyes and Katz awareness: the artist's many two-sided cutouts, sometimes life-sized, others as solo or grouped busts. A couple of the five-foot cutouts featuring a man and woman in 1970s attire were positioned as though chatting along the ramp's circular rail, while another cutout of a man seemed to be strolling toward a nearby painting.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhahHdXlkx9wTLu13ChYKFbLhxmtCNM5nvwRT6pqYZAEAV-OuWHY2Nd4S4f9vCO-S8Ye6LF9kYdoVc4-Xb9A3mUaguyN8t8L_UryGryr3ZieF2YVIWE_g6gztPhQoUtMuGxTN7kbK7PComqEazQdVXolpKLwbcRTySni5O_UF_8IcflUaAU4Cp2t9ht/s2315/20221107_125102.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2315" data-original-width="1702" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhahHdXlkx9wTLu13ChYKFbLhxmtCNM5nvwRT6pqYZAEAV-OuWHY2Nd4S4f9vCO-S8Ye6LF9kYdoVc4-Xb9A3mUaguyN8t8L_UryGryr3ZieF2YVIWE_g6gztPhQoUtMuGxTN7kbK7PComqEazQdVXolpKLwbcRTySni5O_UF_8IcflUaAU4Cp2t9ht/w147-h200/20221107_125102.jpg" width="147" /></a></div>While studying several works for a few minutes each, no singular Katz consistently stopped people in their tracks more that the large 1980 canvas titled "Song" featuring a trio of musicians at a piano, as well as "Cocktail Party" featuring an urban soiree of 1965. </div><div><br /></div><div>The exhibit also featured oversized flowers and dynamic portraits that resonated with this writer and Katz fan. I simply love his shoreline paintings depicting sunshine or moonlight dancing on the waters of their foregrounds. The eyes of his portraits always captivate my gaze as well. </div><div><br /></div><div>Indicative of the show's popularity in its early weeks, the museum was out of <a href="https://www.guggenheim.org/publication/alex-katz-gathering">exhibition catalogues</a>. Exiting through the gift shop empty-handed was OK, however, given the enrichment secured while viewing so many of the nonagenarian's works in one place. </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photos by Nicholas Wolaver</span></div><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6IehXDo7m__gGMwJEgmA6LmcUyFkbx7LDDI9WFn5dhs6KR662Us6R_Vih9sq6qlzgBqnPLXl15nuW5cxdX3oF4NNGCCnMM7UjRKAJ1Dw_WeC6XGdmXpPJ3ll9RATSuwQ7XlaC2XVDcVgYDJFRSccmdTZND8cJhcT_ynp7A8-P1GBwreGRweI_hCIF/s1385/20221107_130124.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="1385" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6IehXDo7m__gGMwJEgmA6LmcUyFkbx7LDDI9WFn5dhs6KR662Us6R_Vih9sq6qlzgBqnPLXl15nuW5cxdX3oF4NNGCCnMM7UjRKAJ1Dw_WeC6XGdmXpPJ3ll9RATSuwQ7XlaC2XVDcVgYDJFRSccmdTZND8cJhcT_ynp7A8-P1GBwreGRweI_hCIF/s320/20221107_130124.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK1edHF8vsL_250djjFdb-FaVsJdZ7WHaefljfNlhbeqKWwFMgspWGyeddoFOyPCDSwVtxPgDYFEZzuuwlnNspwOjklVJdj4-Etz3w2Uie2sF9rmFzGA2NOPVmLeDz8gcMiYbBAdqgmlHP6azX_2TXrs82c84dhPRDoPwOa_KO6J0xLCpNdkToNbmL/s1588/20221107_120441.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1588" data-original-width="703" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK1edHF8vsL_250djjFdb-FaVsJdZ7WHaefljfNlhbeqKWwFMgspWGyeddoFOyPCDSwVtxPgDYFEZzuuwlnNspwOjklVJdj4-Etz3w2Uie2sF9rmFzGA2NOPVmLeDz8gcMiYbBAdqgmlHP6azX_2TXrs82c84dhPRDoPwOa_KO6J0xLCpNdkToNbmL/w178-h400/20221107_120441.jpg" width="178" /></a></div>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-27746408342674237222022-11-29T11:34:00.005-08:002022-11-29T21:36:18.272-08:00Size Doesn't Matter at Savoy Automobile Museum<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhdlzwlnPomnqa4kWfk9ozmv0I1EO5zO2fZdJdAOKhPblWF6zm-2qSfq4U4zGVXkE6U_09hsjd0HolRb5w_HBSdPIrOl1pB4HlaKbIJ1cMoYXibVDx1Lv8dcotyWZWLBGIKmOHxmms8HqdSd6Qw-8YMnCFnZX66eyhmEA-TajjHSNPTH1cTNhpT-Y/s2818/Savoy%20Building.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="2818" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhdlzwlnPomnqa4kWfk9ozmv0I1EO5zO2fZdJdAOKhPblWF6zm-2qSfq4U4zGVXkE6U_09hsjd0HolRb5w_HBSdPIrOl1pB4HlaKbIJ1cMoYXibVDx1Lv8dcotyWZWLBGIKmOHxmms8HqdSd6Qw-8YMnCFnZX66eyhmEA-TajjHSNPTH1cTNhpT-Y/w400-h128/Savoy%20Building.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Residents and road trippers through northwest Georgia have a gem of a new museum to explore as the <a href="https://savoymuseum.org/">Savoy Automobile Museum</a> celebrates one year of operation in early December. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM5EwmvDJMfaRxtxBNEVVrJ501TIdAbFhdDkkL0f2XC9Zvxu5njjz-Tnw0TWzLqBb3qtPBg9tAGIhSNiFDiACgtLPcjWpuFBpixUtHc7wtVf4Qpv6xtZiySVNMeNpN9pelrIvuqa0vMP-WEHWtMZ2fMcB3VHUr5kgjpbzjLRA2PXdPazrl257xVIYC/s2705/Savoy%20Muscle%20Car.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2187" data-original-width="2705" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM5EwmvDJMfaRxtxBNEVVrJ501TIdAbFhdDkkL0f2XC9Zvxu5njjz-Tnw0TWzLqBb3qtPBg9tAGIhSNiFDiACgtLPcjWpuFBpixUtHc7wtVf4Qpv6xtZiySVNMeNpN9pelrIvuqa0vMP-WEHWtMZ2fMcB3VHUr5kgjpbzjLRA2PXdPazrl257xVIYC/w200-h162/Savoy%20Muscle%20Car.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>From a peek at their holiday exhibition schedule, at Savoy, size doesn't matter, for there's everything from micro- and muscle cars to monster brass machines of the early 1900s under the museum's hood, er, roof a few miles west of I-75 in Cartersville, Ga. <p>On my first return visit to the museum since attending the Dec. 6 media day last year, earlier this month I enjoyed revisiting vehicles in the impressive permanent <a href="https://savoymuseum.org/vehicles/">Savoy Collection</a> while also exploring four temporary <a href="https://savoymuseum.org/exhibitions/">exhibitions</a>:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgloEG8aSPiHLicMCREZVtafxaa0AP5ZVZ2hl6CiPlAtNZapcC2PtrVgO8qgQ_EBepmLmePl6NtPsEVI1FNzAt2sk83ZUaGOu3ke1EfG0E_pZl4KQz_PTQ_B_J1qJcIAZ8MMnO7NaWC7tTsNQjSbYBoIwI2Mtfm5dfp5Yqq76Fwr3bnRTCMWfXDnX_7/s2031/Savoy%20Brass.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2031" data-original-width="1988" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgloEG8aSPiHLicMCREZVtafxaa0AP5ZVZ2hl6CiPlAtNZapcC2PtrVgO8qgQ_EBepmLmePl6NtPsEVI1FNzAt2sk83ZUaGOu3ke1EfG0E_pZl4KQz_PTQ_B_J1qJcIAZ8MMnO7NaWC7tTsNQjSbYBoIwI2Mtfm5dfp5Yqq76Fwr3bnRTCMWfXDnX_7/w196-h200/Savoy%20Brass.jpg" width="196" /></a></div><b>Fast Brass</b> featuring snazzy (and enormous) race cars from 1907 to 1915, including a Marmon Speedster and a Stutz Bearcat on view through Jan. 29</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Big Blocks</b> -- as in muscle car engines -- including a '67 Corvette convertible and a shimmering red Mustang Shelby revving up through Dec. 4</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Microcar Marvels</b>, which showcases 14 of the smallest cars ever engineered, on loan from the Lane Motor Museum through Feb. 26, and<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMsf0breVgKTWAN2DmIDUd6-BrgmCqnyY5uFEDt8jkH6YKlzjvxuC1zpq9GeeUY4Mg6b1jJJ-gZ5AvJANXEq_thsKqDoI53uzmOX-F8gaal5cN3H1AC7L-ZDJ7j0bw-ti3mD80M2v1zkjLcU-C-mZgt5zllRbR2xvXZ5MHp15M0uhAFA6BtwvNx0H/s2953/Savoy%20Spain%20Microcar.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2301" data-original-width="2953" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMsf0breVgKTWAN2DmIDUd6-BrgmCqnyY5uFEDt8jkH6YKlzjvxuC1zpq9GeeUY4Mg6b1jJJ-gZ5AvJANXEq_thsKqDoI53uzmOX-F8gaal5cN3H1AC7L-ZDJ7j0bw-ti3mD80M2v1zkjLcU-C-mZgt5zllRbR2xvXZ5MHp15M0uhAFA6BtwvNx0H/w200-h156/Savoy%20Spain%20Microcar.jpg" width="200" /></a></div></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Savoy Customs</b>, presenting five "incredible custom resto-mod vehicles ... modified with modern parts and tech" while maintaining their "classic look" on view until Jan. 8.</li></ul><div>There was also a teaser for an <a href="https://savoymuseum.org/event/new-exhibit-opening-fabulous-fins/">upcoming exhibition</a> opening Dec. 6 titled <b>Fabulous Fins </b>featuring 10 U.S. vehicles of the 1950s and 60s (think Cadillac, Lincoln and the classic Chevy Bel Air). </div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFjglTwLKY7TJl-iWz4zUfDM4ayMah7BEBiS71GNXmUGRgiHzbdDiPdQh24zkebN80W9QmvfsrPII7QR-Nen6kxBfmxg5BId_lMOCDCjN4LQVjI_GMnSNzNYeQ4jCRrbRvfMjDd3j4SPjX0TXn6enz8gtPB06Kh4ckDnMFeh-y55TgwcZxp2xj4XT/s2787/Savoy%20Jaguar.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1430" data-original-width="2787" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFjglTwLKY7TJl-iWz4zUfDM4ayMah7BEBiS71GNXmUGRgiHzbdDiPdQh24zkebN80W9QmvfsrPII7QR-Nen6kxBfmxg5BId_lMOCDCjN4LQVjI_GMnSNzNYeQ4jCRrbRvfMjDd3j4SPjX0TXn6enz8gtPB06Kh4ckDnMFeh-y55TgwcZxp2xj4XT/w200-h103/Savoy%20Jaguar.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>At its grand opening, the Savoy impressed me for many thoughtful details. For instance, some of the showrooms feature <a href="https://savoymuseum.org/artwork/">original auto-themed artwork</a>, with many commissioned canvases for the destination. The paintings and posters span the history of automobiles thanks to a mix of unknown international artists and contemporary favorites including <a href="https://billyschenck.com/paintings/">Billy Schenck</a>, <a href="https://www.allangorman.com/">Allan Gorman</a> and <a href="https://www.penleyartco.com/pages/about">Steve Penley</a>.<p></p><p>The largest indoor work looms over the ticket counter and a window display promoting sister museums in Cartersville, including the excellent Booth Western Art Museum also operated by <a href="https://georgiamuseums.org/">Georgia Museums Inc</a>. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrARqE0VTV3rqTAoF7gkRMU7OZ0ztd19BVST4Rtv77zObZ-LsGax_IGTYpHqYuOG23eMJRozNH8FL8SKU0yfVaQcZL0Wfrbc8HuOr8F2dzuEWPbgZbYg7t25dXKNSQcM763tT57zueJGWxAEAF4Ehp_qXBJdjshShhzFI1L-ehZhoLrmUVtkthCpEV/s1919/Savoy%20Ornament.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1919" data-original-width="1908" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrARqE0VTV3rqTAoF7gkRMU7OZ0ztd19BVST4Rtv77zObZ-LsGax_IGTYpHqYuOG23eMJRozNH8FL8SKU0yfVaQcZL0Wfrbc8HuOr8F2dzuEWPbgZbYg7t25dXKNSQcM763tT57zueJGWxAEAF4Ehp_qXBJdjshShhzFI1L-ehZhoLrmUVtkthCpEV/w199-h200/Savoy%20Ornament.jpg" width="199" /></a></div>The Savoy's grandest work of art, however, is outdoors and impossible to miss. <p></p><p>The monumental stainless-steel sculpture -- measuring 40.5 x 8.5 x 9.5 feet -- is artist <a href="https://www.lindabrunker.com/">Linda Brunker's</a> five-ton take on streamline hood ornament design titled "Spirit of Speed." </p><p>Also on view outdoors is the rusted hull of a 1954 Plymouth Savoy, the museum's namesake after its discovery while crews cleared the site for construction. </p><p>On a smaller scale, a floor-to-ceiling showcase features an array of car collectibles, including die-cast cars of many colors and sizes. In this enviable and growing assemblage, I spotted the Savoy's lone Olympic tether as one of the displayed toys features Atlanta Olympic branding in miniature. </p><p>Anyone can peek at future exhibitions and special events including car shows, lectures, "hoods up" days or other featured gatherings via the museum <a href="https://savoymuseum.org/events-calendar/">event calendar</a>. </p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photos by Nicholas Wolaver</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmy_Vxw05hYXR1_k5I9ypuHIvFr4q7-1M9T5g5Bu-lAQ9AezLSiwWph9ZZ8TYRN2KW24Ap1hCcwrrwJs9E-3OEepTEayiKTb-6XoFZ_kNxzEqabhp3wNXVTKwxvaKPLrByPB8mcYjpTLbeLam4F7f_cYhcVqcPeBjbesmAFHFI-B2ZBQYxQH88Agd6/s2520/Savoy%20Entry.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2194" data-original-width="2520" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmy_Vxw05hYXR1_k5I9ypuHIvFr4q7-1M9T5g5Bu-lAQ9AezLSiwWph9ZZ8TYRN2KW24Ap1hCcwrrwJs9E-3OEepTEayiKTb-6XoFZ_kNxzEqabhp3wNXVTKwxvaKPLrByPB8mcYjpTLbeLam4F7f_cYhcVqcPeBjbesmAFHFI-B2ZBQYxQH88Agd6/w400-h349/Savoy%20Entry.jpg" width="400" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBVzb6jXztbcBn695ZHDkrub34ScGOhvtz9nMhszuZlN1kyKVN81JVXwX8ofDlaUODANz3wUZDXQxJ9VKQAbIdw_wmPTTVescn-j1cd_30LRf5hAaU_kfcwgOltdKNbdzX2aQoCCnZI-U5DVZ5RKp4-JV1Y-klk-jEwZAFebhGJgOMR-HVJqRwQs7/s2747/Savoy%20Collection.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2318" data-original-width="2747" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBVzb6jXztbcBn695ZHDkrub34ScGOhvtz9nMhszuZlN1kyKVN81JVXwX8ofDlaUODANz3wUZDXQxJ9VKQAbIdw_wmPTTVescn-j1cd_30LRf5hAaU_kfcwgOltdKNbdzX2aQoCCnZI-U5DVZ5RKp4-JV1Y-klk-jEwZAFebhGJgOMR-HVJqRwQs7/w400-h338/Savoy%20Collection.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyquT8Ik1VKYJLEn3gnk_Hz9S6Y7MwVlPjlx5-17vyHNwdjK7RNkQbbrlstvCSBWNs0mq2m3Yy1Ro8WKvb9a0hN35qhtx2mMASX6pCL4Eoam5ExoDt77GBuMb8zooYsAQoxjFxBp4hRuBiApAsAZSrGvXVYK1WxDLClbGkUOYpKK7Mb15jdiRGV9z/s1478/Savoy%20Cobra.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1478" data-original-width="1242" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyquT8Ik1VKYJLEn3gnk_Hz9S6Y7MwVlPjlx5-17vyHNwdjK7RNkQbbrlstvCSBWNs0mq2m3Yy1Ro8WKvb9a0hN35qhtx2mMASX6pCL4Eoam5ExoDt77GBuMb8zooYsAQoxjFxBp4hRuBiApAsAZSrGvXVYK1WxDLClbGkUOYpKK7Mb15jdiRGV9z/w336-h400/Savoy%20Cobra.jpg" width="336" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWntp-csXy9Hy8ZrCXQWlUbwzSbcW9Z76iXzkIfmdjTvNhPRWtp-ckdFWlA92ZekZXBnvdaCH6Z3sfDlZOCEm_JX3zTcUPO4S1gQbC9WXX8mSXCGtkJzx_uwk5g631foegyeWfpuWS7EzzDuyrdZw31f3iAtUXBJMXfdDfs-ebNiqvb2GvmroWINS/s2830/Savoy%20Messerschmidt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2830" data-original-width="2329" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWntp-csXy9Hy8ZrCXQWlUbwzSbcW9Z76iXzkIfmdjTvNhPRWtp-ckdFWlA92ZekZXBnvdaCH6Z3sfDlZOCEm_JX3zTcUPO4S1gQbC9WXX8mSXCGtkJzx_uwk5g631foegyeWfpuWS7EzzDuyrdZw31f3iAtUXBJMXfdDfs-ebNiqvb2GvmroWINS/w329-h400/Savoy%20Messerschmidt.jpg" width="329" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1651" data-original-width="2620" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5PTLnW7pD3CBNsb8YFimmnfnr1p_OTRE-RYlLfzRj-K2Da5C0bs7kq1cxhB4ZdEqs24VJDZZTzOm27Ilank51IuBxAPHJlEL6AeuHhq1efQaLviJp3tW6xMQm9z8OEHhCabJYGvNe6sv60kdjyu8DLQwtiCp2VUNhv8Zq1NkAnn6-aJLtXkB_dQg8/w400-h253/Savoy%20Green%20Microcar.jpg" width="400" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgbj1a1k3QygcxolkwqdZ8C5Wscav1IX4cq8UTp2l5ETT3G9MJMDlZFQRNYCvXsJbTLespA_dDe-1vdhbWbfvdDjrk-z6jkc_W3xXi1L7y4EbtP2kaRArSnAf09nIG-XsgaG31nvpQ9yGIbe0jUWzuIAZ7baiNcfgiuKjjIDsVvNMYsCqv7cblsjP/s2851/Savoy%20Munich%20Microcar.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2275" data-original-width="2851" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgbj1a1k3QygcxolkwqdZ8C5Wscav1IX4cq8UTp2l5ETT3G9MJMDlZFQRNYCvXsJbTLespA_dDe-1vdhbWbfvdDjrk-z6jkc_W3xXi1L7y4EbtP2kaRArSnAf09nIG-XsgaG31nvpQ9yGIbe0jUWzuIAZ7baiNcfgiuKjjIDsVvNMYsCqv7cblsjP/w400-h319/Savoy%20Munich%20Microcar.jpg" width="400" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjq5xrjmdmsZTHoOv2uj4Aswaa2msq5ujJWJa5LYhfJ2Xm77jNsMsKPyTUcVzSuJxkPR_yBkmVO5FSZ6SJxEBccWzncrHQ9NaEYIPH6VmziwrvB7QDLBXU8uh42JVMnHLe8tM29YcYb04hSgOFqubdnQ5dDWAwQ6hr0wfUjKQc0jvggZW6tCCa0EaU/s2627/Savoy%20Porsche%20Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2627" data-original-width="1997" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjq5xrjmdmsZTHoOv2uj4Aswaa2msq5ujJWJa5LYhfJ2Xm77jNsMsKPyTUcVzSuJxkPR_yBkmVO5FSZ6SJxEBccWzncrHQ9NaEYIPH6VmziwrvB7QDLBXU8uh42JVMnHLe8tM29YcYb04hSgOFqubdnQ5dDWAwQ6hr0wfUjKQc0jvggZW6tCCa0EaU/w304-h400/Savoy%20Porsche%20Poster.jpg" width="304" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDR2MLXe4Iu-7QhsL9p54FN_GW_RDvVbBSZBBc-iqm28TnTiw1EH9IIFDScD1jKF5XgKn98hYetRspAzuCT0dFLBPcTo7GPXJTU4oJm5bB_5KSM0hIDi9-eA51qK1xrIfO1OpRFEHjfA0-ZY5UYwcwZhcPBpFNL-TchoexLz5-SumuyMXw2OmnkcbP/s2860/Savoy%20DeLorean.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1996" data-original-width="2860" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDR2MLXe4Iu-7QhsL9p54FN_GW_RDvVbBSZBBc-iqm28TnTiw1EH9IIFDScD1jKF5XgKn98hYetRspAzuCT0dFLBPcTo7GPXJTU4oJm5bB_5KSM0hIDi9-eA51qK1xrIfO1OpRFEHjfA0-ZY5UYwcwZhcPBpFNL-TchoexLz5-SumuyMXw2OmnkcbP/w400-h279/Savoy%20DeLorean.jpg" width="400" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAn_JKtUT58qWkRZyrJa14Eb7QeSRj6u-OhJD-iyJMFbpL9NiN57OTAAjKVTCUiIEf-fhmE1q5W2-iXo8e2--QFS4vFud65eGiBmfG1Ql8-ahFCVadQJ8X1UI2hamM8LQ_injSPpzZ3bvkXjQgdz4YdFI7DvJ0e6mU0lQNIdJYJYvSnDCh8qke5vOg/s2941/Savoy%20Red%20Brass.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1720" data-original-width="2941" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAn_JKtUT58qWkRZyrJa14Eb7QeSRj6u-OhJD-iyJMFbpL9NiN57OTAAjKVTCUiIEf-fhmE1q5W2-iXo8e2--QFS4vFud65eGiBmfG1Ql8-ahFCVadQJ8X1UI2hamM8LQ_injSPpzZ3bvkXjQgdz4YdFI7DvJ0e6mU0lQNIdJYJYvSnDCh8qke5vOg/w400-h234/Savoy%20Red%20Brass.jpg" width="400" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5N4LXT-6Y4Ux5jPl0Aa9ygyIsEy1vqFKdmID397ce6z0u1NoopErNXY9XsEzNIHz5My__2i_6v14fFA8ZVl-l8yyTCgZls0VfhlUXhUhwVkaJ3T4FwYctO54-794ejkVQZbo43S5vRW37srgEW0CDt3JYFASNhnv4hMN24qWz8QX4lAmxQ4cZ2Wv/s2362/Savoy%20Pen.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2362" data-original-width="2005" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5N4LXT-6Y4Ux5jPl0Aa9ygyIsEy1vqFKdmID397ce6z0u1NoopErNXY9XsEzNIHz5My__2i_6v14fFA8ZVl-l8yyTCgZls0VfhlUXhUhwVkaJ3T4FwYctO54-794ejkVQZbo43S5vRW37srgEW0CDt3JYFASNhnv4hMN24qWz8QX4lAmxQ4cZ2Wv/w340-h400/Savoy%20Pen.jpg" width="340" /></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p></p>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-30733155135263260712022-11-18T11:58:00.009-08:002022-11-18T12:18:27.028-08:00Rock & Roll Ruhmeshalle RuminationsRuhmeshalle -- the world's original <i>hall of fame</i> circa 1853 -- was not at all on my radar during 2009, 2018 and twice in 2022 travels to Munich. <div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewhRDNvaIc9HWDbbtI7IkX4X61qmXV6WKk4DT2DwLuPyLkDiR6i78VfjIyoGg74BkamcUIOtiNUFOk385oPkLPuKaShuEAdJ7T5598pTh-l_ypGMcworoOEqcoShcWV0ri_jnvHNYc_izCg8tHEaHdQ2IOQ6w31wSrGg7rWCw1n5I7r4umcaSqri7/s2667/20221118_123814.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2667" data-original-width="1868" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewhRDNvaIc9HWDbbtI7IkX4X61qmXV6WKk4DT2DwLuPyLkDiR6i78VfjIyoGg74BkamcUIOtiNUFOk385oPkLPuKaShuEAdJ7T5598pTh-l_ypGMcworoOEqcoShcWV0ri_jnvHNYc_izCg8tHEaHdQ2IOQ6w31wSrGg7rWCw1n5I7r4umcaSqri7/w140-h200/20221118_123814.jpg" width="140" /></a></div>According to online sources, the structure near the city's center endured terrible damage during WWII, with a multi-year restoration completed in time for the 1972 Olympics. </div><div><br /></div><div>At a glance I love the busts of individuals immortalized for their achievements and contributions to society and the world. There's also proximity to the Oktoberfest grounds to explore. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_te8gmLMVI5JqJAGfypbi1wKYXDq04x-H_-yOv1qmJtgoCEjgdGxpFteKJTbh0YejAFeG72xOiOKZ0rqkzKrXNA1Q_fn0TmmAMtAmcNp-nWGWs43AZ4jXvBTAEP40Dc4ou7dMiNRpkwLUU1yduRH6mndA6RZPzmnvF2aeFGZIW-0Ah4u_bBNAIsr5/s1920/Ruhmeshalle%20Busts.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="1920" height="66" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_te8gmLMVI5JqJAGfypbi1wKYXDq04x-H_-yOv1qmJtgoCEjgdGxpFteKJTbh0YejAFeG72xOiOKZ0rqkzKrXNA1Q_fn0TmmAMtAmcNp-nWGWs43AZ4jXvBTAEP40Dc4ou7dMiNRpkwLUU1yduRH6mndA6RZPzmnvF2aeFGZIW-0Ah4u_bBNAIsr5/w200-h66/Ruhmeshalle%20Busts.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Learning this history only since returning from Germany in September, <a href="https://www.schloesser.bayern.de/deutsch/schloss/objekte/mu_ruhm.htm">Ruhmeshalle</a> now tops the personal "must-see" list for the next Bavarian visit.</div><div><br />A more contemporary hall of renown <i>was </i>often on my mind this summer as the <a href="https://www.rockhall.com/">Rock & Roll Hall of Fame</a> in Cleveland announced its 2022 induction class. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJEpdFmgThhNRrgdZgW7XvTeOGlsxrIOjkIgym7aJ81GCLcG1SPP_PMZUJf3Jt4gkmEsNvVGWbNy09hj4WMiU2oBKJWTBJJsZ1QInAEq6_hamRPU9840-2lnoQYYMHgnPvuBju7JpbBNE6kSS3HHZ6kAvTNk1kDDw45040HoBuuUZjcH_Bgc735HeJ/s2850/20221118_123842.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1729" data-original-width="2850" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJEpdFmgThhNRrgdZgW7XvTeOGlsxrIOjkIgym7aJ81GCLcG1SPP_PMZUJf3Jt4gkmEsNvVGWbNy09hj4WMiU2oBKJWTBJJsZ1QInAEq6_hamRPU9840-2lnoQYYMHgnPvuBju7JpbBNE6kSS3HHZ6kAvTNk1kDDw45040HoBuuUZjcH_Bgc735HeJ/w200-h121/20221118_123842.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>One glance at the honorees list (see below) instantaneously elevated ticketing research from "interested" to "must attend" status. </div><div><br /></div><div>Quite simply, they had me at <i>Eurythmics</i>. <div><br /></div><div>The journey to confirm a seat at the Nov. 5 ceremony proved surprisingly simple, easily achieved from the home office:</div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Buy a <a href="https://www.rockhall.com/membership">Rock & Roll HOF membership</a> (bargain-priced at $50)</li><li>Await induction event deets and member online presale (encircled on calendar with red Sharpie)</li><li>Endure nail-biting on sale hour eventually picking up a single balcony ticket ($250+ fees), a preamble of sorts to what Taylor Swift ticket seekers apparently endured earlier this week</li><li>Book travel to LA noting the local destination: Microsoft Theater at LA Live</li></ol><div>Here's a peek at walking into the venue about 15 minutes before showtime:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8P8ePI_mWo8" width="320" youtube-src-id="8P8ePI_mWo8"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>The in-person experience -- over 5.5 hours of music and speeches -- proved to be well worth the effort and expense, which also included a bargain-priced Hotels.com reservation at the downtown <a href="https://www.millenniumhotels.com/en/los-angeles/millennium-biltmore-hotel-los-angeles/?cid=gplaces-millennium-biltmore-hotel-los-angeles">Biltmore</a> and pre-show/poolside Tuscan feast at <a href="https://www.sparrowitalia.com/">Sparrow</a>. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39D2cGqxnbxq1ccUhXRKjFZ_A6TSsBcoSFFSi9ruLbuGhN05iUrsnkErf7JVfBPWLGkD6XHczXAdbcARmK-teusf-tTa4AiJuOg_A-9-pl_PpwIjFBrimq5pSf-FrPcQ7cbxuC8WJErnT4cAWk2XgeUGBBh_KcJwlmiNGLcmgaWbN-MAFbVUeza4R/s2941/20221105_174653.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1593" data-original-width="2941" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39D2cGqxnbxq1ccUhXRKjFZ_A6TSsBcoSFFSi9ruLbuGhN05iUrsnkErf7JVfBPWLGkD6XHczXAdbcARmK-teusf-tTa4AiJuOg_A-9-pl_PpwIjFBrimq5pSf-FrPcQ7cbxuC8WJErnT4cAWk2XgeUGBBh_KcJwlmiNGLcmgaWbN-MAFbVUeza4R/w200-h108/20221105_174653.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>It shall be interesting to learn what show elements make the cut when <a href="https://www.hbo.com/movies/2022-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame">HBO premieres</a> the edited event broadcast Nov. 19. </div><div><br /></div><div>Will it be a two or three hour showcase? We shall see. </div><div><br /></div><div>No matter, now 13 days since the big night, I am still processing many aspects of the experience. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>Inductees, my personal fandom notes, and live ceremony highlights to watch for on HBO include:</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFQ4DAKNBp_ZDX_vLKitpW3qpOOeDkvmeiHHlkXHlskKaBHg8ZfcOCVg1gLMRN6QU-P3kYVh9GPBaYm8vBkMjIjHE2suKCNQjlNIWxhjfoRBUDInbA2ujGOL0jvKOVQALhYiIQAGfH02-Nya4O2EC1pWTDcp4t5biLd3PNJqlyNYBv9OitpjM1WKY/s2950/20221105_231704.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1539" data-original-width="2950" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFQ4DAKNBp_ZDX_vLKitpW3qpOOeDkvmeiHHlkXHlskKaBHg8ZfcOCVg1gLMRN6QU-P3kYVh9GPBaYm8vBkMjIjHE2suKCNQjlNIWxhjfoRBUDInbA2ujGOL0jvKOVQALhYiIQAGfH02-Nya4O2EC1pWTDcp4t5biLd3PNJqlyNYBv9OitpjM1WKY/w200-h104/20221105_231704.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Eurythmics</b>, whose album "Touch" was my very first music purchase for a penny, thanks to a fellow fifth grader answering a music club newspaper ad. The Edge from U2 introduced the duo with a rousing and aptly activism-charged speech before Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYOKAY000EQ">brought down the house</a> with "Would I Lie to You?" then "Missionary Man" and "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)." Finally experiencing the band live was indeed sweet. </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Duran Duran</b>, another British pop group that captivated me as much in the 1990s as their earlier hits "A View to a Kill" and "Rio," appealed greatly. Hearing their "Save A Prayer" during a Torino 2006 Olympic workday in Italy rekindled interest and they've been a favorite since. Their induction by Robert Downey Jr. and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohBEKwceJ34">performance</a> of "Girls on Film" (which had an audio false start) with "Hungry Like the Wolf" and "Ordinary World" built upon high energy experienced while attending their recent tour stop at Madison Square Garden. They punctuated their acceptance speech reading an open letter from absent bandmate Andy Taylor, who disclosed four years of treatment for prostate cancer. </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Dolly Parton</b>, whom I had seen perform live at two client events and one concert, lightened the evening as she had at previous events. When provided the opportunity to ask her Olympic interests in 2009, for instance, she smiled and admitted to none while cheerfully telling me, "It was sweet of you to ask!" I found it heartwarming that Brandy Carlile and P!nk <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6iOb1PAVT0">performed "Coat of Many Colors"</a> while Parton changed outfits to debut a new song and close out the evening with most of the other inductees. </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4UewyEGkPkkjad-hS56RuGLGHJa3pjDa3ZcY4oGT9CUKfwXK6XK7eUXMVQ_ByQ5095gzXX-aqd3AYWUcpwmRl-MrJeGe8-jefmOK2PvT8XTnBL2kwVj0Dh7Ma1xAqi2pZLGeEWWqdDqihsAG9768_j0-w7bwVuFl_5i1mau-iM0mry_CallYB8xW0/s490/Lionel.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="439" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4UewyEGkPkkjad-hS56RuGLGHJa3pjDa3ZcY4oGT9CUKfwXK6XK7eUXMVQ_ByQ5095gzXX-aqd3AYWUcpwmRl-MrJeGe8-jefmOK2PvT8XTnBL2kwVj0Dh7Ma1xAqi2pZLGeEWWqdDqihsAG9768_j0-w7bwVuFl_5i1mau-iM0mry_CallYB8xW0/w179-h200/Lionel.jpg" width="179" /></a></div><b>Lionel Richie</b>, who performed in Atlanta at a client venue in the early 2000s where my boss opted to work that evening, so I missed the meet and greet and ever since have <i>truly </i>wanted to ask him about performing <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flK7gSF7D6I">"All Night Long" at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic closing ceremony</a>, which was referenced a time or two in his HOF induction video. On Nov. 5, he performed this hit as well as "Hello" and "Easy" which left me wondering why a duet rendition of "Endlesslove" with one of the female inductees went unsung. </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam</b>, who was building a massive Lake Minnetonka mansion west of the Twin Cities when I visited a Minnesota friend in 1991. I walked through the construction site including a tour bus garage (on Google Maps it's <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Loring+Dr,+Minnetrista,+MN+55364/@44.9122957,-93.6783186,1261m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x87f6019dc7fabc11:0xa2a925d9ef830984!8m2!3d44.9054571!4d-93.6762479">on Hardscrabble Circle</a> in Mound, Minn.). Loved LOVED that Janet Jackson welcomed these collaborators into the HOF with one of the best speeches of the evening. </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Carly Simon</b>, another James Bond soundtrack singer ("Nobody Does It Better"), unfortunately did not attend nor perform following the recent loss of two sisters. However, reliable crowd-pleaser Olivia Rodrigo sang "You're So Vain" in her absence. </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsd3qSrbCXYc4CtAHOlN2E45wVvDqHnzLxo_ESq_Yu1AI1O0YlgoCFmdmy8rw8WEyni9P2eXCfgjwq3KJdpk3faz4pyWZgiiqFgai0q4RQSBS3qwbNnq53d6v1Ey6SIAwQ_k3adN8BT44LdAFfd6n_2debRru6ogxPY8tRK6GhmF-FLQlTv8x-xNfF/s720/Eminem%20and%20daughter%20by%20Getty%20Images.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsd3qSrbCXYc4CtAHOlN2E45wVvDqHnzLxo_ESq_Yu1AI1O0YlgoCFmdmy8rw8WEyni9P2eXCfgjwq3KJdpk3faz4pyWZgiiqFgai0q4RQSBS3qwbNnq53d6v1Ey6SIAwQ_k3adN8BT44LdAFfd6n_2debRru6ogxPY8tRK6GhmF-FLQlTv8x-xNfF/w200-h133/Eminem%20and%20daughter%20by%20Getty%20Images.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><b>Eminem</b>, a.k.a. The Real Slim Shady, a.k.a. another huge performer yet to be experienced live, rocked one of the longest sets including new-to-my-ears "Rap God" followed by "Stan" with Ed Sheeran subbing for Dido then a commanding performance of "Forever" with Dr. Dre, his mentor-turned-HOF inductor. In his acceptance speech, Mr. Mathers described an overdose that nearly killed him, later listing with appreciation dozens if not hundreds of acts who inspired him. </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Pat Benatar </b>and her husband Neil Giraldo, yet another iconic act from my earliest radio days, performing "Love is a Battlefield" bookended with "All Fired Up" and "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGVZOLV9SPo">Heartbreaker</a>"</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Harry Belafonte</b>, now 95, still another musical legend and longtime favorite, did not appear but was heralded for early achievements in the history of rock'n'roll. I also learned a bit of history from the producer and lawyer inductees in this year's class. </li></ul></div><div>Perhaps the biggest overall surprise for me was how much I enjoyed the presentations and performance by <b>Judas Priest</b>, a band with which there was little past connection. </div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-rx2pNbIFyAd0hQ3xK92E5A0gx5UHQd4pdEVNMswAIvz8ZzMIKNr2hVeutYbFWIB5vtwtDrQEsvU1g4Ho_PpWWIXPqeTY9N1n7Oyp1h5VU_TlAzBrbpmYkpny2AkRgvib71lESkmzjGYPeUnCya9esCs_FED-dPU53IArIeXpSqrkpCaFfVaxgow/s1488/RR-HOF-6.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1332" data-original-width="1488" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-rx2pNbIFyAd0hQ3xK92E5A0gx5UHQd4pdEVNMswAIvz8ZzMIKNr2hVeutYbFWIB5vtwtDrQEsvU1g4Ho_PpWWIXPqeTY9N1n7Oyp1h5VU_TlAzBrbpmYkpny2AkRgvib71lESkmzjGYPeUnCya9esCs_FED-dPU53IArIeXpSqrkpCaFfVaxgow/w200-h179/RR-HOF-6.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Alice Cooper emerging for the speech, combined with the digital flames engulfing the stage during "Breaking the Law" got me fist pumping and dancing. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>Would I attend another induction? Maybe, depending on the right mix of musicians and the extent to which they resonate personally. Would I <a href="https://www.rockhall.com/visit">return to Cleveland</a> to see the new 2022 inductee display? Absolutely! And anyone in or heading to Ohio may also enjoy the lakeside experience beneath the I.M. Pei pyramid. </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photos by Nicholas Wolaver except Lionel Richie 1984 photo via Associated Press and Eminem photo via Getty Images for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which also is the credit for the Judas Priest/Alice Cooper and Janet Jackson images.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY67JCn7eNLdL1TetjbiYhqv6Iqwkk-DVBSf_LU3uK0zu1Cp6C2Fky2dXIMivO7D-Y0scxnlxVWGQo2FfEg-SlKMotq-u-hHbETTUoiPb88DdgkoeFZ_zXWuKrUrFkp_CoXHX8P8zTa_z2vqXH5vj1ao79uGqezpiMkgqtSfe2TBwKLiN0FBtn6J1V/s1285/RR-HOF-8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1285" data-original-width="1085" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY67JCn7eNLdL1TetjbiYhqv6Iqwkk-DVBSf_LU3uK0zu1Cp6C2Fky2dXIMivO7D-Y0scxnlxVWGQo2FfEg-SlKMotq-u-hHbETTUoiPb88DdgkoeFZ_zXWuKrUrFkp_CoXHX8P8zTa_z2vqXH5vj1ao79uGqezpiMkgqtSfe2TBwKLiN0FBtn6J1V/s320/RR-HOF-8.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5yfRxc7Y5lt5sORPSK6Bu_G2gy0faDvYWuj-quArAufXhoKd600N-iHNoXoxr5O6XcaF3zpHszdby5fTes0_VKc4MsWr0pD4zbwXs6hyO7LHoWTwZrcDpyKYLwNxujiuOW6mDC8w3Cn0j9uzHACh1OHu--wc969J7mJA4Ye371ia9cW1zkwWkFYig/s2686/20221105_185947.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2686" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5yfRxc7Y5lt5sORPSK6Bu_G2gy0faDvYWuj-quArAufXhoKd600N-iHNoXoxr5O6XcaF3zpHszdby5fTes0_VKc4MsWr0pD4zbwXs6hyO7LHoWTwZrcDpyKYLwNxujiuOW6mDC8w3Cn0j9uzHACh1OHu--wc969J7mJA4Ye371ia9cW1zkwWkFYig/s320/20221105_185947.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKVvX-RECnSH3Nb8D2BJfIQnoaH3yCPVkLQvEYU7ANzrIQDYeVD940SEx-HZM76y0dGvur0q9sNpX6rFCqqM-qQave5u7Up_4nxhFUO32vjrSyvRRiHiHR5phrCPEMtVIinc5VPVpOrK6pI4wbe9KIGISmvY0Gt_ro9yS2H0t8vqU6yZQFK_lV-wO/s2038/20221105_213037.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1598" data-original-width="2038" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKVvX-RECnSH3Nb8D2BJfIQnoaH3yCPVkLQvEYU7ANzrIQDYeVD940SEx-HZM76y0dGvur0q9sNpX6rFCqqM-qQave5u7Up_4nxhFUO32vjrSyvRRiHiHR5phrCPEMtVIinc5VPVpOrK6pI4wbe9KIGISmvY0Gt_ro9yS2H0t8vqU6yZQFK_lV-wO/s320/20221105_213037.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPpvYPYVB_fl5dI-3457ph5Wqv7PDOVk0I9fP2ciTsdTDAWtVxB6pzBW2eoeJOwZNqbxWcMoQRgR9zciyiGtIDrJB0fFDfgjecOhH0Btl2T4MVVF4q6CahrhdmBa2L3EDRfpf0TTRXbKP2vAekjpD23MujbVEYFkfImiTE-NutuKcz-P9I1TkHNrS/s3211/20221105_184120.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3211" data-original-width="2615" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPpvYPYVB_fl5dI-3457ph5Wqv7PDOVk0I9fP2ciTsdTDAWtVxB6pzBW2eoeJOwZNqbxWcMoQRgR9zciyiGtIDrJB0fFDfgjecOhH0Btl2T4MVVF4q6CahrhdmBa2L3EDRfpf0TTRXbKP2vAekjpD23MujbVEYFkfImiTE-NutuKcz-P9I1TkHNrS/s320/20221105_184120.jpg" width="261" /></a></div></div>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-73083856011486930432022-11-14T04:08:00.011-08:002022-11-14T07:32:05.924-08:00Paris 2024 Mascot = Chapeau du Papa Smurf<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Hnm5ai7IA4DI7qWd0o9Am0-gp_PqwnYK4Lk2if3VuzW78DinBUJJNw0psSGeru9YeQt9qGl2eqV4RrRk-Bq9odGUfdHbjKmaOVFZRSGzo2dL-_qozsEJSaMxyjfFSbziET-hklCV-y6Mps_WqrdzBW-kKW1L0EzPuscYD7dIpGlTKGv7rvLQOk3s/s1053/A%20mascot%20kit%20cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="1053" height="91" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Hnm5ai7IA4DI7qWd0o9Am0-gp_PqwnYK4Lk2if3VuzW78DinBUJJNw0psSGeru9YeQt9qGl2eqV4RrRk-Bq9odGUfdHbjKmaOVFZRSGzo2dL-_qozsEJSaMxyjfFSbziET-hklCV-y6Mps_WqrdzBW-kKW1L0EzPuscYD7dIpGlTKGv7rvLQOk3s/w200-h91/A%20mascot%20kit%20cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>With about 620 days, seven hours and 53 minutes until the next opening ceremony, Paris 2024 officials today unveiled the upcoming Games mascots, and they are Smurf hats!</div></div><p></p><p>Named "The Phryges" (free-ges), the mascots for the current Olympiad are red conical caps with a bit of history and eyes/eyelashes reminiscent of ribboned-pins or Games medals. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSED1LNaUJy4rjxaO-i0fA5xJctOGG14DJaQi4VDt7giA0x5EsmJ6Z68YqxAXkrL9B3Tz4r7WUnL1Eyxh5-HcrdOIy0wHFbxFwAdDB6FfXlVM9R3AWKyAptFzG6b6qNWwSmO3zBVVIXapR201Mu7UFrMOOttTlaJ1qHVD-pR0Y2z48BtGwG-WRsVcq/s600/Delacroix.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="600" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSED1LNaUJy4rjxaO-i0fA5xJctOGG14DJaQi4VDt7giA0x5EsmJ6Z68YqxAXkrL9B3Tz4r7WUnL1Eyxh5-HcrdOIy0wHFbxFwAdDB6FfXlVM9R3AWKyAptFzG6b6qNWwSmO3zBVVIXapR201Mu7UFrMOOttTlaJ1qHVD-pR0Y2z48BtGwG-WRsVcq/w200-h159/Delacroix.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Just after 5 a.m. ET, organizing committee President <a href="https://www.paris2024.org/en/tony-estanguet-president-of-paris-2024/">Tony Estanguet</a> joined athletes and assembled media to unveil Les Phryges, the Olympic and Paralympic mascots named for the historic hats donned throughout many centuries. <div><br /></div><div>Like <a href="https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/barcelona-1992/mascot">Cobi</a> for the Barcelona Games of 1992, it already appears Les Phryges are ready to hit the town "like any other citizen" (words used by <a href="https://www.wdcvalencia2022.com/world-design-spotlight-the-design-of-cobi-by-javier-mariscal/">Javier Mariscal</a> to describe the earlier European mascot). <br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhly3RGTHWX5BASpc28x_gTBoJZcLQ7XvGQZTx0rgvGSeZCqtWO-OOIUiWhUWcbNjncrnauAvu0uD8xr-a9Eej0PGAVw6n6ZZlgw8sZJO8IlgBRju0UCrkZy5udF2RphSRqBb6E4m1lU6nYEegl5q77X8FcP4MCYk15Bd_ypAS3PVAwP9CD0Td3sywz/s319/a%20mascot%20newspaper.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="293" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhly3RGTHWX5BASpc28x_gTBoJZcLQ7XvGQZTx0rgvGSeZCqtWO-OOIUiWhUWcbNjncrnauAvu0uD8xr-a9Eej0PGAVw6n6ZZlgw8sZJO8IlgBRju0UCrkZy5udF2RphSRqBb6E4m1lU6nYEegl5q77X8FcP4MCYk15Bd_ypAS3PVAwP9CD0Td3sywz/w184-h200/a%20mascot%20newspaper.jpg" width="184" /></a></div>In the moments describing the inspiration for the mascots, designers illustrated their work while displaying the famous personification of liberty Marianne (artfully depicted as the Paris 2024 logo) in the famous Eugene Delacroix painting "Liberty Leading the People" on view in the Louvre. <p></p><p>According to the mascot press kit, "At Paris 2024, we wanted mascots that would embody our vision and be able to share it with the French people and around the world -- rather than an animal, our mascots represent an ideal [that] also represents French identity and spirit."</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC43L1aq_S5wIpzK7spCnvKMnLQK_gmzkgwDHf1nOqX1CGbZMya-mpN3tHHr6do_YKrQ8CAkUqS_qWSPWjZZfT8XiNq4iwcr_o67ZL3AbRMHIZvHQv1ZWRk_ngue7R4IoHe8s145f7gc3VmzGKLuMf9FnpWsUE085pQfIo0UJyQvhDIWDC2yCjK4AL/s1199/A%20mascot%20revolution.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="1199" height="86" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC43L1aq_S5wIpzK7spCnvKMnLQK_gmzkgwDHf1nOqX1CGbZMya-mpN3tHHr6do_YKrQ8CAkUqS_qWSPWjZZfT8XiNq4iwcr_o67ZL3AbRMHIZvHQv1ZWRk_ngue7R4IoHe8s145f7gc3VmzGKLuMf9FnpWsUE085pQfIo0UJyQvhDIWDC2yCjK4AL/w200-h86/A%20mascot%20revolution.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>"A huge tribe of little Phrygian caps called THE PHRYGES is arriving!" with "Their mission: To lead a revolution through sport."<p></p><p>The reveal showcased a pair of Phryges, each with human-like legs and feet, with one representing Olympians and the other, donning a prosthetic blade leg, Paralympians. Please scroll to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kMiJ41ZdSM">fresh video posted by France 24</a> at the base of this post. The mascot duo marks a five-ringed first in that, like the logo for Paris 2024, the mascots are now the same and somewhat interchangeable for both Paralympic and Olympic use. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimm4to_-8Ha2wFVVjfidlm5HcIV6MRrX6ZZPsvLKDpk_zeLWDQvir-9hpQ5Wzus1Xr3IVnTIHKW0OTO9vzSz202B5N3xQJvkegsLHrGZjY7aN2O9sVTTaihqa9k6IEt909rWxtWAPX0eyzHkSDg7cnWAE5ErUtB_c99TiTa5RYpPcULLjoPLc1z50t/s2362/2022_IMG_2024_JO_COLORIAGES_3D_CMJN%20(1).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2362" data-original-width="1890" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimm4to_-8Ha2wFVVjfidlm5HcIV6MRrX6ZZPsvLKDpk_zeLWDQvir-9hpQ5Wzus1Xr3IVnTIHKW0OTO9vzSz202B5N3xQJvkegsLHrGZjY7aN2O9sVTTaihqa9k6IEt909rWxtWAPX0eyzHkSDg7cnWAE5ErUtB_c99TiTa5RYpPcULLjoPLc1z50t/w160-h200/2022_IMG_2024_JO_COLORIAGES_3D_CMJN%20(1).jpg" width="160" /></a></div>During the press conference Q&A, I asked how many team members contributed to the design and the duration (in months or years) of their work. <p></p><p></p>Though not one word of their French reply made sense to this writer, according to press materials the team spent more than a year in conversation and concept development. <p></p><p>Scribing the experience here, I have to admit the design is appealing to me and the creative team scores an A+ for their thoughtful explanation, which should also resonate with children. Going into the announcement it seemed possible a human mascot might return, given the sneaker-clad feet showcased with teaser videos and GIFs. A youthful founder Pierre de Coubertin or "Coubie" (another nod to Barcelona '92) crossed my mind as an option. A friend suggested a "baguette named Pierre" was a concerning prospect. </p><p>For this writer, the potential for the red hats and their French takeover seems sans fin. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6onGD9mtPNNor0gvjLhYnBmzDr4mywhW7bFB8Mu6OOgsN432MYngVrOUy8cY5PP8UfQza0yXTJh_k_--VfIgrIqkJHSKQg_699OmvtcibzzSrLEgYwQublnmBXjwRy4oFjd6IOcQ6QmOVf_PaSRgszdhSX2lZ0JF483dF3usvWZy4VmLpa8ZpW8wC/s185/Smurf%20Cauldron.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="185" data-original-width="160" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6onGD9mtPNNor0gvjLhYnBmzDr4mywhW7bFB8Mu6OOgsN432MYngVrOUy8cY5PP8UfQza0yXTJh_k_--VfIgrIqkJHSKQg_699OmvtcibzzSrLEgYwQublnmBXjwRy4oFjd6IOcQ6QmOVf_PaSRgszdhSX2lZ0JF483dF3usvWZy4VmLpa8ZpW8wC/w173-h200/Smurf%20Cauldron.jpg" width="173" /></a></div>The mascots' detailed back-story is impressive. They've already published as a youth coloring book and within an hour of today's announcement Paris 2024 introduced an array of merchandise <a href="https://shop2.olympics.com/en/paris-2024/paris-2024-olympics-mascot-welcome-pin-badge/t-1266336429+p-7870149599945+z-9-554274640?_ref=p-DLP:m-GRID:i-r0c0:po-0">including pins</a> (see image below) revealed in-step with the overall concept rollout. Anyone may already <a href="https://shop2.olympics.com/en/paris-2024/mascot-collection/t-3466224229+c-2345139311+z-9-3163900808">purchase mascot swag</a> online. <p></p><p>With that stated, in the instant of the reveal my brain did go to Papa Smurf, the patriarch of the cartoon characters who wore the only rouge cap of the bunch. </p><p>What does the mascot mean to you? What do you loathe or like most about it? Please comment and share. </p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Images via Paris 2024, the Louvre and Fandom's Smurgs Anon page</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-kMiJ41ZdSM" width="320" youtube-src-id="-kMiJ41ZdSM"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3U_BDCDW7GfQNOtQDp55DJ8Y0zM-65MUmadEqRUxH7kqV42pmYKIlD9--tFOAM9t-GuMw_cDp8zTa2aEif9A1Sm1TN3qMyXLBtf6Z7AkmAFRfKqyx2et1oReby6wGBEw43AtciOthkz4dmoGC7zTqd9AQYJh76YZcP9Wz8xM8YJGHpAHEgvWE1jWA/s900/a%20pin%20mascot.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3U_BDCDW7GfQNOtQDp55DJ8Y0zM-65MUmadEqRUxH7kqV42pmYKIlD9--tFOAM9t-GuMw_cDp8zTa2aEif9A1Sm1TN3qMyXLBtf6Z7AkmAFRfKqyx2et1oReby6wGBEw43AtciOthkz4dmoGC7zTqd9AQYJh76YZcP9Wz8xM8YJGHpAHEgvWE1jWA/s320/a%20pin%20mascot.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p></p></div>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-88386028368204695912022-10-29T22:30:00.008-07:002022-10-30T09:48:15.618-07:00Rodin at the High = French Wissing in the USA<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYo6PbjCDqKr_T0SzAM7kqL4XkvLjnQy2XJ2-2DkOcLMXWD-UzBbrhD3_pe5LcoaqyNle01k_xivJnJswLL7dzzvnHnBhoSYLjKnnNvmTNJKqZ7HRD_MTUcmSo9QEgBdgPsyF_ukz_ilZWVHDU1uJ2HX-BThwfC9XVmljr3eQw7DcNid4a0d6vCY2w/s2992/20221020_103736.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2992" data-original-width="2992" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYo6PbjCDqKr_T0SzAM7kqL4XkvLjnQy2XJ2-2DkOcLMXWD-UzBbrhD3_pe5LcoaqyNle01k_xivJnJswLL7dzzvnHnBhoSYLjKnnNvmTNJKqZ7HRD_MTUcmSo9QEgBdgPsyF_ukz_ilZWVHDU1uJ2HX-BThwfC9XVmljr3eQw7DcNid4a0d6vCY2w/w200-h200/20221020_103736.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>To<i> wis</i> is to <i>know</i>, and visitors to Atlanta's High Museum of Art may enjoy getting to know French sculptor Auguste Rodin through the fresh exhibition of 70 works in "<a href="https://high.org/exhibition/rodin-in-the-united-states-confronting-the-modern/">Rodin in the United States: Confronting the Modern</a>" on view through Jan. 15. </div><p></p><p>When a banner for the exhibition recently went up locally, lyrics to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vT3-Ol3iaMU">Debbie Harry's seldom-heard passionate smooching song</a> played in my head and inspired the rhyming headline to this post. </p><p>In anticipation of the recent exhibition media preview, I dusted off memories of my first Rodin encounters, both in 1996, also at the High. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDMcfbNTnmSUccmBne62erHtrKY2r0I1KsfS238KxbmERcAazTn492rfwASY8HqNNGIxbF8C3ftANuR_J4ERwj0O_rA76HABkrso8_6IuYZu7F2P85LrvMlvUCAoctmikfTGawWKO7EUTsAzOaxIlTAoU_Hw2l7QaJUXQN_xRGrU5BSgWhVtnJdlM/s2992/20221020_091603.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1967" data-original-width="2992" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDMcfbNTnmSUccmBne62erHtrKY2r0I1KsfS238KxbmERcAazTn492rfwASY8HqNNGIxbF8C3ftANuR_J4ERwj0O_rA76HABkrso8_6IuYZu7F2P85LrvMlvUCAoctmikfTGawWKO7EUTsAzOaxIlTAoU_Hw2l7QaJUXQN_xRGrU5BSgWhVtnJdlM/w200-h131/20221020_091603.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Visiting the museum a week after moving to Georgia, the artist's solemn work "The Shade" -- the centerpiece of a memorial to 106 Atlantans lost in the <a href="https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/orly-air-crash-of-1962/">Orly air disaster</a> of 60 years ago -- greeted me on the approach to Richard Meier's award-winning building on Peachtree Street.<p></p><p>Later that year, of course, the exhibition "<a href="https://www.upi.com/Archives/1995/12/18/Art-exhibit-will-be-an-Olympics-dividend/6506819262800/">Rings: Five Passions in World Art</a>" (photo below) was a cornerstone of the Cultural Olympiad in which Rodin's six-foot marble masterpiece "The Kiss" was a showstopping loan from the Rodin Museum in Paris. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjXiuWA5XMIRPqL0rjQGgsPzZv0I8A_guGarXKrLkAgXP_b5RObsLnRhkAfusxROHiMs9uw_lSkLJ_-9blakX9dkV1dwI3Tv5CJscb04TRh7fPUs6fcoUU43-3-XQ6BI9xMnRkbh0OBk7gqyJjM6zw-AZJaY4QKbK-luBD19C8SWqPEvPebH2gCW1x/s1937/20221020_110558.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1937" data-original-width="1351" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjXiuWA5XMIRPqL0rjQGgsPzZv0I8A_guGarXKrLkAgXP_b5RObsLnRhkAfusxROHiMs9uw_lSkLJ_-9blakX9dkV1dwI3Tv5CJscb04TRh7fPUs6fcoUU43-3-XQ6BI9xMnRkbh0OBk7gqyJjM6zw-AZJaY4QKbK-luBD19C8SWqPEvPebH2gCW1x/w139-h200/20221020_110558.jpg" width="139" /></a></div>The new exhibition also features <b>"The Kiss"</b> though this time in bronze borrowed from the Baltimore Museum of Art, where I previously enjoyed this version during a New Jersey to Georgia road trip pit stop of summer 2018 (yes, I brake/break for museums). <p></p><p>Here are five other Rodin works that caught my eye now on view at the High:</p><p>The marble <b>"Christ and Mary Magdalene"</b> -- for which Rodin supervised carving rather than himself chiseling, according to the exhibition wall text -- bookends silky smooth lines of the Biblical characters with rough, unfinished stone pockmarked by somewhat symmetrical knife-poked divots. Taking inspiration from the themes of <a href="https://www.slowartday.com/">Slow Art Day</a>, I spent nearly 10 quiet minutes studying this work from all sides and it is extraordinary. This work is loaned by another Meier-designed masterpiece museum, The Getty in Los Angeles. </p><p><b>"Female Torso with a Slavic Woman's Head"</b> (photo below), which I vaguely recalled from an early 2000s Rodin exhibition at its Legion of Honor home in San Francisco, is an armless plaster figure whose downward gaze perhaps inspired Quintin Tarantino's French-Japanese character Sophie Fatale. As some may recall, she was the interpreter <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hSqQ7YN0eQ">rolled down the snowy hill</a> to a Tokyo emergency room in "Kill Bill: Vol. 1." But what woman will <i>you</i> see and be inspired to revisit via Rodin's work?</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSuP3fAKKmxbSnunUY0trojzxiu-YOOIgTW6YYPQadtpkRQC4xBpGwGcYW4laVZjvMXAWIeK6jUjM3YQrD3afzocinel6ISHkNoWf8y_JxL7aBahSxQVSdHy-y9SYfxepunIh1TAITGShLV_adJA0JKGyGwpVbrnQwVcJNiQ24o8Y0sXO7fYPMca1/s2694/20221020_105815.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2694" data-original-width="2585" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSuP3fAKKmxbSnunUY0trojzxiu-YOOIgTW6YYPQadtpkRQC4xBpGwGcYW4laVZjvMXAWIeK6jUjM3YQrD3afzocinel6ISHkNoWf8y_JxL7aBahSxQVSdHy-y9SYfxepunIh1TAITGShLV_adJA0JKGyGwpVbrnQwVcJNiQ24o8Y0sXO7fYPMca1/w192-h200/20221020_105815.jpg" width="192" /></a></div>Speaking of Japan, for the drawing <b>"Hanako"</b> Rodin sketched his only Japanese model, a touring actress named Hisa Ota (or is it Ota Hisa?). I loved viewing the pen and ink later colored with crayon. While writing this post, a more detailed back story of the actress' intro to Rodin came to light via <a href="https://www.lesleydowner.com/rodins-japanese-muse/">this site</a> and their eventual artist:spouse:model collaboration is fascinating. <p></p><p>According to wall texts, <b>"The Prodigal Son"</b> bronze (photo below) was cast for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco. This was another Legion of Honor work seen previously and it proved as moving now as ever. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eZLCYvQ6sXafzb5U4MCOdogTLGodHEM0dbnS2uTrI8JpGy_A1C6S1cc6X28bzvEMcKBKVjI4beLhd2AclnsNOn50fbMwWBhNWaGmGckeZBdnv0OcEvZ8NnNYys_xQnm0yJYaDYHDKz6pPwW-6v5WvC7BNvq981WQ9canRPxC7QdzzR2cI0FiAUCi/s1663/20221020_103409.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1663" data-original-width="1279" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eZLCYvQ6sXafzb5U4MCOdogTLGodHEM0dbnS2uTrI8JpGy_A1C6S1cc6X28bzvEMcKBKVjI4beLhd2AclnsNOn50fbMwWBhNWaGmGckeZBdnv0OcEvZ8NnNYys_xQnm0yJYaDYHDKz6pPwW-6v5WvC7BNvq981WQ9canRPxC7QdzzR2cI0FiAUCi/w154-h200/20221020_103409.jpg" width="154" /></a></div>If this exhibition's iconic showpiece is "The Thinker" then its feminine counterpart conversation starter may be<b> "Iris, Messenger of the Gods"</b> on holiday from the Smithsonian/Hirshhorn Museum in D.C. Rodin left little to the imagination rendering the bronze "unexhibitable" for prudish American museums. The model was definitely more provocateur less demure.<p></p><div>The exhibition also includes an informative timeline for Rodin's career highs and lows, mistresses and marriage. </div><div><br /></div><div>I asked the guest curator, Antoinette Le Normand-Romain, the extent to which "The Kiss" loan of 1996 or the forthcoming <a href="https://www.paris2024.org/en/the-paris-2024-cultural-olympiad/">Paris 2024 Cultural Olympiad</a> were on her radar ("non" is her paraphrased response). </div><div><br /></div><div>She does have great expertise and information about Rodin to share, which may be viewed on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqhzrfxqB8k&t=14s">YouTube via her summer presentation</a> at the Clark Institute when the exhibition opened there. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photos by Nicholas Wolaver except the cover image of "Rings: Five Passions in World Art" catalog cover photo by Bruno Jaret. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIUJG0qV81GZ7WLNQRMdJNlzTB_5-w_Hi1ZJy59K_WZZpvD8EsCXgKyoKSXKMR3ScumQh32iIuDURN9C0puQZ0DmGnqeMKiD7X-9KvUZc8GE47NcXuNy2GZH4hbzaQ200Mv3PTuJAUDQuTTC0MTMhuFwhTcZC7ZgPUYZNml0POZRCL9NKUxT7sE6QW/s2412/20221020_103835.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1880" data-original-width="2412" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIUJG0qV81GZ7WLNQRMdJNlzTB_5-w_Hi1ZJy59K_WZZpvD8EsCXgKyoKSXKMR3ScumQh32iIuDURN9C0puQZ0DmGnqeMKiD7X-9KvUZc8GE47NcXuNy2GZH4hbzaQ200Mv3PTuJAUDQuTTC0MTMhuFwhTcZC7ZgPUYZNml0POZRCL9NKUxT7sE6QW/s320/20221020_103835.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_VjPT7oxTIy1aW2ZVjwL8_iK_gJr6Qs4VgYUG7GRlw24nBmP8gCMgG7QX2CDmcb-XAX1Ov_bfSMuR0Dt3jalAhqXuqpyPEeUiVdg0xYjOzzJYCoLvzK3nJMCEkkcoVIYNeEVvGzRxlid5zgjLm_OECcoOONkiYYrs0rkGAwVmZjmT35nvM50e-dW/s1100/20221020_103800.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1100" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_VjPT7oxTIy1aW2ZVjwL8_iK_gJr6Qs4VgYUG7GRlw24nBmP8gCMgG7QX2CDmcb-XAX1Ov_bfSMuR0Dt3jalAhqXuqpyPEeUiVdg0xYjOzzJYCoLvzK3nJMCEkkcoVIYNeEVvGzRxlid5zgjLm_OECcoOONkiYYrs0rkGAwVmZjmT35nvM50e-dW/s320/20221020_103800.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQhqMK9HQnLtOriGbaTwY5kZxq8xX-HfJLQLcxx7fHlcjQHnGoZu-PEgIF4wFKeyyc58Nfo2p8GPHYnOq5sLcn-rAOr5-btjCUTahOmquCKnebhxzJnFGo67JL-3rjkRmuwGBBA2tX8xe96RfSC4VjP8Sg-TbAt0IH9ajFIbvXTHg-JWAi8pvY-rN/s2230/20221020_105607.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2230" data-original-width="905" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQhqMK9HQnLtOriGbaTwY5kZxq8xX-HfJLQLcxx7fHlcjQHnGoZu-PEgIF4wFKeyyc58Nfo2p8GPHYnOq5sLcn-rAOr5-btjCUTahOmquCKnebhxzJnFGo67JL-3rjkRmuwGBBA2tX8xe96RfSC4VjP8Sg-TbAt0IH9ajFIbvXTHg-JWAi8pvY-rN/w261-h640/20221020_105607.jpg" width="261" /></a></div></div><p></p>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-15683547925211721142022-10-16T23:02:00.004-07:002022-10-17T11:19:57.139-07:00Tommie Smith's Life and Olympic Feats Get Graphic Novel Treatment in Page-Turner "Victory. Stand!"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSp1H-Jl7W-wpUoibtUxxn_Z2AHSUTsNBm_oqhGb1rujTNdRaGOhmgHhXGyvSCIzFp66MheAdDjTjYA7yZO5GVqNh-dMCJ8ZKSVChea2XTLFntl1F_kByoCs0CaIqnx6ldlLeNREjxsjnOt9BmMbw4xl_vmS9WAh5MOOHTAb5hBt937HzZVEqAkiVA/s500/victory%20stand.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="344" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSp1H-Jl7W-wpUoibtUxxn_Z2AHSUTsNBm_oqhGb1rujTNdRaGOhmgHhXGyvSCIzFp66MheAdDjTjYA7yZO5GVqNh-dMCJ8ZKSVChea2XTLFntl1F_kByoCs0CaIqnx6ldlLeNREjxsjnOt9BmMbw4xl_vmS9WAh5MOOHTAb5hBt937HzZVEqAkiVA/w138-h200/victory%20stand.jpg" width="138" /></a></div>On Oct.16, 1968, in Mexico City, three Olympians became global icons. <p></p><p>In the decades since, the medals won by Team USA's Tommie Smith and John Carlos, with Australia's Peter Norman -- and their <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62nHGUvO-tk">actions during the ceremony</a> while officials hoisted the "The Star-Spangled Banner" -- were revisited and replayed countless times through film, broadcast specials, print media and, eventually, online. </p><p>Now for the first time, Smith's life and gold medal feat have gotten a graphic novel treatment on the pages of "<a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324003908">Victory. Stand! Raising My Fist for Justice</a>" co-created with best-selling author Derrick Barnes and award-winning comic artist Dawud Anyabwile. </p><p>Just days following its Sept. 27 release, the book earned a <a href="https://www.ajc.com/life/arts-culture/atlanta-authors-among-national-book-award-finalists/UXNMOC2QBVHPNCYPZMYLEQAJLE/">contender spot as finalist</a> for the 2022 National Book Award for young people's literature, with other accolades via <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/07/books/review/victory-stand-tommie-smith-call-him-jack-the-story-of-jackie-robinson-black-freedom-fighter.html">The New York Times Book Review</a> and <a href="https://www.ajc.com/life/arts-culture/tommie-smith-olympian-publishes-graphic-memoir-about-raising-the-fist/DODKEWTIPFCBDANPBDS7FNGUUA/">Atlanta Journal-Constitution</a>. Much like Smith's on-track surge to set a 200m world record, "Victory. Stand!" and its compelling messages are likely to capture gold. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMODzkaSyL3r0H8MX9Dm4KrPBK9AYO7kRWlZQTiRxM1iwf6NvCnCYRp6I4EZPOGBOyBgAtnxM0fh4XiCkTskbq_B9e0RwnmufdhDq7cRw0uYc_10xweUy569M3QJeKzpAwG1bnhApd9caviDJ82O4reOURx89NtzEgE57NeSqPugNLG0LXuxzuKSKd/s2933/20221017_005724.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2933" data-original-width="2555" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMODzkaSyL3r0H8MX9Dm4KrPBK9AYO7kRWlZQTiRxM1iwf6NvCnCYRp6I4EZPOGBOyBgAtnxM0fh4XiCkTskbq_B9e0RwnmufdhDq7cRw0uYc_10xweUy569M3QJeKzpAwG1bnhApd9caviDJ82O4reOURx89NtzEgE57NeSqPugNLG0LXuxzuKSKd/w174-h200/20221017_005724.jpg" width="174" /></a></div>The 208-page glossy volume opens at the starting blocks of the Olympic track but quickly pivots to Smith's hardscrabble childhood with 11 siblings in rural Texas. <p></p><p>Readers learn Smith's memories of stern and faithful parents, who eventually relocated the family to California as part of the Great Migration. Through the first two chapters (about 100 pages) the narrative toggles from youthful observations back to the on-track action, relating childhood milestones as context for Mexico City's play-by-play. </p><p>At a book signing event in an activities room of Atlanta's historic Ebenezer Baptist Church last week, about 50 attendees listened as Anyabwile, Barnes and Smith share details of their creative process, which commenced in 2018, in step with a <a href="https://olympicringsandotherthings.blogspot.com/2018/09/high-museum-fist-bumps-with-olympian.html">High Museum of Art exhibition</a> honoring 50 years since Mexico City. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWIkDswvdFVqoFvTyZzKUhRjydBUZlrpQmQnu0QDIWdl6Zm1rjyXaE8YvtDRo_IoiAIu2gvD3_xvGGyYrMXvpp556i0wFVSP_Fqk8sMUEa9Ql9PKfy7Fzj2RhZQep9bBYIlyxcV2ollv0M_HXeVKahVYCeb5YjOXQtyGz44oTkZbNhIJxGhBNi86C6/s2364/IMG-20221008-WA0005.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1388" data-original-width="2364" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWIkDswvdFVqoFvTyZzKUhRjydBUZlrpQmQnu0QDIWdl6Zm1rjyXaE8YvtDRo_IoiAIu2gvD3_xvGGyYrMXvpp556i0wFVSP_Fqk8sMUEa9Ql9PKfy7Fzj2RhZQep9bBYIlyxcV2ollv0M_HXeVKahVYCeb5YjOXQtyGz44oTkZbNhIJxGhBNi86C6/w200-h118/IMG-20221008-WA0005.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>Barnes, who previously wrote over 10 youth books including "The King of Kindergarten" and "Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut," described Smith's "excited conversations like an uncle telling a great story" at Smith's home, later inspiring Barnes to engage an illustrator selection process. <p></p><p>Anyabwile was a natural No. 1 choice given his Cartoon Network and other Turner Studios accolades as well as previous artistic expertise on another Olympian-centric graphic novel in 2020, "<a href="https://www.jimmypatterson.org/titles/james-patterson/becoming-muhammad-ali/9780316498166/">Becoming Muhammad Ali.</a>" </p><p>Both the illustrator and writer said they grew up with photos or posters of Smith as "a fixture without context" and the collaboration "added context to [Smith's] family life and upbringing."</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRzQp9UszCCGFcQXrRMdDkCNwk8SpMoWr5n6l3FcIYjKZs4B8HTVvOC03K8F2AN_NG6JCdIJVrj3fdqLnDwMhTRPFOmgZ3tabt1QJxMvMDEwdQYc3Y4fbP-VahDnxbKL8gYlBrCjQIPuA8UZBq40VCazZE-6RTi30Cb16ce2r53Jfn5lzGGckfoyN/s2950/IMG-20221008-WA0007.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2950" data-original-width="1987" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRzQp9UszCCGFcQXrRMdDkCNwk8SpMoWr5n6l3FcIYjKZs4B8HTVvOC03K8F2AN_NG6JCdIJVrj3fdqLnDwMhTRPFOmgZ3tabt1QJxMvMDEwdQYc3Y4fbP-VahDnxbKL8gYlBrCjQIPuA8UZBq40VCazZE-6RTi30Cb16ce2r53Jfn5lzGGckfoyN/w135-h200/IMG-20221008-WA0007.jpeg" width="135" /></a></div>During the signing portion of last week's event, I asked Anyabwile the most challenging aspect of the project to illustrate, and he turned to Chapter Two's double truck opener portraying horrors of racism from hooded KKK members with torches igniting a cross to a lynched father, an indication this book for young readers does not sugarcoat the many struggles for Blacks before, during and since the Civil Rights Movement. Should this book include a "parental guidance" suggestion, I wondered, as several pages portray adult decisions. <p></p><p>But part of the point to the book, Barnes stated, is to inspire family conversations. And "Victory. Stand!" does encourage thoughtful discussion of history, racism, faith, focus and when, where and how to take a meaningful stand for what's right. </p><p>Later study of Anyabwile's beautiful images also yielded a full-page celebration of Queta Basilio, the Team Mexico Olympic hurdler chosen as the first woman to ignite the Olympic cauldron. Other Olympians including Bob Beamon and LeBron James also enjoy Anyabwile's excellent artistry, which he explained is drawn electronically. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqYK332ItEq_5vDm-obWPIZTwbu1P2PH5xf-9WC7Ep4kXqxGKLxIs36a8DjLyvF38sdhTXSkgPI6vhXEKqTSd3rUTjtZns59ExGmfEnLW913I9MR-KZQC8go5MGAqA4eQg0Traiw9P-RXwgyvOqqIGnwjptbYnPqsme0r0SGP489rcEBs250g5_PX6/s2795/20221017_010144.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2300" data-original-width="2795" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqYK332ItEq_5vDm-obWPIZTwbu1P2PH5xf-9WC7Ep4kXqxGKLxIs36a8DjLyvF38sdhTXSkgPI6vhXEKqTSd3rUTjtZns59ExGmfEnLW913I9MR-KZQC8go5MGAqA4eQg0Traiw9P-RXwgyvOqqIGnwjptbYnPqsme0r0SGP489rcEBs250g5_PX6/w200-h164/20221017_010144.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>For this blogger the most compelling section of "Victory. Stand!" is Chapter Three's "Metamorphosis" of Smith from small town athlete to Olympic and world record contender while studying at San Jose State University. Though I met Smith hours after his 2016 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9ZSY7JCsxg">White House visit</a> and later interviewed him <a href="https://olympicringsandotherthings.blogspot.com/2018/09/high-museum-fist-bumps-with-olympian.html">at the High</a>, later watching documentaries or reading more about his silent protest, these previous interactions did not fill in the blanks as to his <i>becoming</i> Tommie Smith. <p></p><p>Reading "Victory. Stand!" also added context to the Olympic Project for Human Rights of which Smith was a key participant. The book draws attention to the International Olympic Committee's hardline stance against protests and comes full circle with contemporary athlete protests inspired by Smith's stand. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWamQk9WnsyHjPresKOaMdz8exVFJD4DkQm1SgRlt50qpTTq7e6XnneXZzNbGK5f6MM70Axr_kGuqEEkmGS7ELUu2du5T7wkX0zp3UnQDOMqAIRPazvayRn5SBl5aTVUhKZ49m4i0XDuiccyMKkZWBBKOuugWltZ1Xl4UN6idtejSOWvopomX7JI2/s2890/20221017_005817.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2564" data-original-width="2890" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWamQk9WnsyHjPresKOaMdz8exVFJD4DkQm1SgRlt50qpTTq7e6XnneXZzNbGK5f6MM70Axr_kGuqEEkmGS7ELUu2du5T7wkX0zp3UnQDOMqAIRPazvayRn5SBl5aTVUhKZ49m4i0XDuiccyMKkZWBBKOuugWltZ1Xl4UN6idtejSOWvopomX7JI2/w200-h178/20221017_005817.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Unavoidable-for-me Nick-, er, nitpicking, did yield minor errors I think occurred only by accident in the illustration process, or via honest copy editor mistakes. One page highlighting the 1968 Olympic Trials includes the jumbo screen installed at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 1984 but no Olympic cauldron of 1932, the latter perhaps omitted for the scene to fit the page. <p></p><p>Also, Basilio's torch and cauldron moment have no flames, and the medal stand on which Smith and Carlos raised their gloved fists is drawn with erroneous Olympic rings that are "smushed" or "crowded" horizontally linking what would be blue-black-red and/or yellow-green rows. The rings appear correctly in other two- or three-dimensional images throughout the book.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2zeeuE7zZkD4GMYleAnlKYmCiSOtyxz7OiUwBAnP_qAaBY3UmuO21YMFO58dwKHtuvXyyPltpNF20gWhWdH851BNFz7ZQZVlgfFMvrYBRPTWFCDP3L9PO2K12JsPeYAx7MoGU_000SjpZz08rRJQtejfMMrC0x9xaZNYSh1u1RRuBepMaSJNWcCzC/s2123/IMG-20221008-WA0013.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1691" data-original-width="2123" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2zeeuE7zZkD4GMYleAnlKYmCiSOtyxz7OiUwBAnP_qAaBY3UmuO21YMFO58dwKHtuvXyyPltpNF20gWhWdH851BNFz7ZQZVlgfFMvrYBRPTWFCDP3L9PO2K12JsPeYAx7MoGU_000SjpZz08rRJQtejfMMrC0x9xaZNYSh1u1RRuBepMaSJNWcCzC/w200-h159/IMG-20221008-WA0013.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>Readers will likely savor the variety of comic techniques from intricately drawn "ink" splatters to fine lines and detailed Ben Day dots. I am eager to read other works by the trio of authors. <p></p><p>As the audience Q&A wrapped, I asked Smith when he thought a turning point occurred in the public's perception of his human rights salute. His response did not acknowledge a specific time nor date range, but he said that at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee's recently installed leadership "women turned it" and from his vantage the IOC still has not. </p><p>"Still battling. A continual battle," Smith said. </p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image credits: Book cover via W.W. Norton & Co. Other images by Dawud Anyabwile inside "Victory. Stand!" Book event photos by Nicholas Wolaver except the group photo below snapped, with Wolaver's thanks, by Delois Jordan Smith.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizb9END_kbc62nI9fU_uIMpd7qkznhMNS8zy4jBgPfcPuxG4qEwhV8GfG2O6bMdDnf01aIi_SHLNnlhzUDRcqVBI_V0n2MCPp-vK0sQPid4nEbOEmhIUhZ8Zin0FKwtVnIa-GYofOkf77ehAFO8bd5r69DaOQsq8S5biakRJ_FdGBKnL1PIGPhIvpp/s2563/20221017_005925.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2563" data-original-width="1871" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizb9END_kbc62nI9fU_uIMpd7qkznhMNS8zy4jBgPfcPuxG4qEwhV8GfG2O6bMdDnf01aIi_SHLNnlhzUDRcqVBI_V0n2MCPp-vK0sQPid4nEbOEmhIUhZ8Zin0FKwtVnIa-GYofOkf77ehAFO8bd5r69DaOQsq8S5biakRJ_FdGBKnL1PIGPhIvpp/w293-h400/20221017_005925.jpg" width="293" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIhDU9Xl_gJ4oR_nuDazo2MbK4m0wnZ6aDkV6KJCM3QRZYfM3_NH0CSHuER0Lmx0LLlQXLrcdUmSfkyeG6KlAH65ooM0Wgzt6t_zpXcRgPNTfOgSdwF6os24twNVnUejEzhQhG8CJLBnlFGe12726bhHXjfRDVg8_lQbYChAQzdFiY707tknuC_8Z/s1190/IMG-20221008-WA0015.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1190" data-original-width="982" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIhDU9Xl_gJ4oR_nuDazo2MbK4m0wnZ6aDkV6KJCM3QRZYfM3_NH0CSHuER0Lmx0LLlQXLrcdUmSfkyeG6KlAH65ooM0Wgzt6t_zpXcRgPNTfOgSdwF6os24twNVnUejEzhQhG8CJLBnlFGe12726bhHXjfRDVg8_lQbYChAQzdFiY707tknuC_8Z/w330-h400/IMG-20221008-WA0015.jpeg" width="330" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbq5r8KT1RpntHOJYbqrdL2rR9fJUUrYebjiCTLzrXwFoav-cAkSbO_WEfIqO-d-sO-judBstTfEjRKMrkcNx-n0kUW3R4T5XXxBhBO0EMqZwe1HSqmo3mW3gdwmdXKz1TIsSgfKQwZej2SjkS6nwVRGxkiCiTEo1yAhSnQDNaVnFOWECReWhmB6oc/s2491/IMG-20221008-WA0009.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2134" data-original-width="2491" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbq5r8KT1RpntHOJYbqrdL2rR9fJUUrYebjiCTLzrXwFoav-cAkSbO_WEfIqO-d-sO-judBstTfEjRKMrkcNx-n0kUW3R4T5XXxBhBO0EMqZwe1HSqmo3mW3gdwmdXKz1TIsSgfKQwZej2SjkS6nwVRGxkiCiTEo1yAhSnQDNaVnFOWECReWhmB6oc/w320-h274/IMG-20221008-WA0009.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-42310731271701700852022-10-09T14:22:00.003-07:002022-10-09T14:29:29.371-07:00Netflix Scores w/Olympic Doc "The Redeem Team"<p>Telling it like it is: this blogger has very little interest in the NBA. </p><p>Curiosity in this area is consistently so low, I was oblivious to the 2008 Olympic basketball competition and its professional players for its entire two-year lead up to Beijing, the Games that inspired launch of this site.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi8-eeXnYMT_IPgGW9bM4RW2_JX6gYxbkB57DtOM0vETYEECwU43A4fdti1aRyuv7eDt6WBEdiZ2xuFJqmAIQN7aSoim1lkuF_auoLW_DphEY9WrbdKI7EuTmXzB-Yp1JHodPoQlMSzpgwOxTg6F5-sWGQrsSe-zANefFzsla5REh7p8Z0QCKso0jp/s1280/Redeem%20Team%20Image.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi8-eeXnYMT_IPgGW9bM4RW2_JX6gYxbkB57DtOM0vETYEECwU43A4fdti1aRyuv7eDt6WBEdiZ2xuFJqmAIQN7aSoim1lkuF_auoLW_DphEY9WrbdKI7EuTmXzB-Yp1JHodPoQlMSzpgwOxTg6F5-sWGQrsSe-zANefFzsla5REh7p8Z0QCKso0jp/w200-h113/Redeem%20Team%20Image.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Not once in China -- nor during three Olympiads and two years since -- has the five-ringed hoops competition of Beijing crossed my mind until this weekend while reading the Oct. 6 <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/06/movies/the-redeem-team-review.html"><i>New York Times </i>review</a> of the new documentary "The Redeem Team" now streaming on Netflix. <p></p><p>Screening the film -- combined with recent enjoyment of HBO's excellent drama-comedy series "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqbWwKx1nBU">Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty</a>" -- <i>might have </i>finally sparked more curiosity about the NBA and its reach within the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). I definitely have a lot to learn.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7De_KOWtDfHWmh2lxKyQ9ZIYM8yBYx0wHN5KgNiz0o8_qldC-96ZXJxV2bZX6sv9BSjdGt3hl6guPfnXB2NUSdY6Khitu_5XMe3e9LTjRm347ZnUtcRvgLydsTb7o58s-_VINw8_Suv_7QqrGzUE2qyauMW2hsVLppOx2QScYBLepQSK_3QMIgIg/s550/Bart%20Forbes%201996%20Dream%20Team.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="550" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7De_KOWtDfHWmh2lxKyQ9ZIYM8yBYx0wHN5KgNiz0o8_qldC-96ZXJxV2bZX6sv9BSjdGt3hl6guPfnXB2NUSdY6Khitu_5XMe3e9LTjRm347ZnUtcRvgLydsTb7o58s-_VINw8_Suv_7QqrGzUE2qyauMW2hsVLppOx2QScYBLepQSK_3QMIgIg/w200-h150/Bart%20Forbes%201996%20Dream%20Team.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Like the next person,1992's Dream Team did pique my interest, as did the '96 version, though most Atlanta team members came to my attention only through attending the unveiling of an oil painting by <a href="http://www.bartforbes.com/portfolio.php">Bart Forbes</a> held in a Buckhead gallery (now a Men's Wearhouse) a few weeks before the Games. <p></p><p>Since that event, I've paid money only once or twice to see star players, specifically a "retiring" Michael Jordan in the late '90s, and a couple of stars from the OKC Thunder in town just after Rio 2016. And though it was personally thrilling to work with the Atlanta Hawks through PR client Philips Arena from 1999 to 2002, and exciting to stand courtside during LA's Olympic bid press events at Staples Center in 2017, professional hoops just haven't captivated me. </p><p>Around town in Atlanta, it's fun to spot <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NanThaiFineDining/posts/thanks-to-charles-barkley-for-mentioning-us-in-his-favorite-places-to-eat-in-atl/2679267575433441/">Charles Barkley</a> dining at Nan, pass the <a href="https://www.hanlonsculpture.com/dominique-wilkins-statue-unveiled-in-atlanta/">Dominique Wilkins sculpture</a> downtown, or read about Magic Johnson's or Shaquille O'Neal's business interests in town. Lots of Midtown residents remain eager for Shaq to fulfill his promise to rebuild the popular <a href="https://www.atlantamagazine.com/dining-news/atlantans-heartbroken-after-fire-destroys-the-ponce-krispy-kreme/">Ponce Krispy Kreme he owns, which was gutted by fire</a> 18 months ago. </p><p>Each of these NBA touch points were dusted off as "The Redeem Team" got rolling with its streaming recap of Team USA's historic dominance of Olympic basketball shut down at Athens 2004, where an unprepared assemblage of U.S. players lost a playoff round to the ultimate gold medalists from Argentina. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpHuqzcfkkTpspntMXoa0dO4Vs9nNin5CuFkWNKVIT80vzmIYDt9g21YM4dExTAFnce-qzt5h3kZitv8Yjps_FjScZbjyiGSpTE1shhEXl-cW4DsjqSAShqRHswq-ry1p00Accgfbi5Vh5WFjICHURxupX2li5bgTtxLQkPOxKTqhShTYE_7iYl1N/s630/USA-vs-Australia-mens-basketball-quarterfinals-in-Beijing_1%20UPI.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="630" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpHuqzcfkkTpspntMXoa0dO4Vs9nNin5CuFkWNKVIT80vzmIYDt9g21YM4dExTAFnce-qzt5h3kZitv8Yjps_FjScZbjyiGSpTE1shhEXl-cW4DsjqSAShqRHswq-ry1p00Accgfbi5Vh5WFjICHURxupX2li5bgTtxLQkPOxKTqhShTYE_7iYl1N/w200-h119/USA-vs-Australia-mens-basketball-quarterfinals-in-Beijing_1%20UPI.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Viewers learn of "Coach K" Mike Krzyzewski's recruitment to rebuild Team USA starting in 2006, as well as the public perceptions and private personas of most of the stars who signed on for the Road to Beijing, with first-time Olympian Kobe Bryant joining returning Athens 2004 Bronze Medalists LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Carlos Boozer on the quest. <p></p><p>Things sort of plod along during two years of prep, but filmmaker Jon Weinbach's team does a masterful job translating tensions of the court for viewers of the doc. Consider this writer now eager to view this director's treatment of previous Olympic matters via "The Nagano Tapes" or "The Other Dream Team" populating Weinbach's IMDB profile. </p><p>I enjoyed the last 20-30 minutes of "The Redeem Team" for the crescendo of drama it delivers. Bryant's on-court action and pre- and post-Games interview footage really drew me in and helped me "get it" how much he evolved as a player and person before his tragic death. </p><p>Munich '72 Olympian Doug Collins' visit to the team -- to share his vantage as a would-be-gold medalist robbed by history -- juxtaposed with Coach K inviting wounded or blinded soldiers as another teambuilding action, poignantly hammered home one of the bottom lines for the 2008 U.S. squad: You had better not f*ck this up, not so much because gold is on the line, but because untold millions of patriotic fans are drawing inspiration from the team factor above any individual glory for its players. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvEvzaWawtGWT1x57G9_x4nJaLuTfM95pmiqHtRX6BzsuPjAjcptMvd804fypVz8DLExLmiOcjh8bUpCqg7LcRm7hDTWa6NKW7Lq6mfBAStoqIPUQHtpdFMxct8TjY8LUKKgZ6WNc4cJzSYljMEIoMzr7etkCOeHjej6ziFqHwewfa2xMy7NNSCCsh/s896/Redeem%20team%20Liberty.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="896" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvEvzaWawtGWT1x57G9_x4nJaLuTfM95pmiqHtRX6BzsuPjAjcptMvd804fypVz8DLExLmiOcjh8bUpCqg7LcRm7hDTWa6NKW7Lq6mfBAStoqIPUQHtpdFMxct8TjY8LUKKgZ6WNc4cJzSYljMEIoMzr7etkCOeHjej6ziFqHwewfa2xMy7NNSCCsh/w200-h104/Redeem%20team%20Liberty.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>One of the journalists tapped for commentary eventually states of "The Redeem Team" players that, "... they're the biggest, greatest team arguably in the history of the Olympics." For some viewers this may ring true. <div><br /></div><div>For all of this film's strengths, it did not establish for this viewer enough inspiration to earn GOAT status. Not even close. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is no scrappy "Miracle" team of Lake Placid nor Soviet gold medal basketball team of 1972 (for better or worse, "the greatest" hoop dreamers for some Olympic fans on the other side of the world). I won't be alone in thinking of other top teams that rallied at the Games -- off the top of my head, how about the "Magnificent Seven" gymnasts, the 1996 and 2000 women's soccer teams and/or the undefeated-since-1996 U.S. women's basketball teams?<p></p><p>The NBA-infused 2008 team's only "Goliath" was overcoming self and pride for the sake of the team, which they did admirably. Watching this team get their act together is a fun ride. </p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image credits: Coach K in Beijing via UPI; '96 team painting by Bart Forbes, Redeem Team photo w/Statue of Liberty via USA Basketball, "The Redeem Team" promo still via Netflix and IMDB. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UMmfRJdPPoE" width="320" youtube-src-id="UMmfRJdPPoE"></iframe></div></div>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-74690624350742675102022-08-29T21:40:00.003-07:002022-08-29T21:55:20.233-07:00Munich Olympic History 50 Years In The Making<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpsHYYKD-yJHOfWz0W9wBAYp-5OiFv3-A_r7Cpsolc1iyMYYCEHoPKnr-ytL_0bOd8vJYb-3I1xKbKF3LpPPjfNjY7UmZidGW6h2R78UyYQ7KxbKfPCPRr5OULmyViW7zbLV9oKhF0X7q1cJ_0MzohbLAINlCFOPQ1vCM4dFrCn0dYirvwspOBxyP/s1920/50%20munich%20banners.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1920" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpsHYYKD-yJHOfWz0W9wBAYp-5OiFv3-A_r7Cpsolc1iyMYYCEHoPKnr-ytL_0bOd8vJYb-3I1xKbKF3LpPPjfNjY7UmZidGW6h2R78UyYQ7KxbKfPCPRr5OULmyViW7zbLV9oKhF0X7q1cJ_0MzohbLAINlCFOPQ1vCM4dFrCn0dYirvwspOBxyP/w320-h150/50%20munich%20banners.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Fifty years ago this month, two big events shaped my lifetime of Olympic memories. <div><br /></div><div>First and foremost, my parents wrapped up their European honeymoon in Munich, and this blogger arrived on the scene at an Oklahoma City hospital nine months later. </div><div><br /></div><div>Second, not long after their USA flight home, the <a href="https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/munich-1972">Games of the XXth Olympiad</a> opened in the Bavarian capital, presenting one of the most memorable and talked about Summer Games, at once creating five-ringed legacies across a spectrum from international tragedy and response to best in class positive results for long-term use of Olympic-built venues. </div><div><br /></div><div>This <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqn4_FNiC9s">short film</a> from the IOC and Munich Tourism vividly portrays Munich at 50. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sqn4_FNiC9s" width="320" youtube-src-id="sqn4_FNiC9s"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Later this week I'll be heading to Munich for my fourth visit since 2009 (fifth if you count my "baby on board" status as mom returned stateside in 1972), and this time two big Olympic history events will unfold during the visit. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1SUdnGhidDhPm7GeKUx7JPmFUkhohALw-Ce-KrbVni8D9BpLj8NDGeQzBNjg4anKbD4PtgDbQ4Sh30dD4ij-3mm7m7SqgH4NmjLKylzfz-QnmHs-LjHkv0zBCHOUZjx36GJIC26yQYB_npu-oBVVqLluadPVByMcGmaMrWug25QrD2lfLTtncgkC/s1309/72%20munich%20map.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="1309" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1SUdnGhidDhPm7GeKUx7JPmFUkhohALw-Ce-KrbVni8D9BpLj8NDGeQzBNjg4anKbD4PtgDbQ4Sh30dD4ij-3mm7m7SqgH4NmjLKylzfz-QnmHs-LjHkv0zBCHOUZjx36GJIC26yQYB_npu-oBVVqLluadPVByMcGmaMrWug25QrD2lfLTtncgkC/w200-h143/72%20munich%20map.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Starting Friday, the <a href="https://isoh.org/">International Society of Olympic Historians</a> (ISOH.org) hosts three days of annual General Assembly meetings during which members from across Europe and around the globe will convene to discuss the organization's progress since 2021 and outlook for 2023 to Paris 2024. </div><div><br /></div><div>Programmed events include two formal member presentations related to study of Munich's Games, and less formally attendees have an opportunity to visit the Pinakothek der Moderne museum exhibition titled "<a href="https://www.pinakothek-der-moderne.de/en/exhibitions/the-olympic-city-of-munich/">The Olympic City of Munich</a>" on view through early January (I hope to also peek at the adjacent exhibit "<a href="https://www.pinakothek-der-moderne.de/en/exhibitions/designing-for-the-olympics/">Designing for the Olympics</a>" open through Oct. 3). </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRfnhXNTDTvoOPgfnsiie-jVIB_jL3_w0RMTyG6dkzi5XRgUvu_JVp1zPObfaBYRV_vxFpMhT2K4hAVFOMuTxzHagk4R0e0kv2eYLi0cy-Do-Kq1mHkkVvJHR9FTtHPVP3jDv_I-wcc12scVYQGVh4ztKb-z7HQB6m5Fj1aSEsGkqiB-PS3hkvvvi/s600/31%20connollystrasse.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="600" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRfnhXNTDTvoOPgfnsiie-jVIB_jL3_w0RMTyG6dkzi5XRgUvu_JVp1zPObfaBYRV_vxFpMhT2K4hAVFOMuTxzHagk4R0e0kv2eYLi0cy-Do-Kq1mHkkVvJHR9FTtHPVP3jDv_I-wcc12scVYQGVh4ztKb-z7HQB6m5Fj1aSEsGkqiB-PS3hkvvvi/w200-h134/31%20connollystrasse.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>On a more somber note, Sept. 5 marks the 50th anniversary of the terrorist attack on the Israeli quarters at Munich Olympic Village address 31 Connollystrasse, steps away from the hotel where many ISOH attendees will stay. As reported by <i><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/10/world/europe/munich-olympics-anniversary-boycott-israel.html?searchResultPosition=1">The New York Times</a> </i>and other news outlets, the German government will host memorial services for the anniversary with some Israeli Olympic family survivors' attendance in doubt. </div><div><br /></div><div>There are actually two memorial events scheduled Monday, and I applied for media credentials for both, with the first taking place at the relatively new (dedicated in 2017) memorial site just north of the Olympiapark. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMj4tjx2Cj5bV7efgfRGFGYzrFpLrf6bZdx8QTiFGqejensPrqFDs5zz8Fhep8Eg33OIW1WY4buNgStbFgOujmGiJAYp5igxKIGYDNfTHiaF3DluVPpCp2gkj4C6KNaOq90siP6VA3QQH-7l4haUm1KIombgxgckgSNcV0XrPWSAyOXYvCQUwipj5/s2400/Gedenkstaette-Olympia-Attentat-Muenchen-1972-2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="2400" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMj4tjx2Cj5bV7efgfRGFGYzrFpLrf6bZdx8QTiFGqejensPrqFDs5zz8Fhep8Eg33OIW1WY4buNgStbFgOujmGiJAYp5igxKIGYDNfTHiaF3DluVPpCp2gkj4C6KNaOq90siP6VA3QQH-7l4haUm1KIombgxgckgSNcV0XrPWSAyOXYvCQUwipj5/w400-h116/Gedenkstaette-Olympia-Attentat-Muenchen-1972-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Named the <a href="https://olympics.com/en/video/munich-memorial-unveiled">Erinnerungsort Olympia-Attentat</a> (place of remembrance of the Olympic attack), the modest venue built into a berm in the woods provides a quiet place to reflect, read history or view a continuous loop of video details educating passersby about September 1972. </div><div><br /></div><div>ISOH plans a wreath-laying presentation as part of its Saturday agenda, with invited dignitaries and media -- and an array of security measures -- anticipated for the Bavarian Government-hosted formal ceremony two days later. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwt2EuVvEbkstNmT_CuLnSEGapfiwjwCFJ308KWmEpI5VNCddGMyHZXkbm1P71vRw3SWxWtSqeqc12Fu7USbeNZZS7wkD49n_Qj5i5XTO_9da5dD2MnuvJevAQPuJj6ZHHx4pPV_xx0lJ_lY7nOQA5NNBAdLBeyaxrJLhd4WEbv4akydNgjgdh_MVr/s699/Furstenfeldbruck.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="699" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwt2EuVvEbkstNmT_CuLnSEGapfiwjwCFJ308KWmEpI5VNCddGMyHZXkbm1P71vRw3SWxWtSqeqc12Fu7USbeNZZS7wkD49n_Qj5i5XTO_9da5dD2MnuvJevAQPuJj6ZHHx4pPV_xx0lJ_lY7nOQA5NNBAdLBeyaxrJLhd4WEbv4akydNgjgdh_MVr/w200-h115/Furstenfeldbruck.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The second memorial will take place at Furstenfeldbruck, now a decommissioned German air base, where nine Israeli Olympians and one German police officer, along with most of the terrorists, perished in a botched rescue during the early hours of Sept. 6. With a long chart of A-list attendees expected, it's no surprise the media background check procedures are extensive. </div><div><br /></div><div>Gearing up for the anniversary, earlier this summer I reread excerpts from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/One-Day-September-Olympics-Operation/dp/1611450357/ref=sr_1_2?crid=27EZTXPVECAC0&keywords=One+Day+In+September&qid=1661825556&sprefix=one+day+in+september%2Caps%2C88&sr=8-2">Simon Reeve's thorough book</a> about the Munich Massacre. A recent downsizing/cleanup project also yielded my Mankato State University journalism history class paper about the <i>Times' </i>cover stories from Munich in the week following the attack. And thanks to a combination of streaming services, I viewed for the first time, or rewatched, three provocative films about the massacre. </div><div><br /></div><div>Each movie provides thoroughly researched and recreated portrayals of Sept. 5-6, 1972, with brief summaries and where to stream summarized here:</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRiyf-rrVFBQ6OwbIzAYlcucdMWdLA0Tj7w6FnfFqEFarkhug5le3ZsA6PELfy9Y_AU_OIXuL9IZzYQVZPc4qYC1lOfqdneAqePjjF68GaeikX7o1sxjrkHp9r2DdJLOJOUChiatHL1j9H8e8F4KANfZa08L6LPc9HoUS3LSHYi0WxQruTxUtqCyjO/s1920/onedayinseptember.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRiyf-rrVFBQ6OwbIzAYlcucdMWdLA0Tj7w6FnfFqEFarkhug5le3ZsA6PELfy9Y_AU_OIXuL9IZzYQVZPc4qYC1lOfqdneAqePjjF68GaeikX7o1sxjrkHp9r2DdJLOJOUChiatHL1j9H8e8F4KANfZa08L6LPc9HoUS3LSHYi0WxQruTxUtqCyjO/w200-h113/onedayinseptember.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>"<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUax6vEEdac"><b>One Day In September</b></a>" (currently free via Tubi), the 1999 Oscar winner for best documentary, includes a dramatic tour of 31 Connollystrasse with a surviving Israeli Olympic athlete who literally ran for his life to create a diversion that may have helped save other teammates. Director Kevin Macdonald also landed a rare interview with one of the only surviving Palestinian terrorists as well as the widows and surviving adult children of at least two of the Israeli team members. </div><div><br /></div><div>Narrated by Michael Douglas and chillingly <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0230591/soundtrack">set to music</a> by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3Y8OWkiUts">Led Zeppelin</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW4VZ5J0fNQ">Charles Wright</a>, Deep Purple, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGE8qroC-qo">Craig Armstrong</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5rQwfcU70E">Philip Glass</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tI1pu5rfZw">Moby</a>, there's not a dry eye in the house at the touching end of this thorough work of nonfiction. Like Macdonald's later documentary "<a href="https://olympicringsandotherthings.blogspot.com/2018/10/family-secrets-revealed-but-no-one.html">Whitney</a>" there is a doozy of a tragic reveal during penultimate scenes. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>"<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqX7H1-n10s&t=41s">Munich</a></b>" (for rental via Prime Video and Red Box) is Steven Spielberg's Oscar-nominated and stirring drama on Israel's response to the terrorist attacks set to a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQMB8pZp99I">Grammy-winning score</a> by John Williams. In an unpublished review scribed for an Atlanta newspaper, I wrote in Dec. 2005 that ...<i> </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgarjP87yO-eFNOXXsDYJB5Ip_tU3UbrsvayzPDMoewFRzlCZOJsOIMJFZVWc413ooNXMM4oFEqgJf9UKLCI-AOjCCGdrgkBLAJOM2DOrvW_FS0kqaEohtJQysdZSs792xXpEmFPVe9t0Qd43wkBkbnegw_h2lNhmh0XA7wFJH-g8OTNSVi7gXHZSPj/s409/72%20time%20cover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="307" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgarjP87yO-eFNOXXsDYJB5Ip_tU3UbrsvayzPDMoewFRzlCZOJsOIMJFZVWc413ooNXMM4oFEqgJf9UKLCI-AOjCCGdrgkBLAJOM2DOrvW_FS0kqaEohtJQysdZSs792xXpEmFPVe9t0Qd43wkBkbnegw_h2lNhmh0XA7wFJH-g8OTNSVi7gXHZSPj/w150-h200/72%20time%20cover.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>Through 'Munich' the creator of fiction greats 'E.T.' and 'Jaws' presents his take on nonfiction events at the Summer Games in Germany during which 11 Israeli Olympians died at the hands of Black September terrorists. </i><i>For those who did not see this tragedy unfold in real time, it was the decade's 9/11 -- 'Munich' is an excellent film that could get people talking around the water cooler. After opening with actual news footage, Spielberg later portrays the events of Sept. 5-6 mostly with historic accuracy and in gruesome detail unveiled through flashback dreams of an Israeli intelligence agent (Eric Bana) chosen to lead a secret hit squad to take down surviving planners of the Munich attack. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Oscar winner Geoffrey Rush gives and outstanding performance as Bana's primary government contact as the team assassinates Black September members in Rome, Paris, Athens and other landmark cities. With each successful hit the proverb about "first digging two graves before seeking revenge" becomes more apt, and the film succeeds for inspiring questions about retribution.</i></div><div><br /></div><div><b>"<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrcMPH3OLY4">21 Hours at Munich</a>" </b>(currently free via Tubi) provided William Holden his <i>other</i> (not "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5O2YHZekrf8">Network</a>") starring role of 1976 as the German response chief thrust onto the world stage in this made for TV movie of American Broadcasting Corporation. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwmtwsUT502gWevSCmH082nwiKFECM4thwd8QVcdYhQN_--k2t6Lh3Mh2mOkNCkndD2Bylt9eDIZ2ToqMr7M2sLr9AEvpht0An59Nd4vaY_JT9j4xmkjTMYp_mGJAaOutE_H2jWodfv1L7lcvX2Qjk-B5Kv3DlkfSUmfDHOhdyBHHDv8RyKWRFNhxy/s1281/21-hours-at-munich.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="738" data-original-width="1281" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwmtwsUT502gWevSCmH082nwiKFECM4thwd8QVcdYhQN_--k2t6Lh3Mh2mOkNCkndD2Bylt9eDIZ2ToqMr7M2sLr9AEvpht0An59Nd4vaY_JT9j4xmkjTMYp_mGJAaOutE_H2jWodfv1L7lcvX2Qjk-B5Kv3DlkfSUmfDHOhdyBHHDv8RyKWRFNhxy/w200-h115/21-hours-at-munich.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The inclusion of seldom-seen, once live ABC News footage and authentic scenes filmed in the actual spaces or vehicles of the attack/rescue attempt -- including one of the helicopters flown as part of the athlete and police airlift -- slightly make up for the regrettably dry script that attempted, but did not achieve, the drama in real life tension of three years before. Shirley Knight's supporting role as an Olympic Village staff member is also noteworthy. </div><div><br /></div><div>These are just three of more than a dozen films released since the attack, and more are likely to follow. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp4lQ4q2OEckEmYAd6k8h1DmqvhSSd4f-Me69G44A6gHBxk6ApmD6onN3Ms5ba9au8ccO9I2pYt6f-fWTib-cEwbVsQMe709alKGE_zRvWpmCXyem4LpWIP5R2CBWcMJUWjKrI7QDciK0YaxEQFOEtA3aY2In7OMtbAiQMaDmKEHgiKkVEGh0LWHcI/s1068/72%20Gathering%20Image.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="1068" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp4lQ4q2OEckEmYAd6k8h1DmqvhSSd4f-Me69G44A6gHBxk6ApmD6onN3Ms5ba9au8ccO9I2pYt6f-fWTib-cEwbVsQMe709alKGE_zRvWpmCXyem4LpWIP5R2CBWcMJUWjKrI7QDciK0YaxEQFOEtA3aY2In7OMtbAiQMaDmKEHgiKkVEGh0LWHcI/w200-h116/72%20Gathering%20Image.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Just today, the International Olympic Committee today issued a press release to publicize the new production titled "<b><a href="https://olympics.com/ioc/news/-72-a-gathering-of-champions-documentary-series-on-olympics-com-revisits-munich-1972">72 - A Gathering of Champions</a></b>" (streaming <a href="https://olympics.com/en/original-series/72-a-gathering-of-champions/">free via Olympic Channel</a>) featuring the 2022 Germany return of 10 Munich medalists including Olga Korbut and Mark Spitz as well as Kip Keino entering their fields of play for the first time in decades. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://olympics.com/ioc/news/-72-a-gathering-of-champions-documentary-series-on-olympics-com-revisits-munich-1972">The trailer</a> gave me all the best Olympic chills and brought to mind another German term ... <i>verklempt</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span>Image credits: First two photos by Nicholas Wolaver taken at Munich Olympiapark in July 2022; image of 31 Connollystrasse entry door and memorial via <a href="https://www.tagesspiegel.de/mediacenter/fotostrecken/weltspiegel/fotostrecke-das-olympia-attentat-1972-in-muenchen/7093710-7.html?p7093710=7">this site</a> which credits "dpa"; Olympiapark Memorial photo via <a href="https://muenchen1972-2022.de/veranstaltung/rundgang-erinnerungsort-olympia-attentat/">this link</a>; image of Furstenfeldbruck on 6 Sept. 1972 via Polizeiarchiv Munchen; film posters via IMDB; Time magazine cover by Michael Grecco; </span><span>72 - A Gathering of Champions image via IOC. Photo below by Nicholas Wolaver in July 2022. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpU9jw5fVbg5o7VRhvKE7ID33a7YARTWHdrE2FJsvzlAP8MrNtw0pM30lnrDNnEM_s7GWEmyOMO7942oSNpsmuAV4cTugyAsPvMCH41m6R7ADBDDGlOvSEkaG7TMha_U6qDnkMMJiMJI_n50XkcgdnxlwcqDgan6gF5U_Lre6lAsFlBKoX_IV4cz3/s933/20220717_082127.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="933" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpU9jw5fVbg5o7VRhvKE7ID33a7YARTWHdrE2FJsvzlAP8MrNtw0pM30lnrDNnEM_s7GWEmyOMO7942oSNpsmuAV4cTugyAsPvMCH41m6R7ADBDDGlOvSEkaG7TMha_U6qDnkMMJiMJI_n50XkcgdnxlwcqDgan6gF5U_Lre6lAsFlBKoX_IV4cz3/w400-h400/20220717_082127.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-32661128448208975862022-06-23T19:47:00.003-07:002022-06-25T09:42:36.040-07:00From Trading to Swap Our Places<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMiRB469S15Bw5XF1hcYdLT9gI9CQYYZUHqKuVSADBDqgY_k_q8ZsddHo9MGd_CT9RHy02xqsv8wXOFmoicBghso8zv4wsKerV1DbKIqeWst0Diiqvok9mKNPz6_k7X1xN_ieCukLkHtfYLjyFORmE9UJ9ICNAKiPHyto0Qll1xUHb-shr7J2JxWF7/s586/Bush%20Hounds%20of%20Love.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="586" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMiRB469S15Bw5XF1hcYdLT9gI9CQYYZUHqKuVSADBDqgY_k_q8ZsddHo9MGd_CT9RHy02xqsv8wXOFmoicBghso8zv4wsKerV1DbKIqeWst0Diiqvok9mKNPz6_k7X1xN_ieCukLkHtfYLjyFORmE9UJ9ICNAKiPHyto0Qll1xUHb-shr7J2JxWF7/w200-h179/Bush%20Hounds%20of%20Love.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Earlier this month experiencing the Atlanta debut of "Trading Places: The Musical" <a href="http://olympicringsandotherthings.blogspot.com/2022/06/alliance-theatre-and-kenny-leon-deliver.html">inspired a post</a>. <p></p><p>Almost every day since, mass media reports provided regular reminders of another tune with a people swapping theme, thanks to Netflix, as Kate Bush enjoys new love for "Running Up That Hill." </p><p>For anyone recently under a rock, the new season of "Stranger Things" includes an apparently <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV0RAcuG2Ao" target="_blank">crucial scene</a> set to Bush's 1985 lyrics on a repeating loop of the running part. The catchier part of the song, for this blogger, is ... </p><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: large;"><i>"And if I only could, I'd make a deal with God, and I'd get Him to swap our places."</i></span></p></blockquote><p>My limited experience with "Stranger Things" and its otherworldly elements made me think a different, lesser known Bush song might be more apt ("<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWsfNYATsEE" target="_blank">Hello Earth</a>" with its <i>murder of calm</i>, anyone?). </p><p>But it's satisfying to see "Running Up That Hill" ascending the Billboard charts (as high as No. 4 as of this post). Go, Kate!</p><p>It took no Google search to know when this tune enjoyed one of its earlier renaissances. For those at London Olympic Stadium for the 2012 Closing Ceremony, few have forgotten the evening's premiere of an updated version timed to debut on the world's stage. </p><p>Sadly, the reclusive performer was not there in person (trust me, many were looking for her -- in the YouTube video below featuring this segment of the ceremony, you might spot me on the lookout from my upgraded seat near the cauldron). The next day she <a href="https://www.nme.com/news/music/kate-bush-25-1256167">said the occasion was <i>brilliant!</i></a> (It would have been more so with a surprise live appearance.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ft3yUKjzV4s" width="320" youtube-src-id="Ft3yUKjzV4s"></iframe></div><p>More recently, Bush granted a rare interview about the "Stranger Things" phenomenon with a BBC reporter, according to <i><a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/kate-bush-running-up-that-hill-stranger-things-interview-1372260/" target="_blank">Rolling Stone</a></i>. </p><p>Growing up in Oklahoma during Bush's 1980s heyday, her works seldom got air time on pop stations, so personal fluency with her works only started in my college years (1991-1995). I do recall strong emotions when "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXzx--YefD8" target="_blank">This Woman's Work</a>" perfectly complemented the hospital climax of "She's Having A Baby" (which the "Stranger Things" fan set might enjoy for different dose of nostalgia). </p><p>My first and only purchase from her catalog is "Hounds of Love" which was part of this writer's 1999 soundtrack for the first year of agency work at The Headline Group -- must have played that CD a thousand or more times, now back in rotation during urban drives, thanks to recent coverage. </p><p>One hopes the current resurgence would inspire some additional live performances like the 2014 residency in London. I'd get on a plane for such sensations. </p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo via EMI</span></p>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-76710803479359358732022-06-05T13:13:00.001-07:002022-06-05T13:42:01.035-07:00Alliance Theatre and Kenny Leon Deliver Fresh Laughs Through 'Trading Places: The Musical!"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh3SkNTxfwLK3bRvRFaYlNKwlPTwOx9j2oyAvu6l7k1B2pVtLydulR8r4EbBa7R4bgWqJIC-qeLvAztaTcdg4MCvGGP0WQiaqxbQPgtRJyFQ-5jKy6VBBPimk3brL7AsWP-V5QIaJWtoUaLjuY_xf3jYsYYtpzI0JdLfRUMdCk1_EMd680XctnlB-2/s1600/trading%20places%20logo.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh3SkNTxfwLK3bRvRFaYlNKwlPTwOx9j2oyAvu6l7k1B2pVtLydulR8r4EbBa7R4bgWqJIC-qeLvAztaTcdg4MCvGGP0WQiaqxbQPgtRJyFQ-5jKy6VBBPimk3brL7AsWP-V5QIaJWtoUaLjuY_xf3jYsYYtpzI0JdLfRUMdCk1_EMd680XctnlB-2/w200-h113/trading%20places%20logo.png" width="200" /></a></div>The evening of June 3 provided a fun opportunity to experience <a href="https://alliancetheatre.org/production/2021-22/trading-places" target="_blank">"Trading Places: The Musical!"</a> now in previews at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. <br /><p></p><p>Like "<a href="https://alliancetheatre.org/production/2016-17/the-prom">The Prom</a>" which earlier enjoyed its world debut on the same stage -- later to make it to Broadway, the Tony Awards and the big screen -- the fresh take on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fupg2r1EJ9w" target="_blank">1983 film</a> starring Eddie Murphy, Dan Aykroyd and Jamie Lee Curtis is, in my view and the eyes of others, very likely to make it to the Great White Way as well. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi55L8wAFvKMeF2CqErEHfQnMb30ueE8qtkAn45GesPh6L7za2dwGMExFE3n0t2C2ahCVTkWs4n87_vJLcFJCdVm_iWr6Sqtpr6Y3YNgE5W_CrF2WahmcMApZSA6iH_kSzMp1JdkMOxybHxQTWWacK9GzYV1zHUsu5aYjFAKTDfPWtILuGRF7NIvPqL/s1440/Trading%20Places%20lead%20actors.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1440" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi55L8wAFvKMeF2CqErEHfQnMb30ueE8qtkAn45GesPh6L7za2dwGMExFE3n0t2C2ahCVTkWs4n87_vJLcFJCdVm_iWr6Sqtpr6Y3YNgE5W_CrF2WahmcMApZSA6iH_kSzMp1JdkMOxybHxQTWWacK9GzYV1zHUsu5aYjFAKTDfPWtILuGRF7NIvPqL/w200-h113/Trading%20Places%20lead%20actors.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>"Trading Places: The Musical!" is a very funny, crowd-pleasing comedy directed by Kenny Leon (Tony winner for "A Raisin In The Sun") with writing from Thomas Lennon ("Reno 9-1-1"). <p></p><p>Music and lyrics were composed by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, and whether or not you've screened the source material, from the opening number portraying the City of Brotherly Love, laughs abound. </p><p>Incidentally, GamesBids.com reports that Philly was an <a href="https://gamesbids.com/eng/past-bid-results/">Olympic bid candidate</a> at least four times, and the lyrics to the first song performed by everyday Philadelphians aptly ring out any local's likely thick-accented response after losing the bids, with a flipping of the bird punctuated by the shouted directive "<i>Screw Youse!</i>" </p><p>This and 15 other songs also provide a clever new take on "Trading Places" while remaining true to the cinematic source material. </p><p>The tweaks work well, and audience members responded with generous applause for the female version of Murphy's Billy Ray Valentine -- now Billie -- especially through her solos with lyrics at once soulful and silly. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzfjIhQZip-EWvzw_ZkK3bczjbBbqge0NVcY8VmgXcCWfQp0M8AU-VWsD-uAo_2ip5iWq72NXademN3xA8J8uCT0yBOFG3HdfvPcBvxScvuSJcv2hnllpI0uEMECmyPuzCqdQgVM4dp8BTYbDuMVAptfI51e1U8jX2MsmIBNrsY_EOEzcCEbQ4LEm/s2048/Trading%20Places%20Watch%20Pawn%20Shop.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2048" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzfjIhQZip-EWvzw_ZkK3bczjbBbqge0NVcY8VmgXcCWfQp0M8AU-VWsD-uAo_2ip5iWq72NXademN3xA8J8uCT0yBOFG3HdfvPcBvxScvuSJcv2hnllpI0uEMECmyPuzCqdQgVM4dp8BTYbDuMVAptfI51e1U8jX2MsmIBNrsY_EOEzcCEbQ4LEm/w200-h133/Trading%20Places%20Watch%20Pawn%20Shop.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I also loved the recreation of Aykroyd's Louis Winthorpe III, especially while he's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLo7tHDHgOc" target="_blank">negotiating the pawn shop price</a> of his $6,000 gold timepiece. His lyrical lamentations that follow have their own Swiss wristwatch-like precision and an apt nod to Gstaad.<p></p><p>Another tweak that resonates is Curtis' streetwalker Ophelia replaced with an equally energetic character named Phil Lopez, <a href="https://www.artsatl.org/alliances-trading-places-musical-trades-some-dated-plotlines-for-inclusiveness/" target="_blank">described by an ArtsATL.org critic</a> and <a href="https://www.wabe.org/film-turned-musical-trading-places-has-world-premiere-at-alliance-theatre/" target="_blank">Lennon</a> as "a gay man ... who performs in drag at a piano bar." Some of the funniest scenes involve Phil's gender reveals -- one including a spicy dance number choreographed with a janitorial floor buffing machine -- that are reminiscent of laughs in "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mHhr-aaLnI" target="_blank">Some Like It Hot</a>."</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-Czh47JqJysNyX30gera9Zu7R-uRpOoegvoAgstv5OB0Rhp6JS4xFNAF1WB0JWBdSpjzB9_3mu6H3uVA44svKCsvEK2VtngMOJnAdP60Zl2k0xeBeMUU_MujImJrnu45oYRY9PAyxAyOaCJ3_0nmBhgAueNG-y0Ba2h20chQmvK6yiC4rhPR3EVu/s2048/Trading%20Places%20Steed.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2048" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-Czh47JqJysNyX30gera9Zu7R-uRpOoegvoAgstv5OB0Rhp6JS4xFNAF1WB0JWBdSpjzB9_3mu6H3uVA44svKCsvEK2VtngMOJnAdP60Zl2k0xeBeMUU_MujImJrnu45oYRY9PAyxAyOaCJ3_0nmBhgAueNG-y0Ba2h20chQmvK6yiC4rhPR3EVu/w200-h133/Trading%20Places%20Steed.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>One portly, self-proclaimed bad guy -- this production's answer to King George III in "Hamilton" -- nearly steals the show as the henchman Mr. Beeks, while all of the main characters and performers also have great, likeable parts and surprising one-liners even when their dastardly deeds take shape. If there is anything I would recommend for revisions to the production, it would be simply to add another Beeks number toward the end of the show (according to <a href="https://www.artsatl.org/alliances-trading-places-musical-trades-some-dated-plotlines-for-inclusiveness/" target="_blank">Lennon's interview with ArtsATL</a>, there was a conscious decision not to go gorilla as in the film, but some other modernized on-stage explanation of his demise might be fun for this foe of everyone). <p></p><p>Even when some songs seem to be at their most serious there are clever Easter eggs for chuckles that keep things very light. When Winthorpe and his fiancee discover they enjoy love over money, for instance, they admit they won't object to still "having some" funds aplenty. Many in the audience were at their most gleeful as one confused character repeatedly belted out "<i>What the fuck is going on?!</i>" (answer: musical hilarity). </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNAwqhVv8UxSW7C3_Xzi2kRfieqmCW832FC-ENMveJHLeZ4CQC7veVm2_CFkynWnqtaqNBH0rF8dabqbTQL8zmUr7_6px9cOaeThcCHywXr1pznJ_qXTHaJp8pQX29Yc_3DP1OsaNDdiWFCz9kNAAF_ocon-oz5l70cmvgAC2lYbQAcUpjwB3qxY-j/s2048/Trading%20Places%20Train.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2048" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNAwqhVv8UxSW7C3_Xzi2kRfieqmCW832FC-ENMveJHLeZ4CQC7veVm2_CFkynWnqtaqNBH0rF8dabqbTQL8zmUr7_6px9cOaeThcCHywXr1pznJ_qXTHaJp8pQX29Yc_3DP1OsaNDdiWFCz9kNAAF_ocon-oz5l70cmvgAC2lYbQAcUpjwB3qxY-j/w200-h133/Trading%20Places%20Train.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>In an after-intermission scene there is a clever set and lighting design that is creative, comical and realistic for its well-timed passenger choreography to portray rumbles and tunnels along the track. <p></p><p>By the show's margin call conclusion, fans nearly cheered for an encore while exclaiming (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4SRsGn14PI" target="_blank">Don Ameche-style</a>) "Turn those machines back on! <i>Turn those machines back on!</i>"</p><p>While describing this musical to a friend, I mentioned that "Avenue Q" and "Book of Mormon" (and perhaps even "The Prom") remain on their own, higher plains for crass lyrical laughs. "Trading Places: The Musical" has many strengths that resonate with a similar F-bomb count. </p><p>"We are doing a musical comedy ... that allows one to express themselves through dance, through singing, through words," said Leon, in <a href="https://www.wabe.org/film-turned-musical-trading-places-has-world-premiere-at-alliance-theatre/" target="_blank">a radio interview</a> with WABE's Lois Reitzes. "At the beginning of the musical we have two older white men sitting at a table that is probably two-feet wide and they won't let anyone around that table [and] their business."</p><p>Leon continued: "At the end of the play what you see is a table that is 20-feet long headed by a black woman [who] invites everybody to be at that table. We're trying to say, 'we've just got to make the table bigger in our country [and] the table should include everyone.' It's a very loving musical that I am excited to bring into the world."</p><p>The bottom line is anyone in Atlanta during June may treat themselves to an early edition of this gem likely destined to make it rain plenty of green on Broadway. </p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photos by Greg Mooney via Alliance Theatre</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8kBa2Uzgy8Y" width="320" youtube-src-id="8kBa2Uzgy8Y"></iframe></div>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-71188864098391753432022-05-06T22:33:00.002-07:002022-05-07T10:19:30.432-07:00Never Promised A Rose Garden, 600+ Team USA Olympians & Paralympians Visit One At White House<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0b4Rl7dtzAsPL-58dbYyGjmF5eihgIJCNllEFkyUHzAfgrrS8zjlsrf4yxuWmfvokLPCNrU9HTyHXig5BVrbxPMkeSU2YTi2DlWpiD1ZRe63Z8yP0EctvHpL-JwguOdzsqmQwS2AFzagOJ3x1cfmvJQYoFkEo_DwNOIAwVlEOTg1KHxvcd6Fv2Bb/s3579/DSC01769%20(2).JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1733" data-original-width="3579" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0b4Rl7dtzAsPL-58dbYyGjmF5eihgIJCNllEFkyUHzAfgrrS8zjlsrf4yxuWmfvokLPCNrU9HTyHXig5BVrbxPMkeSU2YTi2DlWpiD1ZRe63Z8yP0EctvHpL-JwguOdzsqmQwS2AFzagOJ3x1cfmvJQYoFkEo_DwNOIAwVlEOTg1KHxvcd6Fv2Bb/w400-h194/DSC01769%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Continuing a decades-long tradition, The White House formally hosted Team USA’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes of Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 on Wednesday morning. <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">The gathering was a well-organized, grand celebration of America's best, delivering fun memories for all on the scene. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Approaching 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. on foot, positive vibes channeled with sounds of a military marching band (playing a five-ringed John Williams medley) and sights of aptly-branded "Chariots for Hire" buses from which arriving athletes descended. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">When the musicians performed "One Moment In Time" as media waited by the West Wing, I was beaming, sensing the day <i>might </i>be enough of a consolation prize for missing two pandemic Olympiads.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwu7kN_cP7jjV46_kYYQ9aYygP8Dm5bL_OZnQYlsLwe15slrlhnwzpB5T5XTBCmRqgktvoQlMlzWjIcsKuPhv6vQ2FHy0bhc6-3m5lepggVa55sDF7-npyGfJuFbMMohk1TDbymGwDnKr5YOiZ0Y1lqsU_hw6c0l0ykiB3wkwVO6Vke6pW5pbcTfgf/s3408/20220504_101922.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3408" data-original-width="2556" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwu7kN_cP7jjV46_kYYQ9aYygP8Dm5bL_OZnQYlsLwe15slrlhnwzpB5T5XTBCmRqgktvoQlMlzWjIcsKuPhv6vQ2FHy0bhc6-3m5lepggVa55sDF7-npyGfJuFbMMohk1TDbymGwDnKr5YOiZ0Y1lqsU_hw6c0l0ykiB3wkwVO6Vke6pW5pbcTfgf/w150-h200/20220504_101922.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>For this blogger, this third time visit was a charmer in terms of stepping "on campus" (lingo of those employed there) at the Executive Residence. <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Previously, I posted from the <a href="https://olympicringsandotherthings.blogspot.com/2016/10/that-one-time-at-1600-pennsylvania-ave.html">October visit following Rio 2016</a> hosted by the Obamas and the comparatively muted festivities of <a href="https://olympicringsandotherthings.blogspot.com/2018/08/forrest-gumping-it-at-1600-pennsylvania.html">April following PyeongChang 2018</a> with many of the Clown Car (err, Insane Clown Posse?) cabinet members of that era in attendance. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">All three events took place on overcast days, with 2016's gathering in one of the ballrooms and 2018's remarks delivered under the North Portico. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">The May 5 ceremony, held on the South Lawn of the Executive Residence, was perhaps the first in history to include competitors of both summer and winter Olympiads together with over 600 uniformed athletes filling a temporary grandstand. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qHoGPgnBlFqDOQjGZUzEN6YtplLvaUVnEDV3OpFJp-a2Ho3aqn_oi5-5FOaJcssk1wsiUWZLjZI5-d-qMHK4VKR9zGmdC1wuYFEpYDAWxlWbRup_kHeVU5B4m05-XTCkTzUi435G-3Cso5yq3cL64Xo1AIL8Q88Nt6PdCUzqhyICdJrrWBnLyAgZ/s1248/DSC01756%20(2).JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="758" data-original-width="1248" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qHoGPgnBlFqDOQjGZUzEN6YtplLvaUVnEDV3OpFJp-a2Ho3aqn_oi5-5FOaJcssk1wsiUWZLjZI5-d-qMHK4VKR9zGmdC1wuYFEpYDAWxlWbRup_kHeVU5B4m05-XTCkTzUi435G-3Cso5yq3cL64Xo1AIL8Q88Nt6PdCUzqhyICdJrrWBnLyAgZ/w200-h121/DSC01756%20(2).JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Hundreds of invited guests including family members of attending sportspersons -- as well as several dozen White House correspondents or visiting Olympic media -- also enjoyed remarks by President Joe Biden, first lady and five-time bobsleigh medalist Elana Meyers Taylor. <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff also attended, receiving with the Bidens a set of special uniforms and shoes presented by the Olympians and Paralympians. A brief clip featuring the national anthem performed live is here:</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WSVwvdrh_yM" width="320" youtube-src-id="WSVwvdrh_yM"></iframe></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">“The Bidens are a big sports family, and we love watching the Olympics,” said President Biden after brief remarks by the first lady, who led the Team USA delegation in Japan. “Jill came home from Tokyo, all she could do was talk about you all constantly. You think I'm kidding – I'm not!”</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Though he was playing for laughs, Biden was serious about his Games-time fandom. Similar to the FLOTUS, as vice president, Biden led a Team USA <a href="https://olympicringsandotherthings.blogspot.com/2010/02/whadya-know-joe.html">delegation to Vancouver 2010</a> (my first of several converging paths with Joe). </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">On Wednesday the president also expressed appreciation for the uniting spirit the athletes provide, citing 18 U.S. military veterans among the 2020 and 2022 competitors. He also noted the challenges of COVID-19 navigated on the journeys to Tokyo and Beijing. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zjrqcQvNw4MsdqotWGH75kl0vKhi88f50Gi8NxdRZ2Veyt_C1dkjgGAU3VMx2wrHiTtQkhAlvVWunxqQsuRSHv_3P1QeTDQXVXyKtSGDP7ISiDlImTr7jQEmdRbHYrdNPjlOjCg2DVBhPoUocyllZqQyb9tSIqXRVPAdFwUg8l5AWFP3bkuf-7Qz/s2918/20220504_124644.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2918" data-original-width="2881" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zjrqcQvNw4MsdqotWGH75kl0vKhi88f50Gi8NxdRZ2Veyt_C1dkjgGAU3VMx2wrHiTtQkhAlvVWunxqQsuRSHv_3P1QeTDQXVXyKtSGDP7ISiDlImTr7jQEmdRbHYrdNPjlOjCg2DVBhPoUocyllZqQyb9tSIqXRVPAdFwUg8l5AWFP3bkuf-7Qz/w198-h200/20220504_124644.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>“The pandemic made training and competing especially difficult and draining, but you did it,” said Biden. “You all did it, and we were in awe not just of your incredible athleticism but your endurance and your state of mind -- but most of all your character. You all have such incredible character.”<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">“As a team … we’ve been through a lot,” said Meyers Taylor. “We came together, and we persevered, and we hope we’ve made this country proud.”</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">As she spoke, I reminisced about <a href="https://olympicringsandotherthings.blogspot.com/2017/02/one-year-to-find-inspiration.html">meeting Meyers Taylor in Sochi</a>, her second stop along the journey to become the most decorated Black Winter Olympian and the most decorated female Olympic bobsledder. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Opting to maintain a celebratory tone for the occasion, during their South Lawn remarks, the president and first lady did not mention Olympians of other nations—such as the unresolved Russian doping controversies of Beijing 2022 that prevented medal presentations for the figure skating team competition—nor world events such as the Russo-Ukrainian War. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdVIFwJnXD0HuDfLJuvT25kGQRiapjEbjaQx10Nt9YOvl8tzr43ohl7EhiwyTzm8m1rGiU8czs6-NYOKDSUdsfd-8XzAvxkPTO2dD14pVphVgm3lpsN509oz1W7Ftn9c70bXRGbhGNC0XvzxBmdLmKYVfsADfWguH6-lqNHifHN9D39_5QIekbEA-Y/s3502/20220504_123903.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3502" data-original-width="2488" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdVIFwJnXD0HuDfLJuvT25kGQRiapjEbjaQx10Nt9YOvl8tzr43ohl7EhiwyTzm8m1rGiU8czs6-NYOKDSUdsfd-8XzAvxkPTO2dD14pVphVgm3lpsN509oz1W7Ftn9c70bXRGbhGNC0XvzxBmdLmKYVfsADfWguH6-lqNHifHN9D39_5QIekbEA-Y/w142-h200/20220504_123903.jpg" width="142" /></a></div>Also unmentioned: Team USA’s two-time women’s Olympic basketball champion and WNBA center Brittney Griner, who was detained for allegedly possessing vape pen cartridges with hashish oil upon arrival at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport on Feb. 17. <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">In an <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/brennan/2022/05/02/brittney-griner-us-olympic-committee-joins-effort-free-wnba-star/9623172002/">interview with USA Today</a> published Monday, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland said the organization supports efforts to hasten Griner’s return stateside. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLmSS34LagFt93BSksLODwtf0fg8FwlVDfA3viAkq-X1GDiu0bv3OP-H46uNpjrkiZhVTvLiMh7dN5vXXHLPanECQCA14yTfqRIH3VwUpHomr9xQiS7DcUMMhA9pb8Kb8GUrUPJfEx0lIvTh8sixyY67MCGSZYYiuMJJHh1ry3JcHfrUHa_z0VxJNy/s3444/20220504_112946.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3444" data-original-width="2488" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLmSS34LagFt93BSksLODwtf0fg8FwlVDfA3viAkq-X1GDiu0bv3OP-H46uNpjrkiZhVTvLiMh7dN5vXXHLPanECQCA14yTfqRIH3VwUpHomr9xQiS7DcUMMhA9pb8Kb8GUrUPJfEx0lIvTh8sixyY67MCGSZYYiuMJJHh1ry3JcHfrUHa_z0VxJNy/w144-h200/20220504_112946.jpg" width="144" /></a></div>Speaking of the national Gannett newspaper, I wound up spending most of the ceremony in proximity to legendary sports columnist Christine Brennan—a fellow May 14 birthday celebrant—and she kindly swapped Games-time stories of 1984 to present while <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/christinebrennan/2022/05/04/olympian-katie-ledecky-swimming-faster-and-looking-paris-games/9650554002/">newsgathering for her column</a> and also introducing other reporters and Olympic figure skating champion Sarah Hughes (thanks, Christine!).<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">In a media scrum at a White House visit countdown event on Monday, Hirshland also called for <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/2022/05/02/sarah-hirshland-usopc-russia-sanctions-doping-ukraine/">sporting sanctions of Russia</a>, according to the Washington Post Olympic reporter Les Carpenter, who was also <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/2022/05/04/olympians-white-house-president-biden/">reporting from the South Lawn</a>. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgROZO2XoJqK8Pc54FA-hsw2EMIO-a3O89tyqVJhNuBnZnzJdDotFQA8gJENJXohFQDEQhvF5BfTKhsGrQT9PZaKSuUfU_g59doavu-GGrs_25EPZNl0HasDS3M6G6fNXxxH8HIG9Mv3Rlw0YcZQS8JMhkMtkoPhn6I4YNj8j4GeBYCOiyLvUdrNeYF/s2972/20220504_122751.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2972" data-original-width="1781" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgROZO2XoJqK8Pc54FA-hsw2EMIO-a3O89tyqVJhNuBnZnzJdDotFQA8gJENJXohFQDEQhvF5BfTKhsGrQT9PZaKSuUfU_g59doavu-GGrs_25EPZNl0HasDS3M6G6fNXxxH8HIG9Mv3Rlw0YcZQS8JMhkMtkoPhn6I4YNj8j4GeBYCOiyLvUdrNeYF/w120-h200/20220504_122751.jpg" width="120" /></a></div>No basketball athletes from USA attended Wednesday’s South Lawn event, according to a list distributed to media by The White House Press Office. Also absent: Shaun White, Mikaela Shiffrin, Simone Biles, soccer stars and A-listers of track and field. <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">The festive mood and camaraderie, however, seemed to bestow many with <i>all the feels</i>. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Over in the Rose Garden, tables were stacked with healthy snacks, and some athletes posted selfies or other photos and <a href="https://bit.ly/3vRp0zz">videos including an impromptu dance</a> from ground floor rooms of the Executive Mansion, revealing some interiors illuminated in red and blue. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIY1q2bvncK6fFqp0FkXIM4VF7bXpH5ll7_VRefPMo_PR3usfAHykvw5f8L3ChXA4pyoL3nFFxK4ICUNuYoZLdSHligdAxfhSVzIlA1aPHHOxwOMFnLit3KNN-utTlhh0rXbE95c7ecwkOU5fHUScgrFkso7eAT7crN-LqtIlocMHBGuJ9nDN1UZ70/s1381/DSC01781%20(3).JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1027" data-original-width="1381" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIY1q2bvncK6fFqp0FkXIM4VF7bXpH5ll7_VRefPMo_PR3usfAHykvw5f8L3ChXA4pyoL3nFFxK4ICUNuYoZLdSHligdAxfhSVzIlA1aPHHOxwOMFnLit3KNN-utTlhh0rXbE95c7ecwkOU5fHUScgrFkso7eAT7crN-LqtIlocMHBGuJ9nDN1UZ70/w200-h149/DSC01781%20(3).JPG" width="200" /></a></div>After the president’s South Lawn remarks, the Bidens and the vice president remained with the athletes for several minutes to shake hands, share congratulatory messages and pose for photos. <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">We spotted White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki uncharacteristically fangirling with a few Olympic stars (believe it, I was also star-struck, but then again, "When in Rome ..." or "When on The White House campus" applies, yes?). </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Soon after Wednesday’s gathering, pole vault champion Katie Nageotte <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdLkmrbFBHi/">shared videos online</a>, captioned with the message, “White House visit with Team USA! Truly a once in a lifetime opportunity!”</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieu7IgOEq0XIU7LXwoEEvwaT8UqLIlwAu-OhnjQ3rYdAu4bL1lLOx02maUo3aaT3sf9J75usn7Rpi2QLemlidMOMO1GYgzVam1OGoqx-gutK0-4jC4JysMIjHd4Ph4Y9LWEGFM2TIIYI6HVQQA__IXEqCB4fstTu6GDVik8HcFrEPhzXLlFrFbbxxq/s3348/20220504_122353.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3348" data-original-width="2656" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieu7IgOEq0XIU7LXwoEEvwaT8UqLIlwAu-OhnjQ3rYdAu4bL1lLOx02maUo3aaT3sf9J75usn7Rpi2QLemlidMOMO1GYgzVam1OGoqx-gutK0-4jC4JysMIjHd4Ph4Y9LWEGFM2TIIYI6HVQQA__IXEqCB4fstTu6GDVik8HcFrEPhzXLlFrFbbxxq/w159-h200/20220504_122353.jpg" width="159" /></a></div>In some ways, the post-event wind-down created the most impactful and funny moments of the experience. <div><br /></div><div>In addition to brief intros with Hughes and Olympic beach volleyball champion April Ross, Olympians Katie Ledecky, Reggie Jagers III, monobob champion Kaillie Humphries and figure skating medalist Vincent Zhou each worked the rope line with reporters. <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicstAo3LJTrkrs8WLN7YETFjPWoA_DXq642eD-5qOkRp1GsypDTB8QNAF3Rk1S4g-tO5Yvxakh3mCwU6euuemPbosZaEO5PDV8uPzsyEJVc4__sBd3Y7VAZCRorvn5jkeWbEBRZoi6dU4tYfxtSVlIrx-Hh6bFi7TKOIqXWauPkD2vPAia3K6-CSv9/s2784/20220504_124419.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2784" data-original-width="2295" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicstAo3LJTrkrs8WLN7YETFjPWoA_DXq642eD-5qOkRp1GsypDTB8QNAF3Rk1S4g-tO5Yvxakh3mCwU6euuemPbosZaEO5PDV8uPzsyEJVc4__sBd3Y7VAZCRorvn5jkeWbEBRZoi6dU4tYfxtSVlIrx-Hh6bFi7TKOIqXWauPkD2vPAia3K6-CSv9/w165-h200/20220504_124419.jpg" width="165" /></a></div>The nicest surprise was a brief reunion with Olympic diver <a href="https://www.instagram.com/katrinanole/">Katrina Young</a>. <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">A few days after her Olympic debut in Rio, we first met in a crowd of wishful fans vying to talk our way into the men's basketball final with only our Games credentials. Equally ticketless, she made it to the game. Sadly, I did not. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Months later, recalling that brief introduction, we got acquainted at the Team USA Gala for 2016 Olympians in Washington the night before each of our first visits to The White House. We both got in the building that time, but by earning her Olympian status, only Young got to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdOXqnTr-el/">sit in the rooms where it happens</a>. It was fun to reconnect in person after occasional Facebook Messenger or Instagram messages during the pandemic. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8LbVizjdDqyf6rMHhu5-WxkP9r0_tzKFoN9lEne6Z1wzgOHvGEse5hUlAXcX1dmk1d9k-7HMPNRswkm2s6iQlGrqOwjS7nJJy1pU_ZdQQ6USF3HIuHtmaKfqANtunUHYzAs5M4HIkBeQRoNuIad-fPCnG4lA027iPH0YjsdE3z2mFL1o6aq_N5Q9/s759/20220504_120225.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="759" data-original-width="614" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8LbVizjdDqyf6rMHhu5-WxkP9r0_tzKFoN9lEne6Z1wzgOHvGEse5hUlAXcX1dmk1d9k-7HMPNRswkm2s6iQlGrqOwjS7nJJy1pU_ZdQQ6USF3HIuHtmaKfqANtunUHYzAs5M4HIkBeQRoNuIad-fPCnG4lA027iPH0YjsdE3z2mFL1o6aq_N5Q9/w162-h200/20220504_120225.jpg" width="162" /></a></div>There was also a renewal of Olympic joy—severely depleted by the pandemic's many challenges—in the form of a few pin trades, including the hot design du jour given to White House visitors by the USOPC in patriotic, high-quality cloissone (see photo). </div><div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">If only the designers at pin manufacturer HONAV could get the Olympic rings on these Team USA designs! </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">And finally, the day provided a return visit to the <a href="https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/history/life/pressbriefingroom.html">James Brady Press Briefing Room</a>, the theater/workroom for many of the nation's best reporters and publicists/political advisers-turned-press secretaries. I have a lot of respect for Psaki restoring professionalism and decency to this hallowed ground, and was hoping to shake her hand and tell her so. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuuBrYEJjqjgoMCRdRqA4MEaXWHFolfb8DH6JD6j3P55Zd-fo5fcBVaYveF7RnnN0dRHURsiobbfor_NcPDaABF52HsITaRdARkJaRT12PwVKq9TCkJmqs0DtKUVQ0tPzb_LBMD7EYJa1YHnCOs2m60XTIOyIx3r5QW4E3Yql7ouZ_UyDz2s4J9BGr/s1949/20220504_130725.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1233" data-original-width="1949" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuuBrYEJjqjgoMCRdRqA4MEaXWHFolfb8DH6JD6j3P55Zd-fo5fcBVaYveF7RnnN0dRHURsiobbfor_NcPDaABF52HsITaRdARkJaRT12PwVKq9TCkJmqs0DtKUVQ0tPzb_LBMD7EYJa1YHnCOs2m60XTIOyIx3r5QW4E3Yql7ouZ_UyDz2s4J9BGr/w200-h126/20220504_130725.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>As it turned out, the Team USA visit delayed the afternoon's scheduled briefing, creating a short window for me to instead strike a pose, all in good fun. My caption on social channels was, "Psaki was at lunch, so ..." <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Quoting Nageotte again, "Truly a once in a lifetime opportunity!"</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Looking ahead to 2024 and beyond, here's hoping this horseplay avoided inspiring placement of my name on future no-entry lists, and that additional Olympic reporters may enjoy Team USA visit to The White House down the road.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaE_HENArMqfEIi4mBNEkiesROPd1cEzhOT1VSsW9HxmkYMWRF0uq_UgZ24mXdFQ73OPSL02f3yqR0mZVuNzkOZxDFCqxFAG2R7Hk-rqgoG431lQaF45p2hUpA2NBZ3M-JY1r20Plx6_8T5cpavvbqT4xfcQa3MDqh6QEO2XOW0NHGrYll-Y40K8Td/s5472/DSC01802.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaE_HENArMqfEIi4mBNEkiesROPd1cEzhOT1VSsW9HxmkYMWRF0uq_UgZ24mXdFQ73OPSL02f3yqR0mZVuNzkOZxDFCqxFAG2R7Hk-rqgoG431lQaF45p2hUpA2NBZ3M-JY1r20Plx6_8T5cpavvbqT4xfcQa3MDqh6QEO2XOW0NHGrYll-Y40K8Td/w200-h133/DSC01802.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>According to <a href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/press-room/press-backgrounders/olympians-at-the-white-house-historical-highlights">The White House Historical Association</a>, U.S. Olympic athletes have visited the mansion as far back as 1924, with a Team USA delegation from Tokyo 1964 among the earliest-cited full-team ceremonies hosted by a sitting president. In 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt hosted members of the U.S. Olympic team of London at his “Summer White House” home on the north shore of Long Island, N.Y. <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Earlier in the week I was hopeful the team at <a href="https://bit.ly/39KSDdp">Keep The Flame Alive</a> might be able to attend on the heels of their first in-person Games reporting from Beijing. Though there are no promises of a rose garden, in conversation we concured next time is a must!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photos by Nicholas Wolaver. Portions of this post were first <a href="https://bit.ly/AroundTheRingsWhiteHouse22">published by <i>Around The Rings</i></a> on May 5. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFMAsf0vnLUi07Htab1crSBCXu6MlU4MUr3XDd86b1ctlQrtw0yfGaO23xBy_OqdCKA3-0u6KPUzYyB2II6Pv0DAycacdwlO3aUSrx_ocY8ckMLf6tt_8EFYQySJCE5jOc-nNluB92LILm3lsbYGSznSuosrT6vDEJRBjGmzZybErFKV8l58BDClz/s730/DSC01767%20(2).JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="730" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFMAsf0vnLUi07Htab1crSBCXu6MlU4MUr3XDd86b1ctlQrtw0yfGaO23xBy_OqdCKA3-0u6KPUzYyB2II6Pv0DAycacdwlO3aUSrx_ocY8ckMLf6tt_8EFYQySJCE5jOc-nNluB92LILm3lsbYGSznSuosrT6vDEJRBjGmzZybErFKV8l58BDClz/w400-h226/DSC01767%20(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVavrkJ9YyXlFcscalrKn8TzAoC3uHrOePL6hEGyB1xR5W7EbrkDolK1FNtAiy21avGL3t-M5hkuQV-zX9197ioQoUXcXB9WcM46BmTtYatiCGpZ5dvlXxhb6D62DpZwjw01CWkJSJDcjinuH4k19TiQ-dGXx26g6R3JX7-MvHwpXb109SHL56M4bN/s4255/DSC01790%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4255" data-original-width="3091" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVavrkJ9YyXlFcscalrKn8TzAoC3uHrOePL6hEGyB1xR5W7EbrkDolK1FNtAiy21avGL3t-M5hkuQV-zX9197ioQoUXcXB9WcM46BmTtYatiCGpZ5dvlXxhb6D62DpZwjw01CWkJSJDcjinuH4k19TiQ-dGXx26g6R3JX7-MvHwpXb109SHL56M4bN/w290-h400/DSC01790%20(2).JPG" width="290" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0sgha31zRrDnejvqMqXLr3z_a_vDmfFjchucjL9p2qsXHJeNtHiYP2HL8cuwaGsQPR3AH03dsno4FzvVx58bzte42k_iMQydi3bI5dUh5xz6O0fbZmL4JEkVF0Xvp9vIGti11S6X3vmjJ5jkfoKmN_MEOQveUsD1-_Vjw0vyOn8SWtrD4hADVN4XH/s2087/20220504_122125.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2087" data-original-width="1696" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0sgha31zRrDnejvqMqXLr3z_a_vDmfFjchucjL9p2qsXHJeNtHiYP2HL8cuwaGsQPR3AH03dsno4FzvVx58bzte42k_iMQydi3bI5dUh5xz6O0fbZmL4JEkVF0Xvp9vIGti11S6X3vmjJ5jkfoKmN_MEOQveUsD1-_Vjw0vyOn8SWtrD4hADVN4XH/w325-h400/20220504_122125.jpg" width="325" /></a></div><p></p></div>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-56763829152939324422022-02-03T21:55:00.004-08:002022-02-03T23:08:52.556-08:00Beijing Welcomes Few<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivp-e3P3e4jMWyQF4BSNMDH4NUd0XEZuAQibq-ZzNoi5KhEVnpu_sdIJilUVZ4Es8DBKneEyp9A07TxF3Lj8EdqdHRB89mBmclsrR9Vd9qOaVt3aWBPwHwYOuuss6C2AyyHyKhFuIFzVktVS3ihVPp0bXqBqnR9dxU0qbs7t5blP4bb0pqJh656yiM=s971" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="971" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivp-e3P3e4jMWyQF4BSNMDH4NUd0XEZuAQibq-ZzNoi5KhEVnpu_sdIJilUVZ4Es8DBKneEyp9A07TxF3Lj8EdqdHRB89mBmclsrR9Vd9qOaVt3aWBPwHwYOuuss6C2AyyHyKhFuIFzVktVS3ihVPp0bXqBqnR9dxU0qbs7t5blP4bb0pqJh656yiM=w200-h158" width="200" /></a></div>In a few hours, the <a href="https://www.beijing2022.cn/en/">XXIV Winter Olympic Games</a> officially open in Beijing. <p></p><p>I hope it is a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r13riaRKGo0">great success</a>, and suspect it will be on several fronts, though its high points will likely be drowned out by an array of tethered topics in the news.</p><p>One perplexing topic is Russia's president attending the Opening Ceremony at which his nation's athletes may only compete under the Olympic Committee (ROC) banner. </p><p>Maybe if viewers look closely enough they'll see the testicles or spines of various IOC members (opting not to enforce doping-related bans nor acknowledge human rights issues during host nation selection) in the back pockets or VIP gift bags of Vladimir Putin and PRC President Xi Jinping. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZZXT3l24tx3JdPbzqDNGXptnh4uiJUECnwnKYAHHSlyRh5_UfhkQY7gg2Sh5_8iEtTTywRMZ7OPWAlMG5_Gv2AVNWiRIAGdA1mf1ZhZ6IeSxS7lxkGQXUAEPcrtvIIlSqgnaMZ2E8_GJaBCtCSQqGemmvMJsrdLZ3Uu2qiE00n1QdoahAWCs48H_0=s1529" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="741" data-original-width="1529" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZZXT3l24tx3JdPbzqDNGXptnh4uiJUECnwnKYAHHSlyRh5_UfhkQY7gg2Sh5_8iEtTTywRMZ7OPWAlMG5_Gv2AVNWiRIAGdA1mf1ZhZ6IeSxS7lxkGQXUAEPcrtvIIlSqgnaMZ2E8_GJaBCtCSQqGemmvMJsrdLZ3Uu2qiE00n1QdoahAWCs48H_0=w200-h97" width="200" /></a></div>Of the two cities that presented final bids to the IOC, my vote was for Almaty. How cool it would have been -- <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UW7q4osZNc">very nice!</a> -- to visit a new corner of the world, Kazakhstan. I'd like to think some of the recent protests in that nation preventable had the city been on its home stretch in Games preparation. <p></p><p>I was also passionate about Munich's potential bid -- converted briefly from their failed 2018 quest -- regrettably withdrawn after close municipal votes showed lack of Bavarian public support due to soaring costs of hosting. </p><p>Boo, Bavarians!</p><p>Even on the July 2015 day with Beijing secured the Games, my thought was, "Meh, potentially one Games to skip." Working and residing in China for a month in 2008 was enough for this lifetime, it then seemed.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxyuzV9jLCXB6a6whblizgUjg0s-fu6f2J0qzAK1vGBR-o3tiW59XqWyy635LJnFvdjYtKfovmIKS_iHdhQBYw4tdbF7lJe6_OB0Gbw_OxpQtrFbfZlMmv9fMoTjeBdAX-ytBIOIHxlQlY2cNy1pDtW8E2R9qtwXJtrmV_ICb2SLJ0_HTIv575jduY=s3000" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1551" data-original-width="3000" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxyuzV9jLCXB6a6whblizgUjg0s-fu6f2J0qzAK1vGBR-o3tiW59XqWyy635LJnFvdjYtKfovmIKS_iHdhQBYw4tdbF7lJe6_OB0Gbw_OxpQtrFbfZlMmv9fMoTjeBdAX-ytBIOIHxlQlY2cNy1pDtW8E2R9qtwXJtrmV_ICb2SLJ0_HTIv575jduY=w200-h103" width="200" /></a></div>But I started warming up to the 2022 Games after seeing some of the new venues, notably The Ice Ribbon speed skating oval (left) and the ski jump complex. It's also good to see the iconic Bird's Nest and Water Cube (now Ice Cube) getting more use as both structures are spectacular. The mascot <a href="https://olympics.com/en/news/beijing-2022-winter-olympic-mascot">Bing Dwen Dwen</a> makes me smile, as did the <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/beijing-winter-olympics-torch-relay-174933140.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall">abbreviated Olympic Torch Relay</a> underway for just <a href="https://www.beijing2022.cn/en/torch_relay.htm">three days</a>. <p>It also made me grin to receive a Beijing Olympic media accreditation last month. Unfortunately, limited and over-priced seats on the small batches of international charter flights to China -- combined with my current client responsibilities and the nebulous complexities of the COVID clearances to get inside the Olympic bubble -- led me to stay put in Atlanta. Kudos and best wishes to the team from <a href="https://flamealivepod.com/">Keep The Flame Alive podcast</a> for successfully navigating the system and making it to China!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhULvmTO5zFgFhN-hS9I_Z_lMwOfWuiIiqiw0UfiJY1ebvJE0ZnXgUf7FFidOLQauvayh6oWzsVbaeYO_8zGkGjmfvODtRtE0Bo2hekCyI9Hbv9KnBEfVGI5KoBUKP4_OgUt4g3X6zdApaWo-32QaWWKAuRFzwLSXbD2pC1yMvQhAB3oTqPfuTFhCAb=s1448" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1448" data-original-width="1035" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhULvmTO5zFgFhN-hS9I_Z_lMwOfWuiIiqiw0UfiJY1ebvJE0ZnXgUf7FFidOLQauvayh6oWzsVbaeYO_8zGkGjmfvODtRtE0Bo2hekCyI9Hbv9KnBEfVGI5KoBUKP4_OgUt4g3X6zdApaWo-32QaWWKAuRFzwLSXbD2pC1yMvQhAB3oTqPfuTFhCAb=w143-h200" width="143" /></a></div>Breathing easy without the stresses of travel, designing a new blog pin (at right) for this Olympiad proved relaxing and fun. <p></p><p>And it's exciting to see several athletes getting their shot at Olympic glory. After her successful gold mining in PyeongChang, I enjoyed an opportunity to ask Mikaela Shiffrin her goals on her journey to Beijing. Can hardly wait to see her successes at her third Games. </p><p>It will be fun to see what other surprises emerge from Beijing. Predictions: Sarah Brightman performs at the Opening or Closing (as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rMi-gkrZ3M">in 2008</a>); the final torchbearer will be a child (or group of kids) or a robot; and we'll all learn some new sports-centric vocabulary akin to "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yips#In_other_sports">the twisties</a>" of Tokyo. </p><p>We can also look forward and continue counting the days to <a href="https://www.milanocortina2026.org/">Milano-Cortina 2026</a>!</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image credits: Beijing 2022's Instagram; AFP and EPA from <a href="https://www.dailysabah.com/sports/beijing-2022-winter-olympics-faces-covid-19-rights-concerns/news">this site</a>.</span></p>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-57432826955176322262021-09-18T20:46:00.005-07:002021-09-19T11:06:44.500-07:00Split Decision on Ken Burns' Film "Muhammad Ali" <p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq9V77Lp8v8uzjBJsZQe77TeJQyOWCDQ-C2tBJmfBHxHzLySHrnmQP7Xa8ASSxyZZ6SwTK8GYI5r2997ROgM-J3yfPhcOyf6BYkKa0qjtU4EFjLSCkquRc91l-SMO-AhMNN-TJfuiACZc/s991/Ali+Image.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="991" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq9V77Lp8v8uzjBJsZQe77TeJQyOWCDQ-C2tBJmfBHxHzLySHrnmQP7Xa8ASSxyZZ6SwTK8GYI5r2997ROgM-J3yfPhcOyf6BYkKa0qjtU4EFjLSCkquRc91l-SMO-AhMNN-TJfuiACZc/w400-h155/Ali+Image.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />When PBS premiered the three-part documentary "<a href="https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/hemingway/" target="_blank">Hemingway</a>" from Ken Burns and Lynn Novick in April, the network also teased "<a href="https://www.pbs.org/show/muhammad-ali/" target="_blank">Muhammad Ali</a>" set to debut Sept. 19. <p></p><p style="text-align: left;">The trailer brought to mind another network's slogan: "Must See TV." </p><p>Reminders also arrived printed on monthly statements from Bank of America, the lead corporate funder of the boxing legend project <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/09/04/ken-burns-american-canon" target="_blank">reportedly in the work</a>s for more than five years. Here's a trailer for those who haven't seen it: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RgPqZNjoUro" width="320" youtube-src-id="RgPqZNjoUro"></iframe></div><p>Pretty much anything Ali -- among the most admired Olympians and individuals of all time by this blogger and billions of others -- captivates my attention, and I marked my calendar to request media access to a preview screener. </p><p>The series was worth the wait and well worth the eight hours of advance viewing time this past week, and I encourage anyone interested in history, sports, race relations, faith and understanding, inspirational narratives, the Olympics and professional boxing and/or Ali to make time for the broadcast or streaming of "Muhammad Ali."</p><p>As with other documentary deep dives for which Burns is known, this film co-directed with his daughter Sarah Burns and her husband David McMahon takes viewers on a thoroughly detailed journey of the legendary boxer's life. It's organized into four two-hour episodes titled:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>"Round One: The Greatest" (1942 to 1964) on the boxer's upbringing and initial ascent to stardom</li><li>"Round Two: What's My Name?" (1964 to 1970) framing the fighter's professional feats and struggles to defend his beliefs including his faith-based name change</li><li>"Round Three: The Rivalry" (1970 to 1974) showcasing legendary bouts with Joe Frazier, and </li><li>"Round Four: The Spell Remains" (1974 to 2016) detailing the peaks, valleys, challenges and opportunities experienced by the champ in his later years.</li></ul><p></p><p>Many narratives about Ali rely on his <a href="https://olympics.com/en/featured-news/muhammad-ali-olympic-gold" target="_blank">Olympic successes of 1960</a> and 1996 as "bookends" and the new documentary also employs this format. Therefore, it was not surprising that most of the boxer's <a href="https://olympics.com/en/featured-news/muhammad-ali-olympic-gold" target="_blank">Rome 1960 feats</a> were already packaged and revealed only 35 minutes into Episode One. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0wGe1TWxudu5hdaI1PWig9G5H-yZzJV_zFIW00OLV24BR3m5TOWMI7p1MRqnJStSpwhFtc0E1X2hir4GZxGqA-gUG5zO6sA_d-w-bze4-Mts1Sx1l4X-YjAY_ydbCLcS_9dARADBTgg/s750/Ali+Rome.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="641" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0wGe1TWxudu5hdaI1PWig9G5H-yZzJV_zFIW00OLV24BR3m5TOWMI7p1MRqnJStSpwhFtc0E1X2hir4GZxGqA-gUG5zO6sA_d-w-bze4-Mts1Sx1l4X-YjAY_ydbCLcS_9dARADBTgg/w273-h320/Ali+Rome.jpg" width="273" /></a></div>The film delivers surprises including new-to-my-eyes images from the 1960 Olympic trials at San Francisco's Cow Palace, footage of ABC's Jim McKay in his first Olympic broadcast gig (foreshadowing The Champ's later <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slKkrJyY5E0&t=122s" target="_blank">"Wide World of Sports" clips</a>), and celebrities or fellow Olympians with whom Ali connected as he became the unofficial Olympic Village "mayor." <p></p><p>Also pleasing through all four episodes was an original score by Jahlil Beats and soundtrack selections from Beyonce, Marvin Gaye, James Brown, Ray Charles and The Rolling Stones, among others. Narration by Keith David -- whose voice some may recognize for the question "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzRuKnb2uuY">Is it the frank or the beans?</a>" in "There's Something About Mary" -- also caught my attention. </p><p>In addition to Games-related moments or players, I was looking for more details about Atlanta's role in Ali's return to fighting after his ban for conscientious objection (a timeline detail first learned through the city's <a href="https://olympicringsandotherthings.blogspot.com/2015/12/get-on-bus-for-civil-rights-tours.html">Civil Rights Tour</a> a few years ago). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbT4-G3eV7Oumc7_LSOX7goEritF3SYfJfh1VcBnseZlrMjNKBNSkx7dqQ15guowLIVACmmpX8kmH_Q4_ab9jwPVH2kdHjMPgyFOwNEKqkN0MYP2qPOHIgFCgatrB9IMivWsYxEaPHkdI/s800/Ali+King.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="640" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbT4-G3eV7Oumc7_LSOX7goEritF3SYfJfh1VcBnseZlrMjNKBNSkx7dqQ15guowLIVACmmpX8kmH_Q4_ab9jwPVH2kdHjMPgyFOwNEKqkN0MYP2qPOHIgFCgatrB9IMivWsYxEaPHkdI/w160-h200/Ali+King.jpeg" width="160" /></a></div>The film delivered the city's first major cameo about an hour and 40 minutes into Episode Two, with grainy Channel 2 footage of interviews with local yokels, Ali's weigh-in and fight with Jerry Quarry at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipal_Auditorium_(Atlanta)">Atlanta Municipal Auditorium</a>, and Coretta Scott King's post-bout presentation of a Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial Award (spoiler alert: she appears again in footage from July 19, 1996). <p></p><p>In a five-ringed sense, "Muhammad Ali" ultimately includes Olympians Ali, his final Rome opponent (1956 and 1964 Olympic bronze medalist Zbigniew Pietrzykowki of Poland), Wilma Rudolph, Rafer Johnson, boxers Frazier (1964 Tokyo), George Foreman (Mexico City 1968) and Leon Spinks (Montreal 1976). Nods are also given for Dr. Tommie Smith and John Carlos as well as Michael Johnson. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhm0WuN8gHBBjWoVFfcbT3zw-AZxpQRNZrJ0hjD3psBYXW8sgX7nUy0IVTi-w2-EQ-hOY25-ziQs8ah-NNJhjjlumzFpcUwiQamg_JNew9n62ijIkjQbOoCy1F4dmi9UdTzi7kLovttrQ/s885/Ali+cauldron.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="885" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhm0WuN8gHBBjWoVFfcbT3zw-AZxpQRNZrJ0hjD3psBYXW8sgX7nUy0IVTi-w2-EQ-hOY25-ziQs8ah-NNJhjjlumzFpcUwiQamg_JNew9n62ijIkjQbOoCy1F4dmi9UdTzi7kLovttrQ/w200-h126/Ali+cauldron.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Later, in the footage of Ali lighting the Olympic Cauldron in Atlanta, Evander Holyfield (Los Angeles 1984) and Olympic swimming champion Janet Evans also appear without commentary, as did brief reference to Jesse Owens. Off-camera contributions also are credited to Bob Costas, Dick Ebersol, the USOPC and IOC. International Society of Olympic Historians (ISOH) was not engaged, according to Burns' spokesperson. A full list of historian and other expert contributors appears in the "Muhammad Ali" press release and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6719950/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_cl_sm">IMDB page</a>.<p></p><p>By the time the teenage Cassius Clay enjoyed a congratulatory Olympic champion parade through downtown Louisville, he already had 100 other boxing wins under his belt. This stat sets up an easy segue for Burns & Co. to next unfurl about seven hours of non-Olympic history before the Games' return in Episode Four. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggH3D9xmrOXlrO-jYI186-2EP7_17ED0BtIVP4QFjpGDCmGHuKgJaR429cVWBGAj09KagdU3FfS9xbJ5GW1PYPlAe9QrBtWdHWJD3fIlQWSMqibtTfxyxjFIMmjUXlTbOujI-UvqXuouY/s1002/Ali+Liston+Neil+Leifer.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggH3D9xmrOXlrO-jYI186-2EP7_17ED0BtIVP4QFjpGDCmGHuKgJaR429cVWBGAj09KagdU3FfS9xbJ5GW1PYPlAe9QrBtWdHWJD3fIlQWSMqibtTfxyxjFIMmjUXlTbOujI-UvqXuouY/w199-h200/Ali+Liston+Neil+Leifer.png" width="199" /></a></div>This documentary taught me a lot about Ali while reminding me of -- or filling in a few blanks during -- the arcs of his career that earned the respect and adulation of millions (and later billions) juxtaposed with loathing condemnation of others. I knew of Ali's biggest fights and had seen footage from some of them but did not know the detailed back-stories for each bout, and some of them are fascinating. <div><br /></div><div>The film delves into Ali's evolving faith and its impact both personally and on the public through the Civil Rights Movement and antiwar sentiments as his star rose. Burns' eight-hour compendium also succeeds when it reveals Ali's very human choices in respect to sins of vanity and adultery, and the filmmakers are generous when reporting on Ali's generosity to charities large and small. His outrageous youthful taunts are balanced later with humble reckonings informed by age and experience. <p>In an email exchange with the publicist for Mr. Burns, I asked about what, if any, biggest surprises about Ali's Olympic endeavors were revelations for the filmmakers. </p><p>"The[re] weren't revelations but just appreciating how young [Ali] was in 1960 was extraordinary," wrote the spokesperson. "And of course the grace with which he handled the Olympics in 1996."</p><p>Indeed the scenes of Ali on July 19 a quarter-century ago are moving. In an informative <a href="https://www.pbs.org/show/muhammad-ali/collections/conversations-ali/" target="_blank">promotional webinar conversation</a> for the film held on that <a href="https://www.pbs.org/video/ali-on-the-worlds-stage-fpc1o4/" target="_blank">anniversary two months ago</a>, Burns spoke about the film while Evans, the penultimate 1996 Olympic torchbearer, shared insights from the experience of meeting Ali in front of 3 billion people. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_hlWI-QulaiEoXpEuj_IYr6jFIzC2iyPvc8lQsbL6uGW1U9Sfxatq6p9DbqJJ6JIYHOhHJbUwrjZ_qLnDY75Wwqj-MPCn4jeeqkR-7PN40N3pK6EtJeBfJ9i1YmJwgVdSAgNXJ8uRZs/s800/Ali+Quarry+in+Atlanta+by+Joe+Holloway+Jr.+AP.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="800" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_hlWI-QulaiEoXpEuj_IYr6jFIzC2iyPvc8lQsbL6uGW1U9Sfxatq6p9DbqJJ6JIYHOhHJbUwrjZ_qLnDY75Wwqj-MPCn4jeeqkR-7PN40N3pK6EtJeBfJ9i1YmJwgVdSAgNXJ8uRZs/w200-h100/Ali+Quarry+in+Atlanta+by+Joe+Holloway+Jr.+AP.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>"If this is a film about freedom, it is also a film about courage," said Burns. "From the start we wanted to humanize him."<p></p><p>Though Evans was not interviewed for "Muhammad Ali" she shared perspective on the "Conversations" episode. </p><p>"When he was holding the torch it was for everyone," Evans said. "He was saying show up, be present, find your voice, tell your story, make a difference."</p><p>For all its greatness, Burns' documentary painted some broad strokes that left me wanting more detail. For instance, there's way more to the story of Ali's super-secret final torchbearer designation, and more time and interviews -- with Evans or Ambassador Andrew Young, who <a href="https://www.ajc.com/entertainment/celebrity-news/ambassador-andrew-young-shares-olympic-memory-muhammad-ali/zOEKft23JN6ZQIW5ck00PO/">loves telling his story</a> of time spent with Ali on July 19, 1996 -- could have easily filled in viewers with more perspective on that glorious reveal on the big night. </p><p>I also found it hokey that only seconds into his stadium entrance footage, the soundtrack for "Muhammad Ali" swells with an ill-timed cue for "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jCpy9YwTnA" target="_blank">I'll Take The Long Road</a>" by Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens (love this song, mind you, but viewers could do without the guitar distracting from the drama of the real life moment that launched billions of gasps). </p><p>Also, how could a filmmaking team that did such a deep dive on Country music resist mentioning how Ali's semi-autobiographical 1977 feature film "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DUT6X7Wbjk" target="_blank">The Greatest</a>" later inspired Whitney Houston to record one of her biggest hits "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYzlVDlE72w" target="_blank">The Greatest Love of All</a>" despite objections from producer Clive Davis? Was this an oversight (I doubt it)? A recording rights or royalties issue (maybe)?</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPNCxlAC1BqeEjXpeBLpuxklYFarUL7WnpZojSJ2vdfR3Zu75sOgR_H1ec9venlpzCuNxIWB-svaNDTGKy-lACYXI5ULTYixQx0C7yEagPKmbQr0givsce5IikhAy7vfKUMD-4bOGVIyA/s1024/Ali+Romney.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1024" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPNCxlAC1BqeEjXpeBLpuxklYFarUL7WnpZojSJ2vdfR3Zu75sOgR_H1ec9venlpzCuNxIWB-svaNDTGKy-lACYXI5ULTYixQx0C7yEagPKmbQr0givsce5IikhAy7vfKUMD-4bOGVIyA/w200-h133/Ali+Romney.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I was also hopeful the film would include Ali's later Olympic moments, like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmncw2wzg8I" target="_blank">lighting the first torch of the 2002 Winter Olympic torch relay</a> at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta. <br /><a href="https://today.law.harvard.edu/feature/games-saver/" target="_blank">Mitt Romney was there</a> and could have spoken with Burns about Ali's selection for this honor, which built on a tradition established with Rafer Johnson in 1984/1996. Mention of Ali's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cipn_UIy0Vs" target="_blank">final Olympic appearance</a> at the London Olympic Opening Ceremony in 2012 also made my wish list but did not survive editing (if ever it was considered). <p></p><p>Burns & Co. seemed more interested in rushing to other conclusions, even cutting short footage from the <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?410916-1/memorial-service-muhammad-ali-1942-2016#" target="_blank">star-studded memorial service</a> with speeches by President Bill Clinton, Bryant Gumble, Billy Crystal and several faith leaders watched by 1 billion worldwide. Will I be the only Sept. 2021 "Muhammad Ali" viewer who thought Burns' team could or should have included more than one minute of funeral procession footage? Only time will tell. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmhf5wRyzSUqo5xL8Cx4RwBMgkv1lryU5TwXi-nvgWqM6NTX5hjD8T3O6iAV77Nwf-gAvJvhFMVkk-HpfaZjBn2kr_yJeva-JbpoNFe4jAW7ZeSuZ_hb6srUP2bBiP6urSfvcb81_rFw/s768/Ali+Burns+McMahon+Burns.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="357" data-original-width="768" height="93" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmhf5wRyzSUqo5xL8Cx4RwBMgkv1lryU5TwXi-nvgWqM6NTX5hjD8T3O6iAV77Nwf-gAvJvhFMVkk-HpfaZjBn2kr_yJeva-JbpoNFe4jAW7ZeSuZ_hb6srUP2bBiP6urSfvcb81_rFw/w200-h93/Ali+Burns+McMahon+Burns.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Zero inclusion of the IOC's presentation of a replacement Olympic medal in Atlanta was a head-scratcher, too. Was this "boring" to the production and writing team? Or filmmaker indifference? </div><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps a clue to the answer arrived in their spokesperson's response to a question about other documentary filmmakers (Leni Riefenstahl, Bud Greenspan) with Olympic-inspired connections. </div><div><br /></div><div>Q: "What aspects of your [Ali] research may inspire you to revisit the Olympic Movement through your filmmaking in the future?"</div><div><br /></div><div>A: "There is no plan to do a film on the Olympic Movement."</div><div><br /></div><div>Bummer -- that's a hard "no" on any potential "Ken Burns effect" treatment for Baron Pierre de Coubertin. </div><div><p></p><p>But almost everyone has an Ali story or moment to share, and to their credit the Florentine Films team covers all the right bases without getting distracted by some populist options. </p><p>This preview/review thus results with a split decision in favor of and highly recommending "Muhammad Ali" by Burns, Burns and McMahon -- definitely must-see TV even for those who may still hunger for more of The Greatest. </p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Promo image via PBS; Ali image in Rome via uncredited Pinterest post; Ali with Howard Bingham and Janet Evans by <a href="https://www.irishnews.com/sport/boxing/2021/07/23/news/ali-2396324/">"PA" via <i>Irish News</i></a>; Ali fighting Quarry in Atlanta via Joe Holloway, Jr. of AP and<a href="http://cp.wabe.org/post/remembering-muhammad-ali-and-his-atlanta-comeback-fight" target="_blank"> this WABE link</a>; Coretta Scott King with Ali via <a href="https://twitter.com/thekingcenter/status/1260252385378697216" target="_blank">The King Center's Twitter feed</a>; Ali with Mitt Romney via <a href="https://today.law.harvard.edu/feature/games-saver/" target="_blank">Chris Stanford/Getty Image</a>s in <i>Harvard Law Bulletin</i>; Neil Liefer/Getty Images <a href="https://aboutphotography.blog/blog/2020/1/20/ali-vs-liston" target="_blank">via About Photography Blog</a>. Photos of Ken Burns by Evan Barlow, Sarah Burns by Michael Lionstar and David McMahon by Sarah Burns courtesy of PBS Pressroom. </span></p></div>Nicholas Wolaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16369001439600418340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5666080176906202396.post-36628143088163643962021-08-07T20:04:00.005-07:002021-08-07T20:39:55.578-07:00Getting My Games On In Paris (And You Can, Too)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBbDoCciEQAGJcX9jipiG9iqJ7bl3cRE_0i_iPcNhhqHrb3_I_xva7fDJ-LtvHCRCQ_WtM81XEUuMOM2qf1haIdXHP09lBeDvIUt4JyhIcFP3FG5UgWH4ixNREUU-TYqJDTmJkK-8djVo/s4480/DSC00425.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3552" data-original-width="4480" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBbDoCciEQAGJcX9jipiG9iqJ7bl3cRE_0i_iPcNhhqHrb3_I_xva7fDJ-LtvHCRCQ_WtM81XEUuMOM2qf1haIdXHP09lBeDvIUt4JyhIcFP3FG5UgWH4ixNREUU-TYqJDTmJkK-8djVo/w200-h159/DSC00425.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>With just one more day of Olympic competition at <a href="https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/en/">Tokyo 2020</a>, some already are looking ahead to <a href="https://www.paris2024.org/fr/">Paris 2024</a>. <p></p><p>Here in the French capital -- where I landed today after securing <i>accréditation médias</i> during the first week of the action in Japan -- organizers presented the penultimate session of <a href="https://www.paris2024.org/fr/live-trocadero/">Le Live Des Jeux</a> or Live Games. </p><p>Held daily since the start to Tokyo 2020, French citizens and a handful of tourists enjoyed live broadcasts via France 2, which I understand is the nation's equivalent to NBC in terms of broadcast rights. Today's telecast included a rerun of the <a href="https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/basketball/results-men-fnl-000100-.htm">men's basketball final</a> during which France played Team USA. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPp_zCajXuvDGJ8pMM0cPo413Xx8Eki5L76a27R6rKiP4rANHabbm7G7rEd_mglyf9C2PWHGpgwUTeq6kqUK9fHRQNXTU5YNE2Zr2SHGvXUDnm2WiL9Ef1DCH0n2K93SFwQCp6TkXVe-M/s908/20210808_042913.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="883" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPp_zCajXuvDGJ8pMM0cPo413Xx8Eki5L76a27R6rKiP4rANHabbm7G7rEd_mglyf9C2PWHGpgwUTeq6kqUK9fHRQNXTU5YNE2Zr2SHGvXUDnm2WiL9Ef1DCH0n2K93SFwQCp6TkXVe-M/w194-h200/20210808_042913.jpg" width="194" /></a></div>Built across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower, the live site fills the Fountains of Chaillot with a large stage, billboard-sized monitor, VIP seating, children's sports activities for families, and an Olympian meet and greet area most returning Team France athletes took time to visit. <div><br /></div><div>At today's event, three French Olympic Team medalists and two other returning Olympians spoke to a growing crowd of fans who also lined up for athlete autographs. </div><div><p></p><p>The medalists also signed a large keepsake board celebrating their gold, silver or bronze accomplishments, with about 25 French media and one <i>blogueur Américain</i> snapped photos. Children took turns launching lawn dart-style javelins or watching karate demonstrations presented by a local dojo. </p><p>In a media briefing held Friday, the Paris 2024 team revealed their portion of the Tokyo 2020 Closing Ceremony, also known as the handover ceremony, will include both the formal presentation of the original Olympic Flag from one city's mayor to the other. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1kbZghUOJflpZ2r16CnOHbAbZfSyhnb18uG4Pa4ys7dJBWN6VJzNkjpssCzfEG-WpiPexWHxaJ_KIQAmAzd0wxVCJCG9aEx4P21bMVhukEQt30tBy5B_jpnR4F0udw_4hakt3w8DwSE/s5472/DSC00477+%25283%2529.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1kbZghUOJflpZ2r16CnOHbAbZfSyhnb18uG4Pa4ys7dJBWN6VJzNkjpssCzfEG-WpiPexWHxaJ_KIQAmAzd0wxVCJCG9aEx4P21bMVhukEQt30tBy5B_jpnR4F0udw_4hakt3w8DwSE/w213-h320/DSC00477+%25283%2529.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>Simultaneously, an estimated 500 million television viewers will see "the largest ever" banner to be unfurled on the Eiffel Tower as French air force buzzes Paris with a fleet of jets and helicopters. While I did not see the evening test run of these aircraft I certainly heard and felt the vibration from their low flyover The Trocadero while dozing at the Best Western. Racing was <i>mon cœur</i>! <p></p><p>For souvenir-minded Olympic fans, a word about Paris pins. They don't have any! </p><p>Well, at least there are none to be seen anywhere in the live site. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzSr4GL-ylYNWglcp7VQDuy1aZjGZxZtUrIGdro0_dJE6ePj2OJVulnfRoh-s73Jg4SML3yozplDDVEWIigcp2vtOijML9K_9yQKu3HGSBElWnVaYZH9jNmnIbejgH7H76w7JZ1gbAhY/s526/Rendezvous.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="526" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzSr4GL-ylYNWglcp7VQDuy1aZjGZxZtUrIGdro0_dJE6ePj2OJVulnfRoh-s73Jg4SML3yozplDDVEWIigcp2vtOijML9K_9yQKu3HGSBElWnVaYZH9jNmnIbejgH7H76w7JZ1gbAhY/w200-h104/Rendezvous.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I spoke with a Paris 2024 media representative about their retail plans, and with some intention, they also do not yet have an Olympic Store as in some other host cities by the three-year-out milestone (or much earlier). Hoping to trade a few pins or Euros for one of the stylish volunteer hats which match T-shirts of green, maroon or dark blue and red for other staff roles like sanitation, officials and security. <p></p><p>The rose-colored media badge was hand-written, tempting me to request they write Steve Buscemi in place of my name. </p><p>As stated on the event press kit, <i>Paris 2024 invite le monde rendez-vous le 8 août. </i></p><p></p><blockquote><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Paris invites the world: Rendezvous on Aug. 8</i></span></blockquote><p></p><p>So, if you are as exhausted from NBC's Olympic coverage as I was before heading to the Atlanta airport on Friday, there's an alternative option to watch the Paris 2024 handover ceremony and events in France <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/221741516518539/?ref=newsfeed">via this Facebook event link</a> (for access, be sure to "Like" Paris 2024's official Facebook page). </p><p>I'll be the guy smiling and waving while donning that pink badge. </p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photos by Nicholas Wolaver</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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