The Opening Ceremonies

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OK, this guy went way over the top with the "Get off of my lawn, you young whippersnappers!" persona (e.g., calling Sir Timothy Berners-Lee "some anonymous techie"), but he had a good point when talking about the "Chariots of Fire" performance, where a serious orchestra and conductor are asked to play, but their playing was merely a backdrop to Rowan Atkinson's reprisal of the only comedic schtick he has ever done:

"It’s just that the now-familiar British conceit that one is truly 'smart' only if one mocks whatever is serious has become quite boring as well as inappropriate."

Look, if you think "Chariots of Fire" is a good enough piece of music to bring in a top-notch orchestra and conductor to play it (I don't!), then let them play it. If you think it is a silly piece of tripe that deserves having the piss taken out of it (I do), then hire a bunch of middling musicians to be props for Atkinson's rather repetitive comedic routines. But to do both at once is kind of weird.

(A note to my UK readers: It should be clear I am an Anglophile, and not an Anglophobe! I have graduate degrees from two British universities, most of my favorite writers are British, and I am, for Chrissakes, an Episcopalian! Please regard these remarks like those of a mate who tells you, "That thing you've been doing when you meet a fit bird in the pub: that's kind of odd, yeah?")

Comments

  1. Jim12:26 PM

    You're an Episcopalian? I thought you believed in God!

    ;)

    We kid because we love. My wife is an Episcopalian.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mike B.2:52 AM

    Gene,

    I find your disrespectful tone towards Rowan Atkinson to be far more disturbing and offensive than even your most extreme statist and anti-libertarian posts.

    Rowan Atkinson is a comedic genius.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mike B.2:52 AM

    Gene,

    I find your disrespectful tone towards Rowan Atkinson to be far more disturbing and offensive than even your most extreme statist and anti-libertarian posts.

    Rowan Atkinson is a comedic genius.

    ReplyDelete
  4. August10:55 AM

    After such shlock, and the poor Queen being obviously forced to participate in such tasteless garbage, efforts should be made to free the Queen. She is clearly being held hostage in her own country.

    ReplyDelete

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