Watching the opening ceremonies on Peacock.

[madaboutharry]

They started a few minutes age. The athletes are sailing down The Seine. It is very clever.

Lady Gaga is now singing, so that's interesting.

The NBC commentators are awful. 🧐

[3catwoman3]

1. The red, white and blue smoke going up from the bridge...

...at the very beginning was visually spectacular.

Trust the French do it with style and flair.

[madaboutharry]

3. Having the athletes sailing on The Seine was such a brilliant idea.

It is so beautiful and people are watching from apartment windows and balconies, they made it so everyone can see it.

[3catwoman3]

4. The Olympics is generally such a unifying event that I always find myself...

...thinking, "If people from all over the planet can get along this well for this, why can't we just do it all the time?"

[underpants]

2. My family is watching it. My daughter is loving it

The angel playing accordion on the bridge was an interesting touch.

I’m not familiar with the folklore of the ghost in the canal.

[tavernier]

11. Phantom of the Opera.

The musical is based on the Garnier Opera House where a river does actually run underground.

[underpants]

12. That's what I thought at first

I’m guessing they did what looked like a fencing mask so the performers (I’m guessing more than one) could see and breath better.

Mike Tirico must not have gotten that in the prep notes. He kept referring to them as the “mysterious person”.

I found this.

The mysterious torchbearer that appeared in a hooded, masked costume was inspired by a number of characters from French culture: Belphégor, the Iron Mask, the titular character from “Phantom of the Opera,” Fantomas, Ezio from “Assassin's Creed” and Arsène Lupin.

https://www.nbcchicago.com/paris-2024-summer-olympics/assassins-creed-who-was-the-masked-torchbearer-at-the-2024-paris-olympics-opening-ceremony/3502147/

Arsène Lupin (French pronunciation: [aʁsɛn lypɛ̃]) is a fictional gentleman thief and master of disguise created in 1905 by French writer Maurice Leblanc. The character was first introduced in a series of short stories serialized in the magazine Je sais tout. The first story, "The Arrest of Arsène Lupin", was published on 15 July 1905.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ars%C3%A8ne_Lupin

[tavernier]

13. They played a few bars from Phantom

when the boat first appeared.

[underpants]

14. See! That's what I'm saying

That’s the only Broadway play I’ve ever seen.

[Inkey]

5. France went full out

With this grand welcoming of the
Olympic athletes. A lot of entertainment
for us to appreciate. Best wishes to
all !!!

[hlthe2b]

6. I'm watching but had to"rewind" to the first as I'm a little late. At first the NBC commentator sounded like Dr. Phil

and my BP skyrocketed until I realized that I was hearing Peyton Manning (they do sound a bit alike)...

The movement around Paris to highlight historical, geographic, musical and cultural references seems like a really unique approach.

[madaboutharry]

7. I'll confess that I found some of it a bit corny.

But I did like the boats.

[hlthe2b]

8. I love Paris, so visualizing the sights is a big deal for me. But damn those commentators/announcers SUCK!!!!

Uggh.

[madaboutharry]

9. I know.

I said that in my OP. They were ruining it for me!

[twodogsbarking]

10. Me too. It is great. At least they show lots of the crowd. A fun time.