Additional Coverage:
- Peyton Manning, Kelly Clarkson should have been benched as opening ceremony co-hosts (newsbreak.com)
PARIS – Despite persistent rain, the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics maintained its enchanting atmosphere. The event featured a boat cruise along the Seine River that displayed France’s rich history and culture, paying tribute to the nation, its citizens, and the spirit of the Games.
The commentary provided by NBC, however, was less impressive. Peyton Manning and Kelly Clarkson were featured alongside seasoned Olympics host Mike Tirico, after NBC heavily advertised their participation. The decision to include these celebrities was intended to attract a diverse viewer base, but it did not play out well.
While Tirico delivered his usual expert commentary, Manning and Clarkson’s contributions were often distracting and at times, difficult to endure. Viewers generally prefer insightful details on the participating countries and athletes, rather than off-topic discussions by personalities like Clarkson, a talk-show host, and Manning, a football analyst. Their lack of focus was highlighted when Clarkson unnecessarily repeated her admiration for the rain and Manning awkwardly attempted humor with a quarterback wristband.
NBC did see a potential bright spot with Snoop Dogg, who brought some much-needed humor to the broadcast over the subsequent two weeks. Yet, the broadcast failed to adequately capture or represent the lively scenes in Paris, notably overlooking a lengthy dance segment on one of the barges.
Despite the rain, many visual spectacles during the boat parade stood out, such as a metal performance by French band Gojira and various artistic representations blending historical and contemporary elements. The grand finale included a stunning light show on the Eiffel Tower and a memorable performance by Celine Dion.
On the ground, fans created an upbeat atmosphere, but the television broadcast struggled to effectively convey the lively scenes due to its focus being confined to the river activities.
NBC missed an opportunity to showcase more American athletes and their stories through interviews by Maria Taylor, a reporter known for her effective questioning. Instead, audio issues and other technical difficulties hindered the broadcast, underscoring the challenges in managing such a complex event.
Considering these missteps, suggestions for better co-hosting options arose, including Rebecca Lowe or even Snoop Dogg. During one segment, audio issues made Manning’s commentary nearly unintelligible, and a planned FaceTime call with Simone Biles by “TODAY” show host Hoda Kotb never materialized, causing her to disappear from the broadcast for hours.
NBC’s executive producer Molly Solomon had previously highlighted the complexity and ambitious nature of broadcasting the ceremony. Yet for many U.S. viewers, the experience was memorable for all the wrong reasons, failing to live up to its bold aspirations.