Athens 2004

[Pumaman]

I guess people see the summer olympics as the "real" ones, but I don't really understand it. Personally, I find the winter olympics far more entertaining to watch since they have more fast-moving games like ice hockey, skiing and tobogganing (not to mention the good old kettle-throwing); whereas the summer olympics all seems so slow and dull in comparison.

[Kinoko]

Sure, the winter Olympics probably are on the whole, much more entertaining. I always imagined they got a lot of publicity in Europe and whatnot, where you guys actually have snow. In the "big", non-European western countries (predominantly America, I guess), it's perfectly understandable that the summer Olympics be considered the big one.

Firstly, this is what the original Olympics were based on. Athletics like running, jumping, and slaying each other. The summer Olympics is based around (summer) athletics, given that these days there are heaps of team sports and ... such.

Secondly, the summer Olympics has the kind of sports most people in the types of coutries like Australia and the USA actually participate in or actively watch themselves in normal day-to-day life. Most people in schools here regularly do running, high jump, soccer, we have swimming carnivals... I can tell you that I never, ever did ski jumping in schools.

I agree though, I'm nuts about the Winter Olympics, but a lot of that is probably because it's so 'foreign' to me. Snow? What's that? The Summer Olympics will always be the "main" Olympics though. I wish it had California Games events though... footbag! Rollerskating! FRISBEE!

The most interesting thing about the olympics is 'The Dream- in athens'. Most of you probably dont know what it is.

Which is a good thing, trust me. It's a completely spastic show hosted by two people that everyone wants to be seen to like, and think are hilarious when they aren't funny at all.  I get so sick of hearing people say things like, "Ooh, gotta get home for The Dream!". It's become something people have heard is funny, and are told is funny, and to be cool and having something to talk about at the water cooler the next day, think they have to watch it. Bloody Roy and HG. Humbug! Give me Micallef or the Panel (or just the Late Show!) any day. Actual humour. Typical Roy and HG humour is stating something sarcastically ... and everyone laughs. "Oh look, he's making that face. I guess this is where we laugh".

Sorry but... boy, I hate that freaking show. It's just so annoying because it's become popular in Australia like this and now people are starting to think it's an Olympic tradition or something.

[DGMacphee]

I like The Dream. If there's one thing Aussies do better than winning swimming medals, it's taking the piss out of people who win swimming medals.

[Czar]

There's very few people that have met the Olympic athletes in real life.

The croatian box team representer (what's the word) is my godfather and owns THE pizza restaurant in the town.

)

And bspeers, are you by any chance from the USA?

[Las Naranjas]

I never really clicked with the Panel.

"Here's a celebrity guest who I will only use as a way to bring up a tedious and unfunny anecdote about myself! And look as his shirt! AHAHAHAHAH!". It wouldn't be as sad except for the fact that they've just beome the same people they once mocked on Frontline.

[auhsor]

I liked the Dream during the Sydney olympics. I havn't watched it these olympics, but the Ice Dream, and that other general sports one wern't so great. I guess I just got bored of it. I used to watch the Panel. I still like it when I watch it, I just don't find the timne to watch it.

I agree with you Kinoko. The Summer Olympics will still be the main Olympics for us, due to the lack of snow in these parts of the world. Sure we got some but that is nothing compared to those european countries that live in it always.

[Kinoko]

I think the Panel's great, but it's never going to be what the Late show once was because it's on a commercial channel. I nearly killed someone last week when the guest was Nikki Webster. I just wanted them all to turn to the tv and apologise at some point... but you have to accept that they have to tone themselves down for sensitive channel 10. They're probably a bit older and wiser nowadays too (such a pity) and of course, the biggest problem is that Tony and Mick are only there as rare guests and not regulars.

It's just like when Micallef moved from the ABC to... whatever channel that was. He was still funny but he lost a lot of his ... er... spirit, because he would've been on stricter rules. The tragedy there is that because he had to tone down, the show didn't take off. When will people learn not to leave the ABC? -_-

[DG from Uni]

I still give credit to Micallef calling Tony Abbott a tool on commercial telly. He's got a set of balls bigger than coconuts!

But Micallef's show on Nine, on the whole, sucked coconut-sized balls. They wanted him to do a Letterman-style show, but part of his charm is his absurdist sense of humour. He's not all that good as a satirical commentator.

The Panel was okay for the first few seasons. Now the format's become a little stale. They're too "safe" for my liking. Back in the D/Gen-Late Show days, they'd take the piss out of gusy like Keating, Hewson, Kennett, etc and do it very well. Even Frontline took the piss out of Ray Martin, etc. I still appreciate their ability to satirise current event and discuss them intelligently, but they do it with too much caution.

The Glass House does the exact same thing, but it's shorter, wittier, and more scathing.

Roy and H.G. still rocks my boat. Ironic, since I don't have a big interest in sports.


Back on the Olympic, I have a question for all Brisbanites: Don't you think Bruce McAvanney looks like the guy from the Rugs-A-Million commercials (Craig Wicks is his name, the guy who claims his carpet business is always going out of business so he's having a sale)? I think the resemblace is uncanny!

[Las Naranjas]

Of course, things can still suck even when they're on the ABC.

Like The Fat. This is sporting related, NOW HERE'S SOMETHING ANNOYING SAID IN  A LOUDER VOICE BECAUSE THAT'S COMEDY!

HAHAHAHAH! MATT DUNNING IS FAT!

STUPID ANECDOTE WHICH IS BORING!!!1 ROFL!


and the Glass House. This is a news story, and this is a stupid pun which is barely relavent and not funny.

Grins smugly whilst waiting overly long for a degree of laughter that not even a stimulus response and fanboy audience will deliver.

Follow up pun which is less funny.

Longer smug grin.


Conclusion, Will Anderson and Tony Squires aren't funny.

[Roy and HG is still funny despite the handicap of working for the most incompetant and dreadful television station in the world. That's an effort. ]

[Timosity]

Some of those other guys are smart and funny (not so much anymore) but Andrew Denton is the funniest, most clever, and serious of the lot (except when he was on commercial radio, although I never really heard any of it)

Roy and HG have lost it, I do like what they do, but It's just becomiing too much the same.

As for the Olympics Australia has been coming 2nd for 2 days (and that's about as close as it gets until there are some events other than swimming [although there were golds in other sports too])

We came 4th in Sydney2000, After USA, Russia and China, in that order in terms of medals

It'll be interesting to see how we go since the athlete's haven't got as much funding this time round (or as many athletes competing)

As far as medals per head of population I think we kick everyones arse. I wonder where Great Brittain will come, funny, you'd think combining a few nations would help

But I can't really speak as though it has anything to do with me, cause most of the sports are really quite boring when it comes down to it.

I'm really looking forward to watching the marathon, that's pure entertainment.

Actually, the Paralympics are quite entertaining, more interesting.

and a bit of trivia, the para in Paralympics actually stands for parallel as in they run side by side to the Olympics. not what most people think

[DGMacphee]

I have to agree, Denton is the funniest of the lot. However, Enough Rope isn't really a funny show. It's more just an interesting and insightful talk show -- a rip-off (of Clive James) that's done with extreme competence, mostly due to Denton's part.

I never got into The Fat, though.

Strange how we're talking Aussie comedy and no one mentioned Gold Logie Winner Rove, yet? Any thoughts?

My opinion: I think he's crap.

No wait, make that: absolute crap!

...

...

Oh wait, we were talking about the Olympics, weren't we?

Errr...

Isn't Thorpie great?

[Layabout]

hehe, you are right about bruce mcavaney looking like the rugs a million guy. Sometimes you just wish he would just go out of business...

Rove is a tool, yes...

Dumbass Olympic spirit ads like the samsung ads with that kathy freeman crap just shits me off.

And Thorpie shed a tear... what a girly metrosexual man!!!

[auhsor]

Heh yeah I think we have gone off topic a bit and have scared everyone else off. I used to watch rove, but then they had it on at the same time as alias, and never really watched it again.

But as this is the olympics thread, I'll contribute some olympic stuff in my post... Hmm well I havnt really watched any of it yet, so I can't really comment. Are any GAC people attending? I'm sure there is probably a buzz in your country right now.

Oh and I don't really like Thorpe.

Oh yeah I don't really like Cathy Freeman either

[Kinoko]

I've always hated Rove, ever since I came to QLD and learnt of his existance, and unfortunately I've been forced to watch a number of his shows this year because he's had some guests I just -had- to see (such as David Bowie, and of course the prick puts Bowie on at the very END of the show).

I agree totally about Andrew Denton. I don't think he's the king of comedy, and I used to hate him in his earlier days. He's become a much more watchable person lately, especially with Enough Rope. Of course, he's no Clive James but he does do a great job of making an entertaining show on a similar level.

The paralympics is great because often, the athletes have to try even harder. I get a bit sick of watching sports where the athletes don't really seem to push themselves. I think the Aussies are gonna do pretty well out of this Olympics, and we -definitely- have a good medal:population ratio ^_^ I don't watch the Olympics for Australia though (though I do like winning, just to get our medal count up and/or beat the USA), I just like seeing cool sports I never otherwise get to see. I LOVE gymnastics, and things like table tennis are great. The Australia table tennis player I saw was fantastic, but HILARIOUS. He did this weird knee jerk every time he served. Ahh, it's moments of ridicule like that that really entertain me.

I must admit, I was glued to the tv today watching us kick ass in the shooting. Can't wait to see some more syncronised diving, and that craaAAaaaAAaazy syncronised swimming.

[DGMacphee]

Sometimes you just wish he would just go out of business...

McAvaney or Rugs-A-Million guy? 

[Kinoko]

Actually, I'd love for some program like A Current Affair to interview the Rugs-A-Million guy and basically play him some of his ads where he's said, "I'm am definitely, 100%, no bullshit, going out of sale and I need to sell all my rugs before I retire and head to France", and then show him his next ad and ask him to comment on it. Then just go through -all- the examples. Everyone complains and jokes about him but I'd love to see someone actually approach him about it, just to see what kind of response he gives.

[Layabout]

Sometimes you just wish he would just go out of business...

McAvaney or Rugs-A-Million guy?Ã, 

Both of them!!!

I still think the best moment of the sydney olympics was eric 'the eel' from equatorial quinea and his marathon effort in the pool, with enough time for the other competators to have a shower get changed and get a hot dog, before he finished the race. But he did finish!

[Las Naranjas]

the worst moment was going to school in the dark because they started daylight savings time really really early.

[DGMacphee]

Didn't they also claim that the pool in the Sydney Olympics was some kind of "magic pool" too?

[Layabout]

The one at athens is shallower (only 2m in depth) which makes it a slow pool, due to some scientifically physics kinda stuff. Sydney was 3m in depth i think, which makes it faster, or as DG says, teh MAJICKS POOLZ