Who cares that London got the 2012 Olympics? Not some media-savvy New Yorkers, at any rate. New-media maven Jeff Jarvis goes off:
We did not need another security threat; an expensive stadium; drug-crazed athletes; an overdose of reporters; endless gushing features on the 6 pm news; candy-colored banners festooning our city, trying to put us in a good mood; and yet more touurists. New York never needed the Olympics and as they pointed out on the radio this morning — comparing the crowd of thousands of losers, as it turns out, in Paris vs. the gaggle of reporters in New York — New Yorkers never wanted the Olympics.
What’s more satisfying, from a typical American perspective, is that a country that wanted the international adulation so badly lost it – maybe because of its leader’s tactlessness. If you’ve heard about Jacques Chirac’s overheard insult to British and Finnish cuisine, then check this report Jarvis cites:
But — and here is the Olympics connection — it was also hinted both in London and on last night’s NBC News that Chirac’s faux pas could only hurt Paris’ bid for hosting the 2012 Summer Olympics. NBC News mentioned that two of the judges who would decide which city was going to host the 2012 Summer Olympics were from Finland! A little revenge on their part might have gone a long way…
It’s irrelevant that Chirac is right on both counts…he wasn’t diplomatic! Meanwhile, Best of the Web’s James Taranto says he “can live without the congestion and security hassles of a major world event.” But he takes on the internal logic of a local columnist who wonders if London’s choice is a veiled slap at that reckless cowboy:
So to protest Bush’s “unilateral attitude,” the IOC gives the Olympics to America’s staunchest ally? That doesn’t make sense. Anyway, we’re delighted to see a friend of America get the bragging rights that go along with getting the games. Meanwhile, the French, the Spanish, the Russians and Mayor Bloomberg all lost. There’s nothing here not to like.
It would be nice to watch New York’s authoritarian mayor sulk off to a local pub, light up a pity cigarette and be shown the door.
I’m a tech journalist who’s making a TV show about a college newspaper.