The choreography was spectacular and the musical score was tremendous. The pyrotechnics were spellbinding and the artistry was breathtaking. And I was…bored to death. The opening ceremonies for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China lasted four hours and cost nearly 30 million dollars. And I wouldn't have paid a quarter to see it.
I did catch some of it on the tube as my wife tuned in but I soon had to politely excuse myself to the other room to watch the Dodgers. I've never understood the production that goes into these things. Every couple of years, (the Winter Olympics will be held in 2010) the host country tries to put on a show that is bigger and brighter than the previous ceremonies.
Has China's extravaganza raised the bar so high that future host countries will feel even more pressure to produce something better? What's next a UFO landing? How about introducing the athletes from each country,...