The Olympics opening ceremony included a touching memorial tribute to victims of the deadly 7/7 London terror attacks and other loved ones. Scottish singer Emeli Sandé gave a moving performance of “Abide With Me” as stadium screens showed images of those lost.
Emeli Sande's Abide with Me at the opening ceremony was perfection – already downloaded it, one of the most beautiful songs ever written
— Rammy (@rammlet) July 28, 2012
But those watching the ceremony on NBC didn’t see the tribute.
Wow. So @NBCOlympics decided that the thing to cut from the opening ceremony was the tribute to the 7/7 victims?
— Maureen Johnson (@maureenjohnson) July 28, 2012
So bad. @NBC and @NBCOlympics just completely edited out the 7/7/05 tribute from their primetime showing. How classless.
— Bryan (@ZeoLevyne) July 28, 2012
In a disgraceful move that left viewers fuming, NBC opted to skip that portion of the ceremony in favor of airing Ryan Seacrest’s interview with Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps.
Now NBC skips the 7/7 memorial – one of the most touching parts of the ceremony – to bring us a Seacrest/Phelps interview. #shockingdecision
— Mark Donaldson (@DonaldsonESPN) July 28, 2012
There was a tribute to the 7/7 attacks, then one last song with a guy embracing a child. It's cool, Michael Phelps is far more important.
— Matt Popek (@mpopek) July 28, 2012
Totally cut out a very touching 'in memoriam' section set to 'Abide with Me' so Ryan Seacrest could interview Phelps. Ridiculous.
— chris (@chrisxpineda) July 28, 2012
NBC cut tribute to 7/7 victims from their broadcast of opening ceremony & aired Phelps interview instead. I have no words.
— Shane (@MDCIII) July 28, 2012
The imbecile at NBC who decided to cut the 7/7 victims tribute and replace it with Seacrest's execrable Phelps interview should be fired.
— Peter Cohen (@flargh) July 28, 2012
.@NBCOlympics is there any particular reason that you cut the tribute to victims of 7/7 from your broadcast of opening ceremonies? #disgrace
— nota bene (@note_well) July 28, 2012
You can watch the emotional memorial censored from the NBC broadcast at Deadspin.
FYI: This is the tribute to 7/7 terror attack victims in the #openingceremony that didn't air in America. http://t.co/HD8qXby2 #olympics
— Lacy Baugher (@LacyMB) July 28, 2012
The opening ceremony was not shown live on NBC. Here’s the purported reason:
NBC quote pathetic “complex entertainment spectacles don't translate well live online and need our awardwinning production team for context”
— tabitha goldstaub (@tabithagold) July 28, 2012
Apparently “entertainment spectacles” like remembering the lives lost when four suicide bombers killed 52 innocents in London don’t “translate well” to those rubes watching in America.
And what would we do without the “award-winning context” provided by the NBC geniuses who axed a memorial tribute from the opening ceremony coverage? Probably just drool in a corner while eating our own hair.
Here’s some of that “award-winning context” NBC provided during its coverage of the Olympics.
"…The Olympic torch has now travelled through this once blighted section of London known as, er, east London." Thanks, Matt Lauer #nbcfail
— Matthew Garrahan (@MattGarrahan) July 28, 2012
Wait, did Matt Lauer just say that ALL of East London is a blighted neighborhood?
— Becca (@tigerpantss) July 28, 2012
Flipped briefly over to NBC only to see Costas introduce Kazakhstan with an anecdote about Borat. #ForeheadMeetPalm
— Jim O'Leary (@jim_oleary) July 28, 2012
#Viera didn't know who Tim Berners Lee is Shameful #NBCfail #Olympics
— Lisa Rowe (@txvoodoo) July 28, 2012
Wow – what a joke @NBCOlympics are – They didn't air the 7/7 tribute .. But they did have commentators with stupid banter #OpeningCeremony
— Jeevan (ਜੀਵਨ) (@JeevanSD_MMA) July 28, 2012
And of course:
This wil be a tough interview for Phelps. With an experienced swimming analyst that is Ryan seacrest
— Mike Zaccardi, CMT (@MikeZaccardi) July 28, 2012
Shame on you, NBC.
Want to let NBC know what you think of this despicable decision? Send your tweets to @NBCOlympics and @NBC.
Update:
Conservative blogger Sooper Mexican lists other examples of the leftist propensity for obscuring the evils of terrorism.
***NBC Edits Out #Olympics' Tribute to Victims of Terrorism, & 6 other examples of obscuring terrorism from Americans: http://t.co/OJOuzlrM
— el Sooper ن (@SooperMexican) July 28, 2012
