What I didn’t expect at the opening ceremony
Aug 11th, 2008 by Peter
What the h… did Mark “Da Shan” Rowswell do in the Olympics parade?
I read that he is attached as a “consultant” to the Canadian sports people, but why was he allowed to walk in the parade with them? It’s a sportsman event, not an “I-love-to-see-myself-in-the-media-event”, is it? Any one but me who would like to see him and Paris Hilton battle it out in a celebrity death match?
Unfortunately I didn’t get a still of his happy face as he walked with all the other athletes. I have to admit that it pissed me a bit off, which may have caught your attention. But on the other hand, plenty of other countries probably had their “Da Shan” with them too and that didn’t give me rage. So maybe it’s just because I don’t like Da Shan very much (no offence Canada!).
Actually the opening ceremony was a bit so-so if you ask me. I’m a grumpy hard to impress bitch, I know, but I had expected a bit more from a land that invented the Craptaculars. Cool in all ways, but missed that little extra to make me go “wauw”.
The most fascinating thing I saw was when the Danish flagbearer Joachim B. Olsen carried the flag in one streched arm only. All other athletes I noticed had to use both hands and a strap to do the round. It seemed absolutely grotesque how the long flagstaff looked like a twig in his hand. Guess you have to be a world-class shortputter to get an arm like that and not worry about straining it before the contest begins?
I guess he is a guy you either love or hate. In the beginning I was impressed by the way he have managed to learn Chinese very well and at the same time have become a very popular figure in China – but I guess Chinese people love every foreigner that speaks Chinese.
After seeing him in countless advertisings he is beginning to get on my nerves too. Now seems he would advertise for almost everything that could earn him money.
Same here Kim….
Before I knew about him, I saw him teach English on CCTV when I tried to kill some hours on a hotel in Shenzhen. My first thought was that he was pretty skilled. Something about him bugged me about him though. I just couldn’t say what.
Later I’ve concluded that it was his fake overjoyed smile and willingness to be involved in everything that made him an even more public figure.
Then the good discussion about who’s actually the stupid one can begin, but being a grumpy old man, I have to side with those who find him a sell-out.
I’ve never met him, and have been always prepared to dislike him based on jealousy and overexposure, but I did speak with someone recently whose judgement I trust who said he’s an all right guy.
That aside, Kim’s comment that Chinese love every foreigner who speaks Chinese is mostly true, but I’ve was kinda surprised recently to realize that at least two reasonably fluent foreign Chinese speakers at my place of employment don’t enjoy a great rep among their Chinese coworkers.
As a Chinese friend said of one of them: “Sometimes a person can be an asshole in two languages.”
Justin: Your buddy is probably right, but Da Shan has to prove me wrong before I change my mind. ;-) Oh, and jealousy is not an issue with this guy. Neither with fame or talent for Chinese. I actually think he is pretty gifted speaking Chinese, and will give him credit for that.
Quote: As a Chinese friend said of one of them: “Sometimes a person can be an asshole in two languages.”
THAT I will buy any day!