I am, What I am?

I missed the begining of the Paralympic Openening Ceremony ( we were out at a family dinner) but I did rush home just in time to see Team GB enter the stadium!
I didn't cry until the whole stadium joined in with Beverly Knight ( who had a great pair of lungs by the way)
with the adopted gay anthem of "I am what I am!"
Ian Mc Kellen had a lovely time ( bless him) ......as did ( I hope) the star of the whole ceremony, Steven Hawking who turned up so much I am sure the batteries on his electric wheelchair were down to nothing!
A lovely chap I used to know from Sheffield's Spinal Unit read the Judge's oath and  Claire Balding did her usual top notch commentary, this time for Channel 4.....
Loved it all..... thought provoking....... celebratory...... and generally very entertaining
Britain has done both ceremonies proud
PS  The natural enthusiasm of signer Deepa Shastri made me smile as blind soprano Denise Leigh belted out something worthy!

20 comments:

  1. thanks for this John...haven;t seen anything here yet...so typical for North America!

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  2. I saw a report on the NBC evening news. It is a really big deal!

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  3. Yes, Britain has done a great job!

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  4. Unfortunately tiredness got the better of me, so only saw the first hour. I must try to see the rest later today. Why are these things on so late (an hour later here than UK)?

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  5. Cro Magnon, above, has (once again) written a comment not just for him but for me too. Now I'm regretting not staying up past the first hour - and also will catch up on what I missed later.

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  6. We watched up to the parade of countries & turned over to watch Who do you think you are ?" with Patrick Stewart which was very moving.
    When we turned back an hour later, to the ceremony they'd got to F !!!!

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  7. The show was okay, if a bit worthy. They definitely overdid the Prospero and Miranda business. 'O, brave new world' indeed!

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  8. I didn't watch it. I sat through the first opening ceremony, and that pretty much used up my full reserves of Olympic interest.

    I did, however, watch the Paralympic Come Dine with Me!

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  9. The Paralympics are underfunded and underreported, and I find them so much more inspiring.

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  10. It really took off for me with the finale, and I loved the Alison Lapper/Ian Dury section. Challenging and entertaining.

    Could have done with a few less umbrellas generally, and the whole Olympic/Paralympic movement is going to have to find a new way to get the athletes into the stadium. I left for tea and an oatcake break anticipating returning by about Sweden, and came back to only Mauritius! Not that they weren't lovely.

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  11. I looked for it on TV but could not find it. Between the coverage of a political convention ( ugh) and the hurricane in New Orleans, taking up the airwaves, there is very little to watch other than reality shows here (again ugh).

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  12. Pity they didn't have Peter Kay in the middle - in his Phoenix Nights wheelchair... By the way, the main reason it was on late was for darkness. Many of the dramatic lighting effects would have seemed unimpressive in daylight.

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  13. I don't think there is a minute of coverage on this in the US. None was planned on regular broadcast networks. Can't say about cable...

    Everything is the Republican convention and Hurricane Isaac.

    bleh.

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  14. Cappy, I don't have a TV, but that's all that's on the internet, too. Double bleh. I'm already sick of this election doo doo. I am very impressed by the "celebrities" who are supporting the Paralympics, what a classy event.

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  15. I agree John, wonderful. The only thing that spoilt it for me was the wretched adverts every few minutes.

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  16. Anonymous6:58 pm

    great stuff!

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  17. Congratulations to Britain!

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  18. I liked the apples.

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  19. I liked the apples.

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