Deadspin
Bad news for all those who actually watch the opening and closing ceremonies at the Summer Olympics; Steven Spielberg has dropped out as director at the Beijing Games. Or actually he was going to be the "artistic adviser," whatever that means. All I know is that now my dream of watching Dennis Weaver being chased by a giant semi truck in costumed pantomime form has been dashed to pieces.
Spielberg announced he would no longer act as an artistic adviser for the opening and closing ceremonies, saying he could not reconcile working on the Olympics while China and other nations were not doing enough to ease the suffering in Darfur. "Sudan's government bears the bulk of the responsibility for these ongoing crimes but the international community, and particularly China, should be doing more," Spielberg said in a statement. "China's economic, military and diplomatic ties to the government of Sudan continue to provide it with the opportunity and obligation to press for change."
Of course I'm not sure how the situation in Darfur has changed since Spielberg originally agreed to the Olympics job, but whatever. Our thoughts must now turn toward his replacement. Ridley Scott? The Coen brothers? No, my vote of course goes to Quentin Tarantino.
On a more serious note, though; is this Olympics boycott issue gaining steam? Spielberg's announcement is a HUGE snub, and the Chinese must be apoplectic. Many athletes are starting to speak up here, and when it gets to the point where nations start pulling out — and it could — well, this could get huge in no time.
Spielberg Drops Out As Beijing Olympics Adviser Over Darfur [The Huffington Post]
Spielberg In Darfur Snub To China [BBC News]
Comments
As long as there are fuck lions on horses...we cool, homey.
What? Did the check bounce?
Many athletes are starting to speak up here, and when it gets to the point where nations start pulling out.
When is the Chinese populace going to start pulling out?
This is a rarity. A Jew turning down Chinese.
That's interesting about Speilberg, but who's the mentally-challenged man in teh photo?
@MattinglysSideburns: After 2 daughters in a row.
nibbles?!?
Given what happened at the 2004 Summer Games, as long as Bob Costas is up to speed on his Chinese mythology, that's all I care about.
Ashton wants his hat back.
TAKE OFF THAT STUPID FUCKING HAT!!!!
It has nothing to do with Darfur. Steve's just pissed the delivery boy forgot the Kung Pao Chicken in his last order.
Speilberg has had a big problem with Asians since working with Jonathan Ke Quan.
What a prima donna that kid was!
@ghostsoftheSCupcountry: OMIGOD THERE IS NO GODDAMN NIBBLES
I think he's just taking the time to properly mourn Chief Brody.
Just get Michael Bay. That piece of shit will do anything for money.
"All right, and then this Verizon FIOS-adorned Viking ship full of Nordic slaves is going to BLOW UP all over these starving Africans. AWESOME."
@Rob Iracane: yessah, boss.
Beijing Olympic Committee Chairman: Get me Steven Spielberg.
Assistant: He's unavailable.
Beijing Olympic Committee Chairman: Then get me his non-union Mexican equivalent.
@Rob Iracane: Steven likes his chicken hot!
Damn, and I was so looking forward to seeing the parade of velociraptors on horses.
Is that Mike D'Antoni in the background?
@Phony Gwynn: That actually does sound awesome.
I hear Uwe Boll works cheap, and crappily.
@Carlton_Whitfield: @ArkansasFred:
Or, in honor of the late, great Roy Scheider: That's some bad hat, Steven.
So what's the sports Hook on this piece, again?
No mechanical sharks? Tell me the Nazi prison guards are still in!
Lebron has no comment on the Darfur situation.
@MitchKayak:
Plus it would be revenge for WW2, because what Uwe Boll has done to the video game industry is technically a war crime against Japan.
To be that proud of Erectile Trauma is kind of insensitive, I think.
Meanwhile, the Brit (and to some extent the American) athletes are already practicing their Chinese by setting the rules for speech while in Beijing.
Click to learn more
Thank god! I heard the segment where the goats were to be fed to the lions was done using CGI. What a bunch of bullshit that would have been.
@UkraineNotWeak: +1
@Tuffy: But the Olympics are a sporting event....oh, right. Sorry. Carry on.
@Tuffy: they're going to try to model after the 1941 summer games.
@Weed Against Speed: He no nuts, he kwazy!!!
I hope all the countries protest and the Olympics get cancelled...Not so much for the political awareness it will cause for the genocide in Darfur, but more because I don't want lame-ass Olympics coverage getting in the way for two weeks.
I was so looking forward to the People's Army's production of Saving Private Chang
When Israel's Asian restaurants remove items from the menu, Spielberg strikes back.
@Lady Andrea: That was when the German team snatched defeat from the Jaws of victory, right?
My interest in the opening and closing ceremonies just went from "none" all the way down to "none."
@Chuckie Hacks 2 and 0: I don't think enough people watch NBC to make this a problem, Olympics or not.
The Chinese will find a way to get Spielberg back for this.
He chose...poorly.
@UkraineNotWeak: It's going to be real disappointing when the troops realize they risked their lives to save Donna Changstein.
@strong like bull smart like tractor: and then the Austrian team escaped on The Sugarland Express.
@Doyle McPoyle: If the Olympics were in Munich again, this wouldn't be a problem. I'm kind of bummed too, since I Always liked Spielberg's use of The Color Purple. Hopefully, I'm not in the Minority Report with that sentiment.
@Lady Andrea: Catch them if you can!
@theballadofrickeyfoggie: Sheesh. Forgot the link. [news.bbc.co.uk]
"Click to learn more"
@TheStarterWife: This is Deadspin. Learnin's not allowed.
I hear Ron Howard is now taking the job.
So what? The Chinese don't need Spielberg to simulate a bunch of smelly Krakosians stuck in an airport, provided the Russians don't boycott.
I'm pretty sure Spielberg took the job just so he could leave it.
@Doyle McPoyle: That should have been a @Tuffy:, not to me. Whoopsie-daisy!
@Tuffy: I could do this all day. Til my face turns the color purple.
Maybe Quentin Tarantino will take control and it'll turn in a blood bath...Then maybe I'd be interested.