'NBC' 'Viera' 'Lauer' 'Costas' 'Superlative' 'Captivating' 'Commentary'...Hey Matt, Meredith, Bob:

[PCIntern]

I'm almost certain that you or your underpaid minions will be Googling these words within the next few days in order to find great reviews of your performance and this little post might just spring up, so just in case you get a chance to read this, here goes:

Your grotesquely insipid 'commentary' (sic and sick) during the Opening Ceremonies was so dreadful that it has entered my Pantheon of Moronic Moments on TeeVee. Please allow me to enumerate these for you: others will undoubtedly have something(s) to add:

1. Your little scripted fill-ins of British History were so woefully inadequate that a junior-high school student would be able to embellish them. No? Well, you may be right: kids and their parents are so busy watching you on the Today Show, (which bears no resemblance to that hosted by Dave Garroway and believe me, Sigourney Weaver's Daddy is also spinning in his grave) that they can't process any information longer than a fortune cookie's missive. You should actually state six random numbers after each of your stupid pronouncements, to give the show some verisimilitude.

Still reading? I bet you are...

2. Thank you SO MUCH for the little synopses after your GROTESQUE COMMERCIAL INTERRUPTIONS. Oh yes, I know just how important it was to sell...wait...what were the commercials for? I was so busy cursing that my wife jotted down what the products were SO I WILL NOT BUY ANY OF THEM FOR THE NEXT DECADE. Just for spite, of course...

3. Hey Bob...how many countries HAVEN'T EVER WON A MEDAL??? So, yeah, why the hell should they even show up, right? Those morons have the temerity to actually march in the ceremonies when they're DOOMED TO LOSE. After all, it's just about winning the competitions...as long as you're an AMERICAN or look like one, which brings me to

4. Yes folks in the broadcast booth, we picked up your little snide comments about those little countries with 'exotic' looking people and costumes. Your tone of voice changed considerably, and what was all that about the political natures of each of these countries, their revolutions, their dictators, and all that? You talked more about that than your co-worker David "Stretch" Gregory does on Sunday mornings when he pretends to host your "non-partisan" Meet The Press, another joke of a broadcast. Oh yes, I'm a Liberal - and proud of it - because if it were up to you Conservatives, THE PEOPLE OF COLOR WOULD STILL BE MARCHING IN A DIFFERENT PART OF THE GROUP FROM THE WHITE PEOPLE. And yes, we saw in the "Pre-game Show" how that nice old black lady who won the first medal was forced to sit apart from the white folk in the town down South when she was 'honored' by her neighbors. Wasn't that just a great demonstration of how far we've come? So thus you don't counsel people coming on your network and getting away with statements about the President and the First Family about how different and un-American and non-Anglo-Saxon they are, right? You would be OUTRAGED, right? No...oh, so it's just 'part of the dialogue we're all having here in the US of A, freedom of (hate)speech, right?

5. And on a personal note, we don't give a damn what singing group you liked in High School, and that the Beatles were your FAVORITE! Really?? I gotta sit down, I'd never thought that anyone else might feel that way about them! And the Rolling Stones...humming along with the tune, and Meredith: thanks for the solo...you said you just couldn't help yourself. Rock on!!!

I'm tired of typing this stuff...I was so frigging mad when I went to bed that I had trouble falling asleep and thought about you guys when I awakened! And then I thought of Jim McCay and Company in the old days: their Professionalism, Competence, and Understanding of what the Olympics really can mean when observed and interpreted by people who possess a three-digit I.Q. Thanks for your time, and we'll be right back after this message...

[Spazito]

1. Well said!

[valerief]

18. +1000

[TahitiNut]

46. It's nice to know others had the same opinion as I did.

It was HORRIBLE.

[freshwest]

73. And needs to be forwarded to every one of them if it's permitted!

[EmeraldCityGrl]

2. As the USA was announced the camera panned

over to Willard and Ann as if they were the president and first lady. It was such an obvious attempt
to influence the viewers thru imaging. I had to leave the room and compose myself I was so aggravated.

[RockaFowler]

7. Did you catch what Costas said about Mittens??

He saved the SLC games. Really?? He did it single-handedly huh??

[PCIntern]

8. Alls bys himself....Makes me want to fwow up... nt

[KurtNYC]

14. Mitt built the roads and bridges connecting the venues of the SLC Games. nt

[begin_within]

13. Not to mention $1.5 billion taxpayer dollars.

[Patiod]

26. Yeah, like it was tough to bring a bunch of other Mormons into line

You have an Olympics held in a city where all the power is with a little group, and if you don't shape up and follow the the demands of that little group, your business is SCREWED.

So it must have been really tough to get cooperation in that situation.

Please. Getting Mormon businessmen in line is more akin to herding dressage horses than herding cats, which is what MOST Olympic Organizing Committees have to do.

[LovingA2andMI]

38. I hear it and saw it

Then felt VERY ILL. Costas needed to keep his partisan bias out of the Olympics Opening Ceremony (thank you very much) because it showed.....

[riverbendviewgal]

45. I wish some American would twitter, email Costas that question

It is so evident that the MSM is rooting for Mitts. It is sickening...Thankfully I have Canadian Health care and won't have a bill.

[Odin2005]

28. That was disgusting. And they showed Michelle for only about a second.

[WCGreen]

31. And didn't even say anything, just a glimpse and poof off to some of there inane

photo op...

They are so jingoistic that I could care less what they have to say.

[myrna minx]

33. Not to mention the squealing that Mittens SAVED the OLYMPICS!

Their smug, condescending attitude and self indulgence cast a pall over a spectacular celebration. We can watch for ourselves, we don't need to have Matt Lauer try to explain David Bowie to us. for those tools.

[alp227]

94. What about the viewers under 30 who probably never heard "Let's Dance"?

[myrna minx]

98. Actually, David Bowie is well known to those under 30 - he's one of the most progressive and

prolific artists of the last 50 years. He's still making music, reinventing himself and still influencing and inspiring the young artists of today. In fact, I bet kids under 30 could explain David Bowie to me better than Matt Lauer ever could.

[nc4bo]

113. Back in the day...

when I was doing something that RIAA and my cable company would prosecute me for now...in Napster days.

Some people here (stateside) may be surprised that "oldies"; classic, hard, soft R&R, R&B, Disco, Funk, etc. are or were much more appreciated in Europe than here.

Before it occurred to the RIAA and record labels to offer this music via modern technology and one couldn't find oldies at the big box stores (which you really couldn't), you could always, always ALWAYS find it from someone's collection on the internet and more than likely it was someone from overseas who offered biggest and best collections of it.

[TahitiNut]

49. Remember, they had HOURS to prepare that commentary and the "B-roll" of Willard and HorseyAnn.

That was planned and edited and designed DELIBERATELY ... it was NOT a "real-time" cut-away.

Infuckingfuriating!

[Spazito]

51. Excellent point!

Their commentary was not off-the-cuff, it was deliberate and planned. It makes it even more disgusting, if possible.

[tularetom]

3. I sat and watched that crap mostly because my wife wanted to see it

And it was probably a good thing I did. (NBC's work was crap not the ceremonies themselves).

Because I had to stop her several times from throwing a brick through the TV when she got so pissed off at those douchebags.

I'm actually surprised that smarmy little asshole Matt Lauer wasn't able to finagle a job on the "coverage" for his latest girlfriend.

[PCIntern]

4. My kid kept saying:

"Calm down..." I think I was almost screaming in exasperation...

[A-Long-Little-Doggie]

68. DH asked me to be quiet...

after about the fifth or sixth "SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!!!!!!"

He doesn't get as worked up about this shit as I do.

[grasswire]

5. they said repeatedly that the athletes were walking too fast for them..

.....so the commentators had to "edit" their comments down!

Talking over the musicians was unforgiveable.

Gauche, and rude!!!

[elehhhhna]

63. Lauer mentions Idi Amin when Uganda's team walks by.

Fuckwit.

Also, McCartney can't sing for shit no more, he looks ridiculous with that brown mop head, and all he does is make me miss John Lennon. McC: RETIRE ALREADY.

[GObamaGO]

107. Oh man, that one, in particular really pissed me off

Could not leave it with Churchill's quote about Uganda being the "Pearl of Africa".

[patrice]

6. My tweet on this subject: When will the help be treated to more NBC millionaire blatherings &

video of the Romneys viewing the Olympic horse that we bought for them."

[IggleDoer]

22. Don't fret

Under Rmoneycare all people with MS will be Vic
Ven a therapy horse.

[nc4bo]

9. +100. I had several wtf moments, all for the reasons you so elegantly listed.

I say elegantly because all the sentences that came from my mouth were full obscenities.

Fuck you crew of NBC network. Your stooging commentary proved what a bunch of pathetic, corporate shilling, narcissistic, narrow-minded assholes the lot of you truly are.

[PCIntern]

10. I had to edit my post and rephrase before the intial post...

I don't think I've ever done that before.

[nc4bo]

16. One question I'd like answered: What does mentioning free market, capitalism have to do with

the damn Olympics' opening ceremony.

WHY was this even brought into a conversation about the history of a small, formerly British (I believe) country?

Free market, capitalism. You've GOT to be kidding me?!

[PCIntern]

20. The lowest of the low...

what he should have been discussing, if he wanted to pursue this line, was the number of inordinately wealthy individuals and companies bailed out and in which countries...No? I guess not.

[LovingA2andMI]

39. That's a EXCELLENT question...

Maybe Matt and Bob should have THOUGHT about where they were at instead who they were voting for in Election 2012. It would have made watching the Open Ceremonies an much improved enjoyable experience for the folks at home.....

[Cassandra]

109. I think they feel this is their opportunity...

to connect with the Fox audience, who normally don't give them the time of day.

[smirkymonkey]

85. +1000

Thank you for saying it so eloquently. I was tounge tied.

[begin_within]

11. They are like those annoying audience members sitting behind you that won't shut up.

NBC commentators ruined the telecast of Beijing's opening ceremony and almost ruined last night's telecast. Why can't they just shut the hell up and let the ceremony speak for itself? The ceremony does not need commentary.

[nxylas]

100. I felt the same about the BBC's commentary

It was only afterwards that I found that, thanks to the miracle of digital TV, there was an option to switch it off. But at least they had the excuse that it was live.

[patrice]

12. GREAT! rant! I "need a cigarette" . . . Let's TAKE it to them!!

[AlinPA]

15. The coverage was horrible (they are jerks) with commercials every 4-5 minutes.

[asjr]

17. Most of those commentators think they are

so good and smart that we are all just waiting for them to open their mouths. They have no idea that once we do it is to vomit--not praise.

[Borchkins]

19. I'm so glad I watched . . .

with the sound muted. There was a lot going on at my house, so I watched without sound. I know I missed the music, but it doesn't sound like I missed much.

B

[rosesaylavee]

21. And what about the coverage of the music from the 70s to now segment...

All the negativity about how awful teenagers are and what trouble they are and oh noes they are coming back to your house to party. WTH?

We didn't make it thru the parade at the end due to their commentary. We had it on mute and unmuted it for a minute and were immediately sorry due to the moronic mention of how wonderful it was last time that Bush and Putin had a 'moment' together. Yeesh. Turned it off. What an embarrassment they were and what a shame they completely missed the part that honored the fallen from the UKs worst terrorist attack. Watched that this morning and was completely shocked that they didn't include that. Another WTH are they thinking?

[WorseBeforeBetter]

116. "Parent's worst nightmare!" per the dopes at NBC.

My little group watching ranged in age from 15 to 74, and we were scratching our heads over that one. And yelling STHU and muting and unmuting. How many seconds did they give Tim Berners-Lee before cutting to *yet* another commercial?

Oh well, at least it was a nice way for our family to bond -- laughing and mocking NBC. And rooting for all those "loser" countries who've never won a medal!

[rosesaylavee]

117. Yeah, we were doing the same thing...

No idea why they thought any of that commentary was appropriate. Just a sad reflection of their dismal relationships with family and their misunderstanding of the whole Olympic concept.

[KauaiK]

23. Well Stated...

I too miss ABC Sports coverage of the Olympics and the professionalism of Jim McKay & Company. We could watch all events 24/7 not just the events chosen by a producer and polls and without the scripted banalities of the talking heads.

[Hubert Flottz]

24. I always skip right on past the Toady show.

As soon as I see and hear a group of screaming nut-cases on my TV I Switch to something a little more educational and believable, like reruns of Gilligan's Island.

[Warpy]

25. They just NEVER SHUT THE FUCK UP long enough

to allow people to follow the actual presentation. They honestly think people are so damned dumb that they won't know they're listening to a musical history or who Mary Poppins or any of the monsters are.

If there were one change the IOC really needs to make, it's insisting on NO BAFFLEGABBERS during any broadcast of any opening ceremony.

Nothing else will do, thanks.

I missed most of it last night because every time they opened their yaps to say some particularly stupid thing, I had to switch the channel or put my foot through the screen.

Assholes.

[riverbendviewgal]

48. Unfortunately

Many I met in my travels in the states are pretty dumb. They watch reality shows and don't know much about history or geography, no less the other countries.

[coalition_unwilling]

110. I think it was Mark Twain who said that war is America's excuse to learn geography! - :) - n/t

[PCIntern]

114. Brilliant! My favorite Twain statement was

That Adam and Eve had many advantages but the principal one was that they escaped teething.

From Pudd'nhead Wilson.

[Hugin]

27. I'm guessing they'll have to file this under, "The agony of defeat."

Olympic coverage!

[progressoid]

29. As much as I dislike the commercials, they are here to stay.

Unless we decide to publicly fund the Olympics, somebody has to pay for it. And that would be advertising dollars.

[Ezlivin]

30. I'm curious

I wonder how much one would have to pay to have a commercial-free broadcast?

I suspect that they would never offer this option, regardless of its popularity.

[progressoid]

34. $894 million

That's how much NBC paid for the broadcasting rights.

[Ezlivin]

42. So me and my 893,000,000 friends

Would only have to pay $1 each!

[progressoid]

47. But

Think how boring it would be with out the insightful comments from Meredith Vieira and Ryan Seacrest.





(also, 893,999,999 friends)

[triplepoint]

101. Meredith Vieira and Ryan Seacrest aren't qualified

They are way out of their league. Where are the former Olympians or other real athletes to comment and do interviews at the Olympics? It is disturbing to see this global event turned into a bland and Wonderbread-boring reality tv show.

[AlbertCat]

108. Would only have to pay $1 each!

I'm sure some baseball and football teams could foot the bill.... and not even notice.

[TransitJohn]

90. I'd pay a hundred bucks to stream the Summer Games commercial free in HD. eom

n/t

[Ezlivin]

112. Count me in

N/T

[bayareaboy]

32. So the folks mentioned above ...

Aren't really muckrakers and they are not nice logical folks who do travelog's

So what do they have that really keeps anyone's attention, a Jada jada, here and there. If I wanted to watch George being a fool I would have watched the original.

[mulsh]

35. wow it must have been even worse than the little bit I saw.

Fortunately my wife had a couple of competing show ( House & Bones) so we only watched in during commercials. What little we watched was ruined by the "commentary". fortuantely the TV personalities were so insipid and shallow we giggle through most of it.

[LovingA2andMI]

36. RIGHT ON POINT!!

K/R

[bleever]

37. It was like the freakin' Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

I caught myself looking for a way to mute just the commentary before realizing I was stuck with their vapid blather.

[PCIntern]

41. I actually posted exactly that last night...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021033849

[bleever]

55. Great minds

are pissed off by the same stupid shit.

[PCIntern]

56. !

[Chiyo-chichi]

69. You are both exactly right.

The clowns at the Today Show are given Emmy Awards for their coverage of the Macy's parade. I truly believe they see this as being pretty much the same thing. Hell, it's only about half a step away from how they cover the news.

[GreenPartyVoter]

71. That's what I was thinking too.

[radiclib]

40. Don't forget who calls the shots for these people.

Uncle Jack Welch, the man who ordered NBC to call the 2000 selection for Bunnypants.

[Overseas]

43. K&R. Love these comments. I miss the days when the Olympics were less commercial.

More about international fellowship.

[solara]

44. Hear! Hear!

[hootinholler]

50. I think the most insensitive and insipid comment was Calling Her Royal Majesty a "Bond Girl"

Oh FFS! Have you no dignity?

Then there's the whole dropping a tribute to those harmed in a terrorist act in favor of playing an interview of Phelps that was probably canned earlier.

But you made sure we got Rowan's bit.

[allan01]

52. re'NBC' 'Viera' 'Lauer' 'Costas' 'Superlative' 'Captivating' 'Commentary'...Hey Matt, Meredith, Bob:

sometimes i wish that someone would cut the #$%^&*( mike and let the cameras roll. screw the commercials . cant they wait till after the doggone thing is over. never cared for the today show and really havent watched tv news in years . i too have grown weary of the snide remarks by laur or other news men and women, and the stupid jokes . bleh. i dont call many journalists , journalists any more,they are news "men" . who are simply after ratings .thanks for posting.

[msanthrope]

53. I love you. I really do. nt

[PCIntern]

54. Feeling's mutual!

[knitter4democracy]

57. Yup, the racism was quite obvious.

Of course, those "colorful" costumes looked a damn sight better than ours. You would have thought our team was the Ralph Lauren/Polo team from the size of the logo or French from the arrangement of the colors on the womens' scarves and the berets. We had awful uniforms, and so many countries had gorgeous outfits that really stood out.

So what if a country hasn't won a medal yet? It's not about that or the medal count. It's about celebrating sport in a non-war context, which the Brits got. That tor with the flags and cauldron were perfect.

[azurnoir]

58. DU can be so interesting at times

here we have Costas being 'castigated' for his injecting politics into his Olympic coverage but go over to I/P and Costas is a good guy because he brought up the fact that the IOC did not have a minute of silence at the opening ceremonies for the Israeli athletes in 1972, sometimes the feeling is a bit 'through the looking glass'

[slampoet]

59. If people having different opinions is difficult for you, America must be hell. So sorry.

[azurnoir]

61. lol I was making a point about just that

but if someone mentioning differences is difficult for you well, why are you here?

I find your negative spin interesting also

[PCIntern]

64. I happen to agree with Costas re: Israeli athletes, but

He's still a pain in the behind.

[azurnoir]

66. +1 n/t

[spanone]

60. their commentary is what america has come to accept as 'hard news'

our media would be a joke if it were funny.

pathetic.

that's the kind of drivel america wakes up to every morning....hours on end. the abc and cbs shows are equally as vapid.

[young_at_heart]

62. Costas is obviously a Mitt fan

His comment about Mitt "saving" the SLC Olympics was right out of Mitt's mouth!

[just1voice]

65. Most TV makes me feel that way, LOL

It's pure propaganda, a 1%er script based on emotion. There is no rational thinking, no real information, just a poorly acted commercial. Then there's the 37% of it that is commercials.

Even wikipedia has them nailed in their definition of propaganda:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda

--Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position. Propaganda is usually repeated and dispersed over a wide variety of media in order to create the chosen result in audience attitudes.

As opposed to impartially providing information, propaganda, in its most basic sense, presents information primarily to influence an audience. Propaganda often presents facts selectively (thus possibly lying by omission) to encourage a particular synthesis, or uses loaded messages to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented. The desired result is a change of the attitude toward the subject in the target audience to further a political agenda. Propaganda can be used as a form of political warfare.--

[chervilant]

96. Two suggestions

I think you might appreciate:

1) anything about Edward Bernays, the 'Father of Spin' (and nephew of Sigmund Freud).

2) Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television by Jerry Mander.

[zentrum]

67. Spot on. n/t

[Iliyah]

70. NBC first showed Michelle Obama

who was cheering and waving the American flag. Then they panned over to Mittens and Ann and both looked like statutes more so Mittens. No flag waving.

Michelle, again, have won the hearts and minds of England. Apparently at the moment they dislike Mittens.

Yeah, I heard Costas say that Mittens saving the Winter Olympics, and I had to laugh. Corporate media again. And the coverage of the opening was horrible.

[Ken Burch]

72. Did Meredith really NOT know that Rowan Atkinson is a comedian?

How much stupid can you fit in ONE head?

[smirkymonkey]

86. Mr. Bean for President!

Can't get much worse than Romney.

[liberalmuse]

74. You know what? We Americans deserve better.

Not because we are Americans, but because we are human beings. How long will the "powers that be" be allowed to treat us as if we're a dumbed down populace? Most of us aren't. This is so insulting.

[cyberpj]

76. "How long..." Until a majority of us can do something en masse that will hurt their bottom line.

Or until those of us who remember what real news and sports coverage looked like die off.

Voila! New normal.

[LittleGirl]

75. I was so disgusted

I went to bed at 9 and missed the rest of it. The worst part was waking up - WIDE AWAKE - at 4 am. I was really cussing those assholes then.

[MuseRider]

77. We spoke about that last night on your thread.

This OP is very good. At one point I thought I was feeling little neurons fizz out as my IQ dipped ever lower as I watched. I wanted to watch I did not want to be talked to as if I was 5 years old. It was just stupid talking to stupid and the rest of us either had to hear it or not watch at all. The political stuff is intentional of course. I pretty much ignore that now, there is not anything we can do about it at this point, we have to figure that out but so far we have been without luck on that. Money Money Money Mooooney and we don't have it.

I find it hard to think of a way out of all the crap that is happening here. When your news, TV entertainment and commentary of important world events are covered like this we may as well be watching "Ow My Balls". I hope other countries continue to strive for greatness and we are allowed to at least benefit from some of it. We sure as hell are stuck in stupid.

[DesertRat]

78. And what was with Lauer describing the Queen as "cheering wildly"?

Didn't he know that we could see her sitting there somberly??

[PCIntern]

79. Lauer's a Moran.

[Canuckistanian]

80. Done.

I Googled the terms and made sure I clicked on the link back to your post.

[SoapBox]

81. It reminded me of how much I LOATH advertising...

I do as much as I can to mute, turn off, ignore, etc. advertising...I HATE ads.

[goclark]

83. I went to sleep on them not the event

[YOHABLO]

84. Most Intelligent Progressives Can See the BS.

Funny how NBC thinks it can do a psyche trip on the American public with their commentators babble and disinformation; their blatant prejudice, and self absorption. Let's not forget too, they are paying these talking heads big big bucks to be there. I thought Viera was '86' gone. So they bring her back for this "special occasion"? Money must have been realllll good. I am over the Olympics .. it's just way too corporate to swallow. It's all about elitism and money.

[Burma Jones]

87. I agree

Stupid show for stupid people.

[Scurrilous]

88. K & R

[TransitJohn]

89. I could think of only one word during that broadcast: vapid. eom

n/t

[fortyfeetunder]

91. Glad I missed all of it.

Wake me up when the games are over, please!

[proud patriot]

92. well said

[alp227]

93. Well, explain why the ratings for this opening ceremony were the highest ever?

"The viewership was up 17% over the 2008 Beijing Games, which averaged 34.9 million viewers, and 2% higher than the 39.8 million viewers who watched the 1996 Atlanta opening ceremony." (B&C)

Some of the commentary I think was a bit much. For instance I wanted Meredith to shut it about high school nostalgia during the digital life skit. But some of the info being explained isn't exactly mainstream knowledge. What about people who grew up in the '90s (I'm in my 20s) and after and probably do NOT know about David Bowie?

[jonthebru]

95. I took the time to figure out how to

download the BBC program complete, all four hours. The NBC commentators are always terrible and should all be replaced as far as I can see and hear. The Brits are true professionals and know the value of being quiet.
It was a remarkable presentation and as a music fan, I congratulate the recognition of Roger Waters and Pink Floyd, not once, not twice, but three times. Many other appropriate recognitions of course, but that was the one that stood out for me.

[progress2k12nbynd]

97. Wow what a racist post; alerted. nt

[goclark]

99. + 1000!

K and R

[12AngryBorneoWildmen]

102. Bully on you.

Really

[Kyad06]

103. Most Boring thing ever

I don't give a damn about pseudo sports like team handball played between Latvia and South Korea. I will watch basketball ,boxingand a few others. The crappy announcing just makes it worse.

[Smilo]

104. Thanks OP

.......... I didn't watch it (actually can't because don't get NBC) and it sounds like all I missed were some narcissistic, self-important, pretty people who proved that "empty vessels make the most sound."

[gmiami]

105. Costas/NBC

Bob Costas SUCKS...I can't stand when he does the olympics or baseball....Lauer SUCKS too.

[Octafish]

106. TeeVee's not there to inform...

...It's for control. It works by filling heads with designer noise. The thrill of victory. The agony of defeat.

[coalition_unwilling]

111. I am really glad I missed it in its entirety - n/t

[Blue_Tires]

115. +1000

brilliant

[HughBeaumont]

118. Costas: "Djibouti . . . that's one of those countries whose name just makes you smile."

You know, unlike their abject poverty, high unemployment, arid and barren climate and their widespread practice of female genital cutting.