Curious what the Chinese thought of London’s 8 minute skit at Sunday night’s closing ceremony? Here are a few titbits I can share having been in the sweaty audience:
1. They love David Beckham. BIG cheer.
2. Next to no-one understood who the lollipop lady was.
3. Most were puzzled why the little girl was walking across the backs of the dancers. Does everyone in London walk like that?
4. Even those who speak English couldn’t understand what the hell Leona Lewis was singing (b.t.w., I wonder if she lip-synched?).
Online, one netizen was impressed Britain only spent £2 million. Most of which, I venture, went to Beckham for kicking a football all of twenty yards. But here’s my pick of the comments I read:
i especially hated the outfit of the leona lewis and the gal playing the violin. i wud have rather enjoyed elton john singing on his piano.
There’s time yet, come 2012. I think we’re desperate enough.
Alec Ash
I studied Mandarin in Beijing, where I began writing this blog in the Olympic summer of 2008