The Celebrity Games
Day 2: From Celine Dion to Flavor Flav, Stars Shine in Paris
The Olympics have never lacked for star power, but this year it feels like there are even more non-sporting celebrities in the spotlight.
The Opening Ceremonies featured dozens on musical acts - starting with a surprise reveal of Lady Gaga - showcasing the full spectrum of French culture, but perhaps none made a bigger impression than Celine Dion’s first performance since 2020, and two years after revealing she suffers from Stiff Person Syndrome.
It’s been hard to miss famed rapper Snoop Dogg all over NBC’s Olympic Games coverage. From serving as a torch bearer through the streets of Paris to hanging out with Simone Biles’s mom at the Opening Ceremonies, Snoop has been ubiquitous in Paris. His enthusiasm for sports and natural charisma make him an ideal surrogate for for viewers. Look for him to keep popping up on NBC’s broadcasts throughout the Games.
But it’s women’s water polo that has benefitted the most from a celebrity endorsement this year. Public Enemy co-founder Flavor Flav has come out as not only Team USA’s “official hype man”, but has personally financially underwritten the team with a new five-year sponsorship. The story of how the rapper got involved with the obscure sport is a charming Olympic story.
What To Watch Today
(All times Eastern)
The first hardware will be handed out today, with 14 Gold medals on the line in 8 sports. Be sure not to miss Katie Ledecky take on Australian Ariarne Titmus in of the Game’s biggest rivalries. Plus three Americans take on the powerhouse Japanese skateboarders and surfing makes its 2024 debut from far-off Tahiti.
4:30 am - Shooting: 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team 🥇
5:00 am - Diving: Women's Synchronized 3m Springboard Final 🥇 🇺🇸
8:30 am – Road Cycling: Women’s and Men’s Individual Time Trials 🥇 🇺🇸
9:35 am - Water Polo: Women’s Preliminary Round, USA vs Greece 🇺🇸
10:00 am – Judo: Women’s 48kg and Men’s 60 kg 🥇
11:00 am – Skateboarding: Men’s Street Final 🥇
1:00 pm - Surfing: Men’s Round 1 🇺🇸
1:45 pm – Rugby 7’s: Men’s Gold Medal Match 🥇
2:40 pm – Swimming: Women’s and Men’s 400m Freestyle Final 🥇
3:30 pm – Fencing: Women’s Epee Gold Medal Bout 🥇
3:34 pm – Swimming: Women’s and Men’s 4x100 Freestyle Relay Final 🥇
3:55 pm – Fencing: Men’s Sabre Gold Medal Bout 🥇
4:00pm - Beach Volleyball: Women’s Preliminary Round, USA vs Canada 🇺🇸
5:48 pm - Surfing: Women’s Round 1 🇺🇸
In Other Olympic News…
Joachim Roncin, director of design for Paris 2024, reflects on what it is like to create a visual language for a distinctly French Games
The 2024 Summer Olympics are the perfect distraction in a year of non-stop breaking news
Olympic Surfing events will take place in Tahiti, and they had their own Opening Ceremony
Photo of the Day
I watched the opening ceremony. I loved what they did with the clouds of gas that depicted the France flag. It was just magnificent!