Something that I have seen a lot of this Olympics is the NBC commentators being, well, cruel, and it is driving me insane. Specifically, every time you say the woman (and I stress women) gymnasts cry, I heard them call it “diva” behavior. Really? Crying is being a “diva”. I think not.
Our American gymnasts are kids. Kids. If I was Jordyn Wieber, I would have been crying too. Can you imagine watching all of your dreams that you’ve worked for all your life to that point slipping away from you? Hell, at 35, I’d cry over it. However, by no means, does that make you a diva. Human? Yes. Diva? No. Then the situation she was forced into (not being allowed to compose herself before the team met with the media) was just cruel. Could NBCs cameras be any more obvious that they were trying to include the upset Jordyn in the shot? Is that the human element that you are trying to show more? To me, it just looked like a crass reality TV move.
What also gets my goat is that these comments were directed towards the women. Not once did the commentators call the men gymnasts divas when they were visibly upset. Heck, they were okay with it. I guess it is only bad if you are a woman.
This year, NBC’s Olympic coverage has sucked. There is no other way to describe this poor coverage and now the commentary joins that.
My advice to our Olympians? Cry away!
