Olympics coverage - camera "modesty"

[D_Adoniah Sheervolume]

Below is an email I sent to NBC Sports today:

"Hello,

I find it *infuriating* not being able to see the entire athlete in mens events. In swimming and especially track and field, it seems the camera-people are terrified of showing anything below the waistline in head-on shots during or before events start.

This "modesty" seems limited to American tv coverage of mens events (we see all of the women), and it's absolutely ridiculous. The legs are the major drivers in track and field. Being able to see athletes completely, head-on allows one to witness their exceptional technique during these performances.

PLEASE get over this puritanical policy.

(My name)

4-time Olympic Trials qualifier/particpant, (my sport)"

What do you think? Am I crazy...?

 

[ManlyBanisters]

YouTube - 1996 Olympic 100m Final

Around 18 seconds in... mesmeric

:hypnotized:


Actually - I have no idea how you can watch sports without a full body shot. It IS a very stupid policy. But, let's face it, it is bad enough that athletes HAVE penises without us having to actually look at them! For shame!

 

[arkfarmbear]

I think it is ironic that you don't show pics of your dick to us but complain about similar behaviour from the broadcasters?!

 

[D_Geffarde Phartsmeller]

Why do I have the sneaking suspicion your real interest lies with seeing the athlete's package, not there "technique"...

 

[B_Marius567]

will be nice watching the Olympics coverage in HD watching all them cute girls!!

 

[ManlyBanisters]

Hey hang on - the athletes do not actually have their cocks out.

There is no reason on God's green earth that the Networks should have to worry about showing athletes dressed for their sport, doing what they do. There is nothing overtly sexual about it. The OP has a reasonable point - the 'modesty' is stupid.

 

[dreamer20]

Below is an email I sent to NBC Sports today:

...I find it *infuriating* not being able to see the entire athlete in mens events.
What do you think? Am I crazy...?

Unfortunately I think that sending this email won't improve matters. In fact your email will remind the puritans to be even more vigilant in this regard IMO.:frown1:

 

[marleyisalegend]

Why do I have the sneaking suspicion your real interest lies with seeing the athlete's package, not there "technique"...

That's exactly what he's asking for, access to view these men's packages and, no offense to the OP, they probably knew what his email was about. It doesn't surprise me that they'd be this prudish. I'm surprised people are demanding the right to see crotches, just go outside. Again, no offense, they probably got a good laugh at that email if anything. If they're deadset on censoring the male body, telling them how much u wanna see it will only fuel their fire and remind them why they're censoring it.

 

[Deno]

seriously, don't the Olympics start next month, I don't get it.

But I sure wish they'd do the Olympics like the Greeks use to. But the camera would never go down then.

 

[b.c.]

While the o.p. may have a personal motive for wanting to see full body shots he, in a way, has a point. The absolute paranoia that American t.v. has in general about anything even remotely sexual in any regard is borders on the psychotic, and is, no doubt, due to right wing influences on what we now define as a sense of decency.

That's why when you see documentaries of tribal societies some of whom (in their own culture) are not ashamed of their bodies, "we" (our broadcasters) digitally emasculate the men, mostly, as if subliminally suggesting that there is something shameful or indecent about their nudity.

This wasn't always the case, and the change in our cultural sensitivity to such is noteworthy.

 

[SteveT]

I don;t know if it's urban myth - it probably is - but I heard it said that Tim Henman had a stiffie on court once and the BBC had to, er, 'trim' its shots for a while.

 

[220483]

THIS thread is just weird. I never in my life noticed that tv broadcasters didn't show the athlets whole body. I guess they don't, otherwise YOU wouldn't have started this thread but, WHY write a complaining letter to them. NOTHING'S going to change, and on the contrary, YOU'VE just remembered them on how the 'gay community' is on the look for some 'package' shots...

I think your're the one showing technique on HOW to look for some bouncing unsuspected meat!

 

[Deno]

no, I've noticed it to, but not in the Olympics so to speak. One has to remember that the footage shot is shown world wide and many countries are more uptight then the way some see the U.S. to be. Why shoot a runner whose balls are obviously flopping around when it will not be usable for broadcast. I'd suppose there might be people that would rather the camera zoom in for a closeup but everyone knows that no matter what country you would be in this is abnormal for television. I've even notice the quick move of the camera on other shows where a below eye level angle just happen to briefly show a crotch shot. In sports I see this done mostly in diving comps. where our dear boys are wearing next to nothing.

 

[sdbg]

Below is an email I sent to NBC Sports today:

What do you think? Am I crazy...?

You're not crazy for e-mailing NBC. I agree with you, and applaud you for taking action.

 

[D_Adoniah Sheervolume]

What he said (except for the first line--grin)!

While the o.p. may have a personal motive for wanting to see full body shots he, in a way, has a point. The absolute paranoia that American t.v. has in general about anything even remotely sexual in any regard is borders on the psychotic, and is, no doubt, due to right wing influences on what we now define as a sense of decency.

That's why when you see documentaries of tribal societies some of whom (in their own culture) are not ashamed of their bodies, "we" (our broadcasters) digitally emasculate the men, mostly, as if subliminally suggesting that there is something shameful or indecent about their nudity.

This wasn't always the case, and the change in our cultural sensitivity to such is noteworthy.

 

[MarkLondon]

Well over here in the UK Linford Christie, champion well-hung runner who runs in lycra without a jockstrap became famous for his "lunchbox". They showed clips of him running lose and free over and over again on TV!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/htmlContent.jhtml?html=/archive/1998/06/19/nlin19.html

 

[whatireallywant]

Well, hey! I want to see the full body shots too! I mean, if they're going to get all huffy about full body shots of the men, why are they showing full body shots of the women? (and yes, I will admit that I'm checking out their packages... not just looking at athletic technique. :biggrin1

LOL @ doing the Olympics like the Greeks did! Let's just not have the rule that if women are caught watching the Olympics they're thrown off a cliff! Although I heard later that that rule was for MARRIED women if they were caught watching the Olympics. Single women were permitted to watch, and sometimes picked the guy they wanted for a relationship by watching them participate. Hey, I could go along with THAT! :biggrin1: (And of course the Greek Olympics were men only - I'd keep it like it currently is about women's participation...)

 

[pronatalist]

I agree, but however, they really should cancel the Olympics, as a huge and trivial waste of time and overpriced price-gouged gasoline.

And then China should be boycotted for their human rights abuses.

Anytime I see sports on TV, I tune to something else or put on a DVD, as I just don't see the relevance to real life. The ball goes back and forth, and somebody you don't know, "wins." Big deal. So noisy and boring. Much rather see a good action movie, or a great sci-fi story. I would much rather watch people playing a board game, Poker, or a video game, than sports.

 

[deleted15807]

While the o.p. may have a personal motive for wanting to see full body shots he, in a way, has a point. The absolute paranoia that American t.v. has in general about anything even remotely sexual in any regard is borders on the psychotic, and is, no doubt, due to right wing influences on what we now define as a sense of decency.

That's why when you see documentaries of tribal societies some of whom (in their own culture) are not ashamed of their bodies, "we" (our broadcasters) digitally emasculate the men, mostly, as if subliminally suggesting that there is something shameful or indecent about their nudity.

This wasn't always the case, and the change in our cultural sensitivity to such is noteworthy.

Blame the MPAA. The American version of censorship.

This.Film.Is.Not.Yet.Rated.

 

[dreamer20]

no, I've noticed it to, but not in the Olympics so to speak. One has to remember that the footage shot is shown world wide and many countries are more uptight then the way some see the U.S. to be. Why shoot a runner whose balls are obviously flopping around when it will not be usable for broadcast. I'd suppose there might be people that would rather the camera zoom in for a closeup but everyone knows that no matter what country you would be in this is abnormal for television.

The other countries do their own editing. The censoring mentioned in the OP was done to appease the uptight in the U.S.A.

they really should cancel the Olympics, as a huge and trivial waste of time and ...
China should be boycotted for their human rights abuses.

China isn't going to be boycotted by the U.S.A. in that regard as the U.S.A.'s reputation has been stained by its own record of human rights abuses.

Is US losing moral authority on human rights? Italy, Abu Gharab, Guantanamo, rendition | csmonitor.com