Even for the passive or casual spectator, the 2024 Olympic Games have proven one thing: we are, to use a phrase, so back.
The quadrennial event serves many purposes—a celebration of sport, of course; a chance for the host city to showcase itself to a global audience; a chance to check in (speaking of “peacock”) on how broadcast technology is doing at a given time. But it’s also a sort of mood check, a moment to pause and reflect on the state of play, as broadly as possible. And after the COVID-delayed and then COVID-curtailed Tokyo Games, which saw elite athletes perform to empty stands and one of the world’s greatest cities coddled and unable to show off, Paris 2024 shined with something Olympic fans had craved last cycle: possibility.
For the American viewer, the Olympic team has had some encouraging successes, from Simone Biles cementing her place in history to Katie Ledecky’s dominance in the pool to the winning teams in men’s and women’s basketball and women’s soccer. It seemed striking how many sports stories for Americans revolved around celebrating women’s achievements—so many that Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, both conscious of their respective voices, commented on videos celebrating the U.S. team. When Vice President Kamala Harris cheered on the Olympians from a rally stage (speaking of mood swings!), it was clear that a certain kind of sentimental patriotism was suddenly all the rage.
Swift and Beyoncé, who appeared on NBC’s broadcast, also exemplified the deep cultural intertwining of the games. Just as the NFL increasingly relies on music to punctuate the Super Bowl for those who can’t tell a tackle from a tight end, the Olympics’ opening and closing ceremonies felt vibrant, chic and contemporary. They were executed with a show that showcased French culture at its best (just like the Games’ staging, which made the Eiffel Tower seemingly omnipresent at the outdoor competitions) and sparked conversations beyond the Games.
NBC’s broadcast sometimes relied on celebrity culture to its detriment; the inclusion of Snoop Dogg and Jimmy Fallon in the proceedings could feel awkward at times. But you have to give them credit for that—they nailed the streaming experience, offering a sort of “choose your own adventure” for the Olympics-curious on Peacock. And the memorable moments that emerged organically, from French pole vaulter Anthony Ammirati seemingly disqualifying himself after part of his body hit the bar, to the Australian breakdancer known as “Raygun,” who debuted the sport of breakdancing at the Games with more zeal than skill, seemed to be delivered in a spirit of good fun. Even JK Rowling and Megyn Kelly (the latter, in a parallel universe, commented on the Games in her capacity as host of “Today”) couldn’t dampen the good spirits. Both the controversy surrounding the misinformation circulating about boxer Imane Khelif and the controversy surrounding a bacchanalian image at the opening ceremony that was seen as an insult to the Last Supper faded from view. Khelif won the gold; more people will surely remember Céline Dion’s triumphant performance at the opening of the Games than the tableau.
After a lull, the IOC is probably looking to the future with great excitement: the 2028 Games will be held in Los Angeles, which somehow means the potential for cultural figures to become involved in the proceedings is even greater than in Paris. Those who spent two weeks immersed in sporting competition, continental savoir-faire and general good cheer are surely disappointed by only one thing: that the Games in Los Angeles will not take place for another four years.
