I just saw the most bizarre thing on CBC. I can’t find a link to their story so I’ll have to add it later.
China is training cheerleaders for the Olympics. You might be picturing something like this:
Sure. There are apparently “elite” squads of cheerleaders being trained like the group in the photo. Although, to be honest, the routines bordered on the stripper dance style used by the Pussycat Dolls than actual cheering.
But that’s not the really funny part of the story. Oh no.
China is also training 200,000 (!!) volunteers to cheer for athletes from other countries. The cheerleaders shown on the CBC were all retirees. And they were being taught how to do “The Wave” and how to pump both fists in the air. Seriously. They were being taught how to behave like a fan at a sporting event.
WTF.
I was stunned. These fake fans will receive free tickets to events in exchange for cheering on their assigned team. And they’ll get cool outfits to wear.
Ain’t communism great?
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August 19, 2008 at 3:03 am
Sara
Not a big fan of cheerleaders – and the Olympic committee should not be condoning sexist uniforms – send a bad message to the ENTIRE world. Female athletes should have protested more against this. I’m wondering how many Chinese people were volunteers and whether they have fully been able to react to the fact that many people have be forced out of their homes for the events. I don’t think China deserved to host the games this year. They need to respect their own citizens first.