The Lip-Synching Olympics:
Beijing’s "Perfect” Olympics
August 21, 2008

What if you had the voice of angel but were considered not cute enough, with imperfect teeth – to be allowed to sing on camera for your country’s "perfect” Olympics, especially if that perfect Olympics was hosted by none other than Communist China? Many were appalled that "perfection-gate,” happened to a seven-year old Chinese girl, and surprised that this could happen to that vocally gifted little girl.

I am not surprised. When I hear the word "Politburo” nothing surprises me. Totalitarian regimes are famous for controlling every aspect of their citizens’ lives, and the public-relations propaganda that emanates from their unfair-and-unbalanced media. It was important for China to convey to its worldwide audience during the Olympics –that theirs is such a wonderful regime. A member of the Chinese Politburo squashed the appearance on television of the ‘imperfect” seven-year old, and replaced her with a more photogenic nine-year old, to pay tribute to the motherland in song.

The musical director’s explanation for the change was that the "audience will understand that it’s in the national interest. We combined the perfect voice and the perfect performance.” I wonder if the rejected seven-year old is appreciating the "synergy?” The seven-year old, moments before the performance, was given the unsubtle hint: Child, you really can sing, but unfortunately, television is all about looks, especially in the motherland’s attempt to convince the rest of the world, that communism is "perfection.” Yes, "Ode to the Motherland” does not include a seven year old "not pretty enough for prime time.”

The cruel substitution of the "imperfect” seven-year-old vocalist for a more aesthetically pleasing nine-year- old unexpectedly opened a can of worms, condemnation of the Chinese Politburo for pushing looks over talent. Strangely, or maybe not so strangely, that imagery of a can of worms slithered into my mind as the word "Politburo” came up!

What is it about the psyche of a nation that perfection should be government mandated? In the same opening ceremonies, that so many raved about, there were fake fireworks masquerading as real and perfect. The organizers did not want to take a chance that all of their elaborate fireworks would not show up perfectly on television, so they digitally inserted splendor. Perception became reality. It worked...initially, as did the lip-synching of the cute one to the voice of the not so cute one. Then the palace of perfection began showing cracks in the façade. The Motherland was being accused of "eating” one of its own. There is precedence.

Also spoiling the perfection party, were the claims that would not go away, about the ages of at least three of the Chinese "women” gymnasts. They are listed as sixteen-years old. They look about nine or eleven. There is talk that they are fourteen, since they were thirteen just a year ago. Their team won the gold medal, and if the Politburo says that they are sixteen, then they are. End of story and questions.

Meanwhile, in Georgia, the other "Olympics” is taking place. One sniper shot an on-air correspondent in the middle of her broadcast, while she bravely continued her report. If anyone had even speculated that the Russians would hold competing "Olympics” with the Beijing Olympics, he or she would have been accused of imbibing too much Russian Vodka! But here are the Russians, reliving their glory days, when Alexander Dubcek had his Prague Spring turned into a Soviet Union Winter, as the Warsaw Pact tanks "moshed” through his country.

Then, as now, there was no real competition. The Soviets/Russians set the rules, controlled the playing fields, got all of the "medals,” and crushed their enemies. Today, the Georgians flee from one part of their country to another, as the Russians continue to advance. The world watches and does very little.

In my mind, the events in Georgia and Beijing are inextricably linked because two of the faces of communism, are on display. Prior to "lip synching-gate,” and "digital image fireworks-gate,” it may have been easy to deduce that China was successful in presenting the "perfection” of communism, to those gullible enough to believe. Russia was showing the obviously not so pretty face. Both faces have conjoined in the "dark” side of communism from both Politburos. One is crushing the Georgians. The other metaphorically crushed a little girl. Both Politburos are both doing what they do best.

Anyway, China plows on. Most of us are watching the Beijing Olympics, which for awhile there, threatened to become the "Tibetan Olympics,” when China attempted a "moshing" show of its own on Tibet. Many in the world were outraged. A few coats of paint, a cute lip-syncher, and some digital fireworks, the world was again distracted, and all was forgiven? Tibet who, what, where?