It’s currently -5 degrees Fahrenheit in Pyeongchang, where the Winter Olympics will kick off in just over two weeks. Even if it’s not quite that cold at the Opening Ceremony (although it probably will be) I wouldn’t begrudge the American athletes any sartorial compromises made to stay as warm as possible. Which Olympic attendee wouldn’t want a Ralph Lauren-designed jacket with a battery-powered interior heating system that has three settings and lasts 11 hours?
At the Winter Olympics opening ceremony, Team USA will be ready for the cold with uniforms that are wearable heaters https://t.co/UHkwIdtQUk pic.twitter.com/8Xkb7guVL7
— CNN International (@cnni) January 23, 2018
The jacket seems nice, the beanie is getting the job done, the sweater is kind of cute, the jeans/belt/boot situation is normal enough, the bandana around the neck is the sort of accessory you take off after one final look in the mirror before heading out the door, and hopefully that’s an option. All that said: What’s with the gloves? – READ MORE
[give_form id=”79809″] [divider][/divider]North Korea received approval from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Saturday to participate in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea.
The rogue regime most famous for missiles, nukes, and pudgy dictators will send 22 athletes to the Games to compete in hockey, skating and alpine skiing.
North and South Korea will also, with the approval of the IOC, march together under a unified flag, something the two countries ripped apart by war have not done in a little over a decade. Furthermore, the two countries will form a unified Korean women’s hockey team with a dozen players from North Korea.
“The Olympic games are always about building bridges. They never erect walls,” IOC President Thomas Bach said after the meeting Saturday. “The Olympic Winter Games Pyeongchang 2018 are hopefully opening the door to a brighter future on the Korean peninsula and inviting the world to join in a celebration of hope. – READ MORE
[divider][/divider]NBC announced it would bring back former employee Katie Couric to co-host the opening ceremony of next month’s Winter Olympics, a surprise move following the network’s announcement that new NBC News star Megyn Kelly wouldn’t travel to South Korea for the Pyeongchang Games.
“The announcement certainly raised my eyebrow,” Mediaite columnist Joseph A. Wulfsohn told Fox News. “I think it’s ideal for any network to rely on in-house talent, but NBC has faced lots of inner turmoil in recent months.”
Couric will work alongside Mike Tirico, who is replacing Bob Costas as prime-time host of the games, for the opening ceremony on Feb. 9. She has hosted three previous opening ceremonies with Costas, with the most recent dating back to 2004.
NBC passing over Kelly has not gone unnoticed in the halls of Rockefeller Center. An industry insider who did not want to be named because of a relationship with NBC said the move is “definitely a slap in the face to Megyn.”
“It was already bad enough that they weren’t sending the star they’re paying $23 million a year to Pyeonchang. But now they’re bringing in a nonemployee to fill a vacancy,” the insider told Fox News. “Yeah, one wonders what’s up with that and how Kelly feels about all of this.” – READ MORE
[give_form id=”79809″] [divider][/divider]Megyn Kelly will be staying home next month when her fellow NBC stars travel to South Korea for the Olympics — raising new questions about the standing of NBC News’ highest paid star.
The Olympics is a command performance for any high-profile star or executive at the Peacock Network, which has paid nearly $1 billion to broadcast the 2018 Pyeongchang Games in the United States. While it’s unclear if Kelly made the decision to stay home herself, it’s unusual nonetheless.
NBC traditionally sends its entire panoply of news stars to the games, and true to form, both the “Today” show and “Nightly News” will broadcast live from Pyeongchang for the duration of the games, focusing their news programs almost entirely on games coverage. NBC executives, as well as head honchos from parent company Comcast, also travel to the games to hobnob, attend receptions and watch sporting events.
Fox News has confirmed, however, that Kelly, who makes about $23 million a year, will not join her fellow stars in South Korea. Instead, her troubled 9 a.m. hour of “Today” will broadcast Olympics coverage from its usual studio in New York’s Rockefeller Center, according to TVNewser.
“This is incredibly embarrassing for Megyn,” said one NBC News insider. “Anybody who’s anybody at NBC goes to the Olympics.”
The Olympics bring a significant increase in viewers to NBC News and provide the network with a huge opportunity to promote its high-priority programming and stars — an opportunity Kelly could really use. – READ MORE
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