From Deseret News archives:
Fox show hurt Hamilton
Executive producer David Neal who has learned the art of self-promotion from the master, NBC Sports and Olympics chairman Dick Ebersol gushed like Old Faithful during the TV critics press tour in Pasadena, Calif., when he described his team of skating announcers and analysts.
"We've got the '27 Yankees or the '72 Dolphins, whatever accolade you choose to use to describe them," Neal told TV critics before the Torino Games began. "We've got the deepest, most incredibly talented group that you'll ever see concentrated on one Olympic venue Dick Button, Scottie Hamilton, Sandra Bezic, Tracy Wilson, along with Tom Hammond, Andrea Joyce and Jamie Sale and David Pelletier, the very famous Canadian pair from Salt Lake City four years ago."
It's hard to argue with him in terms of the skill level, what with all those Olympic medal winners. Although some of them most notably Sale and Pelletier have yet to prove themselves as sportscasters.
The biggest problem, however, may be that these people aren't all under exclusive contract to NBC. Which allows them to go out and work on other projects.
Hamilton, the popular 1984 gold medalist who has been an analyst at four previous Olympics (Albertville, Lillehammer and Nagano for CBS and Salt Lake for NBC). And he's always been a little excitable, but, hey, he is really into figure skating, and it is the Olympics.
But he's brought the same level of enthusiasm to the cheesy "Skating with Celebrities," and it's downright ridiculous. Yelling himself hoarse while he exhorts viewers to appreciate the skating skills of Dave Coulier, Deborah Gibson, Kristy Swanson, Jillian Barberie, Todd Bridges and the others is just embarrassing. For him, that is.
Even those of us who don't know a thing about figure skating can tell that Fox's dopey show with D-list celebrities attempting to perform on ice isn't exactly the Olympics. And to see him on that show, it looks like Hamilton can't tell the difference.
I fear he's created a situation like the one encountered by Leslie Nielsen or Ted Knight. After we saw those actors in tour de force comedic roles (Nielsen as detective Frank Drebin in "Naked Gun" and Knight as anchorman Ted Baxter in "Mary Tyler Moore," it was hard to see them in serious roles.
At the very least, Hamilton needs better career advice.
Comments
- Soccer fans await World Cup draw 8:47 a.m.
- McCartney's Meat-Free Mondays 8:44 a.m.
- Search on for missing tree cutters 8:39 a.m.
- Putin considers running for pres. 8:36 a.m.
- Iraq VP: more talks possible 8:31 a.m.
- Settlers reject Netanyahu plea 8:25 a.m.
- Poll: Isolationism soars 8:21 a.m.
- Serial killer suspect pleads insanity 8:16 a.m.
- Fed chief heads to Congress 8:12 a.m.
- Gatecrashers might be subpoenaed 8:08 a.m.
- Why is Y. ignoring spew of hatred?
- Unbeaten BYU takes trip to Logan
- Mitchell said to share LeBaron traits
- Teen girl killed in Kaysville crash
- BCS just keeps dirty laundry on spin
- Woods says he let family down
- Miles is back, but others still out
- Utahns growing tired of Bennett
- MWC awaits bowl destinations
- 2 citations issued at Y.-U. game
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
914 - Cougars beat Utes in overtime
483 - Hall reprimanded by MWC
406 - Max Hall issues apology
392 - Hall's pain reflects self-betrayal
359 - Utes won't respond to Hall
278 - Why is Y. ignoring spew of hatred?
247 - BYU says Hall incident resolved
244 - 2 citations issued at Y.-U. game
184 - Religion in politics is tiresome
154
As distressing as it was to see KUTV's longtime vice president/general...
GREAT WIN!! Beating the cougs felt great! Listening to Jimmer Fredette's post...
has risks, but not switching coaches tends to limit any chance Utah has of...
We are praying for the Vigil family. The Clawson's
It doesn't look like BYU does have a higher standard.
"They can’t figure out why people outside their bubble don’t like...
Personally.. I think that it is time to do away with this game between Utah...
So, did Mr. Carlson represent Equality Utah in negotiations with Salt Lake...
I know this will sting, Aggies, but this game was the Aggie superbowl. it's...
I'm glad the judge didn't allow him bail. I'm so sick of all of these...
Our Prayers are with the Vigil family.




You can be the first to comment on this story.