The 2020 Tokyo Olympics will officially begin on Friday despite the COVID-19 issues going on in the country of Japan. The opening ceremony of the games will take place at the Japan National Stadium which is also known as Olympic Stadium. It can all be seen on NBC starting at 6:55 a.m. ET. NBC will rebroadcast the ceremony at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Along with the COVID-19 issues, the Opening Ceremony will be without its director. Kentaro Kobayashi has been dismissed after being accused of using a joke about the Holocaust in his comedy act back in 1998. In the act, Kobayashi reportedly used the phrase, “Let’s play Holocaust.”
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The Olympic Stadium 🏟️
Enjoy this stunning view of your host for the @Olympics #Tokyo2020 Opening Ceremony on 23 July. #UnitedByEmotion | #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/MVpGsdBJrY
— #Tokyo2020 (@Tokyo2020) July 18, 2021
“We found out that Mr. Kobayashi, in his own performance, has used a phrase ridiculing a historical tragedy,” Tokyo Olympic organizing committee president Seiko Hashimoto said to the Associated Press. “We deeply apologize for causing such a development the day before the opening ceremony and for causing troubles and concerns to many involved parties as well as the people in Tokyo and the rest of the country.”
The ceremony will be held without spectators, but some officials guests and media will attend. “We are going to have the opening ceremony tomorrow and, yes, I am sure there are a lot of people who are not feeling easy about the opening of the Games,” Hashimoto said. “But we are going to open the Games tomorrow under this difficult situation.”
When it comes to the Olympic Games, the U.S. is looking to dominate. All eyes will be on Simone Biles who won four gold medals and one bronze in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Former Olympic star Dominque Dawes revealed to PopCulture.com how she describes Biles.
“I love that she’s so ballsy,” Dawes said. “I love that she has a goat on her leotard. I was never that confident. I was never the greatest of all time, but I love that about her. But really, I will say what I love more about Simone Biles versus her athletic achievements is her being so vocal, her being so honest, her being so truthful about her experiences, and what she does not like about the sport of gymnastics and how it does need to change.”
