Athens chief fumes at US lewdness claims
 

(submitted by gekkogecko)

By Karolos Grohmann

ATHENS (Reuters) - A clutch of complaints by U.S.
viewers that the Athens Olympics opening ceremony
featured lewd nudity has incensed the Games chief, who
warned American regulators to back off from policing
ancient Greek culture.


Gianna Angelopoulos warned the Federal Communications
Commission (news - web sites) watchdog, sensitive
after a deluge of outrage when singer Janet Jackson's
breast was exposed at a Super Bowl game, not to punish
NBC television that aired the Games.

Male nudity, a woman's breast and simulated sex were
the subjects of shrill complaints about the opening
ceremony on August 13 which were posted by the FCC
(news - web sites) on its Web site.

"Far from being indecent, the opening ceremonies were
beautiful, enlightening, uplifting and enjoyable,"
Angelopoulos wrote in a weekend commentary in the Los
Angeles Times titled "Since When is Greece's Culture
Obscene?"

"Greece does not wish to be drawn into an American
culture war. Yet that is exactly what is happening,"
she said.

Complaints focused on a parade of actors portraying
naked statues. Among them were the Satyr and the nude
Kouros male statues, both emblems of ancient Greece's
golden age.

Created by modern Greek dancer Dimitris Papaioannou
and broadcast in the United States by NBC, the opening
ceremony was credited with giving the Games a vitally
successful start.

HISTORY OF EROS

"We also showed a couple enjoying their love of the
Greek sea and each other. And we told the history of
Eros, the god of love. Turning love, yearning and
desire into a deity is an important part of our
contribution to civilisation," Angelopoulos said.

The FCC, whose authority only extends to U.S. media,
has said it is looking into complaints, nine of which
were listed on its Web site, but it was not clear
whether a formal investigation would be launched.

Angelopoulos, who said the handful of U.S. complaints
were dwarfed by the 3.9 billion people who watched the
ceremony, had a blunt message.

"As Americans surely are aware, there is great
hostility in the world today to cultural domination in
which a single value system created elsewhere
diminishes and degrades local cultures," she said in
her commentary.

"In this context, it is astonishingly unwise for an
agency of the U.S. government to engage in an
investigation that could label a presentation of the
Greek origins of civilisation as unfit for television
viewing."

An FCC spokesman was not immediately available for
comment on Monday, which is a public holiday in America.

looks like the thought police need to lighten up a little!

ok...i paraphrased them a bit but when, exactly, is the us gvn't gonna knock that shit off, anyway? :rolleyes2

Big Brother and Big Sister are watching you.

If they are so offended by other places and other cultures,why don't the UGLY Americans just stay at home? In the red states wearing blinders and ear plugs.They aren't doing any good representing this diverse country to the rest of the world.

lakritze,

It is inaccurate to suggest that the FCC is attempting to represent the U.S. to the rest of the world. The FCC's jurisdiction covers the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. possessions.

If NBC broadcasts material within the FCC’s jurisdiction which is deemed offensive, then it, not the President of the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games, will determine what, if any, penalty will be assessed against that U.S. company.

Here’s a link to the FCC’s home page http://www.fcc.gov/