This clip from the NBC broadcast of the 2004 Olympics in Athens is a true classic.
So is Mary Carillo.
Carrillo is a former professional tennis player turned sports broadcaster, mainly for tennis and the Olympics.
She had moderate success in tennis (her highest world ranking was 33). In 1977, she won the mixed-doubles championship at the French Open with partner and childhood friend John McEnroe.
In broadcasting, her intelligent analysis and commentary has earned her a number of awards and her occasional acerbic quips have earned her a niche following as well as a few enemies.
She once called men's doubles luge "a bar bet gone bad."
Below is her famous badminton segment (which, if you haven't seen it, takes a turn you will not anticipate) as well as a funny "people and personalities" interview with the Zamboni driver at the 2006 Winter Olympics. For good measure, I have also included a serious and moving bio-short that Carillo did on Olympic athlete and missionary Eric Liddell of Chariots of Fire fame.
Enjoy.
wow, she's a natural. Women aren't usually anything close to this funny. Come on, just sayin. I'm a woman and they ain't funny. That badminton bit is really good. and so true.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to think she improvised it - "Hey, Mary, we have 3 minutes to fill, can you stall for a bit?"
DeleteThanks Oakes. Good change of pace. Funny girl is Mary Carillo. And uplifting is the story of Eric Liddell.
ReplyDeleteMy sons love 'Chariots of Fire' when they were little. I've shared this with them and their wives. :-)
ReplyDeleteExcellent. I saw a play about Liddell's witness in Pittsburgh. Not sure whether it ever made it out of that city. But it was very moving.
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