Commentary: NBC’s Olympic obsession with celebrities is a little cringe

Several days into the competition in Paris, sporting glory isn’t the only theme that’s dominated NBC’s wall-to-wall coverage of the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Celebrity, in the form of famous faces watching from the stands, reporting from the sidelines and beaming in from the studio, has achieved the status of Olympic obsession for the network. Tracy Brown and Greg Braxton, two of The Times’ most avid viewers of the Games, sat down this week to discuss whether it’s been an effective hook for casual fans or a distraction from the athletes’ incredible feats.

Tracy Brown: We’re about a third of the way through the Paris Games and the athletes have been delivering as usual — shout out to both the men’s and women’s U.S. gymnastics teams — with inspirational wins, visible heartbreak and more. As an admittedly casual viewer of most of these sports, one of my favorite things is being a part of the collective embrace and celebration of athletes who weren’t previously household names, like pommel horse Clark Kent Stephen Nedoroscik and rugby sevens (and social media) star Ilona Maher.

These athletes have star power on their own and this is their moment to shine, but I can’t help notice that NBC’s coverage has also been trying to harness the power of celebrities at these games. There are the cuts to reactions from the various Hollywood A-listers attending these events, including Natalie Portman, Spike Lee, Tom Cruise, Lady Gaga, Chrissy Teigen, John Legend, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, as well as the many who are involved with the coverage in an official capacity like Snoop Dogg, Leslie Jones and Colin Jost. I’ve had mixed feelings about the effectiveness of NBC’s strategy — do I care about what John Mulaney has been watching (and wagering on) in Paris? No. But I’m wondering how you’ve found the celebrity presence in the coverage so far, Greg. Have they stood out to you while watching these games?

Greg Braxton: I’m still recovering from the opening ceremony and the relentless chatter from host Kelly Clarkson. I felt somewhat vindicated when I saw all the internet complaints about her (“Why is she there???”).

The segment of Leslie Jones and Katie Ledecky geeking out on each other was also cringe and didn’t add anything. It’s interesting to see the mix — the Olympics is the only place where Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) and Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) are in the same building. Some of the celebs seem to be in regular seats, like Spike Lee and Broderick with wife Sarah Jessica Parker. Lady Gaga was in a luxury box wearing dark sunglasses. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Ervio were sitting together as much to plug their upcoming film “Wicked” as avid sports fans, I suspect. I also feel a bit sorry for “Saturday Night Live’s” Jost covering surfing in Tahiti. He seems so far from the real action — he would have been better served in Paris. And where’s wife Scarlett Johansson?

Predictably there was plenty of star dazzle in the stands during Simone Biles’ and her U.S. women’s gymnastics teammates’ big night in group competition. Lee, Portman, Bob Costas (boy, do we miss him!), Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban, Bill Gates and Serena Williams all got camera time.

The only surprise so far is that a Kardashian hasn’t made it to one of the events yet. But it’s still early. Maybe the basketball final, particularly if the U.S team is competing.

Brown: Don’t jinx the basketball teams! Since you mentioned him, I’ve been more irked that Jost, purportedly an avid surfer, has somehow made it seem like getting sent to a gorgeous tropical island to cover a sport he loves has been a drag. I understand he got injured, but the bit has not been landing for me. Surfing deserves better!

And I agree that the Jones’ sit-down interview with Ledecky didn’t quite translate. I’m admittedly not the most attuned to these things but I generally enjoy Jones’ enthusiasm for these athletes (I see her at L.A. Sparks games all the time) and I think her commentary is something audiences enjoy, at least on social media. I feel like she really made being a celebrity superfan a thing and made the most of it when she became officially involved in the coverage of the past couple Olympics. I was a bit surprised that that role seems to have gone to Snoop Dogg this time around.

One unexpected Olympics x celebrity crossover I do appreciate is how Flavor Flav came to be a real supporter for the U.S. women’s water polo team, who are competing for a record fourth consecutive Olympic title. When the support is authentic and the story organic, it’s much more compelling. Or else it comes across as just opportunistic marketing, like the TV spot NBC ran that linked the women’s gymnastics team to the upcoming film “Wicked” because of all of the women defying gravity…

I’m curious about how you’ve been finding Snoop’s involvement, Greg. Or have there been any pleasant celebrity surprises for you or has it all been a bit cringe?

Braxton: Before I bark about Snoop, I have to award my cardboard medal to NBC on what will likely be the biggest night of the games — the U.S. women’s gymnastics team winning the gold medal in team competition Tuesday. Before we could get to enjoy the final chapter of The Redemption Tour, NBC made viewers wade through about 45 minutes of swimming events, including semifinals and relentless ads.

Which brings me to Snoop, who was featured in a bit where he received swim lessons from Olympic superstar Michael Phelps. The skit was more painful than Jost’s foot injury in Tahiti — a gulpp gulpp from the Doggy Dogg.

It could have used some comedic punch from Jost.

Otherwise, drop it cause it’s not… hot.

The evening also was a prime example of what viewers have hated about NBC’s prime-time coverage in recent Games — destroying the momentum of what viewers really want to see by delaying it with what they really don’t care about. Why a bunch of semifinals? Why an insufferable segment on swimmer Regan Smith and her cat, or an explanation on how lanes are assigned in swimming competition? All I want to see is the greatest gymnastics team in history in action. The broadcast didn’t even show the U.S. women’s gold-medal ceremony. Maybe they were filming Snoop getting fencing lessons?

And even when the spotlight returned to the competition, it was interrupted with more packages about the team’s journey, which easily could have been shown in advance or in place of the swimming events.

I guess NBC had a case of the twisties. But when you put out that much money for the Olympics, someone has to pay the tab. Unfortunately, it’s the viewers.