Date: 09 Aug 96 08:23:01 +0500
From: puppetco-AT-cais.cais.com (Christopher Piper)
Subject: Re: Closing ceremony puppets


>At 01:03 PM 8/8/96 +1000, you wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>On this topic, for those in Australia: What's all the fuss about the
>>>inflatable kangaroos? Play to your strengths, I say, or you could end up
>>>with "Izzie" in Atlanta.
>>>
>>
>>
>>To understand the fuss, you have to appreciate that every single major
>>event we have here, including Commonwealth Games, World Expo, etc, has used
>>the (*&^*&^%)*& kangaroo as its emblem, to the point where it's become a
>>running joke.  So for those of us who were looking forward to something
>>which had been bruited as being "new and definitely not kitsch" - the
>>blowup kangacycles came as something of a disappointment!!
>>
>>I hasten to add this is my own opinion, and I am aware that the rest of the
>>world still hasn't had enough of kangaroos and koalas.
>>
>>I guess the  reason some of us feel uncomfortable with the same old same
>>old is that our international image is very dated. Many visitors here are
>>amazed that Australia is not a rural community with roos hopping down the
>>main street of every town, and everyone still riding horses.  We're a very
>>cosmopolitan nation, and somehow the use of the roo and the cockatoo
>>reminds us of how we saw ourselves twenty years ago.
>>
>>There's so much more to Australia than roos!!!  And you certainly won't see
>>roos in Sydney, except at the zoo!
>>
>>But I did like the inflatable Opera House shapes - maybe if we're lucky
>>we'll get more of that and less cute animals by the year 2000!  Either way,
>>I'm sure it'll go well, and I wish the organisers the best of luck.
>>
>>Cheers, Janet
>>
>Hi!

>Well here in FREEZING Canberra we do have roos hopping down the street!!!
>In fact most days on my way to work there is (unfort) a dead roo by the side
>of the road.  The again Canberra is surrounded by a lot of bushland which
>means we do get a lot of kangaroos.

>I do agree with you on olympic games thing though - why is it whenever
>australia is represented it is by digareedoo music and kangaroos??  I don't
>hate them, but they are a small part of us - not the whole part there are so
>many other things to Aust than just that!!  (here I go getting patriotic)

>Oh well!!

>Janet - where are you actually located in Aust?  


>Natalie

How's about a "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" motive?  That certainly
jolted some peoples perceptions of Oz.  No matter what they do in
Sydney, it couldn't be worse than the good ol' boyz in pickup trucks in
the Atlanta opening ceremonies.  Talk about cliches!



>  --- Personal replies to: Jonathon Logue & Natalie Hall
>  <logue_hall-AT-netinfo.com.au>
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