That was a parade?

I forced myself to sit through the opening stage production number, which could only have been harder to endure had they used the music from "It's A Small World". The 2008 Rose Parade was so offensive, in so many laughable ways, that I just had to turn it off after about 15 or 20 minutes. Right after the Chinese float. And not for any political reasons. The only thing missing from that particular float was Ronald McDonald.

This is Hollywood boys-n-girls! Is forced enthusiasm, fake sentiment, big production numbers, and amateur entries, (by world standards), the best we can do? My god, cars covered in flowers with dancing girls, and guys who want to be girls, shooting off steam and confetti. Give 'em any kind of pseudo razzle-dazzle theatre and the crowd goes oooh and aaah. Paris blew the world away on NYE 2000. What did Hollywood do? They threw some lights on the Hollywood sign. How does Hollywood continue to be so boring? And insulting!

Now here is a parade! Last year, in London, Royal de Luxe did a four day parade/event that told the Jules Verne tale of The Sultans Elephant. Now THAT was a parade! And sadly, it will probably never make it to the states.

Here's what the Wikipedia entry has to say about The Sultans Elephant.

Here are a couple of YouTube clips:


An overview of most of what happened.



The elephant.



The "little" girl.



And one more, just because.

Sorry, the Tournament Of Roses Parade just comes off as a farce after seeing just what can be achieved by "entertainers" with talent and the support of backers with money willing to take risks and, ultimately, no more agenda then to create some magic.

Happy 2008 everyone. Make sure that whoever gets into the White House will keep religion out of the White House, and will be able to repair the damage to the USA, and to the world, that the Bush administration has accomplished.