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Summer Olympics

2008, TV Show

Summer Olympics: TV Guide News

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Coverage of the 2008 Games in Beijing.

Olympian Nastia Liukin Springs into Gossip Girl | Today's News: Our Take | 9/10/2008
Olympic gold medalist Nastia Liukin is an expert on the gymnastic mats, but she'll be flexing her acting muscles next. The gymnast is set to appear as herself in a "substantial" way on an episode of Gossip Girl later this fall, her agent, Evan Morgenstein, confirmed to TVGuide.com.Morgenstein explained that the story behind Liukin's guest role on the CW series was almost as exciting as her win in the all-around competition in Beijing. Gossip producers contacted the 18-year-old after hearing her... read more be the first to leave a comment
Regarding your item on gay ... | Matt Roush | 9/5/2008
Question: Regarding your item on gay diver Matthew Mitcham, who was quoted as saying, "I just want to be known as the Australian diver who did really well at the Olympics. It's everybody else who thinks it's special when homosexuality and elite sport go together." This is how it should be. What difference does it make if an athlete is gay, straight, black or white? They are athletes and it doesn't matter who or what they are. It's people who make a big deal out of things like this... read more
Oprah to "Welcome Home" U.S. Olympians on Sept. 8 | Today's News: Our Take | 8/30/2008
For its 23rd (!) season premiere, The Oprah Winfrey Show will be paid a visit by more than 150 U.S. Olympic team members.The guest list includes gold medalists such as Michael Phelps (who has become about as omnipresent as Eddie Cibrian on ABC), Nastia Liukin, volleyball queens Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, and hoops stars Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Lisa Leslie and Dwayne Wade (who always cracked me up on A Different World).As reported by the AP, the episode tapes Wednesday at Chicago's... read more
I concur with your recent ... | Matt Roush | 8/29/2008
Question: I concur with your recent Dispatches on the 2008 Olympics and how dazzling the 16 days in Beijing have been. However, NBC's final broadcast of events last Saturday ended my viewing on a disappointed note, due to what seemed like homophobia during their coverage of the men's platform diving final (of all places). As the event played out, Australia's Matthew Mitcham had a stunning come-from-behind effort to steal the gold away from China's Zhou Luxin with the highest-scoring dive in... read more
Michael Phelps to Visit The Tonight Show on Sept. 8 | TV Show Recaps | 8/27/2008
Michael Phelps was first to the finish line at the Olympics but hes taking his time making the talk show rounds The swimming sensation who won an Olympic record eight gold medals in Beijing will visit The Tonight Show With Jay Leno on Monday Sept 8 1135 pmET NBCThe Tonight Show is the early winner in the Olympic booking race having already scored swimmer Dara Torres and all-around gymnastics champion Nastia Liukin this week Wrestling gold medalists Henry Cejudo stops by on Wednesday and on... read more
U.S. Basketball and 4x400 Relay Teams Sweep Gold | TV Show Recaps | 8/24/2008
The penultimate day of competition from Beijing began with the US womens basketball team dismantling Australia 92-65 in the gold-medal game There is just too much offense for the US team NBC analyst Ann Meyers said The Aussies just cant keep up with it Lisa Leslie solidified her iconic status by winning her fourth straight gold medal In her Olympic career dating back to the 1996 Atlanta Games the US has won 32 straight games We put it all out there on the floor every single time and we didnt... read more
Usain Bolt Strikes Again With Relay Gold | TV Show Recaps | 8/23/2008
As the Beijing Games approach the finish line Usain Bolt was once again the antidote to Olympic fatigue The boisterous Jamaican dynamo who turned 22 on Thursday picked up his third gold medal with a scorching third leg on the 4x100-meter relay He handed off to Asafa Powell the man who preceded him as the world record holder in the 100 and then it just became a race against the clock Powell dipped at the line in 3710 chopping three-tenths off a second off the world record held by the United... read more
Americans Sweep 400 as Relay Teams Go Down | TV Show Recaps | 8/22/2008
Despite picking up six more medals the US track meet had another rough night Thursday Both the mens and womens 4x100-meter relay teams bumbled their final exchanges and failed to finish the heats Somebody somewhere has a voodoo doll on the United States womens anchor Lauryn Williams told NBCs Bob Neumeier Back in the studio Bob Costas summed it up perfectly when he said So the US relay teams laying a giant egg in the Birds NestEarlier world champion Allyson Felix was beaten convincingly by... read more
Pentathlete Sheila Taormina Takes on Third Olympic Sport | TV Show Recaps | 8/21/2008
She calls herself a multitasker but in her Olympic career Sheila Taormina has been more of a multiplier On Friday morning in Beijing Thursday night here in the States the 39-year-old Livonia Michigan native will become the first woman to compete in three different sports at the Olympics Taromina won a swimming gold medal in 1996 as part of the United States 4x 200-meter freestyle relay In 2000 and 2004 she competed in the triathlon one sport times three swimming biking and running She finished... read more
Let the Talk Show Games Begin! | TV Show Recaps | 8/21/2008
As the Beijing Games wind down a different kind of competition heats up the talk show booking wars With some athletes already home and the closing ceremony fast approaching Sunday Aug 24 7 pmET NBC Dave and Jay have already starting lining up Olympian guestsDara Torres who picked up three silvers at age 41 to become the oldest Olympic swimming medalist ever visits The Tonight Show With Jay Leno on Monday Aug 25 1135 pmET NBC Jay also has individual all-around gymnastics champ Nastia Liukin on... read more
Big Battles in Men's Track and Volleyball Highlight Thursday | TV Show Recaps | 8/21/2008
The main event on Thursday nights card is a predicted showdown between American sprinters Jeremy Wariner and LaShawn Merritt in the mens 400-meter dash Wariner is the defending Olympic champion and was nearly invincible between 2004 and 14507 But Merritt silver medalist behind Wariner at the 2007 world championships finally caught up this year and knocked off his rival twice most notably at the US Olympic Team Trials At the time of this posting the race has already been run in Beijing But Im... read more
Misty May-Treanor, Kerri Walsh Let It Reign | TV Show Recaps | 8/21/2008
Not even a seemingly endless storm could disrupt Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walshs reign as the Queens of the Beach The world No 1 beach volleyball tandem secured its second straight Olympic gold medal with a 21-18 21-18 triumph over Chinas Wang Jie and Tian JiaI hope this means were deserving of being No 1 in the world a jubilant Walsh said Im so glad that we won and Im happy that its overMay-Treanor and Walsh became the first team men or women to defend Olympic beach volleyball gold and... read more
Kerri and Misty Go For Gold on the Beach Wednesday | TV Show Recaps | 8/20/2008
Tonights big prime-time event is the gold-medal final of womens beach volleyball which should be electric Though Americans Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh are heavily favored to defend their title from Athens the home crowd will be rocking for Chinas Wang Jie and Tian Jia That match is slated to begin live at 11 pmET on NBCBMX racing inexplicably bounced from last nights prime-time show will also be featured with live finals All three Americans and world champion Maris Strombergs of Latvia... read more
Shawn Johnson Finally Gets Her Gold | TV Show Recaps | 8/20/2008
It came down to the last event of womens gymnastics but Shawn Johnson finally is an Olympic champion The West Des Moines Iowa teen had a stellar balance beam routine to win the event ahead of her teammate all-around champ Nastia Liukin 1622516025 She looks like a kid on the best of Christmas mornings Al Trautwig said of her magical smile at the medal ceremony Johnson was one of the biggest gold-medal hopes coming into Beijing so it was a disappointment to win only three silvers team individual... read more
BMX Gets Serious With Olympic Debut | TV Show Recaps | 8/19/2008
BMX racing graduates to the big time in Beijing The Olympics latest X Games import aka bicycle motocross is a chaotic all-out sprint in which rider must navigate tight turns rolling hills and each other Sometimes the race is won in that first straightaway says BMX vet Kenan Harkin who is covering the event for NBC If youre elbow to elbow and tied up with all those other riders going over 40-foot jumps that can be a problem The goal is to get out fast and get away from that pack Donny Robinson... read more
Track and Gymnastics Share Tuesday Spotlight | TV Show Recaps | 8/19/2008
Tonight in prime-time American women are among the favorites in two track and field finals Lolo Jones has looked flawless in the preliminary stages of the 100-meter hurdles including a personal best 1243 in Mondays semifinals I think I got my point across pretty good she told NBCs Bob Neumeier after the race I just wanted to impress the crowd and maybe intimidate the competition a littleIn the womens 400 Sanya Richards is the overwhelming favorite and looking for her first major international... read more
Is Michael Phelps Single? | TV Show Recaps | 8/19/2008
With all the time he spends in the pool it would make sense for Michael Phelps to date a fellow swimmer But the eight-time Beijing gold medalist insists he is not hooking up with his teammate Amanda Beard contrary to Internet rumorsNo Im not dating Amanda Beard Ill say that I think she has a boyfriend Phelps told Extra referencing Beards photographer beau Sacha BrownWhile hes happy to debunk rumors the 23-year-old remained coy about his actual dating statusPart of my life is kept to myself Im... read more
Sports Illustrated Has Phelps' Golden Moment Covered | TV Show Recaps | 8/19/2008
For the third time in five weeks Michael Phelps is gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated but this one is surely the most special In the Aug 25 issue which goes on sale Wednesday Phelps strikes a very Mark Spitz-like pose with his eight gold medals Click here to see the full coverThe photo was taken by Simon Bruty on Sunday shortly after Phelps won his eighth race of the Beijing Games the 4x100-meter medley relayIn related news Phelps agent confirmed to Access Hollywood that the 16-time... read more
NBC's Uneven Take on Gymnastics Controversy | TV Show Recaps | 8/19/2008
A great night of performances in a variety of sports was tarnished Monday by some unattractive whining from the NBC gymnastics crew The controversial tie-breaker in the womens uneven bars certainly didnt seem to make sense but you have to wonder how much howling we would have heard if an American had come out top Chinas He Kexin and Nastia Liukin of the US had identical scores but a seemingly arbitrary formula gave the gold to He NBCs team Al Trautwig Elfie Schlegel and Tim Daggett took great... read more
Romanian Floors Johnson, Liukin for Gold | TV Show Recaps | 8/18/2008
Sandra Izbasa saved the best for last The final competitor on the floor exercise event final the Romanian strung together an effortless routine to unseat 2007 world floor champion Shawn Johnson from the leaderboard and deny her the gold medal that was oh-so close Johnson had the burden of going first posting a 15500 that withstood six gymnasts until Izbasa leaped past her with a 15650 at the last possible minute With second-place finishes in the team competition and all-around three-time world... read more