CNN contributor Sally Kohn on Sunday blasted NBC for editing out an anti-discrimination statement made by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president, but she noted that the network could not hide that the games had the "gayest opening ceremonies ever."
On Friday, Deadspin observed NBC awkwardly edited out a statement IOC president Thomas Bach made a against "any form of discrimination" during the opening ceremony. Some speculated that NBC may have conveniently left out the statement to avoid discussion of Russia's controversial anti-LGBT laws.
The Blaze's Will Cain told CNN host Brian Setzer that he did not believe that NBC had intentionally left out the anti-discrimination remarks.
"I think you are looking at one of the most boring aspects of the Olympics, not only the opening ceremonies, but a speech by the IOC president, you cut four minutes out," Cain said. "A paragraph after that he did talk about tolerance, he did go on to talk about diversity. They did cut out the most pointed aspect, but I don't think they meant to."
"First of all, this is the gayest opening ceremonies in the history of an Olympics ever," Kohn declared. "That has to be said."
"You have this subtext of NBC taking heat, as they should be, of broadcasting these Olympics in a country that has these incredibly vicious, atrocious anti-gay laws," she continued. "And a lot of people, including myself, don't think we should be having the Olympics there at all."
"It's certainly a convenient way to avoid talking about that," Kohn pointed out. "Why cut that part out?"
Many people have mocked the Sochi Opening Ceremonies for having overt LGBT overtones in a country where so-called homosexual "propaganda" is illegal.
The German Olympic team wore rainbow uniforms and insisted that it was not a sign of support for the LGBT community. The Russian Police Choir entertained the crowd with an animated performance of Daft Punk's "Get Lucky," which is a favorite at gay bars around the world. And the controversial fake lesbian Russian pop duo t.A.T.u. performed a song about women kissing each other.
Watch this video from CNN's Reliable Source, broadcast Feb. 9, 2014.
Watch this video of the Russian Police Choir.
