Arrieviderci!

Spent last dinner at Pasquale's, a local place run by ample Italian mother and lovely daughter. Great home-style cooking. Lit by harsh flourescent light, like police central booking. (Not that I'd know.)
Today started at 3am NY time. Breakfast followed by ride to Turin airport, 8+ hr. charter to JFK w/ 2 meals enroute. Arrived 3:30 NY time, followed by mega laundry session and takeout Chinese w/ Amy. Now 10pm, 4am Torino time. 24 straight hrs before I'm done, at least.
A fitting finish to this marathon. I've learned a tiny bit of what it feels like to be Italian. Being in a culture thousands of years old lets you obseve people who've learned how to live. Yesterday while on a city bus I watched a mother shower her 3 year old daughter with kisses about the face. It summed up what I saw in the people here. It's been a pleasure to live in this place long enough to really get a sense of it.


Thanks to all who joined me on this journey, both at work and at home. Hope I've been able to capture what this felt like.
Viva Italia!
Love,
Billy.

I Bleed Orange

You really won't believe this one... Took a train ride about an hour outside Torino to a village called Ivrea to experience their Carnivale. Imagine thousands throwing millions of oranges at one another and you get the idea.
Click on the video link and you might see me get clocked in the head. Also, lunch with our new best pals and other looks shown. Unbelievable. I'm proud to tell you I'm now an honorary Scorpion. Google Historic Carnival of Ivrea and click on "The orange battles". On the right is a video link.

WE DID IT!

Walking out of the IBC tonight for the last time, I felt like the guy in the movie who's released from prison, and emerges blinking into the sunlight, unsure of where to go. Strange to think that not only will I never see this place again, It won't even exist. A few photos of closin' time. Note the sign outside the NY Times office, and the one of me, Gary and Jon. (Curly, Larry, and Moe.) Got to see the closing ceremony, which was great 'till Ricky Martin. Flight home Tues. pm, out to see the countryside tomorrow.
Wonder where the Olympics goes?
Into the crate shown.
As Ted Brown used to say: "Put the coffee on, Mama, I'm comin' home."

Last Day of School

Started today searching for the Russian sweat shirts Scott Hamilton said I could find for sale "On Via Roma past the statues of naked ladies." Never did find them, but a cool flea market was going on...Bought a Sestriere poster though.

Now I can catch a cold!

Last day approaches...shown is my autographed poster which should bring big bucks on Ebay! Also, my mushroom cloud drawing. Since these walls are about to be torn down, we can write on them.

The envelope, please!

It's the third windy, rainy day in a row in Torino. Snowing in the Alps, though. Hope it clears for the closing ceremony. Should have brought my Fenway poncho.

Time for round one of....Billy's Olympee Awards! And the winners are:
Best Guy Who Hired Me- Mark Levy
Most Unexpectedly Sweet Too Skinny Talent- Melissa Stark
Most Often Repeated Outfit- Josh Kafka for "Orange Vest".
Best Croccodile Hunter Impersonation- Peter Steep for: "Crikey, Mate!"
Best Writer- Jim Thompson...extra credit for growing up in Osterville, MA (!)
Best Exclamation Of Rage By Mixer- (tie) Gary Rotta for "It's coming apart in my hands!" and: "Turn off the Fu@#*in' automation!"
Best ad lib- Mason Seay for: "His entire family was murdered by a voice-over guy."
Best Euphemism For Breasts- Jon Connolly for " She's got guns"
Best peformance by announcer flooding Men's Room- ME!
Stay tuned for:
Wreched Ego Biathlon
Biggest Pant Load Director
Best Excessive Make-Up On Today Show Host
Brown Noser of the Games
Most Weight Gained in Commissary
Most Memorable Meaningless Copy Change I Was Called Back For At 3am
and Best Performance Hiding From Dick Ebersol
...When Billy's Olympee Awards...CONTINUE.

2 More Days!

Well, we might just make it. Just tomorrow's coverage, the closing ceremony Sunday, then Monday off and madcap party Monday night. I predict a quiet flight home Tuesday on the "Slave Ship", as I heard it so aptly described. But then again, maybe not so quiet as free drinks will be provided. I hope to start a Jack Daniel's IV drip upon boarding. Lots of people will stay in Europe to recuperate , many going direct to Amsterdam followed by rehab. After this, a weekend off will feel like a week's vacation. (Except for all that laundry...I'll have it all cleaned and burned.) Don't worry Family, I bought a duffle bag for your swag. Cash or Visa accepted.

Visited the Olympic Village again to get some OV souvenirs. They are much desired because few of us have credentials to get in. Happened upon the mascots and couldn't resist. On the right- ice. The left- snow. Note that contrary to Disney regulations, both their hands aren't visible. They'll hear from my lawyer!
The althletes can get just about anything they need here. Food, shopping, and blood doping tests.

Go Team!

I'm really proud to be a member of this team. The writers, editors, producers and tech people are truly the best at what they do. I think we're really getting the hang of this...by next week we'll really have it down. Too bad closing ceremonies are Sunday. They assembled us in the studio tonite for a team photo. Here are a few more studio photos, including a good one of a camera with prompter visible. And you thought the people on TV just made this prose up! Also me warming my hands by the fake fire.

Two thirds life size

Until seeing them up close, I never realized how tiny figure skaters are. Sasha Cohen weighs about 80 lbs. Jamie Sale was next to me at breakfast today and was like a perfect miniature. Tanith
Belbin was the closest to normal human size of the three I've seen in person, but I think they could all squeeze into Barbie clothes. Yesterday I learned from writer Jim Thompson how much punishment their bodies endure. Landing from a jump can exert a force ten times their weight upon their frame. There's no cushioning in the skate, so the impact can damage their ankles, feet, knees, and hip. And it often does. I was shocked to hear of all the surgery and hip replacements performed. That's why Tara Lipinski only competed in one Olympics. Heck, she was just a young teenager. I'll never watch the competition the same way again. Think I'll also cease performing my triple toe loop triple lutz combo. But I think I'll retain my Hamill Camel.

Vroom!

Bob Long, you'd love this place...picked up an Italian gift for you here. My all time dream car shown: A Ferrari Daytona Spyder. Also note the one off Alfa Romeo with wood body, the Mini whose body has been tiled, and the rocks painted as vehicles. Click any pic to enlarge.

Fascinating fact of the day presented without comment:
An estimated 3 million Chinese people begin each day by drinking their own urine.
Thank You.

Pay no attention to the man behind the console

Mixing 101:
Here's what happens in our little corner of the world: In this scene Peter Steep, who plays the producer, is pointing out something obvious to Gary Rotta, who's pretending to be the mixer. By the way, Gary isn't blurred due to the shutter speed, he's just always blurred. On the screens are the TV picture the audio is locked to, and the audio mix (the funny squiggly lines shown.) Each line is a "stem" or part of the mix: from top to bottom, announce track, former drunken annouce track, on-screen voice, music, sound effects, etc. Keeping the elements separate eliminates the need to re-mix the whole piece when say, a stupid announcer mispronounces the name of a female bobsledder for the tenth time. Cool, huh? Most of the the dials, etc. on the console aren't connected to anything, just there to enthrall executives who may wander in.