Dear Gossips,

Olympics ratings are BIG, particularly in North America. Per The Hollywood Reporter, NBCUniversal is seeing a nearly 80% increase over their coverage of the Tokyo Games which, again, is a reminder that there’s nothing like live broadcast entertainment and, of course, the people who produce it. These are television experts who have years, sometimes decades, of experience. That skillset must be protected!

 

Back to the ratings though – audiences are tuning in for the drama and the spectacle of sports competition and its stars, aka the athletes. Simone Biles, of course, is probably the biggest star of these Games so today’s numbers, as she and Team USA go for gold in the team final, are probably going to be huge. And then again on Thursday for the individual all-round final. 

 

There is, however, another star who’s actually not an athlete who’s been bringing it during the Games. That would be Snoop Dogg. It was a smart move for NBC to sign him for these Games – he’s been hilarious at every event that he’s attended, but also, at times, sweetly earnest. I saw him tear up at the pool after Caeleb Dressel’s race the other day, not too cool to get right into the action and cheer on his faves. It’s giving dad. It’s even giving granddad. 

 

And then, of course, there’s his commentary. I watched his badminton commentary live the other night and it was… well… perfect. This, no surprise, has gone viral. 

 

“It don’t stop ‘til the casket drop” LOLOLOLOLOLOL. 

He’s been a major Olympic highlight with exactly the right balance of humour and celebrity but also, somehow, without making himself the main character. So whatever they’re paying him? WORTH IT. 

Yours in gossip,

Lainey