Will.i.am texts while carrying the Olympic Torch

[emeraldsage85]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4331796/Voice-judge-William-in-Olympic-Torch-procession-fury.html

Will.i.am, a member of the Black Eyed Peas, was recently chosen as an Olympic Torch bearer. He ran a mile through Taunton, Somerset. He held the torch in one hand and his phone in the other, tweeting several times. Many of the pictures of his run show him focused on his phone and not the crowd.

In my opinion, this is completely rude. There's plenty of time before or after the event to tweet about it and doing it during such an important event is disrespectful to everyone involved.

[Betelnut]

I agree.  Why the heck couldn't he just enjoy the experience?

[Namárië]

I dunno, that seems pretty impressive to me! Walking, texting, and not setting yourself on fire!

[Bibliophile]

I dunno, that seems pretty impressive to me! Walking, texting, and not setting yourself on fire!

HA!  It doesn't really bother me so much, but it's not like he couldn't Google to find a pic of himself with the torch. 

I agree.  Why the heck couldn't he just enjoy the experience?

I think about this at every concert where the crowd is too busy taking pics with their phones and looking down when they could be looking at the stage.

[Kitty Hawk]

Probably off-topic, but a number of my British friends were offended by a non-Briton carrying the torch.

[something.new.every.day]

Probably off-topic, but a number of my British friends were offended by a non-Briton carrying the torch.

I should go google this, but isn't it customary for people from various countries (not just the host country) to carry the torch?

[BeagleMommy]

Geez, couldn't he disconnect long enough to enjoy the experience of this honor?  It's not like he had to run a marathon with it.  Most of the torch bearers run a mile or so.

[Fleur-de-Lis]

Perhaps for him, experiencing this honor *was* tweeting it while he ran. 

I'm not sure I see how it is "disrespectful to everyone involved" - it's just another case of a celebrity having his own ideas about what constitutes proper behavior. 

When "who gets to carry the torch" is as much a popularity contest and political decision as it has become, there isn't much "solemnity of the moment" to be worried about.

It's not like they were singing the Star Spangled Banner here - and look how that gets botched.

[Horace]

Probably off-topic, but a number of my British friends were offended by a non-Briton carrying the torch.

I'm British and I wasn't offended by him carrying the torch; I just have no idea why he was selected.  He's not that famous over here despite appearing on our version of The Voice.  It seemed more like a publicity thing for The Voice than anything to do with the Olympics.  He's also been told off repeatedly for texting and tweeting whilst supposedly judging people on The Voice.  I can think of plenty of other American people who have more connections to this country who could have run with the torch instead of him.

[Frostblooded]

Probably off-topic, but a number of my British friends were offended by a non-Briton carrying the torch.

I suppose they forgot about David Beckham.

This isn't rude. The guy is just sharing his experience with the world over the phone! New tech generation, different joys and ways of sharing. Nothing rude about it.  I find it rather funny and endearing. He's merely trying to share the joy and have the world there with him with that torch at his fingertips.

[Tilt Fairy]

argh!! Why do people want to be on their phones all the time? In the cinema, over dinner, at a music concert, during sexy time, in the middle of a football match etc, everywhere! I actually miss for the times we lived in the dark ages. I think I'm just going to throw my phone into the depths of mordor and be done with it. I don't think its rude, maybe disrespectful, but I do think it's very sad. Not sad as in unhappy sad. Sad as in get a life sad.

[Corvid]

   I think there is a lack of respect in not giving an honor like carrying the Olympic torch your full attention, yes.  I also think that if you're focused on fiddling with your phone to share your experience during your run, you won't get the full experience.  Maybe he needs to learn how to meditate to train his mind to be in the here and now.

[Sapphire]

Probably off-topic, but a number of my British friends were offended by a non-Briton carrying the torch.

I suppose they forgot about David Beckham.

This isn't rude. The guy is just sharing his experience with the world over the phone! New tech generation, different joys and ways of sharing. Nothing rude about it.  I find it rather funny and endearing. He's merely trying to share the joy and have the world there with him with that torch at his fingertips.

David Beckham brought the flame over from Greece and lit the first torch 

I have no problem with Will.i.am carrying it, but it really irritates me, this constant need to text and tweet. Why can't people just enjoy the moment while they are in it, and they can text and tweet to their heart's content afterwards! It is also a bit insulting that he couldn't manage to get the town's name correct, but I guess that just proves he can't multitask as well as he thought he could 

[Tilt Fairy]

Probably off-topic, but a number of my British friends were offended by a non-Briton carrying the torch.

I suppose they forgot about David Beckham.

This isn't rude. The guy is just sharing his experience with the world over the phone! New tech generation, different joys and ways of sharing. Nothing rude about it.  I find it rather funny and endearing. He's merely trying to share the joy and have the world there with him with that torch at his fingertips.

David Beckham brought the flame over from Greece and lit the first torch 

I have no problem with Will.i.am carrying it, but it really irritates me, this constant need to text and tweet. Why can't people just enjoy the moment while they are in it, and they can text and tweet to their heart's content afterwards! It is also a bit insulting that he couldn't manage to get the town's name correct, but I guess that just proves he can't multitask as well as he thought he could 

I agree. People who are constantly on their phones are missing out on the moment and the atmosphere. You can't get that back. You can go on your phone anytime afterwards. You'll miss out on so many experiences in life if you try and 'capture' it or 'communicate about it'. I was at a rock concert the other night and everyone around me for the entire performance was holding their phones up to try and get a picture/recording of it, then tweeting it or facebooking it. They were just missing out on the moment then and there. They may be fine with that and it's none of my business but I do think they're missing out. I just couldn't imagine not wanting to live every second of a momentous, life-changing or enjoyable experience. Every second counts. Tweet about it on the bus ride home. The bus is boring.

Also, to someone earlier, no one was upset about David Beckham carrying the torch because he's a sports and cultural icon. He's played football for our country, not to mention been captain, he has been a great ambassador for British sports in general and bringing the World Cup (unsuccessfully) and the Olympics to England. So many young people consider him a great role model as an athlete, a footballer and family-man. He seems to love his family and shys away from the spotlight.  No-one has a gripe about David because he's a sports hero and even though he doesn't currently reside her (right?) he is British (not that the British thing is something I care about as olympics is a global event). will.i.am was a silly choice. Everyone thought it was really bizarre.

*unless the "I guess they've forgotten about david beckham" was meant as in "they should have picked David Beckham instead" kind of way, in which case, disregard all I said above!

[Kitty Hawk]

I don't understad the Beckham comment either, as far as I know he is still a British citizen. Playing for teams in other countries or even living them doesn't change that.

I have lived in Germany for over 20 years, but am still an American citizen and still identify as such.