Episode 18: Jules Boykoff on the Olympics and “Celebration Capitalism”

With the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia just winding down, we sit down with Jules Boykoff – author of Celebration Capitalism and the Olympic Games and Activism and the Olympics – to talk about what’s inspiring and what’s sickening about the Olympics. Chris and Jules discuss the gargantuan (and publicly-funded) cost of the games, the ubiquitous corporate sponsorship of athletes, the politics of Olympic boycotts for both athletes and spectators, and ideas for reclaiming the Olympics from corporate profiteers. Also: Chris and Derek recap the Maple Leafs “Forces Appreciation Night” parody website; reflect on Joshua Oppenheimer’s insane documentary The Act of Killing (brief re-enactment included), and note the recent resurfacing of two of the left’s most controversial activist scholars (excluding your charming hosts of course). Episode Links Toronto Maple Leafs parody Two Canadians Made A Fake Toronto Maple Leafs Website To Criticize The Afghan War Jules Boykoff Celebration Capitalism and the Olympic Games Activism and the Olympics:Dissent at the Games in Vancouver and London Papa Palermo Pizza ad featuring Jules Boykoff The Act of Killing Director calls for US to acknowledge its role in 1965 killings Electronic Intifada on Scarlett Johannson An Alienated Finkelstein Discusses His Writing, Being Unemployable, And Noam Chomsky In Search of Ward Churchill Episode Music Greg MacPherson – 1995

You can listen to Episode 18: Jules Boykoff on the Olympics and “Celebration Capitalism” online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Episode 18: Jules Boykoff on the Olympics and “Celebration Capitalism” is an episode from Escape Velocity Radio by Derek Hogue.

This episode is 01:10:15 long.

This episode was published on Feb 18, 2014.

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