Recap the weird, wacky and bizarre moments from the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony
THE Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony had it all. And we really mean ALL! Whether it was talk of aliens, a time travelling history lesson, some interesting song choices or some huge names missing, recap the most bizarre moments here.
Comm Games
Don't miss out on the headlines from Comm Games. Followed categories will be added to My News.
IT bounced between brilliant, weird and wacky! And did we mention weird?
While the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony produced plenty of stunning moments, there were also more than a few that left viewers around the world scratching their heads.
Whether it was a reference to aliens, a time travelling history lesson, some interesting song choices or waiting and waiting … and waiting for the event to start, here are some of the opening ceremony’s most bizarre moments.
Commonwealth Games 2018: Mack Horton has a decision to make after Gold Coast, Pan Pacs
Australian swim great Tracey Wickham says Aussies must take ownership of Commonwealth Games pool
Commonwealth Games 2018: Australian cyclists ready to renew hostilities with England
THE ALIEN REFERENCE
It was, shall we say, an interesting start to the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony.
Things kicked off with vision playing of three young Aussie surfers on a Gold Coast beach, bouncing off each other with some traditional surfing lingo.
“See the last wave?”
“Yeah, it was sick.” Classic banter!
But then things got a little weird.
“Ever think that, like, right now, billions of miles away, there could be a bunch of aliens, lying on a cosmic beach, looking back in our direction?”
I don’t think anyone saw that question coming.
Delta Goodram just gave the aliens a national anthem on the gold coast at the commonwealth games pic.twitter.com/lYEkr9Dh7a
— Ray (@rayclifford79) April 4, 2018
A LONG, LONG TIME AGO!
Organisers didn’t mess around with the history lesson. They went back a long, long time ago to a galaxy far, far away.
Viewers were treated to a pre-big bang style flashback, when Australia was still connected to Antarctica.
History doesn’t go much further back than that!
Luckily, by the time Australia had separated to being its own country, someone remembered to include Tasmania on the map this time, unlike the 1982 Brisbane opening ceremony.
I don't need a history lesson...
— Dean 🔴⚪ï¸âš«ï¸ðŸ‡¦ðŸ‡º (@StDeano1) April 4, 2018
Bring on the commonwealth games. #OpeningCeremony
GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD
If there is one thing that will annoy viewers more than anything, it is having to wait for the action to get started.
And boy did they have to wait.
The coverage took a long time to fire up, with things not kicking off until after 8pm local time.
After having to wait, a number of poorly timed ad breaks didn’t soothe the pain for those watching at home.
Wow! An emotional rendition of the Australian anthem and BANG!!! Channel 7 smacks a Toyota ad at the end. Classic channel 7 sports coverage 😂😂 #CommonwealthGames #auspol opening ceremony
— Edge Pereira🇦🇺🇧🇷 (@superedge) April 4, 2018
RICKI-LEE’S BIG MOMENT
How Ricki-Lee Coulter finished seventh in the second season of Australian Idol remains one of reality television’s great mysteries.
But if you’d told her on that night she’d one day be carried across a sandy foreshore on a surf board by lifesavers in front of 45,000 people and millions across the world, she probably would have taken it.
Coulter’s performance created some of the most interesting photos of the night.
SONG CHOICE, SONG CHOICE, SONG CHOICE!
Marcia Hines, Ian Dickson and Mark Holden used to bang on about it all the time as judges on Australian Idol, but apparently the message didn’t reach the shores of Tonga.
No matter if you’re singing in a competition, doing karaoke or walking into a stadium full of thousands of people, song choice is key!
That statement now officially extends to the Commonwealth Games.
While they looked great in their uniforms, the decision for Tonga to walk out to Divinyls hit, I Touch Myself was … interesting.
Just as a reminder, some of the song lyrics include:
“I don’t want anybody else. When I think about you I touch myself, Ooh I don’t want anybody else Oh no, oh no, oh no.”
As we said, song choice!
Did Tonga know they came out to the tune I touch myself? 🤔 #OpeningCeremony
— retro_footy_cards (@ScanlensFooty) April 4, 2018
Tonga just walked out to "I touch myself" in the #CommonnwealthGames opening ceremony
— Dennis Premier League (@DennisCricket_) April 4, 2018
How can the rest of the games trump this?
DARYL DELIVERS AGAIN!
There were plenty of great musical moments throughout the night and at one stage we even got to hear the second verse of Advance Australia Fair. How often does that happen?
But there was only one song the Aussie supporters really wanted to hear.
When Horses by Daryl Braithwaite came on, it sent social media into delight, with calls for an encore quickly followed by demands that the Aussie team walk out to the classic song.
If there is one man who can deliver time after time on the big stage, it is Daryl.
Hoping for a Daryl Braithwaite encore #horses #commgames2018 #OpeningCeremony #GoldCoastCommonwealthGames
— Jarrod Sinclair (@inzy13) April 4, 2018
Needs more Daryl Braithwaite #CommonwealthGames2018
— George (@PossiblyGeorge) April 4, 2018
They're playing The Horses on a pan flute at the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony rn and I have never felt so patriotic in my life #GC2018
— Morgaine Auton (@Morgaine_A) April 4, 2018
THE GOLD MEDAL OF FLAG BEARERS
Being a flag bearer is a pretty important job.
Your actions really set the standard for how your team will attack the new two weeks.
That being the case, expect nothing but gold, gold and more gold from Nauru after the stunning effort of their flag bearer.
If there was an opening ceremony gold medal, this effort would be right up there.
Look at the moves from Nauru's flag-bearer 😂
— 7CommGames (@7CommGames) April 4, 2018
Outstanding. #7CommGames #GC2018 @ShareTheDream pic.twitter.com/IqhOBOzIni
WHERE WAS JOHN?
How can you do it! How can you punch out a massive rendition of “You’re the Voice” and not include the guru himself, John Farnham?
If you thought people were angry about only hearing Horses once, the outrage over the lack of John was something else.
I wanted to throw something at my tv, no one else can sing you’re the voice, besides the voice himself, John Farnham. #GC2018
— bec thompson (@bec_thompson) April 4, 2018
I don't know why you're all upset we didn't see John farnham singing.... he's busy on a farewell tour #GC2018
— Bill (@Oh_so_offensive) April 4, 2018
Me: Gosh I cant stand ‘You’re the Voice’
— Melanie Dinjaski (@MelanieDinjaski) April 4, 2018
Also me: Srsly tho where was John Farnham #GC2018 #OpeningCeremony
Less talking and more John Farnham please. Thanks. #CG2018
— Benn Harradine (@bennharradine) April 4, 2018
WHO WORE IT BEST?
There were plenty of contenders for best dressed on the night.
But these outfits well and truly embraced the Gold Coast’s reputation for a good party.
Dress code: Party 🎉#7CommGames #GC2018 pic.twitter.com/o7TaYrd7KE
— 7CommGames (@7CommGames) April 4, 2018
Originally published as Recap the weird, wacky and bizarre moments from the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony
60-year-first as medals for scaled-back Games confirmed
The Commonwealth Games had to be scaled back to survive, but there will still be loads of gold medals on offer for Australians.
Big change to Comm Games after snub
The almost death of the Commonwealth Games prompted a significant change that officials believe will take the event beyond its 100th year.