NBC Snubs More Than Mitcham’s Sexuality 

I admit it...I was glued to the Michael Phelps Channel (formerly known as NBC) for about three weeks and, quite frankly, getting burned out on seeing ALL PHELPS, ALL THE TIME! If the USA didn't win the gold, NBC rarely broadcasted the medal ceremony. That, in itself, is pathetic and shows just how poor a loser we can be. but it is sad, not only that NBC wouldn't show ALL the ceremonies, but that they'd completely cut away from one they had been harping on for 3wks. Few people came between the Chinese and their gold medals. Mitcham was one, and he should've had his day in the sun.

My question is - why should a Gay person have to win a Gold medal to be recognized as a significant human being, worthy of attention or respect?

Matthew Mitcham is portrayed in an overwhelmingly positive light by Australian media outlets. Australians like their sporting heroes: gay or not simply doesn’t matter any more (Google or Wiki Ian Roberts (rugby league)). I greatly admire Mitcham (I'm straight, married), not so much for his sporting deeds, but rather for his human spirit. The vast majority of Australians couldn't care less about an individual’s sexual preference. My heart goes out to America's gay community; your right-wing garbage makes our right-wing garbage look like pinko-commie-hippies.

Mr. Mitcham deserves to be celebrated first for his athletic prowess but also as a whole person. He struggled with the difficulty of becoming public as a whole person and it's a shame that the media have rendered part of who he is invisible. But ex post facto complaints may not change anything. Before the next Olympics, is there a GLBT athletics organization that can identify out competitors and speak with media organizations ahead of time to help ensure that those Olympians' stories can be told more fully than in the censored past and pressent?

I must say I was glued to the 2008 Summer Olympics. NBC's coverage of the Olympians and their families there to support them were spectacular. I loved the fact that NBC humanized these World athletes by sharing personal triumphs and tragedies. I am troubled with the clear decisive decision NBC made in not spotlighting Matthew Mitcham, his family or his Life Partner. I saw time after time, the cameras glancing into the stands highlighting the families of athletes from all over the world and it seemed NBC couldn't get out of the water cube quick enough following this historic upset in men's diving. It saddens me to think in a time such as this in 2008 NBC is choosing to advocate slamming the closet door on America. Shame on NBC for assuming that We Americans can't handle common knowledge that a young Olympian is GAY.

As I recall, NBC commentators actually did make an oblique comment about "overcoming personal issues" during their coverage of the finals. It was a typical, coded reference meant only for those in the know. His coming out was front page news in Australia and it is clear that NBC knew about it and decided that it was not appropriate for their prime time audience. They deserve to be called out on this one.

NBC didn't cover anything where the winning team wasn't American. The started to get all hot & bothered with men's water polo until the Hungarian team won the gold, which was a foregone conclusion anyway.

He was Australian. NBC hardly covered ANYONE who wasn't American. While this sometimes made for less than interesting Olympic coverage, which by its very definition is global, it is hardly proof there is some nefarious plot at work. God, we so love being the victim in EVERYTHING, don't we? I think the kid who hands that one athlete a towel was gay, WHY DIDN'T WE HEAR HIS VERY SPECIAL COMING OUT TALE!?!?!?! Christ, get a life and quit whining.

Sorry. . . I stopped watching anything on NBC when they started running that tacky and creepy "To Catch A Predator" series. They suck, pure and simple.

I can honestly say that I don't think that this was about his sexuality. Diving has never received great coverage and in our current love affair with Michael Phelps and a select few other athletes I don't see that changing anytime soon. Yes, he did an amazing job. Yes, it is a shame that more wasn't shown. But that doesn't mean that this was a systematic and purposeful erasure of a gay man from tv.