By Sandy Wells
This year’s Olympics is truly a tale of two cities, both cities being Rio de Janeiro.
“Political turmoil, the biggest recession in decades, Zika (virus) pollution, I mean there are definitely those things,” NBC 4 morning co-anchor Whit Johnson told KABC’s McIntyre in the Morning Show. “When you talk to people who live here in Rio they say ‘it’s complicated.’ They’re conflicted. They have their issues they want the world to know about but at the same time they are among the most welcoming, happy, celebratory people who I’ve ever met. And they’ve all said, ‘Listen, when the games begin, so will the party.’ And if there’s one thing Rio de Janeiro knows how to do, that is throw a fantastic party.”
Johnson is excited about Michael Phelp’s appearance.
“He’s got more medals than anyone in Olympic history – 22 medals total – 18 gold – but never once has he walked in an opening ceremony. He is so focused, he said in all Olympics past, he wanted to keep his eye on the ball and he didn’t want to be distracted and he didn’t want to spend hours standing on his feet. This time though, he said he thinks it’s his last Olympic games, he want to take in the experience. He’s already made history, he wants to make sure in his last one that he enjoys it.”
Enjoy television coverage of the 2016 Summer Olympics on NBC 4.
Johnson was a guest on 790 KABC’s McIntyre in the Morning Show with Doug McIntyre and Terri-Rae Elmer. NBC 4 is 790 KABC’s news partner. Hear weekday simulcasts of NBC 4 news twice a day: At 4:30 a.m. – 5 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on 790 KABC.