In an Olympics telecast that NBC has packed with surprise guests and non-traditional programming gambits, Snoop Dogg may be the most shocking of all.
The rapper-turned-entrepreneur is slated to offer commentary and mix things up with athletes and parents throughout NBCUniversal‘s two-plus-weeks of covering the athletic extravaganza across the NBC broadcast network; the Peacock streaming service; the Telemundo Spanish-language outlet; and sundry cable venues. Dogg, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, Jr.., seems ready to give viewers something they may not have anticipated.
“My preparation for primetime is being me. Google me. Look me up, dog. I’ve done fighting a bit. I’ve done sporting events. This is what I do. I’ve been doing this since y’all have been goldfish,” he told reporters earlier this week. What viewers will discover, he says, is that “I know the sport, I know the angle, I know the conversations.”
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The addition of Snoop Dogg to a mix that has traditionally relied solely on a team of traditional sportscasters like Mike Tirico is a testament to NBC’s fervent desire to make the Olympics a must-see for a new, digital generation that is unaccustomed to watching the showcase in the usual way — gathered around a TV set with multiple generations of family. In 2024, fans will be able to watch each Olympics competition live as it happens. That puts a new onus on NBC to make its primetime presentation — largely a curation of the day’s events with an emphasis on additional storytelling and in-depth access to athletes — worth of grabbing attention when the attention grabbing has already been done.
The company has enlisted Kelly Clarkson and Peyton Manning to help draw crowds to a primetime presentation of the Opening Ceremonies; saucy podcaster Alex Cooper to host online watch parties on Peacock; Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson for a steaming commentary show; and comedian and one-time “SNL” cast member Leslie Jones to boost social-media coverage. Jimmy Fallon will turn up at the Olympics’ close.
NBC Sports has been huddling with Snoop Dogg for months. Molly Solomon, the top production executive overseeing the Olympics telecasts, has even gone to see him at his home on the West Coast. “He defined his role as the curious super fan,” she told producers at a meeting months ago at NBC Sports’ headquarters in Stamford, Conn.
But he isn’t just showing up. He arrived in Paris ten days before the start of Friday’s glitzy Opening Ceremonies and has maintained a full schedule of interacting with Olympians. “I’ve been sliding into the practice facilities with different teams, whether it was judo, weightlifting, three-on-three basketball, fencing. I’m one of those individuals that likes to get involved. Not only do I communicate and talk with them, I may try the event,” he said, adding that he was focused on “learning the backstory of these athletes and their families, and then learning the backstory of some of these events — these sporting events I have no clue about — but [I’m] learning and loving them at the same time.”
The casual viewer may not be accustomed to seeing the earnest Dogg. Over the years, Snoop Dogg has become known best for his rap career and for taking part in media ventures that encompass the professional-wrestling of WWE; a VH1 series with Martha Stewart; and Merry Jane, a digital property tied to news about the cannabis industry.
He certainly seems game to try anything, including striking up a relationship with younger fans. “I’m an old dog that can learn new tricks,” he says. “I’ve got kids that are Gen-Z. Remember me, I’ve got a house full of them, and then I’ve got a football league of Gen-Zs and grandkids. This is my world. I love speaking their language and getting on the same page with them.”
He may be better suited to some of the rough-and-tumble antics such audiences demand. “I’m inspired by a lot of things Snoop does. At 57, I’m not inspired by trying to be an athlete again,” says Tirico. “Better leave that all to Snoop.”
One meeting that could be on tap is a one-on-one encounter with Olympic legend Michael Phelps. “I may jump in the pool and learn how to do the 25 meters, something to that effect,” says Snoop Dogg, adding: “One thing about me, when I’m around these Olympians, I feel like I’m just as good as them or might give it a chance. So I’ll be trying it.”
For those who doubt him, Snoop Dogg suggests he’ll prove himself over the next few weeks. “I’m here to do whatever I’ve got to do,” he says. “Follow the Dogg, baby.”
Pictured above: Snoop Dogg holds the torch as part of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games Torch Relay, in Saint-Denis on July 26 in Paris.
