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CNN Live At Daybreak
Different Official Jackets Seen Around Salt Lake City
Aired February 08, 2002 - 06:53 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics kicks off tonight in Salt Lake City, Utah. In the meantime, leading up to the games, the streets of Salt Lake City look very official, but not in the way you might think.
CNN's Jason Bellini explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON BELLINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On the streets of Salt Lake City, the athletes are nowhere to be found, only lookalikes and wannabes in official-looking jackets.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've actually had people come up and say are you athletes? What sport are you in? And I mean we can't lie, obviously, because the athletes work so hard.
BELLINI: The official look is in this year. An official jacket transforms you into someone official.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All the participants who came from Hungary get this official jacket. Yes.
BELLINI (on camera): So you're official? You're officially from Hungary?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Officially from Hungary, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the official jacket of the Russian TV team.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is an official jacket.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're official Bible dispensers.
(LAUGHTER)
BELLINI (voice-over): Salt Lake locals, the ones not wearing volunteer jackets, are amused, maybe a bit jealous.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anywhere you go, the clubs, the bars, anywhere you go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just think it looks like everybody's on the "Mickey Mouse Club" around here. You've got to have all your little game gear to make you feel important.
BELLINI: Locals are too small to recognize in the crowd...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Talk to the gentleman in the purple here with the headset.
BELLINI: ... so official people get an official color.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Local health departments throughout the state will -- you'll see in purple.
BELLINI (on camera): Tell me about your jackets. You guys are wearing orange, what's orange mean?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm sorry.
BELLINI: What does orange mean?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: From Holland.
BELLINI: You're from Holland?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
BELLINI (voice-over): Olympic Police, imported from around the U.S., dress as a team.
(on camera): What if somebody else is walking around with a yellow jacket?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think there's a law against it.
BELLINI (voice-over): And of course no one knows better the importance of looking official than corporations.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We work for Visa.
BELLINI (on camera): You work for Visa...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
BELLINI: ... and they give you a jacket?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
BELLINI: Does it build that Visa pride?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely.
BELLINI: You guys call yourselves a team?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, we are a team. Bank of America is No. 1 because we have a team.
BELLINI: I think you guys have one upped Bank of America because they only had jackets. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know if it's about one upping anybody, but just a team thing.
BELLINI: Just a team thing?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
BELLINI: All right. Go Gateway.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thanks.
BELLINI (voice-over): All these jackets and the Olympics aren't even officially underway yet.
Jason Bellini, CNN, Salt Lake City, Utah.
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