Good news America, your Olympic experience just got a little less gross. Bob “Mad Eye” Costas benched himself this morning in an effort to cure the nuclear case of conjunctivitis that has been giving viewers the heebejebees since the games began.
“Just what the hell is happening to Bob’s eye?” has been a growing topic of discussion online. For days now, millions of people have been nervously trying not to touch their eyes while watching NBC.
By the time Bob was downing vodka shots Monday night, he was a top 5 search on Google, more than 200k per hour. And, like with any meaningless topic, the internet denizens wasted no time turning Bob’s eyes into a full-blown meme that no Z-Pak was going to knock down.
First up we have your Lord of the Rings reference:
— Bob Phillips (@BobTheSuit) February 8, 2014
I am prepared to diagnose Bob Costas with Eye of Sauron pic.twitter.com/h1YJktOf7b
— Jason B. Whitman (@JasonBWhitman) February 11, 2014
Next we got the Ghostbusters reference:
Bob Costas’ eye is NOT improving. Zzzzzzzzzzz. pic.twitter.com/vqm3y3Uy4G
— Stay Puft (@StayPuft) February 9, 2014
There was, of course, no shortage of comparisons to Bob’s eye and the failed Olympic ring:
@geoffryken — “Apparently the 5th Olympics ring caught pink eye from Bob Costas?”
@TheTeditorial — “Russian viewers didn’t see the ‘5th ring disaster’ in opening ceremonies-shown rehearsal video.Also on Russian TV:Costas has two good eyes.”
And then the coup de grâce, combining the Ashley Wagner meme with Mr. Costas:
Ashley Wagner reacts to Bob Costas’ problem eye. (via @James_Dator) pic.twitter.com/13SEFh2LbZ
— SB Nation (@sbnation) February 9, 2014
Undoubtedly Costas himself will have a joke or two about all this when he eventually returns to the anchor chair. But Monday night he somewhat prophetically assessed his situation while drinking on-air shots with Mary Carillo:
“My eyes can’t get any redder, no matter what I do,” he said. “Down the hatch. Tomorrow morning I’ll be lying on a curb in Minsk.”
About Project TILWO — I watch Sochi 2014 Olympic coverage on TV and online then share the lessons I learn, with occasional help from my friends. Edited by Lynn Hess @ Premier Proofing.
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