Long Beach — no, not Venice — stars in Olympics closing ceremony with Snoop, Dr. Dre, Billie Eilish

Long Beach — no, not Venice —  stars in Olympics closing ceremony with Snoop, Dr. Dre, Billie Eilish

As a lifelong resident of Long Beach, I can’t help but feel a mix of amusement and exasperation every time the film trucks roll into town. It seems like we’re a never-ending source of scenic backdrops for the silver screen. But this latest production has definitely taken the cake!


Last week, when film production trucks began appearing in Long Beach’s Belmont Shore, most people paid little heed to the sight.

As a long-time resident of this quaint oceanfront neighborhood, I can attest to its frequent transformation into a bustling film set. From Jeep commercials to TV shows like “Dexter” and Netflix miniseries such as “Griselda,” it seems the crews are never far behind. At first, it was an exciting spectacle for us locals, but over time, we’ve learned to shrug off their arrival with a touch of resignation. The constant comings and goings can sometimes be a nuisance, especially when our curious dogs get too close to the catering tents. However, despite the occasional inconvenience, I still wouldn’t trade living here for anything – there’s just something about the salty sea air that makes it all worthwhile.

Yet, last week, an unusual spectacle unfolded. Truck after truck continued to arrive, more than ever expected at Rosie’s dog beach. There was a somewhat amusing veil of secrecy as swarms, then multitudes, of workers were busy around the area.

The worker with clipboard and walkie-talkle honestly admitted, “I’m not sure,” when asked what they were filming. Meanwhile, a copy of the city’s famous lifeguard stand was being built behind her – it looked brand new and a brighter shade of blue compared to the original one roughly 20 yards off.

A coworker remarked, “It seems like they’re setting up for an advertisement,” as massive cranes and bright stadium lights were being positioned. However, he asserted that he wasn’t sure about the specific type of commercial they were filming.

By Saturday morning, as a privacy tent enclosed the entire beach area, it became known that they were shooting a part of the Olympic Games’ closing ceremony – specifically, the segment where the torch is handed over from the present host city to the upcoming one.

Long Beach — no, not Venice —  stars in Olympics closing ceremony with Snoop, Dr. Dre, Billie Eilish

When the giant “LA28” sculpture arrived, the mystery was solved.

In the near future, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, along with Red Hot Chili Peppers and Billie Eilish, will perform on a temporary stage, surrounded by diminutive fake palm trees that fit perfectly within the camera’s view. They will entertain an enthusiastic group of extras who are there to appreciate their talent.

Apart from the issues with parking and traffic, the locals appeared to handle everything calmly. However, they became upset when certain media outlets mistakenly labeled the location as famous Venice Beach instead.

Long Beach — no, not Venice —  stars in Olympics closing ceremony with Snoop, Dr. Dre, Billie Eilish

“Scandal!” shouted @brandonwenerd on X.

“_alyssayung_ expressed sadness on TikTok, saying “This is Long Beach disappearing,” as she watched the offshore oil rigs, which looked like palm-tree-adorned islands, on her television screen.

Any SoCal local, certainly anybody from Long Beach, would recognize those instantly.

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2024-08-12 06:01

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