Support truly
independent journalism
Simone Biles’ mom called out Snoop Dogg for once blowing her and her Team USA gymnast star daughter off during an awkward live interview at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.
The rapper, who has landed himself a commentator role for NBC and Peacock’s primetime coverage of the games, helped ring in the event as a torch bearer before Friday’s controversial opening ceremony got underway.
Speaking about the moment live on air afterwards, he said he had been on his “best behavior” while carrying the flame on its last leg around the Stade de France sporting a pair of gold trainers.
As boats filled with athletes sailed down the river Seine, Snoop Dogg stood in the drizzle alongside The Today Show host Hoda Kotb to interview Biles family.
Biles, 27, who is the most decorated gymnast in Olympic history with four gold medals, was noticeably absent from Team USA’s boat to rest up ahead of Sunday’s women’s qualifier, mom Nellie Biles said.
The gymnast looks to scoop up her fifth gold medal this week.
However, it wasn’t the first time Snoop Dogg has met Biles’ mother with the rapper apparently making Nellie and Simone wait on him during a meeting in 2010.
“Snoop, I don’t know if you know this, but Simone and you have known each other for a long time. Right, Nellie?” Kotb revealed.
Initially perplexed, Snoop Dogg retorted: “How? How, Nellie?”
Nellie Biles said that the West Coast rapper had met the family in Times Square in New York City in 2010 – six years prior to Biles’ Olympic debut. She said that the family wanted to grab a photograph with Snoop Dogg.
“And you said – ’cause we asked for a picture – two minutes. One, two, and you were gone,” she revealed.
The group laughed off the incident.
On Sunday, Snoop Dogg was seen sporting a white tracksuit shrouded in the star-spangled banner and a T-shirt of the gymnast’s face as he watched Biles and the rest of Team USA’s gymnastics team compete at Bercy Arena.
Other stars including Tom Cruise and Lady Gaga also sat in the crowd as the team emerged in leotards adorned with thousands of crystals, each outfit costing $3,000.
Despite a minor calf tweak and walking with a limp, the routine earned Biles a 14.600 and an impressive total of 59.566, guaranteeing her a spot in the finals next week in all four individual events.
She came first in her division on both the vault and floor, second on the beam and eighth on uneven bars.
The centrepiece was the vault where Biles set a score of 15.300 – almost a full point ahead of American teammate Jade Carey.
It marked a major return for Biles after a 732-day hiatus from major competitions after she pulled out of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 to prioritize her mental health.
“Day one, now moving on to team finals, all-around finals, a couple event finals hopefully,” US coach Cecile Landi said.
The US team is looking to take gold on Tuesday before athletes start the individual event finals on Thursday.
Biles is vying to become the oldest American women to win an Olympic gold in gymnastics.
