Jill Biden Praises Olympics Opening Ceremony That Mocked Christianity

First Lady Jill Biden praised the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Paris, despite widespread backlash over its controversial mockery of Christianity. Leading the U.S. delegation, Biden called the ceremony a "spectacular" display.

“It was spectacular,” Biden commented at a brunch celebrating the upcoming 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. “The rain did not dampen our spirits. … Every step of the way, I was thinking to myself, ‘Oh my god, oh my god. How are we going to top this?’”

While Biden marveled at Paris's iconic Eiffel Tower, she contrasted it with the allure of Hollywood, the host of the 2028 Games. “The magic of Hollywood that makes all dreams come true,” she said, adding, “It’s a city where new generations of dreamers shape our culture.”

However, the opening ceremony's inclusion of a drag show parody of "The Last Supper," featuring Jesus Christ, his apostles, and the Greek god Dionysus, drew significant criticism.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) expressed his outrage on X, calling the scene “shocking and insulting to Christian people around the world who watched the opening ceremony.”

C Spire, a tech company based in Mississippi, announced it would withdraw its ads from the Olympics. “We were shocked by the mockery of the Last Supper during the opening ceremonies of the Paris Olympics. C Spire will be pulling our advertising from the Olympics,” the company declared on X.

NFL kicker Harrison Butker, who has previously criticized President Joe Biden for supporting abortion access, joined religious leaders in condemning the ceremony.

Amid the backlash, organizers for the summer’s games issued an apology to Catholics and other Christians who were offended. “Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. [The opening ceremony] tried to celebrate community tolerance,” said Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps. “We believe this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offense, we are really sorry.”

Thomas Jolly, the ceremony’s artistic director, defended the performance, stating, “We wanted to talk about diversity. Diversity means being together. We wanted to include everyone, as simple as that.”

The controversy underscores the deep cultural divide and the ongoing debate over respect and representation in global events.

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