Controversial Drag Parody of Last Supper Showcased at Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremonies of the Paris Olympics on Friday featured a shocking parody of The Last Supper, igniting widespread controversy. The performance included an obese woman wearing an aureole as Jesus, surrounded by drag queens as the Apostles, a decapitated head representing Marie Antoinette, and drag queens dancing around children.

Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the Paris Olympics, aimed to create an inclusive and diverse show. “Above all, I want this ceremony to include everyone. We must all celebrate this diversity,” Jolly stated. He described the responsibility as “ambitious, complex, but magnificent for an artist.”

Jolly explained his intent to both embrace and challenge French clichés, saying, “When we watch ‘Emily in Paris’ or ‘Amélie Poulain,’ we know it’s not quite the real Paris. We’re going to play with all those cliches, but we’re also going to challenge them. Paris is also a vibrant youth. Different cultures rubbing shoulders in the streets.”

Jolly’s approach was evident in the ceremony’s controversial elements, including a musical, metal-opera tribute to the guillotine, as reported by Vulture. The Washington Post critiqued Jolly’s vision, suggesting it reflected his ambitions more than the nation's identity.

The global audience was vast, with Forbes noting that more than 3 billion people tuned in to watch the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, held in 2021 due to COVID-19. This viewership underscores the significant platform and influence of the Olympic opening ceremonies.

The parody has sparked a firestorm of criticism from religious and conservative groups. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) called the scene “shocking and insulting to Christian people around the world.”

C Spire, a tech company based in Mississippi, announced it would pull its advertising from the Olympics, stating on X, “We were shocked by the mockery of the Last Supper during the opening ceremonies of the Paris Olympics.”

NFL kicker Harrison Butker and various religious leaders joined in condemning the performance. Amid the outrage, Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps issued an apology to Catholics and other Christians who were offended, saying, “Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. [The opening ceremony] tried to celebrate community tolerance. We believe this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offense, we are really sorry.”

Despite the apology, the ceremony remains a point of contention, highlighting deep cultural divides and debates over respect and representation in global events.

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