While celebrating the kick-off to the summer games on Friday, July 26, some viewers were offended by a tableau that seemingly evoked Leonardo da Vinci ’s “The Last Supper.”
According to organizers, the scene — that featured DJ, producer and LGBTQ+ icon Barbara Butch wearing a silver headdress as drag artists and dancers surrounded her — did not have any ill intention.
"Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group,” Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps said during an International Olympic Committee news conference on Sunday, July 28. “We really did try to celebrate community tolerance. Looking at the result of the polls that we shared, we believe that this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offense we are, of course, really, really sorry."
Thomas Jolly, who served as the artistic director of the Opening Ceremony, echoed that sentiment when he spoke to news channel BFM-TV . In his interview, Jolly said the scene depicted Dionysus, the Greek god of wine.
“There’s Dionysus arriving on a table. Why is he there? First and foremost because he is the god of celebration in Greek mythology and the tableau is called ‘Festivity,’” Jolly explained. “He is also the god of wine, which is also one of the jewels of France, and the father of Séquana, the goddess of the river Seine. The idea was to depict a big pagan celebration, linked to the gods of Olympus and thus the Olympics.”
The Olympic Games/X(fka Twitter)
In a separate interview with the Associated Press , Jolly assured viewers his wish was not “to mock or to shock.” Instead, he “wanted to send a message of love, a message of inclusion and not at all to divide."
As the games continue, keep reading to see which Hollywood stars are weighing in on the controversy.
“This is crazy,” the Kansas City Chiefs kicker captioned a screenshot of the scene via his Instagram Story before quoting the bible. He also posted a 20-second clip of the moment via X , sharing a snippet of the bible verse he was quoting: “God is not mocked.”
Candace Cameron Bure
The Fuller House star was disheartened to see drag performers seemingly recreate the Last Supper during the Opening Ceremony. “To watch such an incredible event that’s going to take place over the next two weeks and see the opening ceremonies complexly blasphemed and mock the Christian faith with their interpretation of the Last Supper was disgusting,” she said in an Instagram video. “It made me so sad and someone said, ‘You shouldn’t be sad. You should be mad about it.’ I’m like, ‘Trust me, it makes me mad, but I’m more sad because I’m sad for souls.”
Cameron Bure received support from many followers including McCord, who commented : “I feel the same way!!! I feel sad that they are mocking the very thing He did to save them. ‘Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do.’ Wow. I pray we can all be more like Jesus!”
Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas
The TLC member was also impressed by Cameron Bure’s thoughts on the topic. After watching her video, Chilli commented , “Amen, sis!!! Preach!!! Glory to King Jesus.”
Whoopi Goldberg
While participating in “Hot Topics” on The View , Goldberg had a message to the critics. “Come on, y’all. It’s the Olympics. Stop!” the Oscar winner said. “They’re not trying to do anything except talk about the history. They’re showing you the history.”
Goldberg added that if you don’t like what you see, feel free to change the channel. “If you’re not happy with something and it bothers you, don’t take 20 hours to write an email. Just turn the TV off!” she continued. “Watch something else. Put the newspaper down. Don’t look at the pictures. These are choices. If you don’t like it, go to something else. You don’t have to stay. You have it in your power to make the change.”
Sara Haines
The View cohost also hit back at critics who may not have completely understand the scene. “I get so tired of being beaten over the head with religious messages while someone walks along their life not living like Jesus at all,” she shared during “Hot Topics.”
Alyssa Farah Griffin
While the ladies of The View may disagree on some topics, they appeared to agree with the Opening Ceremony. “I’m sorry, there is nothing more Parisian than Marie Antoinette’s head cut off, metal music playing and drag queens,” Griffin said during “Hot Topics” when looking back on the entire show. “That is French. That is what they’re gonna do. There’s something for everyone. If you didn’t like one thing, tune into something else.”
Russell Brand
Brand spoke out about the controversial scene via Instagram by asking his followers what they think is the power and meaning of the ceremony. “Inclusivity is a beautiful idea for surely Jesus loves all of us, forgives all of us, died for all of us,” he said in a video. “I do wonder what these signs and ceremonies indicate. I was in [an opening ceremony] once in 2012. Looking back at that, it was pretty crazy. Things have changed.”
“Not really seeing how the opening ceremony image was more like this Greco feast as opposed to a more blatant mockery of Da Vinci’s Last Supper,” the Olympic gold medalist wrote via X . “ As an Olympian and a Christian (and you don’t have to be either to see the absurdity here), I am outraged.”
Philippe Katerine
The French entertainer, who quickly became known as the “semi-naked blue guy” while playing Greek god of wine Dionysus, spoke out about the Opening Ceremony. “Would there have been wars if we’d stayed naked? The answer is perhaps not because you can’t hide a gun or a dagger when you’re naked,” he told CNN . “You’ve got this idea of harmlessness when it comes to the naked man. And the idea of the origins of the Olympic Games in Greece, which are represented today because when you see paintings, they’re of naked athletes too, also with the idea that they can’t carry weapons when they’re naked.”
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