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Social media users have criticised the Paris Olympics opening ceremony for its apparent parody of the Last Supper. Technical issues and rain-soaked performers left only Canadian singer Celine Dion to save the show, reported Daily Mail.
The four-hour show was labelled the ‘worst ever’ by viewers, who reported poor audio due to near-torrential rain and joked online that organisers needed to ‘stop the boats’. Hundreds of thousands of spectators watched as 6,800 athletes, clad in plastic ponchos, tried to keep the mood upbeat while travelling down the river Seine in a massive flotilla of 85 boats.
The ceremony was marred by mistakes with country names, issues with raising the Olympic flag, and odd moments like a headless Marie Antoinette, the infamous Queen of France who was executed in 1793, singing. Headless Marie Antoinette, in dozens, appeared in a nod to French history. The performer sang with her seemingly severed head in her lap, while images of this scene were displayed in the windows of a historic building, accompanied by a rock band playing outside.
Among the various artistic scenes themed around French values like freedom, fraternity, and equality, the most controversial was the “festivité” scene, which resembled a Last Supper-style party.
The performance featured models, dancers, fashion icons, and drag queens from the host nation, set on a bridge over the capital’s river with a table that doubled as a catwalk. At the centre was a woman with DJ equipment and a golden halo-style crown, surrounded by drag queens and numerous dancers. The highlight was a fashion show showcasing designs from France’s promising young designers, with slick choreography on either side.
Lady Gaga’s performance, along with about 3,000 dancers, acrobats, and actors, was barely audible over the rain, leading viewers to call it the worst Olympic opening ceremony in recent memory.
Among the attendees was Drag Race icon Nicky Doll, known for her appearances on RuPaul’s Drag Race French franchise, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World, and as the host of France’s own version.
Despite the issues, many young fans and followers praised the performance for its nightclub atmosphere, dancing, and lip-syncing on the rain-soaked stage. However, some critics accused the organisers of creating a ‘woke’ parody of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper.
The night’s most surreal moment featured a giant platter adorned with fake fruits and a ‘smurf’ lounging among them. The man, clad in a skintight blue bodysuit, was dressed as Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and festivity. He was later revealed to be French actor and singer Philippe Katerine.
