Paris Olympics opening ceremony 'not meant to mock': Artistic director
What's the story
Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, has refuted claims that the event was intended to mock Christianity or promote "wokeism."
During an official press conference, Jolly emphasized his aim was to celebrate France's diversity and not "to be subversive, mock or shock."
The four-hour opening ceremony spectacle, which unfolded on Friday, drew inspiration from a six-kilometer stretch of the River Seine running through Paris.
Ceremony backlash
Controversial scenes sparked criticism at Paris Olympics
The ceremony, featuring 12 tableaux that captured the French spirit, cultural and historical references, drew criticism for certain scenes.
One controversial scene involved drag queens including Nicky Doll and stars of Drag Race France in a configuration resembling Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper.
Republican politician Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House, labeled this scene as "shocking and insulting to Christianity," while NFL player Harrison Butker and far-right French politician Marion Marechal also expressed disapproval.
Further backlash
Additional controversial moments at Paris Olympics opening ceremony
Another contentious moment during the ceremony involved 18 performers posing in a parody of the Last Supper, which faced severe criticism on social media from the Christian community.
However, organizers stated that this performance aimed to raise awareness of human violence in a humorous way.
The event also included a "headless" Marie Antoinette and an act showing three people fondling at France's national library, sparking further controversy.
Statement
'We've the right to love each other as we want...'
Addressing the controversies, Jolly clarified: "In France, we have the right to love each other as we want, with whoever we want. In France, we have the right to believe and not to believe. In France, we have many rights."
Meanwhile, Elon Musk weighed in, calling the performance by drag performers "extremely disrespectful to Christians."
Even Lady Gaga's performance didn't assuage the furious netizens, who described it as "the equivalent of defecating on the French flag."
Unconventional start
Paris Olympics opening ceremony broke traditional norms
For the first time in Summer Games history, the opening ceremony took place outside a stadium.
An estimated 6,000-7,000 athletes sailed down a stretch of the River Seine on 85 barges and boats while up to half a million spectators watched from specially built stands and river banks.
Due to its size and complexity, the parade was never fully rehearsed.