A group of drag queens and dancers performed what appeared to be a "parody of the Last Supper" at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday, sparking criticism on social media. The idea of drag queens doing the parody of the iconic painting didn't go down well with many.
"This is crazy. Opening your event by replacing Jesus and the disciples at the Last Supper with men in drag," Clint Russel, the host of the Liberty Lockdown podcast, fumed on X. "There are 2.4 billion Christians on earth and apparently the Olympics wanted to declare loudly to all of them, right out of the gate NOT WELCOME," said Russel.
Drag Queen Idea Backfires
During the performance, a group of 18 artists, including three well-known Drag Race France queens, posed behind what resembled a long table, with the Seine River and Eiffel Tower dramatically in the background.
In the center was a woman adorned in elaborate clothing and a large silver headdress that looked like a halo from traditional paintings of Jesus. She smiled and formed a heart shape with her hands while her fellow performers gazed at the camera, eventually launching into a coordinated dance routine.
Models then took over the stage for an impromptu fashion show, with the figures mimicking the Last Supper moving rhythmically along the edges.
The showcase evolved into a dance party, featuring Drag Race France host Nicky Doll strutting down the runway, along with contestants Paloma and Piche.
Adding to the "absurdity," a large serving tray was placed on stage, unveiling a barely dressed man painted entirely in sparkling blue, curled up inside.
The Olympics explained that the performance was meant to be an "interpretation of the Greek god Dionysus," intended to highlight "the absurdity of violence among people."
Hurting Sentiments
However, it didn't go down well with many. Seceral social media users felt that the performance mocked Christianity, and some French politicians criticized the show.
Marion Maréchal, a practicing Catholic, took to X to express her disapproval: "To all the Christians watching the #Paris2024 ceremony who felt insulted by this drag queen parody of the Last Supper, understand that this is not representative of France but rather a left-wing minority eager to provoke."
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, also condemned the performance, calling it "extremely disrespectful to Christians."
On the other hand, several social media users praised the performance as groundbreaking, particularly since it followed the historic moment of three drag queens carrying Olympic torches for the first time.
Doll, along with artists Minima Gesté and Miss Martini, took part in this ritual when the flame passed through France in May, with each artist stating that the moment represented unity and peace.
The Olympic drag performance took place just a day after Kamala Harris, a presidential candidate, became the first sitting vice president to appear on an episode of "RuPaul's Drag Race."
