Paris Olympics organizers are speaking out. The officials apologized Sunday (July 28) to anyone who was offended by a drag-filled performance that evoked Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper during the opening ceremony over the weekend.
The painting, which depicts the moment when Jesus Christ declared that an apostle would betray him, was recreated featuring LGBTQ+ DJ and producer Barbara Butch, and various drag artists and dancers, including Drag Race France host Nicky Doll.
Religious conservatives and Republicans from around the world called out the segment, including the French Catholic Church’s conference of bishops, calling it “scenes of derision” that they said made a mockery of Christianity, via the New York Post.
The Anglican Communion in Egypt expressed its “deep regret” as well, saying the ceremony could cause the IOC to “lose its distinctive sporting identity and its humanitarian message.” The ceremony’s artistic director Thomas Jolly Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps said: “Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group.
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