Reflecting On The Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

A Petit Misunderstanding Or A Big Faux Pas?

The Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony celebrated French heritage and the games’ Greek origins in an irreverent style only the French can dream up. It featured scenes of a headless Marie Antoinette leading into a performance from one of my favorite metal bands, an animatronic horse racing across the Seine, and a drag Dionysus (see above, more on him shortly). France’s opening ceremony took some brave artistic liberties that I, personally, appreciated. It was a barrage of artistic skits honoring both French and Greek history, and it was the talk of the virtual town for several days. 

But if the image above made you do a double take, you’re not alone. It stole the show, becoming the gold medal-winning meme, stirring up an online controversy. Many viewers assumed the performance to be a depiction of Leonardo Da Vinci’s iconic painting, The Last Supper—including me. The perceived religious imagery sparked immediate debate across social media, with users declaring the performance either an uplifting commentary on inclusivity or an insult to Christians everywhere.

Instead of being enjoyed for a celebration of global unity, this single act in a 4-hour spectacle demonstrated on an international stage the power of misinformation and the divisive design of social media.

Let The Blame Games Begin

Once the starting pistol went off, there was no stopping this controversy. And it turns out the French take not working on weekends very seriously, with any official statements arriving to the party quite late.

First, The French Bishops’ Conference and American figures like Bishop Robert Barron swiftly denounced the performance. Next, several celebrities and politicians (including Elon Musk and Donald Trump) decided to chime in. Not long after, the media (mainstream and otherwise) sunk its teeth into the story, with a nearly unanimous focus on the Last Supper angle, making for surefire clickbait and an infinite stream of thought pieces throughout the week.

Meanwhile, the voices of the artists and performers attempting to clarify the intention behind the scene and its message of inclusivity were largely drowned out or denigrated amidst the noise.

Finally, the artistic director of the ceremony, Thomas Jolly, and Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps tried to clear things up saying the scene wasn’t inspired by da Vinci at all. Instead, it was a nod to Greek mythology, specifically to Dionysus, the god of festivities and wine. In fact, many art historians have also suggested the scene was inspired by an entirely different painting, Jan van Bijlert’s The Feast of the Gods (above). 

But by then, it was too late. The misinformation had already spread like wildfire, fueling emotional responses and divisive rhetoric.

What Happens When We Forget Our Golden Rule

For members of the LGBTQ+ community, the reaction to the Paris opening ceremony may feel like yet another example of the ways their expressions of identity and creativity can be misinterpreted and vilified. After all, as this X user points out, The Last Supper has seen plenty of re-imaginings over the years. The performers involved were celebrating diversity and inclusivity, only to have their message lost in a sea of outrage and accusation.

And on the other hand, those with a strong connection to their faith may have felt genuine confusion and offense in response to the perceived mockery of an important religious image. After all, Bishop Emmanuel Gobillard reminds us, blasphemy in France is fair game. The emotional nature of our faith can make it difficult to pause and consider other perspectives, especially when social media algorithms are designed to show us content that reinforces our existing beliefs and biases.

In this age of hot takes, there isn’t much room for empathy, nuance, or a commitment to facts—especially when we are all trapped in our own FYP-driven feedback loops that amplify division and obscure the truth.

Bottom Line

Of course, the path forward can only be in fostering a culture of understanding and respect—online and off. Let the Paris Olympics serve as a reminder of our shared humanity. And if you find your nervous system getting hijacked by an echo chamber of dogmatic talking heads: 

Stop. Touch Grass. And indulge in rich and tasty chocolate muffin content.