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Thierry Reboul, the executive director of the Olympic Games' closing ceremony, revealed he had to revise the script multiple times following backlash over the opening event on the Seine.
As The Guardian reports, despite maintaining that the controversial segment was inspired by a 17th-century Dutch painting of Greek Olympian gods, not a parody of the Last Supper, Reboul admitted that the strong reaction, including death threats against himself and artistic director Thomas Jolly, prompted a thorough review to prevent further misinterpretations.
The Paris 2024 organizing committee had previously apologized to Christian groups for a scene featuring drag queens, a transgender model, and a semi-naked singer in a fruit bowl.
Critics, including French bishops and former President Donald Trump, decried the scene as provocative and offensive. Jolly later clarified that the tableau referenced Dionysus, the god of feasting, and Sequana, the goddess of the River Seine.
As for the closing ceremony, Reboul noted that the segment introducing the 2028 Los Angeles Games would be longer than usual. While rumors swirl about potential performances by Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, or a stunt by Tom Cruise, Reboul confirmed that the segment would be co-produced with Los Angeles.
[Information sourced from The Guardian]
