The official video of the Paris 2024 opening ceremony appears to have been deleted from the Olympics account as backlash from viewers grows, with fans flocking to praise the London 2012 showcase, which remains online.
Social media users shared a screenshot of the organisation’s footage, showing a blank screen with the caption, “This video is not available.” Additionally, the show does not appear on their YouTube channel, despite coverage of the games both before and after the ceremony. Full-length versions of the ceremonies for London 2012, Rio 2016, Beijing 2022, and even Nagano 1998 are all available.
Neither the Olympics nor the Paris Games have provided a reason for this apparent omission. Both have been contacted for comment.
The event, dubbed the “worst ever,” sparked backlash as it was carried out amid appalling weather. Among the various artistic tableaus, named after French values such as freedom, fraternity, and equality, the most controversial was the Last Supper-style performance in the “festivité” or party scene.
Complete with models, dancers, fashion icons, and drag queens from the host nation, the performance took place on a bridge over the capital’s river around a table that also doubled as a catwalk. At the center was a woman in front of DJ equipment with a golden halo-style crown, surrounded by several drag queens and dozens of dancers and performers.
A fashion show showcased clothing designed by some of France’s most promising young designers, with those seated on either side performing slick choreography. Among those present was Drag Race icon Nicky Doll, who has appeared on the French franchise, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World, and now hosts France’s own version.
While some young people and fans of the popular TV show praised the tableau for echoing a nightclub atmosphere with dancing and lip-syncing on the soaking-wet stage, others accused organizers of creating a “woke” parody of the Last Supper, a painting by Leonardo da Vinci depicting Jesus’ last meal with his disciples.
The opening ceremony was also marred by several gaffes, including issues with country names and the Olympic flag accidentally raised upside down. Tesla and SpaceX owner Elon Musk criticized the performance as “extremely disrespectful to Christians” on X, formerly Twitter. Catholic Bishop Robert Barron of the US also expressed his dismay, calling it a “gross mockery of the Last Supper.”
Later in the show, a bizarre moment featured a giant platter bedecked in fake fruits and other foods, with a “smurf” dressed as the Greek God of wine, festivity, and theatre, Dionysus, later revealed to be French actor and singer Phillippe Katerine. Katerine laughed off the criticism, stating, “It wouldn’t be fun if there were no controversy. Wouldn’t it be boring if everyone agreed on this planet?”
Viewers reported poor audio due to near-torrential rain, joking that organizers needed to “stop the boats.” Fans were left unimpressed by the unique approach to the opening ceremony, with one writing, “I’m sorry but this is the worst Olympic opening ceremony in memory. It’s an interesting idea bringing the athletes in on boats but it looks rubbish and misses the roar of the crowd. Sorry but not for me.”
Hundreds of thousands of spectators watched as 6,800 athletes covered in plastic ponchos attempted to keep their spirits high as they traveled down the river Seine in a flotilla of 85 boats. Performances from Lady Gaga and approximately 3,000 dancers, acrobats, and actors were hard to hear over the rain, with viewers slamming it as “the worst Olympic opening ceremony in memory.”
The show garnered a mixed reception from the UK and foreign press. The New York Times called it a “bloated made-for-TV spectacle,” while the New York Post labeled it “boring, ill-conceived, and choppy.” Even within France, the reception was muted, with Le Figaro describing the show as “great but some of it was just too much.”
Gaffes with country names, the mounting of the Olympic flag, and bizarre scenes, including a headless Marie Antoinette singing, peppered the display. At one point, the South Korean delegation was mistakenly introduced as North Korea.
The IOC apologized for the mistake on its official Korean-language X account. The Paris Olympics have been contacted for comment.
