Fury Over Olympics’ Supposed ‘Last Supper’ Parody Is Just More Bad Faith Hate

Christian and Catholic groups are upset at the 2024 Paris Olympics—not because several athletes will be scheduled to swim on the River Seine or because unhoused people will be displaced by the games, either.

Instead, they’re enraged because of a drag performance during the opening ceremony.

The outrage against the drag performance was severe, to the point that the Paris Olympic organizers issued an apology. All this anger is rooted in the assumption that the performance was mocking the Last Supper. Painted by Leonardo Da Vinci in 1498, the masterpiece features the last meal that Jesus had with his twelve disciples.

A different feast

But the last time I checked, Jesus wasn’t colored blue, and he wasn’t wearing a crown of fruits, either. Additionally, there were more than twelve “disciples” in that scene. The count of the dancers, assumed to be “disciples,” alone casts doubt on the assumptions of enraged Christians.

Art and architecture historian Walther Schoonenberg claims that the drag performance in the 2024 Paris Olympics resembled The Feast of the Gods (1635) by Jan van Bijlert.

Compared to what Christians claim, the painting by Bijlert depicts the Greek gods having a feast on Olympus—thematically on point for the Olympics. The performer at the center was likely depicting Dionysus (the god of wine). Along with Dionysus are the other Greek gods, dancing in the feast at the Pantheon.

A classic disdain for drag performances

Thomas Jolly, the creative director of the 2024 Paris Olympics, confirmed that the god on the table was Dionysus. He also clarified that there was no intention to mock any religion: “In France, we have a lot of rights, and I wanted to convey those values throughout the ceremony.”

This statement did not stop right-wing influencers from joining in on the rage against the performance.

Andrew Tate has staged a boycott in Romania, according to a report by the Associated Press, saying, “This is disgusting. This is not art.” He also believes that the performance is a reference to the Da Vinci painting, with a protest sign editing a cross on top of the table. Kyle Becker, a former producer for Fox News, also lamented the performance. He wrote on Twitter that the Paris Olympics “has gone full woke dystopia” and claimed that the Olympics are not making Christians feel welcome.

This isn’t to say that people can’t dislike the performance. Criticisms can be made about its chaotic set design and its confusing themes. I have a bone to pick with some of the high-fashion houses that supposedly dressed the performers for the opening ceremony.

But most people are angered over the inclusion of a drag performance in the opening ceremony. It’s not about the aesthetics or the quality of the art. These groups are hiding behind supposed religious feelings to get rid of drag performances in the mainstream. But this is the Olympic Games, not a church or a place of worship.