“Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group,” said Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps at a press conference. “Looking at the result of the polls that we shared, we believe that this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offense we are, of course, really, really sorry.”
The apology marked a change of tone from the previous day’s statement defending the provocative tableau of the Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece, a performance that spurred the hashtag campaigns #BoycottOlympics and #BoycottParis2024.
At least one company has done so. C Spire, a telecommunications company based in Ridgeland, Mississippi, said on X it would remove its advertising from the Olympics, which is being broadcast by NBC on its main channel, its Peacock platform and its associated networks such as CNBC and USA.
“We were shocked by the mockery of the Last Supper during the opening ceremonies of the Paris Olympics,” said the company, the sixth-largest U.S. wireless provider. “C Spire will be pulling our advertising from the Olympics.”
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The performance at Friday’s opening ceremony included a segment called “Festivities” featuring a dozen or so drag performers and others — including a child — apparently posing as Christ’s disciples, as well as a near-naked blue man representing Dionysius being served on a platter.
There was also a dance scene on a catwalk that included drag entertainers and children.
The scenes drew heated criticism from a host of public figures, including Catholic bishops and U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who said the “mockery of the Last Supper was shocking and insulting to Christian people around the world who watched the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.”
Pope Francis has not commented directly on the performance, but in his Sunday Gospel of the Day post, he referenced the last supper of Jesus Christ before His betrayal, trial and crucifixion.
{snip}
The Paris 2024 committee initially defended the performance, saying Saturday that the segment was intended to “celebrate community and tolerance,” but offering no apology.
“Clearly, there was never an intention to show disrespect towards any religious group or belief,” said the spokesperson in an email to The Washington Times. “On the contrary, each of the tableaux in the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony were intended to celebrate community and tolerance.”
Several commentators insisted that the performance was not “The Last Supper,” including progressive pundit Keith Olbermann, but the Paris 2024 spokesperson acknowledged that Thomas Jolly, the opening ceremony director, was inspired by the painting.
“For the ‘Festivities’ segment, Thomas Jolly took inspiration from Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous painting to create the setting,” the spokesperson said in the email. “He is not the first artist to make a reference to what is a world-famous work of art. From Andy Warhol to the Simpsons, many have done it before him.”
{snip}
“The advertiser backlash to the Olympic Games demonic mockery of God has begun,” said DC Draino, the X account of conservative commentator Rogan O’Handley. “C Spire has pulled their marketing dollars. More companies need to follow suit.”
Mr. Jolly told the Associated Press that “my wish isn’t to be subversive, nor to mock or to shock.”
“Most of all, I wanted to send a message of love, a message of inclusion and not at all to divide,” he said.
• This article was based in part on wire-service reports.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
* Original Article:
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/jul/28/paris-olympics-apology-comes-too-late-as-company-p/?utm_source=smartnews.com&utm_medium=smartnews&utm_campaign=smartnews%20
