PARIS. Paris Olympics organizers issued an apology on Sunday following backlash over a tableau during the opening ceremony that drew comparisons to Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.”
The tableau, part of Friday’s opening ceremony, featured DJ and producer Barbara Butch, an LGBTQ+ icon, accompanied by drag artists and dancers. This portrayal sparked criticism from religious conservatives worldwide. The French Catholic Church’s conference of bishops condemned the segment as “scenes of derision” that mocked Christianity. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova and the Anglican Communion in Egypt also expressed their disapproval, with the latter warning that the ceremony could damage the IOC’s “distinctive sporting identity and its humanitarian message.”
Thomas Jolly, the ceremony’s artistic director, stated that the tableau aimed to celebrate diversity and honor French gastronomy. Anne Descamps, a Paris 2024 spokesperson, addressed the controversy during an International Olympic Committee news conference, saying, “Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. On the contrary, I think (with) Thomas Jolly, we really did try to celebrate community tolerance.” She added, “If people have taken any offense we are, of course, really, really sorry.”
Jolly reiterated his intentions in an interview with The Associated Press, saying, “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.”
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
