'Blasphemous' Olympics Opening Was Actually An Ode To Greek Mythology, Director Says

Conservatives angered by the Paris Olympics might need to pivot their criticism of Friday’s opening ceremony.

Some were incensed over a vignette that appeared to resemble a drag-infused interpretation of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” a 15th century painting depicting Jesus Christ and his 12 disciples at a fateful final meal.

But the tableau, which was <a href=«https://x.com/search?q=olympics%20blasphemous&src=typed_query» target="_blank" role=«link» class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name=«slammed as “blasphemous”» data-vars-item-type=«text» data-vars-unit-name=«66a6ae07e4b0cb371c88ec42» data-vars-unit-type=«buzz_body» data-vars-target-content-id=«https://x.com/search?q=olympics%20blasphemous&src=» https: data-vars-target-content-type=«url» data-vars-type=«web_external_link» data-vars-subunit-name=«article_body» data-vars-subunit-type=«component» data-vars-position-in-subunit=«2»>slammed as “blasphemous”

by many in the American right-wing, was actually a reference to something completely different, according to Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the opening ceremony.

Jolly clarified his vision during an appearance Sunday on French media, explaining that the scene was a tribute to Dionysus, the Greek god of decadence and celebration.

“There is Dionysus who arrives on this table,” Jolly told French television outlet BFMTV of the scantily clad blue figure at the center of the tableau, according to an interpretation by NBC News. “He is there because he is the god of celebration in Greek mythology.”

“The idea was to have a pagan celebration connected to the gods of Olympus,” he said. “You will never find in me a desire to mock and denigrate anyone.”

Jolly drew support in a post on the Games’