The official Olympic account removed footage of the Paris 2024 opening ceremony from its YouTube channel following widespread criticism, with viewers who tried to access the video seeing the message “This video is not available to watch.”
Neither the Olympic Committee nor Paris 2024 organisers have explained why the video was removed.
Known for its unconventional staging, the opening ceremony featured a diverse cast of models, dancers, fashion icons, drag queens, and more. One of the most controversial segments featured a re-enactment of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” with drag queens and other performers, which sparked a huge backlash.
Tesla and X CEO Elon Musk was one prominent critic, commenting that “Christianity has become impotent.” Another notable moment was a large display of fake fruit, on top of which sat a performer dressed as Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and festivities.
Despite the criticism, the show’s creators defended the show by saying, “If there was no controversy, it wouldn’t be interesting. If everyone on the planet agreed, it would be boring, right?”
Criticism of the ceremony has been mixed: The New York Times called it a “pretentious made-for-TV spectacle,” while The New York Post called it “boring, poorly conceived and disjointed.” French newspaper Le Figaro acknowledged the show’s ambition but called some elements “over the top.”