The DEI Olympics Opening Ceremony

It's that time again. The Olympics are back, and ever since the closing ceremony almost 3 years ago, I have had high expectations for the show that the French would put on for the world. In fact, the short clips from Paris 2024 that aired during the Closing Ceremony of Tokyo 2020 was the best part of that show.

I went to bed after dinner tonight, and got up a few minutes before the 1:30 a.m. start time of the Opening Ceremony of Paris 2024 to watch it live. This time around the Hong Kong Government had purchased the broadcasting rights for the Games, and we are able to watch events via the city's four free-to-air broadcasters.

The show started with a humorous clip of Jamel Debbouze carrying the Olympic flame into an empty Stade de France with no one in sight... except for Zizou tapping him on the shoulder and offering to take the flame from him. After Zizou buys a ticket to hop on a Paris Metro train but gets stuck, he passes the flame to three kids who run through the underground tunnels, catacombs, and gets invited to hop into a rowboat on a canal - probably Canal Saint-Martin - by a figure in period costume. This was the first appearance of the Mysterious/Masked Torchbearer - and we would see them run through famous sights in Paris as well as on Parisian rooftops à la Arsène Lupin - one of four inspirations for this character along with Belphégor, Fantômas, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, the Phantom of the Opera, and the Man in the Iron Mask - hence the fencing mask obscuring the identity.

From early on, it's clear that the show would have both light-hearted as well as dark, brooding elements. It would also be obvious that with the national motto of Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité included as chapters along with Sororité, this would be the "DEI Olympics"... at least when it came to the Opening Ceremony.

I was a little surprised whe the Masked Torchbearer ran through one of the ateliers of Louis Vuitton, where artisans were making the custom leather trunks which are used to transport the Olympic medals. I was later reminded that LVMH is a "premier partner" and has shelled out a reported EUR 150MM or so for these games. Chaumet is also responsible for the design of the medals. So, yeah... we've got a giant LV commercial inserted into the show.

The title of the Opening Ceremony show is Ça Ira - named after a song popular during the French Revolution. So it was appropriate that the Masked Torchbearer took the flame through a theater where actors were rehearsing Les Misérables during the Liberté chapter. A decapitated Marie Antoinette sang the first verses of Ça Ira from a window at La Conciergerie, leading to Gojira playing a heavy metal version of the song - accompanied by Marina Viotti singing an operatic version using the melody of Habanera / L'Amour est un Oiseau Rebelle from Bizet's Carmen, while standing on the bow of a ship symbolizing the city of Paris. The performance included blood-red ribbons being shot out of the windows of the building as well as the release of red and pink smoke. I love the juxtaposition of the musical styles, and taking something so historical and classic giving it a modern transformation - knowing that it won't appeal to everyone.

Another performance harking back to the revolution came from Axelle Saint-Cirel, who stood atop Le Grand Palais dressed like Marianne in the iconic Delacroix painting - but no exposed boob for her - holding a giant Tricolore while belting out a beautiful rendition of La Marseillaise. It is noteworthy that the singer chosen to dress as Marianne and singing the national anthem is not white but someone with ancestral roots in the Caribbean, whose skin color stood in contrast to her white gown.

Not having followed French pop closely except for occasionally tuning to NRJ, I did not know that Aya Nakamura is a big deal - although it doesn't surprise me at all that "France's most popular singer" is no longer Caucasian. Watching this dark-skinned beauty dressed in a shimmering gold dress sashaying down Pont des Arts with her dancers, then joined by a bunch of (mostly) white men from military band in their stiff uniforms swinging to her beat... Thomas Jolly shows the world the inclusive vision of France that has been dominant over the last few decades, which is now butting heads against the tidal wave rising from the far right.

The chapter on Sororité was a good one as it highlights the important work of 10 women over the years, from writers, politicians, sportswoman, journalist, and other pioneers who were instrumental in advancing women's sports and women's rights - including the rights for abortion. As the first Olympics with gender parity between male and female athletes, the organizers took pains to focus on the achievements by women.

There was a lot of dancing! Starting with the can-can from the Moulin Rouge during Enchanté, the rooftop ballet artists and the group stomping on water in front of the Hôtel de Ville during Synchronicité, and those on the "party barge" once the skies went dark... stretching from Festivité into Obscurité. Lots of energy here, especially from those on the party barge. I found it appropriate that the first song that played as the party barge showed up was Europe's Final Countdown. Then as the rain continued to drench everyone the playlist switched to Ice MC's It's a Rainy Day. Of course, the playlist wouldn't be complete without Desenchantée from the one and only Mylène Farmer.

Speaking of dancing... what really got religious conservatives and MAGA types' panties in a bunch mostly took place on Passerelle Debilly. Here we've got a catwalk showcasing a collection of fashion from French designers, but not only did they tend to be on the avant garde side, many of them were modeled by members of the LGBT community. We also had a few prominent drag queens in the mix, so it's easy to imagine the reactions of disgust from conservatives. Then as a giant cloche was slowly lifted on that catwalk, we saw Philippe Katerine painted blue and adorned with a garland of flowers. In fact, he was presented on a giant platter of fruits and flowers, and sang his new song Nu. MAGA and the Catholic Church lost their collective fucking minds.

NO, YOU FUCKTARDS... he's wasn't playing a Smurf. And no, this wasn't The Last Supper from Da Vinci. Not everything is this world is about Jesus or the Judeo-Christian God. It was plain to anyone who was educated enough in the classics that Philippe was playing Dionysus. He was surrounded by bunches of grapes! And while many may question his selection as he's virtually unknown outside France - and frankly probably not even THAT famous within France - I could understand why he was chosen to sing this particular song about the silliness of men going to war. The song itself is playful and light-hearted, but carries a very serious message in the world we find ourselves in today.

After Nu, it was only appropriate to follow up with the iconic Imagine from John Lennon. Absolutely fits with the desire for peace today. That it was performed on a "floating island" accompanied by a piano engulfed in flames provided a powerful visual image to drive home the message.

One of the best light-hearted moments of the show came in the middle, when La Joconde - a.k.a. the Mona Lisa - was stolen from the Louvre by the Minions and taken aboard their submarine underneath the Seine. Watching the Minions practice different sport disciplines inside their sub - which led to its sinking and the eventual recovery of La Joconde - made me laugh.

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I loved the visual imagery of the hooded rider on the steel horse speeding down the Seine, with the spotlights reflecting off the shiny, metallic horse against the backdrop of the darkened city. The whole procession down the length of the river, followed by a switch to Floriane Issert in "shining armor" on a white horse riding across the Pont d'Iéna to the main stage at Trocadero - with every flagbearer falling in line behind the Olympic flag on her back... was something to remember. Nevermind that there was a fuckup and the flag was raised upside down...

The final journey of the Olympic flame was an interesting one - especially with that boat ride upstream featuring four great Olympians. I realized later that some of my friends who are younger don't seem to know who Nadia Comăneci or Carl Lewis are, as they were too young or not even born when these athletes achieved greatness. The last legs of the torch through the Louvre and the Jardin des Tuileries also carried a message of togetherness (Solidarité) and inclusion, as runners of previous legs joined each successive runner to complete the journey. I was moved to tears watching Charles Coste in his wheelchair given a place of honor, and of course there was egalité in the final act as both Marie-José Pérec and Teddy Riner stepped up to the hot air balloon to "light" the cauldron. A real spectacle.

Everyone knew that the Eiffel Tower would feature prominently in the show, and the light and laser show tonight was spectacular. But nothing beats the crescendo that was Hymne à l'amour sung by Céline Dion from the first level of the tower. The melody is familiar to many, but no doubt many wept as they witnessed this amazing comeback from a strong and determined woman.

I really, really loved this show. It was sooo... FRENCH! It was artsy, traditional, modern, diverse, inclusive, irreverent, funny, and quirky all at once. There was something for everyone - well, except for butthurt, uneducated, religious conservatives and hypocritical right-wingers. But this was pretty much the France I have always known, ever since my first visit more than 30 years ago. I myself subscribe to many of the same values as I respect the right for people to love however they see fit. I accept people for who they are inside, not the color of their skin. I respect people's creativity even though I may not find their work amusing or attractive. I'm OK with all of that as long as people aren't preaching hate. So yeah... this was totally up my alley.