Jodie Sweetin is coming to the defense of Paris 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremonywhich has been criticized by conservative commentators due to a part of the event that featured drag artists.
Some outspoken critics expressed their vitriolic anger towards the opening ceremony for what they believe was an attempt to mock Leonardo Da Vinci’s iconic mural “The Last Supper” by having transvestite performers take the place of the religious figures depicted in the artwork.
However, as Thomas Jolly, the director of the opening ceremony, explained, the scene was actually inspired by and a tribute to the 17th-century painting “The Feast of the Gods,” by Dutch artist Jan Harmensz van Biljert, which is housed in the Musée Magnin in Dijon, France, and depicts the Greek god Dionysus.
Sweetin took to her Instagram story to repost a video explaining the Dionysus connection and wrote above the clip: “Tell me you don’t understand art or history without TELLING me you don’t understand art or history.”
The controversial scene that took place during Friday’s ceremony at the Pont Debilly in France featured DJ and producer Barbara Butch — a well-known LGBTQ+ icon — rocking a halo-like headdress and surrounded by drag performers on either side of her around a table. This led some to believe that the performance was mocking the religious painting.
However, Butch was in fact depicting the Greek god of wine, festivities, drunkenness, madness, and fertility. The painting, “The Feast of the Gods,” depicts a gathering of Greek gods on Mount Olympus for a lavish banquet to celebrate a wedding.
While it clearly makes more sense — given the connection to the Greek roots of the Olympics and the fact that the painting being recreated is a treasure in a French museum — that hasn’t stopped many conservatives and outspoken religious figures from criticizing the presentation.
Notably, the former Sweetin Most complete house Co-star Candace Cameron Bure — with whom Sweetin has publicly clashed in the past.
“To watch such an incredible and wonderful event taking place over the next two weeks and have the opening ceremonies completely blaspheme and mock the Christian faith with their interpretation of the Last Supper was sickening,” Cameron Bure wrote.
“And it made me so sad. And someone was like, ‘You shouldn’t be sad. You should be mad about this.’ And I was like, ‘Trust me. It makes me mad.’ But I’m more sad, because I’m sad for the souls,'” she continued.
Cameron Bure was later told about the inspiration, and the actress simply rejected the explanation, stating that she “didn’t believe it” and that it was “not acceptable for children to watch.”
Cameron Bure sparked backlash in November 2022 when he said WSJ Magazine that she was excited to be a part of the Great American Family Network — where she serves as chief creative officer — and that they would focus on “traditional marriage” stories — meaning there would be no plans to feature same-sex couples in their films.
A number of celebrities spoke out — from Maren Morris to Jeffrey Dean Morgan — after Bure’s comments, and a source told ET that Cameron Bure and Sweetin, who played sisters DJ and Stephanie Tanner in Full house It is Most complete housewere in a “quite serious” disagreement after the controversial statements.
As for where Bure and Sweetin’s friendship stands, the source told ET at the time, “Candace’s comment about traditional marriage resonated with a lot of people. Jodie doesn’t agree with Candace’s comments and wanted to show where she stands. Candace is upset that Jodie chose to do this in a public way instead of talking to her in person.”
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