PARIS (AP) — Growing up as a gay youth in central France, Hugo Bardin never felt his world represented who he was or suggested he had a place in it. This sense of misrepresentation spurred Bardin, who performs as the drag queen Paloma, to participate in the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, which showcased a multifaceted, multiethnic France reflecting various ethnicities and orientations.
“It was a really important moment for the French people and the representation of France around the world,” expressed Paloma. She participated in a singular scene that ignited controversy, with criticism even reaching the United States, where presidential candidate Donald Trump labeled it “a disgrace.”
Despite assurances from the ceremony’s artistic director, Thomas Jolly, and other participants that the scene wasn’t inspired by “The Last Supper,” some critics perceived it as a mockery of Leonardo Da Vinci’s painting of Jesus Christ and his apostles.
Paloma, who gained fame by winning “Drag Race France,” performed alongside other drag artists and dancers. They shared the stage with Barbara Butch, a renowned DJ adorned in a silver headdress resembling a halo. Following the event, Butch filed a complaint against online abuse and harassment, prompting an investigation by Paris police.
While Paloma has no immediate plans for legal action regarding online harassment, she chooses to focus on the multitude of “loving messages” she has received. “I’ve been getting thousands of messages daily,” Paloma shared, noting that although most were positive, some were “violent” and even “from the Middle Ages.”
Despite the backlash, Paloma remains proud of participating in a ceremony that eschewed common French stereotypes, such as “the Parisian with a baguette under their arm.” She emphasized, “It could have been a postcard from 1930, but instead, it was a photograph of France in 2024.”
The ceremony has received commendation for its creativity, style, and showmanship. However, it has also faced opposition from French Catholic bishops and others who felt it offended Christians. Paris Olympics organizers reiterated that the intention was never to disrespect any religious group but to celebrate community tolerance.
Responding to a question on Fox News about the so-called “Last Supper” scene, Trump, the former president and current Republican nominee, told host Laura Ingraham, “I’m very open-minded, but I thought what they did was a disgrace.”
Reflecting on Trump’s remarks, Paloma said, “My first reaction is to say that if Donald Trump is not reacting, then we have not done our job.” She attributed the criticism to hate, stating, “Where is the Catholicism, the Christianity in that? It is very hypocritical that their message is not about religion or kindness; it’s about hate towards Jews, fat people, queer people, and trans people.”
Bardin added, “We have been accused of trying to impose our vision on the world. We are not. … We just want to let people know that we have a place in the world, and we are claiming that place.”
In conversations with the AP, both over the phone and at her Paris workshop, Bardin described the evolution of her drag queen persona, Paloma, inspired by the films of Pedro Almodóvar. When asked about regrets, Paloma stated, “My only regret is people’s reactions. I’m sorry if people are offended, but we did not try to parody, to mock ‘The Last Supper.’ It was not the point. So I can’t regret what I did. I’m sorry for people to only see things in a bad way.”
She concluded, “Maybe change your perspective. Change the point of view. Try to see the beauty in what we did. Because it was just beauty. It was only about beauty and reunion, and reparation.”
