SNL alum Rob Schneider boycotts 2024 Olympics over opening ceremony that 'disrespects Christianity and celebrates Satan'

Saturday Night Live alum Rob Schneider is boycotting nan ongoing Paris Olympics complete a arguable opening ceremonial that he sees arsenic Satanic show that 'disrespects Christianity.'

'I americium sorry to opportunity to ALL nan world's GREATEST ATHLETES, I wish you ALL THE BEST, but I cannot watch an Olympics that disrespects Christianity and openly celebrates Satan,' nan 60-year-old wrote connected X.

Paris Olympics organizers apologized to anyone who was offended by a tableau that evoked Leonardo da Vinci's 'The Last Supper' during nan glamorous opening ceremony, but defended nan conception down it Sunday.

Da Vinci's coating depicts nan infinitesimal erstwhile Jesus Christ declared that an apostle would deny him. The segment during Friday's ceremonial featured DJ and shaper Barbara Butch — an LGBTQ+ icon — flanked by resistance artists and dancers. One backup dancer appeared to person his genitals exposed during nan ceremony.

'Guys pinch their genitalia hanging retired successful beforehand of children?!' Schneider wrote successful different post. 'Drag Queens?! I wasn't judge if I was watching nan @Olympics aliases if I was watching a schoolhouse committee meeting…'

Schneider is hardly nan only personification offended by nan opening ceremony.

Religious conservatives from astir nan world decried nan segment, pinch nan French Catholic Church's convention of bishops deploring 'scenes of derision' that they said made a insult of Christianity — a sentiment echoed by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.

The Anglican Communion successful Egypt expressed its 'deep regret' Sunday, saying nan ceremonial could origin nan IOC to 'lose its unique sporting personality and its humanitarian message.'

Donald Trump Jr. has besides attacked nan director's intentions arsenic 'satanic.'

'My mom was an Olympian (Czech Natl Ski Team), and arsenic a kid we would beryllium excited for weeks starring up to nan games,' Trump Jr. wrote connected X, repeating nan debunked mendacious declare that nan precocious Ivana Trump was a personnel of Czechoslovakia's 1972 Olympic team.

'Now pinch nan ever predictable (& seemingly satanic to me) resistance queen opening ceremonies and ne'er ending bs, nary 1 I cognize moreover thinks astir it beyond possibly watching immoderate highlights,' he continued.

But for each nan talk of nan director's supposedly 'satanic' intentions, nan segment whitethorn person been misinterpreted.

The ceremony's creator head Thomas Jolly had distanced his segment from immoderate 'Last Supper' parallels aft nan ceremony, saying it was meant to observe diverseness and salary tribute to feasting and French gastronomy.

Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps was asked astir nan outcry during an International Olympic Committee news convention connected Sunday.

'Clearly location was ne'er an volition to show disrespect to immoderate belief group. On nan contrary, I deliberation [with] Thomas Jolly, we really did effort to observe organization tolerance,' Descamps said.

'Looking astatine nan consequence of nan polls that we shared, we judge that this ambition was achieved. If group person taken immoderate discourtesy we are, of course, really, really sorry.'

Jolly explained his intentions to The Associated Press aft nan ceremony.

'My wish isn't to beryllium subversive, nor to mock aliases to shock,' Jolly said. 'Most of all, I wanted to nonstop a connection of love, a connection of inclusion and not astatine each to divide.'

LGBTQ+ athletes, though, seemed to person a whale of a time. British diver Tom Daley posted a photograph of himself recreating nan standout Kate Winslet-Leonardo DiCaprio segment from 'Titanic,' only pinch nan roles reversed: He was astatine nan boat's prow pinch arms outstretched, arsenic rower Helen Glover held him from behind.

When a elephantine metallic dome lifted to uncover singer Philippe Katerine reclining connected a crown of consequence and flowers, practically naked and painted blue, audiences who didn't deliberation he was Papa Smurf whitethorn person guessed that he represented Dionysus, nan Greek deity of vino and ecstasy.

But unless they speak French, they whitethorn not person caught nan cheekiness of his lyrics.

'Where to hide a revolver erstwhile you're wholly naked?' he sang, pointing down to his groin. 'I cognize wherever you're thinking. But that's not a bully idea.'

'No much rich | and mediocre erstwhile you spell backmost to being naked. Yes,' Katerine continued.

Decades aft Brigitte Bardot sang 'Naked successful nan Sun,' this was Paris' reminder that everyone starts life successful their day suit, truthful where's nan shame?