icymi: 2024 paris olympics opening ceremony
The opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics was a long but memorable 4 hour-long show.
The ceremony started outside the stadium (the first time in modern history) and had athletes of every competing country (200!!) sailing down the River Seine for their introductions all while getting drenched in rain. If you missed it and would rather turn to the internet for the pop culture and fashion CliffsNotes, here they are:
Snoop Dogg was a special correspondent for the broadcast on NBC and Peacock and had the time of his life doing it. He danced, held the Olympic torch and at one point even got a shoutout from French rapper Rim'K! If Snoop is a commentator, we’ll be tuning in.
As a lady who always commits to a theme, Gaga sang a French song and danced a French dance with pom poms rented by a real French cabaret theater.
The only one affected by the rain was this dancer who recovered quickly. TBH I didn’t even notice while I was watching:
LeBron James and Coco Gauff were the chosen flagbearers aboard the USA boat for the Parade of Athletes. People on the internet had a lot of funny things to say about it:
I didn’t even think I liked metal music but after seeing Gojira’s fire-y performance featuring a headless Marie-Antoinette, I may need to reconsider:
A fashion show and drag performance resembling what some thought was the Last Supper, caused some controversy but nonetheless was a huge moment for queens. Drag Race France host Nicky Doll got to perform her newest single, ‘I had a dream’.
Beyoncé helped introduce Team USA in a special video package that aired only in primetime during NBC’s coverage. According to People, her hand-painted Stuart Weitzman knee-high leather boots were embellished with 1,000 crystals by designer Kerin Rose Gold. “Give it up for Team USA!”
Icon Celine Dion closed out the ceremony with a moving performance at the Eiffel Tower after 4 years of being away from the stage due to her ongoing battle with stiff person syndrome (SPS). She was perfection in her haute couture dress that according to Vogue France, took over 1,000 hours to create.