‘We ain’t going nowhere’ – Drag queen torchbearer shuts down criticism of Paris Olympics opening ceremony

A drag queen who featured as one of the torchbearers at the Paris Olympics has hit back at criticism directed at this summer’s opening ceremony, saying she ‘loves’ that it ‘ruffled some feathers’.

Nicky Doll, known for competing in season 12 of RuPaul’s Drag Race and hosting Drag Race France, was one of a select few chosen to carry the symbolic torch ahead of the Games.

She was also involved in the apparent portrayal of Leonardo DaVinci’s The Last Supper after Friday’s Parade of Nations on the River Seine. The scene, which included a diverse line-up at the iconic table, proved divisive with viewers, with Tesla CEO Elon Musk taking to X to label it ‘extremely disrespectful’ to Christians watching around the world.

Olympic organisers subsequently issued an apology for the controversial parody and footage of the moment was seemingly deleted from the Games’ official YouTube channel.

Follow Metro.co.uk’s live blog for updates from the Paris 2024 Olympics

‘Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. (The opening ceremony) tried to celebrate community tolerance,’ Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps told a press conference.

‘We believe this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offence we are really sorry.’

Meanwhile, Thomas Jolly, the artistic director behind Friday’s flamboyant ceremony, insisted the scene had not been inspired by DaVinci’s iconic mural painting, saying: ‘You will never find in my work a desire to denigrate anyone or anything.’

French performer Phillippe Katerine – perhaps better known as the ‘naked blue man’ – said he was ‘proud’ of the part he played in the controversial ceremony and Nicky Doll followed suit in a post to her Instagram stories on Monday.

Doll performed her latest single, ‘I Had a Dream’, during the ceremony and featured behind Katerine in the scene which has received so much criticism.

‘The opening ceremony did ruffle some feathers… and I LOVE it. You know why?’ she began.

‘Because the Olympics are the biggest stage in the world and us queer people have always been the audience of other people’s life and achievement and it is the time that were are welcome in the space.’

In an earlier post, Doll said it was an ‘honour’ to perform on the very biggest stage, putting ‘queerness on the screen’ of billions across the globe.

‘I had a dream, and that dream came to life yesterday. I had the dream that France would represent its people to the fullest on the world’s biggest stage, biggest show: The Opening Ceremony of the Olympics,’ she wrote.

‘It was my absolute honour to perform in front of billions of people around the world, and celebrate our Olympians.

‘And remember, to the ones that had their feathers ruffled seeing queerness on their screen: WE AIN’T GOING NOWHERE.’

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