Candace Cameron Bure, known for her role on *Full House* and her outspoken Christian faith, has sparked controversy with her criticism of a drag performance during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Bure described the performance, which some have compared to Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” as “completely blasphemous” and “disgusting.” Her remarks have drawn both support and criticism from various quarters, including from her former co-star Jodie Sweetin.
Bure, a former co-host of *The View*, took to Instagram over the weekend to express her disapproval. “It made me so sad,” she wrote. “And someone said, ‘You shouldn’t be sad. You should be mad about it.’ I’m like, ‘Trust me, it makes me mad, but I’m more sad because I’m sad for souls.’” She continued, “I pray for my heart to break over what breaks God’s heart and I just think about all the people that have rejected the gospel of Jesus Christ or don’t know the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
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In response to Bure’s critique, Jodie Sweetin has appeared to address the situation indirectly through social media. Sweetin, who is also a vocal LGBTQ activist, shared a series of Instagram stories featuring posts from influencer Matt Bernstein. Bernstein’s posts highlighted alleged hypocrisy in the criticisms of the drag performance, drawing comparisons between the negative responses and the broader context of the Olympics.
On July 28, Paris Olympics organizers responded to the backlash regarding the opening ceremony performance. They apologized to anyone who was offended and clarified that the performance was not intended as a reinterpretation of “The Last Supper.” Instead, the organizers defended the performance as an interpretation of the Greek god Dionysus, meant to symbolize the absurdity of violence among humans.
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“The interpretation of the Greek God Dionysus makes us aware of the absurdity of violence between human beings,” the Olympics organizers stated. Despite this explanation, Bure remained unconvinced. In a follow-up post, she criticized the organizers’ defense, saying, “[He] is a god of lust, insanity, religious ecstasy, ritual madness, etc. I still don’t see how that relates to unifying the world through competitive sports and acceptable for children to watch.” She concluded, “In any case, I’m not buying it.”
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Bure’s Instagram post received a range of reactions. One of the leading comments, which had garnered over 270 likes at the time of writing, advised Bure to “loosen the clutch on your pearls.” The commenter argued that the performance was a reflection of Greek mythology, with references to Bacchus, also known as Dionysus, and Sequana, the goddess of the Seine. “The Olympics are from Greece,” the comment read. “The diction at the table was of a Greek Bacchanal. Loosen the clutch on your pearls. If you don’t understand Greek history, maybe don’t try and dismantle the Department of Education.”
Another commenter succinctly stated, “The world does not revolve around your particular beliefs.”
The performance in question featured DJ and producer Barbara Butch wearing a silver headdress resembling a halo, flanked by drag artists and dancers, and took place on the Debilly Bridge. Bure was not alone in her disapproval; comedian and former *SNL* cast member Rob Schneider also voiced his objections. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Schneider announced that he would be boycotting the remainder of the Paris Games. “I am sorry to say to all the world’s greatest athletes, I wish you all the best, but I cannot watch an Olympics that disrespects Christianity and openly celebrates Satan,” Schneider wrote. “I sincerely hope these Olympics get the same amount of viewers as CSPAN.”
