« Terrorist organizations continue to plan and conduct terrorist activities throughout Burkina Faso. »
They continued: « The threat of kidnapping remains persistent throughout Burkina Faso, including in Ouagadougou and especially in the Sahel and East regions.
« Due to the risks, the U.S. government is unable to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in most of the country. U.S. government employees working in Burkina Faso are prohibited from traveling to regions outside the capital due to security concerns. »
Reason behind Olympic ‘Blue Scrotum’ performance at opening ceremony explained amid backlash from viewers
It’s since been cleared up what the Paris Olympics opening ceremony singer was dressed as and no, it wasn’t Papa
The Paris Olympics performer whose ‘blue scrotum’ performance faced intense scrutiny online has spoken out.
On July 26, the 2024 Paris Olympics kicked off with a jam-packed opening ceremony, unfortunately, social media users were left divided.
Some were left disappointed by the sound quality of Lady Gaga’s performance and others were confused and even outraged by the appearance of a singing ‘blue scrotum’ on top of a platter of fruit.
After seeing a gold domed lid give way to a man painted head-to-toe in blue, singing from his lying position on a platter of fruit, many viewers took to Twitter to weigh in.
« Who had seeing a blue scrotum on their Olympic opening ceremony bingo card. For teenagers of the 90s this is like Eurotrash the movie. Incroyable, » one user said.
Another wrote: « Horrific. »
And a third questioned: « That supposed to be Zeus? »
While many were simply confused, conservatives were outraged, taking the act as a mockery of the Last Supper – and subsequently Christianity.
However, it’s since been cleared up just what the singer was meant to be dressed as and what the performance all meant – and no, he wasn’t Papa Smurf, Zeus a scrotum or anything to do with the Last Supper.Artistic director of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, Thomas Jolly, told BFM TV that the last supper ‘wasn’t’ his ‘inspiration’ for the act.
Instead, the singer was meant to portray Dionysus – the god of wine, festivity, religious ecstasy and theatre – and the food and other drag queens standing around him were meant to represent them being at a ‘big pagan festival linked to the gods of Olympus’.
Dionysus himself – a.k.a. actor and singer Philippe Katerine – even addressed the controversy to Le Parisien.He explained: [Translation] « I wrote a song called ‘Nude’ and, while making it, I thought that for the Olympics, it would be good. During the first Olympic Games in Greece, the athletes were naked according to the representations of the time on engravings and vases. Nudity is really the very origin of the Games. At the beginning, they were naturist Olympics. So I sent my video, a little motivational tape to Thomas Jolly in February and he liked it. »
Katerine noted he’s ‘a bit of an exhibitionist’ and the performance is his ‘culture’ and he’s ‘proud’ of it.
The singer resolved: « We’re full of different people and everyone lives their own way and, above all, has the right to do so. I loved doing it.
« It’s the first time I sing this song, and I wanted to get my message across, which goes like this: ‘If we are naked, there is no war because there are no weapons.' »
‘Blue Scrotum’ performance leaves Olympic viewers shocked in what they say was the ‘worst opening ceremony ever’
« Who had seeing a blue scrotum on their Olympic opening ceremony bingo card? »
Viewers of the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony are in disbelief after seeing a ‘blue scrotum’ appear on screen.
Social media users may’ve taken to their keyboards in rage over the sound quality of Lady Gaga’s performance, but thankfully for her, the singer’s alleged technical difficulties have been overshadowed by the appearance of a ‘blue scrotum’ who appeared on top of a platter of fruit during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics in France.
If you don’t believe me, take a look for yourself:
A clip of the performance has been widely circulated online, showing a gold plated domed lid rising into the air to reveal a platter of fruit with a man, painted completely blue with a bright yellow beard, wearing a crown of fruit on his head and wreath around his waist. Other than that, seeming pretty much naked.
Lying down with one leg propped up, he then lifts up a microphone and begins to sing.
And it’s not taken long for viewers to flood to Twitter to weigh in.One user said: « Who had seeing a blue scrotum on their Olympic opening ceremony bingo card. For teenagers of the 90s this is like Eurotrash the movie. Incroyable. »
« Poppa Smurf when he was younger, » another added.
A third commented: « Horrific. »
« Right because I’ve always wondered what a blue scrotum looks like exactly I’m pretty sure the whole sane world let out a collective gasp at the sights and sounds of this depravity on display. Paris should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this and expecting the world to applaud this grossness, » a fourth wrote.
A fifth questioned: « That supposed to be Zeus? »
« I think Zeus would be offended. People are calling him a blue scrotum, which is probably closer to the truth, » another replied.
Sadly for Paris, it wasn’t just the ‘blue scrotum’, which led to bad reviews raining in online either.A user wrote: « This is the worst Olympic opening ceremony I have ever seen, it’s actually embarrassing. It is NOTHING to do with the sports and athletes, it’s just some random dancers getting all the airtime and the athletes get maybe five seconds per country? Ridiculous!!! »
« Am I the only one who thinks that the #OpeningCeremony is absolutely awful? What is actually going on?There is no coordination and everything is just messy. It’s like it’s been put together in seven days not seven years. The worst Opening Ceremony for an Olympics #Paris2024#OlympicGames, » a second added.
And a third resolved: « This has to be the worst, most pathetic, cringe worthy and embarrassing attempt at an opening ceremony I could ever imagine.. »
So, what do you think?
