Country music artist Garth Brooks said Monday that he thought the 2024 Olympic Opening Ceremony in Paris was “great,” begging the question: Did he even see it?
The ceremony went viral in late July because it was one of the most bizarre, unsettling, disrespectful and downright weird displays of … I don’t even know what to call it. At one point, an almost-naked blue Smurf man appears in front of a rendition of The Last Supper, acted by a group of drag queens.
“I thought it was great …” Brooks told NBC’s Maria Taylor. “I can tell you this, outside looking at France, how they’re reflecting their country to the rest of the world is beautiful.”
It’s always a great time when I get to interview my friend @garthbrooks ☺️
Thank you for stopping by Late Night In Paris! https://t.co/jQcqKNj6oU pic.twitter.com/KF2lx4lNUz
— Maria Taylor (@MariaTaylor) August 6, 2024
“If you’re going to get the gold medalist of all singers, Celine Dion, oh my gosh. What a performance,” he continued (and it’s hard to disagree with him here). (RELATED: Cody Johnson Claims He’s In Movie Talks With Taylor Sheridan)
“And I gotta tell you, you might think this is totally crazy, I think that sets the tone for the games. And I think that set the tone for everything. The level of excellence, that bar was set pretty high,” he noted. Again, it is hard to disagree with him.
WASHINGTON, DC – DECEMBER 04: Singer Garth Brooks attends a reception for the 2022 Kennedy Center honorees hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden, at the White House on December 04, 2022 in Washington, DC. This year’s honorees include actor and filmmaker George Clooney; singer-songwriter Amy Grant; singer Gladys Knight; composer Tania León; and Irish rock band U2, comprised of band members Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 10: Garth Brooks attends the 2022 Music City Walk of Fame Induction Ceremony at Music City Walk of Fame Park on October 10, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – AUGUST 29: Country artist Garth Brooks throws out the first pitch prior to a game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on August 29, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 20: Singer-songwriter and past Gershwin Prize recipient Garth Brooks performs at the 2024 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song on March 20, 2024 at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, DC. (Photo by Shannon Finney/Getty Images)
The Olympics has been a bizarre nightmare since the start. Triathletes were forced to compete in filthy, sewage-filled waters in the River Seine. An apparent man was allowed to beat the crap out of women for sport. Twice. (RELATED: ‘This Is Unjust!’: Female Olympian Withdraws 46 Seconds Into Forced Fight Against Man)
“France’s art, that they give to the world, I think, is all of a sudden discovered again. And I gotta tell ya, if I’m France, I’m very proud, and let me tell ya from outside France, you should be very proud,” Brooks added.
I don’t think he’s joking.
