Rolling Stone: Olympics Closing Ceremony
The highly anticipated Paris Olympics closing ceremony featured an energetic performance by various artists, including Billie Eilish, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Snoop Dogg, and H.E.R. The event was held on Sunday at the Stade de France and aimed to usher in the handover to LA28, which will host the summer Olympics in 2028.
Pre-Ceremony Performances
Before the main event, H.E.R. took center stage to perform the United States national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner," live from Paris. She was dressed in white and played the guitar, delivering a pitch-perfect performance accompanied by red, white, and blue spotlights.
Tom Cruise’s Unexpected Entrance
After the national anthem, cameras panned to the rim of the stadium, where Tom Cruise suddenly appeared and rappelled down to the floor. The actor shook hands with athletes, including Simone Biles, and proceeded to grab the Olympics flag, which he attached to the back of his motorcycle. Cruise then drove off, marking the start of the pre-taped segment.
The LA28 Handover
The pre-taped footage showed Cruise on a phone call, telling someone, "I’m on my way," before jumping from an airplane and parachuting into a field. He then rushed up a hill, changed into different clothing, and completed various tasks before joining cyclist Kate Courtney, who repped the U.S. at the 2020 Tokyo games. Together, they took the flag to the LA Memorial Coliseum, where Red Hot Chili Peppers’ "By the Way" played.
Main Event
The main event took place at the beach, where Red Hot Chili Peppers performed "Can’t Stop" before Billie Eilish, who also performed at the beach on a lifeguard lookout, delivered "Birds of a Feather" with Finneas. Snoop Dogg, who served as a correspondent during the Paris games, appeared in Team USA Olympics garb to perform "Drop It Like It’s Hot" in the sand. He was later joined by Dr. Dre for "The Next Episode."
Conclusion
The Paris Olympics closing ceremony was an energetic and entertaining event that showcased the creativity and talent of various artists. The event’s creative direction was handled by Ben Winston, who aimed to highlight the heartbeat of LA28 and the spirit of the Olympics.
FAQs
Q: Who performed at the Paris Olympics closing ceremony?
A: Billie Eilish, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Snoop Dogg, H.E.R., and others.
Q: What was the theme of the closing ceremony?
A: The event aimed to usher in the handover to LA28, which will host the summer Olympics in 2028.
Q: What was Tom Cruise’s role in the ceremony?
A: Cruise made an unexpected entrance, rappelling down from the stadium and participating in a pre-taped segment.
Q: What was the significance of the Olympics flag being passed from France to the United States?
A: The handover symbolized the transfer of the Olympic Games from one host country to another.
Q: Who was the creative director behind the LA28 handover segment?
A: Ben Winston was the creative director of the LA28 handover segment.
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