NASCAR's Kenny Wallace stands firm on Olympics boycott: "That's the price they pay when they insult 1.6 billion people"

Kenny Wallace, former NASCAR driver and racing analyst for FOX Sports, has recently made headlines for his strong stance on the 2024 Paris Olympics. In the latest episode of his YouTube show, "Coffee with Kenny," Wallace explained his reasons for not watching the global sports event.

The 2024 Paris Olympics started on July 26 and is scheduled to run till August 11. The opening ceremony of the Games was held on July 26 and seemingly upset many, including Wallace. A performance during the ceremony came under the scanner after it allegedly resembled Leonardo da Vinci’s "Last Supper" painting.

Christian groups online and other people like Donald Trump and Elon Musk were seemingly offended by the performance with many calling it a parody of the Last Supper. Wallace claimed on his YouTube channel this was an "insult to 1.6 billion people" and that he wouldn't watch the Olympics.

"Many people are boycotting the Olympics but that's the price they pay over there when they, uh, when they insult 1.6 billion people," Wallace said (6:13).

"I'm not watching the Olympics and I feel bad for those great athletes because, you know, those athletes have worked their whole life. They deserve to be seen," he added.

Critics allege that actor and singer-songwriter Philippe Katerine, who was painted blue and wore only a few flowers, portrayed the Greek god of wine, Dionysus. Watch the performance below:

Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the opening ceremony at the Paris Olympics, defended the performance and claimed he intended to promote inclusion and diversity.

“My wish isn’t to be subversive, nor to mock or to shock...Most of all, I wanted to send a message of love, a message of inclusion and not at all to divide,” Jolly said (via AP).

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Kenny Wallace surprised by boycott impact

Former NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace claimed in the same video that he was surprised by the impact of his words and said that he underestimated his influence.

"Sometimes I underestimate my power," he admitted (3:44).

"It's just me, Kenny. I don't think that much of myself that I'm going to be national news." (4:30)

In an earlier episode, Wallace said he was boycotting the 2024 Paris Olympics because of its opening ceremony.

"I said, 'I don't think I'm going to watch the Olympics because I don't like how they started that deal,'" Wallace explained (1:53).

He added that his YouTube manager Charlie informed him that a few national news channels picked up his comments and turned them into headlines.