The Olympics are over. On Sunday, at the closing ceremony, Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, handed the Olympic flag to Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee, before he handed it off to Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles. During these Paris Games, American organizers have been watching every detail of the French organization, drawing lessons for their own Games in 2028.
At the foot of the Hollywood Hills, a stone’s throw from the legendary glamour of Beverly Hills, the small town of West Hollywood in Los Angeles County is the symbol of an art of living where energy is combined with creativity, extravagance with refinement. Visiting Paris with a municipal delegation, its Democratic mayor, John M. Erickson, elected in 2020, looks back on the Parisian experience and lifts the veil on his ambitions for the 2028 Games.
The Point: To begin, can you share your impressions of the Paris Games? What words would you use to describe what you saw?
John M. Erickson : The first words that come to mind are elegance, grace and grandeur. Attending a beach volleyball match with the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop is a unique experience. The whole of Paris seems to vibrate to the rhythm of these sporting competitions that take place in the most emblematic places of the city. I had the opportunity to visit a salon at the Maison de l’Amérique latine [un espace VIP pour suivre les épreuves et se restaurer, loin des fan-zones animées, NDLR]. There was incredible food, wine, cheeses of all kinds, beautiful gardens, a screen and a stage. It was an enriching experience in many ways. What struck me the most was how the Parisians were able to use existing infrastructure and buildings to create completely new and immersive spaces dedicated to these games.
What did you think of the opening ceremony?
Unfortunately, I didn’t have the chance to be there, and I had to be content to watch this magnificent ceremony on television, but even through this screen, the emotion and grandeur of the moment was palpable. Despite the rain, this moment was full of poetry. Each country, with its own specificity, brought a unique touch to the whole. The fluid transition between the different elements and the people who paraded was simply incredible.
Do you find it understandable that American conservatives have taken up arms, believing that they saw in the festive banquet of Dionysus, played by Philippe Katerine, a mockery of the Last Supper?
You know, conservatives love to create controversy out of almost nothing. That seems to be the nature of things when it comes to progressive events like the Games. Regardless, I thought this performance was simply fabulous. It’s also important to recognize that the current political climate in the United States is extremely polarized; there will always be voices on both sides of the ideological divide.
West Hollywood, for example, is home to so many people with diverse identities, diverse cultures, many of whom are LGBT. This celebration of diversity, as presented in this Dionysus banquet, is something that I find admirable. It was a magnificent performance, and I applaud this glorification of plurality. We even had the opportunity to speak with the artist who embodied Dionysus.
READ ALSO Opening ceremony: Philippe Katerine asks for “forgiveness from the offended Christians of the world”On social media, Americans have wondered how Los Angeles could surpass Paris, sarcastically suggesting an opening ceremony on Highway 110, the four-lane highway that runs through the city. What do you say to your compatriots?
Let’s not kid ourselves, it’s going to be hard to top Paris. Paris gave the world an opening ceremony of rare splendor, but Los Angeles has a cultural richness and diversity that is just as impressive. Every city has its own character, and every opening ceremony is a unique reflection of that spirit. Our challenge in Los Angeles will be to create an event that lives up to our city and its history, and hopefully deliver something as breathtaking as what Paris has achieved. Obviously, we can’t recreate an Eiffel Tower in California, and we don’t have a river running through our city. All of this is still in the design stages, and we’ll have to find ingenious ways to make it spectacular. Right now, no specific ideas have emerged, but iconic venues like the Coliseum could very well be at the center of our thinking. It’s a tall order, and the pressure is definitely on. The city is under the eyes of the world, but I’m confident. We have everything you need to deliver something unforgettable.
We’re Los Angeles, and we have our own way of shining.John M. Erickson
Faced with the architectural assets of Paris, how will you go about making Los Angeles shine?
We don’t have any of that, but we do have what the world knows and admires through film: Hollywood, art and culture. Los Angeles is Hollywood Hill, the famous Hollywood Sign, and the movie studios. Our real asset, our secret weapon, is the star power that makes Hollywood shine. The opening ceremony will be a celebration of what makes Los Angeles unique: its cinematic icons and the presence of all those celebrities who embody the spirit of our city. This will amplify our impact, giving the world a spectacle that matches the grandeur of LA. We will play to our unique strengths, and it will necessarily be different from Paris, because we are not Paris. We are Los Angeles, and we have our own way of shining.
READ ALSO Tom Cruise, the ultimate stunt of the Paris 2024 Olympics The West Hollywood City Council commissioned you to identify best practices for hosting a Pride House in West Hollywood. You visited the Rosa Bonheur barge on the banks of the Seine. What did you think of it?
We are incredibly impressed with what Paris Pride House has created as a safe haven for all, and a central venue to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community while honoring the individuality of all athletes. We look forward to welcoming the world to West Hollywood, California and Pride House in 2028!
America is very socially polarized. By wanting to highlight LGBT+ diversity, aren’t you afraid of widening this gap in American society or, on the contrary, do you think that it can be unifying?
I am not afraid of division or discord. What we do best in West Hollywood and within the LGBT+ community, and what Pride House accomplishes with its goal, is to show that everyone has a place. To me, that is what the Olympics are all about. The Olympics are not only a celebration of sporting excellence, but also a celebration of cultures from around the world. Los Angeles and West Hollywood are incredibly diverse places, and that diversity is our greatest strength, despite the political polarization in the United States. The strength of the LGBT community is to unite and welcome with Pride House. Sport and the Olympics will be able to highlight that diversity to bring more and more people together.
LGBT+ communities are well-promoted in the United States. Wouldn’t it be more relevant to give more visibility to groups that we hear less about, such as Native Americans?
Absolutely. Showcasing Native American history is crucial to ensuring that the full cultural richness of Los Angeles, California, and the United States is represented. It is essential to go back to the roots, to recognize and honor this culture that is an integral part of our collective history.
Los Angeles, like other cities, has security problems. What are your plans to ensure the safety of the future presence of tourists and Olympic spectators?
We are in full observation, and what strikes me most in France is the very significant presence of security devices. Although some prefer not to see it, I personally feel very reassured by this presence, because it means that everything is taken extremely seriously. Yesterday, coming back from the basketball game, I felt safe in the subway, it was very pleasant. You know, we invest in the safety of people in our subway, as well as in West Hollywood. It must be admitted, however, that extending this to the entire region is going to be a major challenge. Los Angeles is one of the 88 cities within the precincts of LA County. This is why our sheriffs are training in France.
READ ALSO Yes, the Paris 2024 Olympics were a total success! In the collective imagination, Hollywood is the film industry, the Walk of Fame and Hollywood in big letters on a hillside. Do you already have a vision to make the city and its inhabitants shine beyond the clichés?
When people come to Los Angeles, they want to see a celebrity, or visit a movie studio, or immerse themselves in the glamour of Hollywood. That’s the strength of West Hollywood, and of course, we also like to offer other images of our city. But that iconic side is an integral part of our identity, and we want to keep that. It’s also clear that we also like to give other images.
Los Angeles or California is also our vast natural resources, our mountains and our beaches. I believe that the surf competition will be held in Malibu, a great opportunity to discover our coastline. We may not have monuments like the Eiffel Tower, but we have our iconic beaches, where people walk and have fun. It is this unique combination of glamour and nature that I would like the whole world to see and appreciate.
