When it comes to men’s skimpy uniforms at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Melissa Rivers has seen enough.
“I do feel like there have been a number of times that we needed to pixelate, because there are children watching,” Rivers, 56, exclusively joked to Us Weekly on Thursday, August 8, while discussing the French pole vaulter Anthony Ammirati, who went viral after his bulge clipped the crossbar at a Olympic event earlier this month.
The actress added that, in addition to Ammirati’s widely shared footage, “a number of male athletes [have been] sharing their endowment with the world,” specifically citing the divers and track and field stars.
“The men’s diving uniforms have gotten a little on the really-too-small-size side,” she said. “I’m not a man, I don’t know how in your track and field uniform, which is all spandex, how one shows any modesty. I don’t even know what to say other than — I’m trying to be G-rated saying this — but wow. I’m seeing a lot more of our international male athletes than I really ever wanted to see.”
While Rivers acknowledged that some Olympians might be “embarrassed” by their NSFW attire, she thinks others are probably enjoying the attention.
“I have a feeling their Instagrams are blowing up with women just saying, ‘Please date me,’” she said.
Ammirati, 21, has certainly gotten a lot of attention since his crotch hindered his pole vaulting performance. (He ultimately placed 15th in the competition and failed to advance to the men’s pole vault final.) The adult entertainment company CamSoda offered him $250,000 in exchange for a 60-minute cam show.
“Although you didn’t bring home the gold medal, you can still capture the gold from your fans via CamSoda — that has to count for something, right?” CamSoda Vice President Daryn Parker wrote to Ammirati in a letter obtained by Us Weekly. “Plus, you won’t have those restrictive compression shorts holding you back, so feel free to let it all out and show the world why you should have your own Olympic competition next time around.”
Although Ammirati called the viral mishap a “big disappointment” while talking to the French Athletics Federation after the pole vault event, he’s also joked about the situation.
“POV: you create more buzz for your package than for your performances,” he wrote in French alongside a Monday, August 5, TikTok video of himself looking dazed while eating in the Olympic Village. The clip was set to sad music from SpongeBob SquarePants.
“I don’t really know if I should take it well or not 😂,” Ammirati added in the caption.
Tight and tiny uniforms aren’t the only Olympic trend Rivers has taken note of. The former Fashion Police cohost is impressed that athletes can compete with long nails, “flowing hair” and full faces of makeup.
“The whole jewelry and [long] nail thing seems to have always been kind of a look for the women of track and field. I don’t know how you even dial a phone like that,” she said. “How do they run with earrings and the flowing hair? And by the way, could [someone] explain to me how the gymnasts keep their makeup on and never look shiny or sweaty? … I can’t make it out of the house, let alone [do] the balance beam and not look like someone just ran me over with a truck. I wanna know what that setting spray is.”
Rivers also gave gold medalist Simone Biles a special shout-out.
“Her contour is perfect,” she said.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi