During an appearance on A Life of Greatness podcast Monday, the 72-year-old Australian actress shot down renewed criticism of the 1978 musical as silly. Grease is back in the spotlight nearly 43 years later after some social media users called out the pop culture mainstay s problematic themes, labeling it misogynistic, sexist, rapey and saying
the high school musical displays racism. The conversation was sparked on Twitter after the film was re-aired on BBC in the United Kingdom in December, according to the UK Express. Not only is Grease sexist (and rapey), it s also a terrible terrible film. I said what I said, one Twitter user said. Another tweeted: Ahhh man. Just watching #Grease one of my favourite films and it’s so of its time. Misogynistic, sexist and a bit rapey.
“We need to relax a little bit and just enjoy things for what they are.
“I didn’t see it like that at all. I think it’s just a fun movie that entertains people, that’s all.”
Grease is set in a 1950s US high school and tells of Sandy’s romance with John Travolta’s bad-boy character Danny Zuko.
When it was shown on Boxing Day there were complaints of misogyny from some young viewers. Others claimed the “Did she put up a fight?” line in the song Summer Nights made light of issues of sexual consent.
Olivia Newton-John has defended hit movie Grease against criticism that it s sexist (Image: Getty )
Olivia Newton-John Reacts to the Woke Criticism Surrounding Grease: It s Kind of Silly People 2/4/2021
Grease.
While appearing as a guest on the podcast
A Life of Greatness earlier this week, the 72-year-old actress responded to people who have criticized her popular film, calling the comments kind of silly.
Host Sarah Grynberg told Newton-John the movie came under recent scrutiny by some individuals who labeled it sexist and said it lacked diversity. Metro reports that the backlash appeared on Twitter after
Grease was shown on Boxing Day on BBC One in Australia.
Responding to critics of the 1978 film, Netwon-John said, I think in this particular instance, it s kind of silly because the movie was made in the 70s about the 50s. It was a stage play, it s a musical, it s fun. It s a fun movie musical and not [meant] to be taken so seriously.
John Travolta has teamed up with his daughter Ella to recreate a famous dance scene from Grease for a Super Bowl commercial.
The 66-year-old actor and his 20-year-old daughter were featured in the star-studded commercial for Scotts Miracle-Gro doing their own version of the hand jive.
John famously performed the dance in a scene from his iconic 1978 movie Grease, alongside Olivia Newton John.
Iconic: John Travolta has teamed up with his daughter Ella to recreate a famous dance scene from Grease for a Super Bowl commercial
Dance off: Olivia Newton-John as Sandy and John as Danny Zuko dance to Born To Hand Jive during a dance scene from the 1978 film Grease