Olivia Newton-John responds to recent Grease discourse, says people need to "relax"

By Tatiana Tenreyro  |  February 5, 2021 | 4:45pm
Film Features Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John responds to recent Grease discourse, says people need to "relax"
Screenshot: Paramount Pictures

Grease hasn’t aged perfectly, to say the least. Besides it being painfully obvious that everyone who attends Rydell High is somehow way past their 20s, there are many moments that make the movie hard to watch: There’s the troublesome lyric in “Summer Nights” wherein the male backups ask whether or not Sandy “put up a fight.”; a creepy radio announcer who actually tried to slip high schooler Marty Maraschino a date rape drug at the school dance; Danny even tries to force himself on Sandy, who rebuffs him. The list goes on.

The movie was shown on BBC in the UK over the holidays, so people took to social media to point out how deeply problematic it is. The Daily Express even had a clickbait-y article saying that Grease “could be banned from British TV” after the backlash. (No, Grease is not getting banned and the song medley will continue to be inescapable, I’m sorry.)

Now, Olivia Newton-John addressed the complaints. While on the Australian podcast A Life Of Greatness, she said, “I think it’s kind of silly. I mean, this movie was made in the ‘70s about the ‘50s.” She added that everyone “needs to relax a little bit and just enjoy things for what they are.”

Piers Morgan of all people also decided to weigh in on people’s complaints, saying “we should ban the woke bloody idiots who want [Grease] banned.” Not sure how banning them works but sure.

Regardless of how Newton-John feels about the movie, maybe it’s time to finally listen to Drew Barrymore and recognize that Grease 2 is superior.

 
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