How cancer-striken Olivia Newton-John was forced to defend iconic 'Grease' from woke cancel mob
SANTA YNEZ, CALIFORNIA: 'Grease', the 1987 musical starring Olivia Newton-John, and John Travolta, has come under the woke cancel culture's radar in recent times for its "sexist and anti-feminist" themes. However, Newton-John, who died on August 8 after a battle with cancer, defended the movie in recent times, saying people shouldn't take it "too seriously".
The most recent to take issues with the movie were students from Presbyterian Ladies' College (PLC) and Scotch College in Perth, who refused to take part in a play based on the musical as they found it offensive and anti-feminist.
The play was scheduled to be performed at the start of the year, just months before the tragic death of Newton-John, who co-starred with Travolta in the 1978 classic. PLC principal Cate Begbie and Scotch College acting headmaster Peter Burt issued a joint statement in November last year announcing their decision to cancel the musical. "A number of PLC students raised concerns about whether the musical was appropriate in modern times,'' it read.
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''Scotch College listened respectfully to the girls' concerns, and both schools agreed a different musical would be better suited for their joint production in 2022.'' It was reported that the girls at PLC told their teachers that they felt 'Grease' was "offensive, sexist and anti-feminist". Thus, they refused to participate.
Newton-John repeatedly defended the film in recent interviews, claiming that people should not take it "too seriously." "I think it's a little silly. I mean, this film was made in the 1970s, around the 1950s," she explained. "It was a stage play, a musical, and it was entertaining. It's a fun movie musical that shouldn't be taken too seriously," DailyMail reported.
''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 a fun movie that entertains people.'' 'Grease' was also shown on free-to-air TV in the UK earlier this year, eliciting similarly angry reactions from viewers. Many people said the film hadn't age well, accusing it of being "misogynistic,'' ''rapey,'' and encouraging ''slut-shaming.''
During a 2020 interview, Newton-John stated that she believed it conveyed a strong female character that was relevant in today's society. ''It's a movie. It's a story from the 50s where things were different,'' she said of its criticism. ''Everyone forgets that, at the end, he changes for her too. There's nothing deep in there about the #MeToo movement.''
The Grammy Award recipient lost her battle with breast cancer on August 8; she is survived by her husband John Easterling. Easterling revealed the actress' final request was for donations to be made to the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund ''in lieu of flowers''. The foundation funds research into plant-based medicine and holistic treatments for cancer.
