Travolta 'beating self up' over Oscar name mangle

Published March 5, 2014
Actor John Travolta departs the Oscars at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 2, 2014 in Hollywood, California. – Photo by AFP
Actor John Travolta departs the Oscars at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 2, 2014 in Hollywood, California. – Photo by AFP

LOS ANGELES: John Travolta said Tuesday he has been feeling terrible over his much-ridiculed Oscars mangling of singer Idina Menzel's name – but concluded she would want him to “Let it Go.”

The actor triggered a storm of online mockery – including an app to “Travoltify” your own name – after mispronouncing the star's name as he introduced her performance of the Oscar-winning song "Let it Go” from Disney hit Frozen. The Grease and Saturday Night Fever star inexplicably called her “the wickedly talented, one and only ... Adele Dazeem,” at the 86th Academy Awards on Sunday.

“I've been beating myself up all day,” Travolta said in a statement released by his publicist. “Then I thought...what would Idina Menzel say, she'd say, Let it go, let it go!”

"Idina is incredibly talented and I am so happy Frozen took home two Oscars Sunday night!” he added.

Frozen won best animated feature, while “Let it Go” won best original song.

As well as a tsunami of ridicule on social media, including an “Adele Dazeem Name Generator” app to suggest how Travolta would introduce you – his embarrassing flub also provided publicity puffs for a couple of shows featuring Menzel.

Broadway show If/Then, in which she stars, tweeted a picture of her Monday captioned “You know her name! Idina Menzel stars in If/Then on Broadway, March 5.”

Online video service Netflix meanwhile quoted Travolta's name flub to promote its streaming of the 2005 film adaptation in which Menzel reprised her role in the Broadway musical Rent.

Opinion

Editorial

China security ties
Updated 14 Nov, 2024

China security ties

If China's security concerns aren't addressed satisfactorily, it may affect bilateral ties. CT cooperation should be pursued instead of having foreign forces here.
Steep price
14 Nov, 2024

Steep price

THE Hindu Kush-Himalayan region is in big trouble. A new study unveiled at the ongoing COP29 reveals that if high...
A high-cost plan
14 Nov, 2024

A high-cost plan

THE government has approved an expensive plan for FBR in the hope of tackling its deep-seated inefficiencies. The...
United stance
Updated 13 Nov, 2024

United stance

It would've been better if the OIC-Arab League summit had announced practical measures to punish Israel.
Unscheduled visit
13 Nov, 2024

Unscheduled visit

Unusual IMF visit shows the lender will closely watch implementation of programme goals to prevent it from derailing.
Bara’s businesswomen
13 Nov, 2024

Bara’s businesswomen

Bara’s brave women have proven that with the right support, societal barriers can be overcome.