John Travolta Sorry for ‘Travolta-izing’ Idina Menzel’s Name
John Travolta is sorry for pulling a ‘Travolta’ on Idina Menzel at the Oscars.
The chagrined Hollywood star apologized for mangling Tony winner Idina Menzel’s name as he introduced her performance of the song “Let It Go” at the Oscars.
Travolta, 60, said he’s been “beating myself up” over the gaffe during Sunday night’s broadcast.
He randomly called the Jewish performer “Adele Dazeem.”
“Then I thought … What would Idina Menzel say? She’d say, ‘Let it go, let it go!’” he added in a statement.
Menzel sang the hit from the animated film “Frozen” after the cringeworthy intro. It went on to win the Oscar for Best Song.
Travolta’s slip sparked a meme on social media where anyone’s name can be “Travolta-ized” into weird and nonsensical variations. Slate even launched an interactive widget that let users “Travoltify” their name.
Wait, wait wait! My Travoltafied name is “Blaine Mceeezald”! Life is good. And wasn’t Adele Dazeem fabulous?
— Bette Midler (@BetteMidler) March 5, 2014
Menzel, 42, starred in “Rent” and “Wicked” on Broadway and is in previews for her new show, “If/Then.”
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.
If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO