John Travolta had one job last night: redeem himself for last year’s Adele Dazeem flub.
Spoiler alert: he didn’t do his job.
Throughout the night, the artist formerly known as Danny Zuko blessed and baffled viewers with some miscalculated public behavior. Here’s the breakdown.
On the Red Carpet: Why with the touching?
Travolta got started early. Upon seeing old costar Scarlett Johansson, he began his night of being too touchy by placing his hand on her waist and planting a kiss on her cheek.
Ever graceful, ScarJo dealt with the encounter with her signature composure, but the cameras don’t lie: she was rightly confused as to what exactly was happening. Uh, nice to see you too, John?
Onstage: WHY, WITH THE TOUCHING???
Travolta incited perhaps the most meme-able moment of last year’s Oscars when he mistakenly called actress Idina Menzel “Adele Dazeem” when introducing her.
Last night, both acknowledged the moment with good humor, and yes, Idina got sweet revenge, introducing him as “Galom Gazingo.”
But presentation wasn’t without it’s weirdness: Travolta came out and, before announcing the nominees, he pawned at the Frozen star’s face and chin. Why was he touching everyone?
Neil Patrick Harris even acknowledged it in his hacky “predictions briefcase” bit: he wrote that Travolta would have to return in 2016 to apologize for “all the face-touching.” You’re playing into his hands, NPH!
After the Oscars: Travolta has no regrets, is still touching people.
Travolta headed over to Jimmy Kimmel after the ceremony to discuss his night, and acknowledged that his second public run-in with Idina Menzel had already gotten people talking.
“[It’s] what I did with Idina — apparently I played with her chin too much,” he said after pulling Kimmel’s chin too close in a nod to the gaffe. He explained it was because he felt unprepared for the onscreen moment, but does being unprepared really magnetize the nearest woman’s chin?
“The beautiful news is that she told me she had one of the best years of her life and credits me for that,” Travolta said.
Sure, John, it wasn’t the fact that she starred in the most popular children’s movie of this decade. It was you.
Til next year, Galom!
