Parents Livid Over Live Grinch Performance

Parents Livid Over Live Grinch Performance

By Movieguide® Staff

Parents were less than thrilled over Matthew Morrison’s performance as the Grinch in NBC’s live-action production that aired on Dec. 9.

“That was horrific. My children had nightmares last night. That didn’t even look like the grinch!” one Twitter user wrote.

Other people complained that the GLEE alum’s performance was too sexual for such a wholesome and classic role.

“Sending matthew morrison the bill for all the therapy I’ll need after watching his bizarrely sexual interpretation of the grinch,” one person tweeted.

“Mathew Morrison is being sexual in the grinch. It’s a choice. A good one? No,” another tweeted.

According to The Wrap, the Matthew Morrison-starring Dr. Seuss special, which was prerecorded and aired from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., averaged a 0.6 rating among adults 18-49 and 2.5 million total viewers. Those Nielsen numbers are nowhere near what NBC’s live musicals have done in previously years.

While Morrison’s Grinch reviews are less than favorable, there’s no reason why families must accept his poor performance over some of the movie renditions of the popular Christmas story.

For example, THE GRINCH and DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS both contain sweet messages of forgiveness and reconciliation.

THE GRINCH was actually named the Best Movie for Families at the 27th Annual Movieguide® Gala and Report to the Entertainment Industry.

“At its core, it’s a story about the transformative power of forgiveness and grace,” THE GRINCH Director Yarrow Cheney said. “It’s this terrible character, this terrible guy, this villain, is transformed by the unearned kindness of others, of this little girl, and his witnessing this grace that he has been resisting his whole life. Specifically for a Christian audience, that is the core of Christmas – that reconciliation through grace. That’s also at the core of this story.”

So for parents looking for a sweet Christmas production to share with their children, forgo the NBC production and instead watch one of the GRINCH movies. Your children will thank you.