Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3112: John Travolta Chin Holding and Face Touching Idina Menzel at the Oscars - What Makes it Extra-Creepy (PHOTOS)

John Travolta was given a chance at the Oscars to redeem himself for his last year's mispronunciation of Idina Menzel's name. Yet this time he gave everyone the creeps. Indeed, if this video isn't difficult to watch - you have an empathy deficit (no exaggeration). What follows is a partial nonverbal analysis.

Note angle of Idina Menzel's back vs. Travolta's. Also compare their necks - Idina's neck has to be pretty much straight up because of the considerable angle of her back - yet Travolta's head/neck is tilted towards her. Menzel feels invaded and is doing a fairly good job at disguising it (yet all her smiles are feigned) - however for those who know what to look for, her body language can be seen sending beacons of discomfort.

Travolta does not want to let her go - he holds on to her, repeatedly pulling Ms. Menzel close.

And Travolta continues ....

This is so very uncomfortable to watch. Touching another person in such a public context when there is no close relationship. 

Idina Menzel turns away from Travolta - both because of the grand stage and context of the Academy Awards, the camera, etc. - but also because she is emotionally uncomfortable. 

Travolta's hand has also moved up to her cheek and temple region. This is very intimate. Touching in this area is reserved for only those with whom we have affection and love.

Major. Red. Flag.

Menzel continues to look towards the audience, yet Travolta's faux pas continue ...

Travolta then reaches for Idina's chin again to manually rotate it back to HIM - (e.g. "don't look at the audience and the hundreds of millions of viewers, look at ME!)

Chin Holding - Part Deux 

Idina turns away, yet Travolta still holds on ...

Travolta finally lets go of Idina's chin
(this time holding it for 7 seconds)

He still feels the need to touch Ms. Menzel's upper arm - while Idina's fingers are interlaced wtih anxiety.

Now Travolta's hand has moved to Idina's lower back (perhaps even her upper butt).










Face touching - and particularly chin-holding as Travolta did here, when there is no close and loving relationship and basis for true affection - is three (or more) standard deviations removed from normal behavior. These are varieties of false-intimacy. Outside the context of sincere affection, chin and face holding indicates an objectification and even a de-humanizing emotional mindset. Search your memory - such nonverbal signs have even been used in film to underscore evil characters and their malicious motives. Creepy.
See also:

Nonverbal Communication No. 3110: Scarlett Johansson gets invaded by John Travolta - An Awkward Moment from the 2015 Oscars - Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3111: Dakota Johnson rips into her Mom, Melanie Griffith at Oscars

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2268:  Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Kathryn Bigelow & Jessica Chastain - Body Language at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2314:  Naomi Watts Pre-Oscar Interview and her  Body Language of the "Jaw Confessional" and the Sincerity Quotient

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2993: Fight in Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport - Passengers Break Up Homophobic Attack - Threat Assessment Warning Signs

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret No. 1212:  Invading Barack Obama's Personal Space  

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2203:  A Body Language Metric of Intimacy and Affection -  How Do YOU cuddle?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2831: "Walking Contest", Anxiety, Mirroring and False Intimacy

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3087: Idina Menzel & How to Make a Likeable Person More Likeable - Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Best known for playing Elsa in Disney's "Frozen" or for playing Elphaba in the Broadway musical "Wicked" - today Idina Menzel sung the National Anthem before a little game called the Super Bowl.
 
The image above is from earlier in the week during one of the many pre-game press conferences (Thursday 29 Jan 2015). The NFL chose wisely (one of their few such decisions this year) when they picked a Plexiglas lectern (some erroneously refer to it as a podium). Regardless of the nomenclature though, the fact that it is clear allows us to see more of the speaker. The more we can see of whoever is speaking - the more we trust them. This greater visibility readily translates into increased likeability and thus more marketability.

This has become a small but significant trend in the last few years - yet not nearly enough. Politicians, CEOs and anyone who makes regular or even occasional but important speeches should purchase a similarly transparent lectern and make it part of their leadership/press appearance wardrobe - for though it seems just a small thing to some, it certainly engenders significant rapport and its value should not be underestimated.

The use of a Plexiglas lectern is not a pure body language display - it's an adjunct. And there are of course many, many nonverbal signals a person can use which will build rapport and likeability ... or destroy them.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3086: Katy Perry's Super Bowl XLIX press conference highlights - A Key Body Language Tell

Negotiation Body Language Secret No. 919:  How Newt Gingrich Stands Influences Voters

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2440:  Vladimir Putin Dials Up His Alpha ... Foot Position, Projecting Leadership,  Confidence & Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2490:  Hillary Clinton and the Two-Handed Point -  The American Bar Association, Body Language and  Variations on a Theme

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