Grease Live, an Attempt at Diversity

While Grease Live was an exciting and entertaining event, the inclusion of Keke Palmer as fun and loose Marty, was entirely off putting. It seems that Palmer, a talented singer and actress, was cast to add diversity to the majority white show. By casting Palmer as Marty, a sexy and suggestive teen, Grease Live reinforced the stereotype of black women as hyper-sexual. Marty's league of suitors and sultry style seem fun and free spirited, but in reality, the network's determination to perpetuate negative black stereotypes manifest itself in Palmer's casting leaving viewers to wonder why was the only black lead cast as the slut?