The “fire crotch” joke has been cut from Mean Girls, but Reneé Rapp doesn’t even remember it to begin with.
“I feel like I’m the only person in the world who didn’t see this and who doesn’t know what we’re talking about,” Rapp, 24, said in her cover story for The Hollywood Reporter, published on Wednesday, February 18.
The actress, who played Regina George in the musical movie, was in attendance at the New York City premiere last month, as were Lindsay Lohan and Megan Thee Stallion. Rapp said she and her “It’s Not My Fault” collaborator sought out some liquid courage as they sat down to watch the flick.
“I think it’s because I was fairly drunk at the premiere and that was the only time I ever watched the movie,” Rapp admitted. “Because I don’t like watching stuff that I’m in because it freaks me out. It was me and Megan, next to each other, and I was like, ‘I’m so anxious.’ I immediately got into the theater, changed out of my little dress, put on a comfier one, sat down in the back. I was like, ‘We need two bottles of champagne.’ I was violently hungover the next day.”
While the “fire crotch” zinger didn’t stick with her, other memories of the film stood out. She added, “I must have had a great time. I remember seeing myself and being like, ‘My eyeliner looks amazing.’ And that’s all I recall.”
Unfortunately, Lohan, 37, remembered the line very well. “Lindsay was very hurt and disappointed by the reference in the film,” Leslie Sloane, a rep for Lohan, told Us Weekly last month.
Lohan and Megan, 28, both surprised fans with cameos in the movie, but it was Megan’s line that attracted attention. After Regina has an embarrassing moment while performing at the talent show, Megan is one of the social media commentators showing her support for Cady Heron (Angourie Rice), where she says, “Fire crotch is back.”
The line is seemingly in reference to Paris Hilton’s then-boyfriend Brandon Davis labeling Lohan — who played Cady in the original 2004 comedy — “fire crotch” during a 2006 rant, where the oil heir, now 45, made several derogatory remarks about the actress.
Viewers learned the joke was removed from Mean Girls when the digital release dropped on February 20.
While the controversy made headlines, Rapp has focused on the positive, like collaborating with the “Savage” rapper.
“She’s someone who I’ve idolized for a long time, since she was doing music videos and mixtapes on the f–king top of the parking garage, in that little tan top,” the “Snow Angel” singer told THR. “And it’s really nice for someone who’s like Meg to be so f–king sick, and such a badass, and to celebrate and uplift other girls. She cares. She’s a good f–king friend. She’s a check-in friend, which is really cool. And it’s comforting to talk to her too about having anxiety. I’ll text her, I’ll be like, ‘I’m petrified.’ And she’ll be like, ‘It’s cool, I’m here. I’m scared too, but look, I’m going to be at the same thing. And so, at least we’ll have each other.”
