Olivia Newton-John has been busy in the last few years with her Vegas Residency at the Flamingo, three albums and a new one on the way, and in her free time she devotes the proceeds and countless hours to her Cancer Wellness charities. On Aug 15th, she was on hand on Hollywood for Grease’s 40th anniversary. Here is my interview that was printed in the Seattle Gay News on Aug 19, 2016.
MK Scott: Olivia, thanks for joining us! First, I wanted to congratulate you on your 50th year in show business.
Olivia Newton-John: Oh, thank you! Yea!
MK: It’s gone by so quickly!
ONJ: I’m very lucky; it has for me, I don’t know about you!
MK: Well, especially since it’s been almost 40 years since Grease, and I remember that so well!
ONJ: Yes, yes, it’s been a long time since that as well; it’s all been a wonderful great journey!
MK: Yes, and your Las Vegas show just keeps on getting extended and extended at the Flamingo.
ONJ: Yes. It’s been a lot of fun!
MK: I guess the summer nights have continued.
ONJ: Yes, it’s just one long night. It’s been great!
MK: And I hear a portion of the Vegas show goes to your cancer research and wellness centers.
ONJ: Yes. A portion of every ticket goes to the wellness program of my cancer center in Melbourne, so that is wonderful and inspires me every time.
MK: In fact the Gaia wellness retreat is now in it’s 10th year, congrats!
ONJ: Yea, Gaia just celebrated our 10th year. I’m also very proud of that. It was something born out of a dream of my friend Greg and I, we both dreamt about it, which is wild, and we started with no idea, we had never had a retreat before, we just knew we wanted to create a space where our friends could come and a place that we would like to go to, and now we are an award winning spa, and it’s a heaven, a heavenly place.
MK: And now do you have any message for your Gay fans?
ONJ: Oh! Oh yea! Well, thank you for all your support! I think Gay fans have been extremely loyal and loving towards me and I really appreciate that. And, I look forward to seeing them at the shows!
MK: Now what is next for you? Are you going to continue, do you think you’ll continue, the Vegas residency past December?
MK: Well then, at the end of the interview I usually end with my burning question, my burning question, which is the most important question.
ONJ: Uh huh?
MK: Who was a better dancer? John Travolta your Grease co-star, or Gene Kelly your Xanadu co-star?
ONJ: Oh goodness, you can’t, you can’t compare; that’s like comparing apples and oranges. Both different; both different and both wonderful.
MK: I bet it was amazing to be one of the last people to dance with Gene Kelly.
ONJ: It really, I know, what an honor, yes really, and he was such a lovely man, a fantastic experience I will never forget, to dance with him. Thank you very much.
MK: Thank you so much. I’m glad we were able to connect; and hopefully I’ll meet you in person sometime, either at the Snoqualmie show or in Vegas sometime.
ONJ: Okay, lovely, thank you.
MK: Thank you so much, we adore you.
ONJ: Thank you!
For all things Olivia Newton-John, please visit her site at olivianewton-john.com.
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