Parkinson

During her London promotional visit for the premiere of Xanadu, Olivia was guest on the Parkinson chat show.

Parkinson, a well respected interviewer, opens with quoting some bad reviews about Xanadu - An experience so vacuous, it’s frightening (you've heard the sort of thing).

That kind of thing would put anyone on the defensive but Olivia keeps her cool. She points out that Grease initially received bad reviews, Xanadu was pure entertainment ("It's not Ben Hur") and that she and those she'd spoken to liked it.

Despite this dodgy start the interview was quite amusing. She also talks about fame and its downside including the press. Olivia recounts some of their rumors - she was said to be having Burt Reynold's baby (whom she'd not even met at that time), John Travolta's baby and that she was said to be a lesbian (which she denied).

The opening of Grease in London and Chicago, where Olivia and John got mobbed, and their clothes torn - "It was quite exciting really," she jokes, "they mean well, they're only trying to touch you but thousands of people trying to touch you can be frightening."

More over-enthusiastic fans turned in a car when Olivia was on a camping trip, just as she was brushing her teeth using the outside tap! And one female fan pushed a piece of paper and pen under a bathroom door where Olivia was and asked "Can you sign this?" Olivia was understandably very embarrassed but the fan wasn't!

The interview ends with Olivia saying: The people that count are those who write to me and buy the records. I can live with the rest.