John Travolta is like a brother - Weekend

Translation:

Talking to Olivia in her hotel room, by Honnie Van Den Bosch

At Amsterdam's Sonesta Hotel, we met again after eight years. Olivia Newton John, one of my best friends in Australia, recognized me immediately. All sorts of important people at the record company tried to keep me out of her presence, until Olivia's boyfriend, Lee, intervened...

Come on, it's possible, I thought, when I heard Olivia Newton-John was coming to Amsterdam. It had already been eight years since Olivia left Melbourne, Australia, for England, and I last saw her.

We both worked in television in our hometown of Melbourne, albeit for two different companies broadcasting on two different channels. Olivia worked for Channel 7, and I for Channel 9. Despite this, all the staff from both networks interacted like one big family. That may sound unbelievable here, but honestly, we didn't know any hatred or envy in that area in Australia either. Of course, there was a rivalry, but on a very sporting basis and with respect and appreciation for each other.

It was a glorious time for us. We were both still very young. Olivia was already a beloved teenage star at fourteen. She was already making regular television appearances. When, as a 22-year-old, I became a hostess on the show In Melbourne Tonight (a current affairs and variety program that aired live every night), I met the now 17-year-old I know Olivia.

Olivia was already the Sandy we all know now from the movie Grease. Very sweet and romantic. She performed with a boy my age with whom she was completely in love. His name was Ian Ian Turpie. Together they sang very sweet songs.

An Ideal Couple

The love between Olivia and Ian seemed like a fairy tale. They were an ideal couple. Yet, their relationship failed. Olivia never told me exactly why. I only know that she had a very hard time with it.

She overcame that difficult period because she received a very special prize for one of her songs: a trip to England with the guarantee of being allowed to make a record there. Olivia accepted the offer on the condition that her best friend, our colleague Pat Carroll, with whom she also sang, could come along. She was allowed to, and I still remember the day Olivia and Patti said goodbye.

Both unsure of the future, nervous, yet still saying a little laughing: If it doesn't work out, we'll be right back! Olivia's mother also came to England with them, to be able to support the two friends as much as possible.

After their departure from Australia, I heard that Olivia and Patti were doing extremely well in England. As a duo, they achieved one success after another. A great achievement in itself, because the show competition in England is much fiercer than in Australia.

During that period, Olivia and Patti met Bruce Welch and John Farrar, composers and collaborators of the popular English group The Shadows. This turned into a romance squared. Olivia fell in love with Bruce and Patti with John. They started composing for the duo, and they got engaged. Later Patti would even marry John.

However well everything went, disappointment was inevitable. Olivia was born in England and Patti in Australia, so the English authorities determined that Patti had to return after a certain period. Olivia was allowed to stay. As an Englishwoman, she didn't need a residence permit. A sad situation for both of them.

Patti's international success was abruptly shattered, and we welcomed and comforted her upon her return to Australia.

Olivia, who had remained in England, received the full support of Bruce as her manager. She joined the New Monkees. With this group, she even made her film debut in the movie Tomorrow.

A bad film

In her hotel room in Amsterdam, Olivia told me that the film was a disaster... A bad film, said Olivia, not to be compared to Grease.

Yet Olivia did not go unnoticed. Her performance attracted the attention of the bigwigs in the show business. The results were not long in coming. At a dinner, she met the Australian Robert Stigwood and the Australian Gibb brothers, better known as the Bee Gees.

Stigwood told Olivia, You, Olivia, are my 'Sandy' in my new film, 'Grease.' Olivia told me: At that time, Stigwood's film 'Saturday Night Fever' had been made, but hadn't yet been released. So I really didn't know what to expect. Now I've become a world star. That has its advantages. I'm happy with the success, but there are also some really bad things. I feel like I'm being lived. I always have a few protectors around me. Otherwise, I'd be trampled. But that also means I'm very difficult for people to reach. Sometimes I feel lonely.

Olivia looked at me a little tiredly. But, I said... Lee's always with you. He takes good care of you. Olivia smiled at me. Thankfully, she admitted, without Lee, I wouldn't have been able to handle this success.

It was as if Olivia and I hadn't missed each other. Those eight years, during which we hadn't spoken, hadn't changed anything between us. Yes, who would have ever thought that Olivia and I, as old friends from Melbourne, would meet again here in a hotel room in Amsterdam?

The quiet in this room did Olivia good. Dozens of journalists and photographers were waiting outside the door, hoping to catch a glimpse of Olivia. The first thing Olivia said to me was: What a horrible press conference that was.

I had to admit that just before our meeting in her hotel room, Olivia had been rather rudely attacked by several journalists at a press conference. This was a disappointment for Olivia. She had heard that the Dutch were such friendly people. The opposite was proven.

When Olivia wanted to talk to me about it, I had to think back to those hard-nosed press people who had come especially to photograph and speak with Olivia. The wait in the lounge of the Sonesta Hotel, around 11:30 p.m., for Olivia's return from her performance at the Jaap Edenhal, seemed like hours.

I sat there alone, among all those unkempt, babbling and bragging important interested parties, invited and uninvited, waiting. Most of the journalists and photographers had already finished their commentary. Olivia was too sweet, too fresh, too sweet, too schoolgirlish... not at all a pop star like they had expected, not dressed like them... generally sloppy. The wait was long, so there was a lot of drinking going on.

Olivia's entrance wasn't even noticed. They were too interested in each other.

Friendly

In the press room, despite her fatigue, Olivia made her entrance cheerful and fresh. She apologized for the long wait. The friendly Hello addressed to the attendees, with one exception, went unanswered. All hell broke loose. I was embarrassed.

The questions, posed in well-intentioned English, came across poorly. Literally: Dutch English. That got Olivia thinking, so her well-intentioned answer was delayed... and that's simply not allowed... That got Olivia thinking, so her well-intentioned answer was briefly delayed... and that's simply not acceptable... thus, thus, the commentary of harsh people against a gentle, sweet woman.

Olivia, however, bravely endured. She didn't know I was coming. But after I asked one question, she recognized me.

As she was about to go to her room, she whispered her room number in my ear. Come on over, I heard her say. That was easier said than done. Dozens of journalists were crowding outside her door.

When I told them that I had an appointment with Olivia, I noticed how I was being laughed at. But luckily, Lee Kramer, Olivia's boyfriend and manager, suddenly appeared behind me. Come on, he said... Olivia's waiting for you. The journalists and photographers looked at me in complete surprise. No one had expected that.

After eight years, Olivia and I greeted each other in the Australian way with a hello Honnie and a hi Olivia, without kisses and hugs, which so often and insincerely seems to be part of it here...

Honnie how are you and what are you doing in Holland? Olivia asked me. We chatted back and forth. Olivia wondered if she was being treated like a hello Honnie here in Holland by the press.(?)

I was considered a harshly, while the audience in the Jaap Edenhal unanimously sang along to Hopelessly devoted to you at the top of their lungs...I'd never experienced that before, Olivia said. What a wonderful audience, those Dutch people! But that press...horrible.

Olivia was shocked by the harsh treatment she received from the Dutch press. But she found her Dutch audience very kind.

Of course, I was very curious how Olivia saw her compared to actor John Travolta...He's terribly kind. Very shy, but very skilled. He's helped me with everything. When filming for Grease started, John wasn't as popular as he is now. Saturday Night Fever wasn't in theaters yet. So I didn't see John as the big hero back then. More as my older brother, from whom I could still learn a lot. I owe a lot to him. This insane popularity, for example. This is all thanks to Grease.

Do you still have time to be yourself? I asked Olivia. Well. Honnie, Lee is a treasure to me. He helps me with everything now. We're completely in love with each other. We truly love each other.

But on a tour like this, no, you're completely lost. Later, when we're back home on our farm in Malibu, I can be myself again. It's so nice being with all my animals.

In a few weeks, Olivia and Lee are coming to the Netherlands for a few days. Not to work, but to enjoy themselves. I want to go horseback riding on the beach with you and your husband, Olivia told me enthusiastically. Lee and I always do that in America too. Give me your phone number, and I'll call you as soon as we know when we're coming.

Olivia Newton John hasn't changed. Eight years ago, she was that same spontaneous girl. Even success and a lot of money haven't turned her into a different woman...