Tag: Olivia Newton-John

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News Round-Up: June 21, 2019

The Chippendales handle the desert heat in style

Some news items you might have missed:

• It’s heating up here in Las Vegas, but you can trust the Chippendales (above) to always keep cool as they dress for success.

• The American Psychoanalytic Association (APsaA) apologized today for previously treating homosexuality as a mental illness.

• Currently, 74 members of the House of Representatives support impeaching Donald Trump.

• Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) has introduced a bill in the U.S. Senate to expand access to PrEP helping ensure that communities disproportionately impacted by HIV – particularly Black/Latino gay & bisexual men and trans women – are guaranteed insurance coverage for life-saving preventive interventions.

• International pop star Olivia Newton-John is putting that famous black leather jacket and pants from the finale of her blockbuster film, Grease, on the auction block along with more personal memorabilia. Proceeds from the auction will go to the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Center in Australia.

• Gay porn studio Sean Cody got in hot water for hiring a ‘model’ named Zane who sports a Confederate flag tattoo. Initially, the studio just blurred the tat thinking that would suffice. But an uproar caused the company to take down all videos using the performer.

• Grammy Award winning artist Daya drops her latest single, “Left Me Yet,” from her upcoming album.

In the music video, the openly bisexual singer/songwriter dances her way through self-criticism and doubt as the dance/pop bop grooves along to electronic beats.

“I push you away, why do I do that? / Impatient, but you’re patient with me / I’m surprised you haven’t left me yet.”

Raise your hand if you can relate 😉

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Memorial Day Flashback: BBQ With Mariah Carey, Olivia Newton-John & Tyson Beckford

Michael (L) with the fab Mariah Carey and me (R)

I originally posted this in 2015, but as I thinking about Memorial Days past, this was one for the books:

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So picture this: I’m laying on the couch having just taken a Vicodin for the tooth ache that simply will not go away.

(Regular readers know I’ve had not the best week with a tooth ache that wouldn’t quit and since it was a long holiday weekend my dentist’s office was closed. So I was medicating as best I could LOL.)

Hubby Michael comes in and asks “How are you??” As the pain meds are kicking in I stay positive and say “I’m ok.” I’m not really, but I’m going for the “think positive” thing here.

He repeats, “No, how ARE you? We just got invited to an impromptu Memorial Day BBQ at Mariah Carey’s house. Olivia Newton-John and Tyson Beckford are going too. Can you make it?”

At this point I”m pretty sure my hearing is on the fritz, too, as I thought I heard him say we’re invited to Mariah Carey’s house for a party???

And yes, that is what happened.

Thankfully, Vicodin isn’t the strongest thing in the world.

You don’t pass up an invite like this. I get up, shower, put my best “casual chic/going to Mariah Carey’s house” kind of outfit and off we go.

I’d never met Mariah but she was a doll. She and Tyson are old friends; and she and Olivia have sung together before.

I had a great time, was uber-impressed with the gorgeous house she’s renting during her Vegas residency at Caesars Colosseum. Of course, like every party, we all congregated in the outdoor kitchen, chatting and eating burgers. You know, your every day “I’m at a party with international superstars each in their own right” kind of party.

Very cool way to end Tyson’s headlining gig with the Chippendales as he was selling out just about every night. Olivia is now back in town at the Flamingo Las Vegas as her residency resumes. And we’ll be seeing Mariah back at Caesars Colosseum in July.

When I wake up from my Vicodin induced sleep, I’m going to have the best dream to tell Michael.

Check the pics of shiny happy people below.

(L-R) Kristen Makhathini, Mariah Carey, Tyson Beckford, Olivia Newton-John & Michael Caprio
I was clearly doing a bar run for the group at this time 🙂

MIchael, Mariah, Olivia and me

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Reunited in Vegas! Love you Olivia Newton John!! #HopelesslyDevotedToYou
Posted by Mariah Carey on Monday, May 25, 2015

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Podcast: Olivia Newton-John On Her Memoir “Don’t Stop Believin'”

For more than five decades, Olivia Newton-John has been one of the most successful and adored entertainers in the world A four-time Grammy Award winner, she is one of the world’s bestselling recording artists of all time, with more than 100 million albums sold. Her starring roles in the iconic movies Grease and Xanadu catapulted her into super-stardom. Her appeal as a performer is timeless. In addition to her music and screen successes, Olivia is perhaps best known for her strength, courage, and grace. After her own personal journeys with cancer, she has thrived and become an inspiration for millions around the world. A tireless advocate for countless charities, her true passion is as the founding champion of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre in her hometown of Melbourne, Australia.

Olivia Newton-John's new memoir, Don't Stop Believin'

She’s also been an amazing ally to the LGBTQ community for decades. From performing around the world at gay pride events in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Sydney, to the largest ever concert at sea in 2018 when more than 5,000 LGBTQ fans sang along with her. She was one of the very first major Australian stars to publicly come out for marriage equality in 2012 telling the world, “With respect to marriage equality, I believe that no-one has the right to judge and deny couples who love each other the ability to make a marriage commitment. Love is love.” And her Grammy Award winning music video for “Physical,” the first music video to win a Grammy, incorporated a gay storyline without blinking. In her brand new memoir – Don’t Stop Believin’ – for the first time, she shares her journey, from Melbourne schoolgirl to international superstar, in this deeply personal book. Hit play below as I chat with Olivia about her New York Times best-selling memoir, as well as her Cancer Center, Gaia Retreat & Spa, her new skincare line Retreatment Botanics and more. Olivia’s memoir, Don’t Stop Believin’ is available now.

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News Round-Up: March 26, 2019

Some news items you might have missed:

• My girl Olivia Newton-John can add “New York Times Best-Selling Author” to her long, long list of accomplishments. Her memoir, Don’t Stop Believing’ debuts at #12 on the famed NY Times list. Folks are going nuts over the audio book version where you can hear Liv tell her story to you one-on-one in her own voice. Check it on iTunes here.

• The Human Rights Campaign has announced that U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), one of the many pro-equality champions running for the White House in 2020, will speak at the 2019 HRC Los Angeles Dinner next Saturday, March 30, 2019.

• Removed from the prom ballot for being trans, 17-year-old Dex Frier was added back with the support of his peers and was crowned as part of the prom court.

• Out Olympic skier Gus Kenworthy was NOT having the homophobic social media posts during a Pride ski week at Breckenridge, Colorado.

• Fox News host Elisabeth Hasselbeck said that former The View colleague Rosie O’Donnell’s confession of a crush on her is “offensive” and that she is immediately began praying for O’Donnell.

• Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s memoir, Becoming, has sold more than 10 million units since its release in November. The autobiography is nearing the top of all-time memoir sales.

• Grammy Award-winning multi-platinum singer/songwriter DAYA drops the music video for her latest hit “Insomnia.”

The video throws viewers into rave culture with an epic party; but while everyone is dancing in the club, Daya is alone in a darkly-lit room, unable to join the party as her thoughts stay focused singularly on missing the one she loves.

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News Round-Up: March 11, 2019

Jonas Brothers score their very first #1 song

Some news items you might have missed:

• The Jonas Brothers have officially topped the Billboard Hot 100 with their come-back single “Sucker.” It’s the Jo Bros first number one (previous high was #5) and first boy band #1 in sixteen years.

• Democratic Presidential contender Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) said this weekend that she never supported conversion therapy, despite working for an organization that promoted it.

• Milwaukee beat out Houston and Miami for the 2020 Democratic Convention scheduled for July 13-16, 2020. Since the Democratic ticket barely lost usually ‘true blue’ Wisconsin in 2016, this makes perfect sense.

• This idiot not only got a beat down for grabbing the employee at McDonalds, but he was sentenced to 60 days in jail. The customer was apparently irate he couldn’t find a straw. Watch him get more than he bargained for below.

• Jussie Smollett’s lawyer, Mark Geragos, says the former Empire star is getting ‘gang-banged‘ by the media.

• A Brazilian politician called same-sex kissing ‘obscene’ and suggested it could be punishable with prison time.

• Speaking of Brazil, Donald Trump has invited the country’s newly-installed, virulently anti-LGBTQ president, Jair Bolsonaro, to visit at the White House. #OfCourse

•Music icon Olivia Newton-John celebrates the release of her first memoir, Don’t Stop Believin’.

With her trademark positive outlook, the Grease star shares personal anecdotes including a new afterword (added after the Australian printing) of her stay in her own hospital, the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research  Centre, last fall when she experienced a fractured sacrum.

The four-time Grammy Award winner went undercover for a few weeks for treatment and shares how proud she is of the world-class facility.

She also shares never-before-told stories from her 50+ year-old career in entertainment.

You can order the book on Amazon here.

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Olivia Newton-John, Kylie Minogue & Magda Szubanski Honored On Australia Day

Kylie Minogue, Olivia Newton-John, Magda Szubanski

Three Australian LGBTQ allies – Olivia Newton-John, Kylie Minogue, and Magda Szubanski – were among the women announced on the 2019 Australia Day honors list.

On Saturday, Kylie, 50, and Magda, 57, were appointed Officers of the Order of Australia (AO) for their work in the performing arts.

Magda, the former star of the hit TV series Kath & Kim, was also honored for her tireless efforts as a proponent for marriage equality.

“To be acknowledged in this way is absolutely one of the highlights of my life,” Magda said.

She joked that people can now called her ‘Your Mag-desty’.

Olivia was honored with the Officer of the Order of Australia in 2006 for “service to the entertainment industry as a singer and actor, and to the community through organizations supporting breast cancer treatment, education, training and research, and the environment.”

This year, the ‘Physical’ singer received an upgrade, if you will, with the Companion of the Order of Australia ‘for her efforts in health service via the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness’ and Research Centre, in addition to her decades-long acting and music career.

The 70-year-old pop star said in a video greeting: “I just want to say how excited and delighted and honored I am to have this honor bestowed on me by the Governor General. I’m so proud to be an Aussie, and this couldn’t have come at a better time. Happy Australia Day!”

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Olivia Newton-John: “The Rumors Of My Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated”

Olivia Newton-John knocks down exaggerated rumors of declining health in new video

Because my husband, Michael, is Olivia Newton-John’s publicist, it’s been a strange couple of weeks watching as stories of Olivia’s health “rapidly declining” took flight.

It began with that bastion of journalism, The National Enquirer, and then other tabloids ran with it.

This week the story reached Australia where all the rags there also ran headlines of “Olivia near death’s door” or “Olivia on her death bed.”

In reality, Olivia has been feeling better and stronger as she continues treatment for her cancer, and enjoying her Christmas holiday.

Today, she sent this video to let the world know the rumors of her death “are greatly exaggerated.”

Please let me know if Olivia looks anywhere near ‘death’s door” to you 😉

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Music Video: Juliana Hatfield Covers Olivia Newton-John “Physical”

Juliana Hatfield

Alt-rocker Juliana Hatfield announced a few months ago her next album would be a full-on tribute to her favorite singer, pop icon Olivia Newton-John.

Today, Hatfield drops the music video for her take on ONJ’s “Physical” which debuted in 1981 and camped out at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 10 weeks.

“I have never not loved Olivia Newton-John,” Hatfield shared in the announcement for the project. “Her music has brought me so much pure joy throughout my whole entire life. I loved her when I was a child and I love her still.”

Hatfield prefaced the new music video with this statement:

Olivia Newton-John’s lusty “Physical” is a groovy, bouncy song, but my take on it is darker, more aggro, because I don’t think of lust as fun or funny; I think it’s dangerous and disruptive and mostly unwelcome. So that is my interpretation of “Physical”: the human condition is a bummer, and desire a frustrating impediment to serenity.

My visual take on the song is not as conceptual as Olivia’s 1981 colorful workout video. Mine is more of an impressionistic exploration of my own awkward and self-conscious physicality (especially self-conscious in front of the camera/other people).

I completely appreciate that Hatfield brings her own vibrant intensity to this fresh look at the 80s pop confection.

“Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John” debuts April 13th on American Laundromat Records. Pre-order available now: https://www.alr-music.com/

Watch Hatfield’s take on the 80s classic below, plus Olivia’s iconic music video which won a Grammy Award for “Video of the Year.”

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New Trailer Celebrates 40th Anniversary Of GREASE

The most successful movie musical of all time – Grease – turns 40 this year and it’s easy to imagine a huge reunion must be in the works.

The film helped propel Grammy Award-winning pop-star Olivia Newton-John into a new stratosphere, and John Travolta, fresh off of, became a bona fide movie star.

According to reports, the 1978 blockbuster has been fully restored and given an extra twirl of hair grease to ensure it’s still the groundbreaking, uplifting, tuneful, systematic/hydromatic throwback to 50’s fun we’ve all come to know and love.

Word is the flick will be released across 94 Cineworld cinemas across the U.S. in April just in time for more “Summer Lovin.'”

So, who’s still “Hopelessly Devoted” to the massive retro-musical that never tires of reminding us “we go together?”

Watch the new trailer below.