Type: Interview
first airdate: August 1984
broadcaster: Nine Channel
Production
country:
AU
Duration: 40 mins (ONJ segment)

During her visit to Australia to film for the 1984 Olympics, Olivia made an appearance on the Australian chat show The Tonight Show with host and personal friend Bert Newton.

Also making an appearance were Pat Farrar, Molly Meldrum and singer Marcy Jones. Olivia and Pat knew Marcy from way back on the Go Show, it was in fact the 20th anniversary since their Go-Show performance together.

Olivia, dressed in black, arrived on the show a little flustered having just lost one of her earrings. Later in the show Olivia gets a fright when one of the studio lights breaks with a loud bang. Rather ironic as Olivia had just being telling Bert how safe she felt in Australia compared to the US (in the 80s she'd needed security guards at her Californian home).

The show is a real laugh with Bert showing a clip from 60s show Bandstand and joking that Pat and Olivia were an expensive act back then - they had two choreographers, one each! Olivia admits the terrible dancing is her fault, she had two left feet. More trips down memory lane when a cute photo is shown of Olivia at 6 with a neighbour's dog called Caesar.

Molly Meldrum, another friend of Pat and Olivia's, is also a guest. Bert Newton and him really take the mickey out of each other which is great fun. Molly knew Olivia when she was still at high school and remembers her in her school uniform; "I know your type" jokes Olivia.

Members of the audience ask Olivia questions which include if she prefers Aussie to American men and Molly lists that she's had an Aussie boyfriend, then an English boyfriend and now an American boyfriend. Olivia tries to stop him "Don't go through my love life on the show" and Bert jokingly reminds him not to forget the Yugoslavian!

When Olivia is asked if she actually works in the Koala Blue she proudly boasts of being on her hands and knees scrubbing out the cupboards on the store's opening day. Bert jokes that she needs something to fall back on should her singing career fail. The show ends with everyone dancing to the show theme's music.

Olivia Newton-John screenshot A missing earring Bandstand with Pat Farrar Pat and Olivia Olivia with friend Olivia Newton-John with Marcy Jones Olivia Newton-John with with Molly Meldrum

page top