Olivia Newton-John - Hollywood Nights (1980)

Ted Knight??

Oh god yes! Ted Knight!

No Bonnie Franklin?

[italic]Still edgy and cutting edge today ! !

The part where Olivia, Tina Turner, Toni Tennille, Karen Carpenter and fucking Peaches from Peaches & Herb sing Heartache Tonight must be seen to be believed.

I’ll pass!

This aired prior to the 1980 Academy Awards telecast

Just finished watching . I thought I’d never seen this. Turns out i did and it was a repressed memory from 1980 when i was 7.

This is amazing! I was not even a year old when this aired, but I just love how unbelievably gay and campy this era was. I think this came only a couple of months after the Donna Summer TV special also on ABC, which is also stellar and can be found on YouTube. ABC also had that ridiculously fun and over-the-top Playboy's Roller Disco & Pajama Party (with 1980 centerfolds and The Village People) that aired around Thanksgiving '79.

Spastastic! Sorry for your early trauma R8. I hope your therapy has been successful.

Karen Carpenter just appears out of nowhere during that last number.

[quote]R9 ABC also had that ridiculously fun and over-the-top Playboy's Roller Disco & Pajama Party

Poor Dorothy Stratten turns up in that : (

R11 isn’t that just shit-tasting! What about the inclusion of Peaches!

So she met her gun nut husband during this show?

Dorothy Stratten met her husband when she worked at the Dairy Queen back in Vancouver. It's before my time, but everyone knows the story. He was a large part of her rise to whorish popularity. After "they" made it to California and Playboy fame and roller skating on TV - more important men took her over. She was supposedly a sweet young woman. But she sure wasn't a smart one.

Hate to break it to the gals in the opening credits but those boys are more interested in each other than they are in you.

She should have employed Sandy Gallin as a manager. He turned Dolly Parton from a minor country singer into a superstar who is still relevant.

ONJ just kept making the wrong choices, got cancer and faded.

Dolly Parton writes her own songs. ONJ doesn't.

Dolly Parton is a musical genius. Olivia Newton John was a pretty girl with a wispy voice and a hit movie. Playing a teenager at 35.

ONJ was a very fine singer. Aussies take their art and entertainment craft seriously. But Dolly can play 30 instruments and writes her own songs. Many have become evergreens.

You really can't compare those two.

But thank you for posting this OP. It was nice to see pop music by artists who aren't strippers and who don't say fuck and motherfucker at least 20 times during every song.

ONJ has a pretty pop voice; with the right song she's Magic.

R14 She met him on the set of "Xanadu", a year earlier.

What did she see in him, he's pretty, sure. But she was a major pop star back then and he was just an unknown dancer.

R23 He was VERY pretty! Nobody wonders why male rock stars date models!

OP That's fabulous! Thanks for posting! I don't know if I saw that when it first aired. I see Matt dancing in different costumes.

They all should have done a double take when they saw how skinny Karen was.

I vividly remember watching this when I was about 9 & a HUGE fan of hers. I remember one of the opening jokes, she says something like, everyone thinks I’m an Aussie goody two shoes, only to reveal she’s a British (by birth) goody two shoes (at least I think it’s this special).

Her duet with Elton John was beautiful with Elton singing harmonies and playing the piano.

Did she get a haircut in between the opening number and the second song?

I like how Tina Turner comes roaring on as if she has stepped onto the wrong show.

R15 wtf does that bitch have to do with Olivia?

R19 dolly is a joke

What a sad person R32 is. Trying desperately to relive when he was 30 years old, watching Grease in the summer of 77. RIP ONJ. You were pretty.

Thank you, OP. I wouldn't have been able to find this on my own. Pure gold.

R19 I guess you’re referring to Grease. She was 28 when the movie was filmed. Not 35!

R33 pull that stick out of your ass.

Peaches the chick from Peaches n Herb 🤣

Candle in The Wind was really a terrible song. Even more syrupy when sung by Olivia Neutron Bomb.

Shit in the wind

Roger Davies was managing ONJ at this time. I assume that Tina's appearance was connected to them forming a partnership. Shows you once again she worked her ass off to get back to the the top since this was four years away from Private Dancer coming out.

I love the opening number and Gimme Some Lovin!

Heartache tonight was shit-tastic

When Olibia died, my grandmother said- 'I didn't love her songs and she was always singing in that damn breathy whisper and tilting her head like she had a sore neck..... but she was a nice skinny pretty girl.' RIP Olibia.

I might be in the minority, but I wish singers still did specials like this rather than just concert specials. A campy variety special is so much more fun.

Gaga did a variety special. With Joseph Gordon Levitt, the muppets being fucked by R. Kelly and I don't remember her other guests. It was SHITE. I ain't lying either. She's terrible on camera. You need some charm and presence. Shawn Mendes, Ariana, Justin Bieber and Camillo could pull one off. If they all appeared on the same special. With special guests Beyonce and Lil Nas X.

For star power, this ONJ special is incredible. I was born in 1983 and most of these people are musical legends today. Except for Olivia herself. RIP.

But who's gonna watch a music star sing for an hour anymore? Kelly Clarkson put on a hell of a Christmas special a few years ago - because aside from a few skits, everyone sang LIVE and Kelly sang the ass off of her XMAS album. She had great guests, who all could SING.

Variety specials are for country music stars and Michael Buble to nail the coffin shut.

Can't think of who could pull off a TV special anymore. Who watches TV?

OP

I’m 45 seconds in and I think I hate you. Wanna hook up?

Disco Gordon is the best.

Are you talking IV poles R46? You and OP 'hookin up.' Or maybe you can crochet together.

WHY does everyone keep saying "RIP"?! She's not DEAD!

I was wondering about that too R49. I actually looked her up on wikipedia to make sure, because I didn't think she was dead. Geez what a turbulent life she had. Crazy boyfriends and husbands and her nutcase daughter. And she beat cancer 3 times.

That pink body suit is to die for!

I wonder why Roger Davies couldn't do for ONJ what he did for Tina Turner, who became huge star in Europe. Maybe because Tina was willing to do the grueling touring schedule for years. Touring was practically entire Tina's life from when she started with Ike. She was a born performer.

Don't mention Olivia Newton John in the same sentence as the great Tina Turner. There is no reason to compare them. Tina Turner is not only one of the most exciting LIVE entertainers of all time, she is consistently ranked as one of the top three female rock singers in history. She's a Rock. Soul, Blues, R&B AND Pop singer with hits in every category. A 50 year career. Tina always said - establish the pretty, then put on A SHOW!!!

Olibia was pretty. And sappy. Pretty sappy.

Thanks for your opinion r53. You’re into Tina that’s nice. I lover her AND Olivia.

[quote]Soul, Blues, R&B

Tina wouldn't touch any of that style in Europe. Her and her manager's strategy was white pop rock.

Olivia stated in her book that she became bored with her career and wanted to get off of the superstar juggernaut by the mid 80's to have a family. Besides, she never liked touring much to begin with. It wasn't until she went back out on the road in the late 90's that she finally enjoyed performing.

Unfortunately, her marriage to Matt wasn't what she thought it was going to be.

R55 There is no white pop rock without a basis in Soul, Blues, R&B, and/or Country, for that matter.

I ignored the piece of shit that was R55. Some fucker wanting to shit and piss in my thread.

I love both ONJ and Tina Turner, but I think, simply, Tina was hungrier. If you watched her documentary, Roger basically said that Tina envisioned herself playing stadiums like the Stones. And she did. That is no small goal. That is a huge goal. Almost unattainable for most, but Tina believed in herself, and so did Roger.

I think Roger has a bigger bond with Tina than with his other clients. What they achieved together is simply amazing. Even Tina's Grammy acceptance speech attests to their bond and their journey together. It probably wouldn't happen today.

I think Olivia achieved huge success with Grease, the Xanadu soundtrack and Physical and then focused on her family and I think she lost that hunger. Plus, dealing with cancer also affected things for her.

This special was written by Julie Brown & Charlie Coffey who also wrote the iconic “Earth Girls Are Easy” and “Medusa- Dare To Be Truthful”

Soul, Blues and R&B doesn't make any money in Europe. Tina had to abandon her roots to sell tickets in Munich, Paris or Rome. I agree that she was hungry, she said of herself that she is a performer first and foremost and she was willing to do what it takes which was 24/7 touring.

Soul, Blues and R&B weren't selling in the 80s. Times change. Everybody who wanted to stay relevant changed their sound. Stevie Wonder, Aretha, etc.

Grace Slick didn't like doing the 80s Starship stuff, but she was in her forties and knew that her shelf life should've been over already. She wanted to make hits so she could have enough money to retire and not have to spend her golden years on the Oldies circuit.

[quote]Soul, Blues and R&B weren't selling in the 80.

R62 has never heard of Luther Vandross!

r64 he was more pop. He wasn't James Brown lol!

You are insane R65, Luther was the essence of Soul music. James Brown was Funk.

Luther wasn't hardcore soul though. That wasn't selling in the 80s.

Just stop it R67, you are embarrassing!

R66 James Brown also did very well in Europe during the 1980s. His popularity in Europe during the 1980s and 90s kept him going while his popularity in the US had lagged.

I'm from the area, where Mr. Brown was born, raised, and lived. He was known to call Europe his ATM, because he could go to Europe for an month of shows and fully replenish his bank account.

Yes because in the 80s James Brown went pop.

Some of you have some strange ideas about musical genres.

Luther's highest pop chart position in the 80s was Stop To Love. It peaked at #15 in 1987

All his 80s albums went platinum but did nothing on the pop charts. He was a Soul and RnB artist. He never even toured mainland Europe until the late 90s. Brits loved him because they had a very lively radio culture that played old and new Soul and RnB.

A few Old white gay men like old white Olivia. Fine. But don't talk about Tina or Luther or James Brown or Teddy Pendergrass and all other things you cannot understand. Thank you. You are indeed embarrassing.

ABC Network programming and casting always seemed a bit edgier, gayer, campier and diversified than the still crotchetier other 2 main NBC and CBS networks, even going back before that to the '60s and '70s. They'd try to cram as many of their own network and the campily iconic starts of the day as they could, into any one given variety show episode or special, as done here.

r73 has posted several times. He's the "ancient white fags" troll who always shits on music threads. If he were paying attention, he would know we're talking about pop charts and how pop was the dominant form of music in the 80s and the only superstar-level singers in the 80s did pop. Teddy, James and Luther were not on the same level. That's what we're talking about. But he's too stupid to know that.

Nah, crazy ass @ R75. Do you want me to show how many times you've posted? Under several devices. You're a well known NUTJOB on Datalounge. You're an argumentative cunt who likes SHIT. (you REALLY like shit - go back to your scat threads, please) We're talking about music, great singers and talent. Nobody mentioned pop charts but you. That's your go to when one of your old girlhood idols is criticized. You ARE the ANCIENT WHITE FAG!!! Shoo.

ONJ was pop. Mediocre pop. She belongs where she belongs. Not in the same sentence as anyone great.

[quote]But don't talk about Tina or Luther or James Brown or Teddy Pendergrass

Tina doesn't belong in that group R73, she was a pop artist for white European audiences.

r76 you are a sad, sad freak.

[quote]Tina doesn't belong in that group [R73], she was a pop artist for white European audiences.

Tina Turner was a global superstar. She sold out a stadium in Rio that had 180,000 people. She wasn't just for "white Euorpeans."

[quote]We're talking about music, great singers and talent. Nobody mentioned pop charts but you. That's your go to when one of your old girlhood idols is criticized. You ARE the ANCIENT WHITE FAG!!! Shoo.

We're talking about pop stars of the 80s, you stupid twat.

[quote]Tina Turner was a global superstar.

She was not a superstar in the US. Her pop and rock audiences were predominantly white Europeans.

She herself said that she left the US because her success wasn't happening there.

She was huge in the US in the 80s.

Not according to Tina.

r83 she was huge in the US in the 80s. Big media star and hit songs. End of story.

Tina Turner was huge in '84/85 in the US and still successful in 1986 when Typical Male hit #2. Her success cooled a bit as The Best did decently in the US but was bigger everywhere else.

r60 i can tell. I love Julie Brown and her wacky shit comedy.

I'm a huge Tina fan. Yes, she was huge during the Private Dancer and Break Every Rule eras. By the time of Foreign Affair, however, MTV stopped playing her videos except on occasion and she was relegated to the VH1 market.

I remember there being some buzz surrounding The Best video and her riding her horse, but it didn't really break through in the US like it should have. It went on, though, to become one of her signature songs.

I had no idea until years later just how huge the album was in Europe, though, where it outsold Private Dancer, and gave her several hit songs. She played 125 sold out stadium shows in the summer and fall of 1990 as a thank you to her European fans in what was billed as her farewell tour. The only female artist to achieve that record, BTW. She also had a greatest hits album that sold like gangbusters and gave her a couple of more hits.

But as a fan, it was pretty barren in the US from 89-93 when I Don't Wanna Fight brought her back to the charts in a big way.

Did Olivia ever have a number one hit record or album, other than Grease? She wasn't much of a singer and her songs are pretty lame, even for the 80s. She was quite pretty, so I guess that helped. RIP.

Physical was a pretty racy video for 1981. Unambiguously gay.

R88 From Billboard:

"Newton-John’s all-time biggest hit on the Hot 100 is “Physical,” which spent a whopping 10 weeks at No. 1 on the tally in late 1981 and early 1982. It's not only her biggest hit, but also the No. 1 hit of the entire 1980s decade, scoring the most weeks atop the chart of any song that decade."

1. “Physical,” No. 1 (for 10 weeks), Nov. 21, 1981 2. “Magic,” No. 1 (four weeks), Aug. 2, 1980 3. “You’re the One That I Want” (with John Travolta), No. 1 (one week), June 10, 1978 4. “A Little More Love,” No. 3, Feb. 17, 1979 5. “Please Mr. Please,” No. 3, Aug. 9, 1975 6. “Have You Never Been Mellow,” No. 1, March 8, 1975 7. “I Honestly Love You,” No. 1 (two weeks), Oct. 5, 1974 8. “Let Me Be There,” No. 6, Feb. 9, 1974 9. “Hopelessly Devoted To You,” No. 3, Sept. 23, 1978 10. “Heart Attack,” No. 3, Nov. 6, 1982

That's just silly. Proof that pop music charts are meaningless. In the decade of Madonna, Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston.......Olivia Neutron Bomb had the number one hit record??? Nah.

R88 So...I guess you missed this one? (the biggest hit of the 1980s...)

And she's NOT DEAD, for Christ's sake!

RIP.

R91 What are you talking about? Are you being facetious? That Billboard info is accurate.

Who's the anti-ONJ troll?

r95 he's the shit-stirring "ancient white fags"troll. A mentally ill nutcase who's best put on ignore.

Did Sandy dieded?

There's at least one person in this thread determined to make older white people feel bad about their pop idols. I don't know if it's a young person of color, or an older white person who knows just where us older white gay men can be hurt the most (being one of us). In any case, you can take your "ancient white fag" insult and shove it up your ass.

Physical came at the moment that health clubs and aerobics were hitting their stride. Just a few months later, Jane Fonda would create a sensation with her workout VHS, which sold like gangbusters. Olivia's hairstyle briefly became a sensation, and she helped make headbands a fashion statement.

The song has nothing to do with any of that of course, but ONJ was wise to have it set in a aerobics studio. Although, the homoerotic undertones of the last part of the video caused the song to be banned in Utah and other areas.

r98 he's a sad freak who's always shitting in the female singer threads. Just ignore him.

R72 Luther had 5 top 10s on Billboard through 94 on their pop singles chart.

Olivia with Karen

r101 Luther was not a megastar.

The only one who *SHITS* all over Datalounge is R100. Posting all day and night from multiple devices.

This was the special where Tina Turner met her manager Roger Davies, who started her on the comeback trail.

Olivia and Karen Carpenter were good friends. Here they are looking like a couple of lesbians...

R103 did I say he was? If you’re r72 I’m just proving you wrong. No he wasn’t Michael Jackson, but he had considerable success on the charts with multiple hits and Grammy wins. Plus one of the best r and b voices in history. Not too shabby,

But r107 this thread is about pop stars.

It's pretty clear Taylor Swift has followed the ONJ career path. Start out as a country pop singer, then leave it for pop stardom. Let's just hope that like ONJ, Swift's pop career will soon peter out and she will become an oldies act.

Taylor Swift is not the simpleton that Olibia was though. Taylor is a good songwriter and is still growing as an artist. Olivia was a better singer, slightly. But her simpering head tilt and breathy bad songs must be embarrassing to her remaining fans? She was a piece of pop sausage for her time. I'm sorry she died, but her music was terrible. I googled some of it. Please Mister Please, don't play B17? Oye fuck. RIP.

R108 and he still had success on the pop charts. Your point?

Luther is a vocal god for all of recorded history. In any genre. ONJ had a bad hit song once in the 80s, in leg warmers. No sense fighting with loons R111. Trust me, Olivia Neutron Bomb fans are loons. She had a passable voice, provided there was lots of amplification. She sang with zero to minus 10 feeling. She mistook a sore neck for emotion. Old white men project feeling onto her, because they once wore turquoise headbands too. RIP.

ONJ was never my cup of tea, though I like a few of her songs. There's no denying that she was a big star and had a great run for several years. Luther Vandross is definitely one of the great singers of the modern era, but he was never a top-tier pop star, which is what this thread is about.

She was no Penny McLean

[quote] Luther Vandross is definitely one of the great singers of the modern era, but he was never a top-tier pop star.

Of course he wasn't. He was a flaming bottom.