\Every year the Australian government holds a G’Day LA convention to promote Australia to Hollywood, and this year Kylie Minogue and Olivia Newton-John turned up. Three’s no chance of the sweet-natured Olivia turning down a request for a tune, and since John Travolta was in the audience she thought it was a good time to belt out a number from Grease.

They (Travolta and Newton-John) snuggled on the red carpet first, but it was widely tipped the real prize would come later: the two of them singing together for only the third time since they did so to some public acclaim in Grease 30 years ago. Newton-John hit some other high notes first, restricting herself, she said, to hits written or produced by compatriots: Magic (John Farrar); Physical, slowed to a bossa nova (Steve Kipner); Hopelessly Devoted to You (Farrar). The latter has rarely been sung with the subject of the devotion present, so the room was charged and ready for something special. The possibility came next with another Farrar tune, this one requiring a male partner.

“I’ve got chills, they’re multiplying,” it starts. But no Travolta. He stayed resolutely seated, ignoring shouts from the crowd to assume his rightful place – and leaving the bloke from Newton-John’s backing band who took on vocal duty for You’re The One That I Want to face a bunch of historic stage nerves, and a story beyond compare to tell the grandkids. The Grease reunion thus foiled, Newton-John then let rip with her traditional closer, I Honestly Love You. Peter Allen wrote it, she’s sung it a million times, yet this time she seemed to find something else in the ballad again. The room stopped; a falling pin would have seemed an explosion.

Sydney Morning Herald

Given all the negative publicity John Travolta’s Scientology friends are getting lately, you would think it was time to try and indulge in some good, clean fun. For the cameras, of course. But John Travolta just doesn’t know when to say yes.

He was happy to get up and speak, paying tribute to Kylie Minogue and her representation of Australia. I wasn’t sure what he was actually doing at the Australian event, but it seems he’s a goodwill ambassador for Australian airline Qantas.

In some nice news for Olivia Newton-John, she seems happy and is planning on getting married again. In 2005 Olivia’s long-term partner went missing at sea, amid mysterious circumstances. She’s is now dating Australian businessman John Easterling, and told Extra that he is the man she wants to marry. Hopefully the feeling is mutual Olivia, or you’ve just let him know in a less-than-subtle manner!

Note by Celebitchy: Despite not singing with Newton-John, People quotes Travolta as saying “We see each other a couple of times a year. I love seeing her. She’s awesome.” He is also said to have yelled “Olivia, I love you. I honestly love you” when he was on stage after her performance.

Travolta also defended his friend and fellow cult member Tom Cruise’s near-intelligible rant watched ’round the world saying “We all have the right to practice how we feel. It finally becomes unfair.” What’s unfair is that your personal brand of “religion” costs tens of thousands of dollars, separates people from their families, works hard to suppress any amount of exposure of their methodology, and uses slave labor camps for members that aren’t towing the line. Video of a person who seeks out publicity freaking out while using terminology previously unknown to the general public is fair game.

Thanks to PRPhotos for these pictures of the G’Day USA Australia.com Black Tie Gala on 1/19/08, which took place in Hollywood, CA. Callista Flockhart and Harrison Ford, Kylie Minogue, Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna, Bindi and Terri Irwin. Olivia Newton John looks great – she’s 59!