Olivia Newton-John's Nephew Shares One of the Last Times His Beloved Aunt Was Captured on Film
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The footage you're about to see was shot as a pilot for a proposed television show Celebrity Car Crush, about celebrities and their favorite cars, which Olivia Newton-John's nephew Emerson Newton-John was to host. Olivia lent a hand by appearing in the first episode. Filmed in a way we've never seen her before, Olivia is both heartbreaking and funny.
In Emerson's words:
This clip was the most satisfying for me to watch again because I remember in the weeks before filming the segment, there was so much anticipation about what her reaction would be when she saw the surprise I had in store for her. She had no clue what was about to arrive in her driveway, let alone have it be something she hadn't seen in more than 40 years!
This little 1975 VW Bug held so many amazing and unique memories in both of our lives. It was a flashback directly to a time when her world was dramatically different in literally every conceivable way. She has such a soft spot for this VW because it was the first car that she bought in America!
Even in rapidly declining health due to cancer, and not bearing the strength that she once had, I could see flashes of the young Olivia popping in and out during filming. That alone made all of the time and investment in creating our show Celebrity Car Crush worth it, regardless of whether or not we would eventually watch it on television. There was no acting here; there was just pure surprise, joy, and strong feelings of only positive nostalgia.
Due to her lack of physical strength at that time, and also because she had not driven a manual car in decades, we were making bets on whether or not she could get the car going without stalling it. As much as I believed in her driving ability, I can't deny that I’d bet that she would stall it! Well, not only did she not stall it, but she got away impressively smoothly and never made a mistake the entire time that she drove the car! As one can clearly see by my reaction, I was blown away, as was the entire crew.
Olivia had always joked about how I inherited my talent for driving racing cars from her, and after that stunning display in the Volkswagen, I finally believed her! Realizing this now, in hindsight, I feel strongly that my uncommon ability to jump into a racing car after not having driven one for a decade or more, yet be immediately on-the-pace, could be legitimately connected to what she did in the VW that day. Maybe that's simply fanciful thinking, but what's wrong with that? We did, after all, share the same birthday, September 26, so perhaps our stars were aligned in ways that we weren't even aware of.
That memory I will never forget and it will always bring a smile to my face.
After lots of storytelling and reminiscing about the "good old days," we parked the little pastel-pink beauty back at the house and walked around. Every angle of the car seemed to remind her of something she had done with it and evoked emotions that she hadn't felt in a lifetime.
It was interesting to hear her say that this car was just about all that she could afford new at that time, which brings a sense of realness about her that her fans might not have seen before.
After lots of storytelling and reminiscing about the "good old days," we parked the little pastel-pink beauty back at the house and walked around. Every angle of the car seemed to remind her of something she had done with it and evoked emotions that she hadn't felt in a lifetime.
It was interesting to hear her say that this car was just about all that she could afford new at that time, which brings a sense of realness about her that her fans might not have seen before.
One thing I always found so cool about my aunt was that regardless of her obvious wealth, she was not one to show off her success with material gains. Instead, she intentionally understated so many material aspects of her life. No private jets, no yachts, no ridiculous cars that screamed "look at me".
In fact, she drove two Ford Explorers in a row in the '90s so that she wouldn't be recognized. Her theory was, "No one would think that I'd drive a 'normal' car, so I'll drive a normal car!" It didn't always work, but it kept her under the radar more often than had she been in a flashy car.
The irony, though, was that she'd pull that "normal car" into the gates of one of Malibu's most beautiful and most expensive houses on the water at that time, haha!
I told her again during our last shot of filming that I was so impressed with how well she drove that VW, and so she made the funny voice and face she always did when I'd compliment her.
I think now is the time to channel my "inner auntie" influence, use those driving skills that she passed down to me, and rekindle my racing career. She offered a significant emotional support system for me while I was a racing driver, and I know she would love nothing more than for me to pick up where I left off all those years ago.
That, without a doubt, would make her really proud. Let's see what 2025 has in store!