Lunch With John Travolta, 1985

Sex, Scientology, Stallone, and Stardom

John Travolta played a Rolling Stone reporter in the movie “Perfect,” so it made sense for me to invite him to lunch at the UN Plaza Hotel restaurant near the New York Newsday office. It was just the two of us, no publicists or corporate overseers. Not exactly a pair of journos comparing professional notes, but close enough. We were both doing our jobs, and I appreciated Travolta’s candor on sensitive topics. If we were in a hotel suite, I might have asked him to show me some dance moves. We maintained a nice talking groove.

JOHN TRAVOLTA plays a magazine reporter in his latest movie, "Perfect." So it wasn't surprising that during a recent lunch interview at a Manhattan hotel restaurant, he scanned the room with a journalistic eye.

"It's so funny to watch people, how they react over food," Travolta said, gesturing discreetly to a nearby table. "Now here's a table here, of four men, four gentlemen. And one guy's indignant about the food, and wants to make a big deal out of it. I often wo…