The Palm Beach Post REAL NEWS STARTS HERE Saturday, March 23, 2019 D1 ACCENT Reclaiming her story At 70, Olivia Newton-John writes a memoir to set the record straight on her triumphs and challenges. By Nora Krug The Washington Post orty years ago, Olivia Newton- John launched a million dreams “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Olivia F- and, later, feminist back- Newton-John. [GALLERY] lash - when she stepped onto a high-school field support that year to the Race in a pair of skintight black for the Cure in West Palm pants, puffing a cigarette, Beach. her hair tarted up in curls. She is also now an author. As Sandy in “Grease,” she Her book, the memoir became the embodiment of “Don’t Stop Believin’ “ - its the good-girl-gone-bad, the title borrowed from her 1976 one who ditched her cardigan hit, not the Journey song or for a leather jacket and swiv- the “Glee” remake - came out eled her hips suggestively as March 12. Newton-John says 2010: Olivia Newton-John and Nancy Brinker, creator of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, she teased a gobsmacked John she took to the page in part to embrace during the Survivors Celebration at the Race for the Cure in West Palm Beach. Newton-John lived Travolta about how to keep protect her image. part-time in Palm Beach County at the time. [MEGHAN MCCARTHY/PALMBEACHPOST.COM] her satisfied. When she learned that a Today, at 70, she’s singing a lengthy television biopic was why Newton-John might be But in September, after she positivity and cheer. Though different song. in the works, she worried concerned. Since she was checked herself into the she is grateful for the concern “I’m a housewife and I’m about what it might say, so diagnosed with breast cancer Melbourne cancer center over her health - “I think it’s loving that,” she enthused in she decided to write her own in 1992, the singer-actress that bears her name, rumors lovely that people care,” she a phone interview from her version of events. (She has not has been a tabloid target, her spread that she was near said by phone - reading about home outside Los Angeles. seen the film, which aired on health the subject of wild death. her death wasn’t easy: “I was Married to businessman John Lifetime last month.) speculation. In January, Newton-John like ‘what, no’ I think I’m Easterling, she lived part-time Anyone who has been When cancer returned took to social media, post- still here!” for awhile around 2010 at through a supermarket check- in 2013, to her sacrum, the ing a video as proof of life. As Five months after she Easterling’s home in Jupiter out over the last few decades singer-actress was able to she promotes her book on the Inlet Colony and lent her star can probably understand keep it mostly under wraps. morning TV circuit, she beams See OLIVIA, D2 Scaring ‘Us’ all over again Lippman dedicates novel to victims of newsroom attack Jordan Peele’s followup to ‘Get Out’ Among those killed was Lippman, who became is as unnerving as you Rob Hiaasen, her friend friends with Hiaasen when might imagine. and a former reporter they both worked at the for The Palm Beach Baltimore Sun, said she By Michael Phillips Post. turned in the final draft of Chicago Tribune the novel to her publisher By Colin Campbell the day before the shooting. Jordan Peele’s “Us” The Baltimore Sun When she heard about the begins so spectacularly attack, she was driving to well, and sustains its game Novelist Laura Lippman visit her mother in Delaware of doubles so cleverly for has dedicated her latest book and spent the day on the most of its two hours, it’s to the five victims of last phone with other former Sun an unusual sort of letdown year’s Capital Gazette news- colleagues who knew people when the story doesn’t room attack. at the Capital Gazette, quite hang together and “The Lady in the Lake,” hoping they were all safe. “deliver” the way Peele Evan Alex, Lupita Nyong’o and Shahadi Wright Joseph in a scene which Lippman describes Dedicating the novel to the managed with his 2017 from “Us.” [CLAUDETTE BARIUS/UNIVERSAL PICTURES VIA AP] as a “weird love letter to five who died was “a small debut feature, “Get Out.” the Baltimore newspapers thing, a meaningless thing I That movie sent people And that shouldn’t deter MOVIE REVIEW of the ’60s,” is dedicated could do,” Lippman said. out of the theater with you in the slightest. to Rob Hiaasen, Gerald “It seemed to make sense rattled nerves and a plea- Seriously, it shouldn’t. ‘Us’ Fischman, John McNamara, to me — it’s a newspaper surably uneasy catharsis; The best, strang- Rated R: for violence/terror, Rebecca Smith and Wendi novel; it was eerie timing,” the new film’s culminating est images and ideas in and language. Winters, who died in the she said. “They deserved to scenes are roughly equal Running time: 1 hour, 56 June 28 attack on the paper’s parts “wow!” and “wow?” See US, D3 minutes Annapolis newsroom. See LIPPMAN, D2 REAL ESTATE WEEKEND Realtor grateful to be ‘lottery winner’ By Janis Fontaine him to live and work in the Ireland to go to London to a melting pot of people. Special to The Palm Beach Post United States. That’s how work when I was 21 and that You get a very different, a the 54-year-old Irishman was a very big deal to me at much bigger, perspective; a When he was 27, Dermot landed on American soil in the time.” global perspective. I’m very OBrien won the lottery. 1990. But once he assimilated grateful to be able to see the It wasn’t a megabucks OBrien didn’t have an to the roiling American world like I have.” lottery for a cash prize, American Dream, per culture, he could see a OBrien took advantage but for something equally se. Honestly, he says, “I bigger picture, for the world of his green card and valuable: His mother had never thought that big, but and for himself. “Seeing earned an MBA from the entered him in a lottery for I always want to make a the world through the Dermot OBrien a green card that entitled success of myself. “I left eyes of an American, it’s See PROFILE, D4 D4 Saturday, March 23, 2019 The Palm Beach Post REAL NEWS STARTS HERE REAL ESTATE WEEKEND to Illustrated Properties I learned so much from PROFILE and then to Corcoran.” the adversity. I really He was busy with his came to understand From Page D1 family and building a what the phrase “when new career. the going gets tough, the Then the market tough get going” means. Kellogg Graduate changed. “In 2007 School of Management and 2008, that’s when How do you balance career at Northwestern things got really bad and family? University. He loved and I really learned to marketing, fascinated sell,” OBrien said. In I’ve been married for by why people buy fact, OBrien received the 21 years, and our son things, and how he could platinum award for sales just turned 20. He’s improve his chances of at Illustrated Properties been in college in Los selling them the things in 2008-2010. In 2012, Angeles for two years he wanted them to buy. he won the Ritz Carlton studying new business He got a job in marketing Residences Power Broker development. My wife with Unilever, a well- Award and in 2013 he is a writer and a public known food and health/ won the prestigious speaker and she got to body care company. International Property travel a lot for her work, Then, OBrien became a award for best Florida so circumstances were web entrepreneur. He set Realtor. such that I had to be able up an Internet business “I told myself, ‘I’m to pick up our son from running a popular Irish going to become an school. I was so lucky website (www.celtic. expert on Singer Island, because it made me be com) that yahoo.com and I did. Now 95 more involved with my ranked in the top three percent of my business son’s life. He has just Irish websites, right is on Singer Island in been nominated for an behind Guinness and the condos and waterfront entrepreneurship award National Irish Tourism homes.” Nine years ago, and we are so proud of Agency. The Irish phone OBrien set up his own him. company said they were brokerage, based at the interested in buying Resort at Singer Island. What is your proudest OBrien’s company. The To date, he has sold 230 accomplishment? future looked bright. “I properties valued at was getting closer and more than $250 million. I think coming to closer to a deal when the Twice the age he was America, finding dotcom bubble burst. It when he left Ireland, my wife, having our was not good. We went OBrien is still actively wonderful son and through tough times,” he learning. He’s currently making a life and a said, and not for the last taking a one-year, successful business time. Google-approved here. Life in Ireland But another American diploma course in digital would have been totally tenet came into play: It’s marketing. He is doing different. I wouldn’t okay to fail.