Rona Barrett’s Hollywood: Nothing But the Truth

News Coverage

Frontiers in LA
Volume 27, Issue 25

By Jeremy Kinser

The warm, conversational style of Rona Barrett made her the favorite interviewer of A-list stars of the 1970s such as Carol Burnett, Cher and Raquel Welch, who not only opened their homes, but bared their souls to the pioneering gossip columnist/reporter. Burnett’s candid discussion of her family’s battle with alcoholism was a shocker in its time, but Barrett elicits equally honest confessions from Donna Summer (on her sexually explicit music) and Burt Reynolds (debunking the gay rumor), among others. Incredibly, a youthful John Travolta even insisted on keeping his appointment with Barrett just hours after his mother’s funeral. These vintage interviews offer a nostalgic treat for fans of a certain age, while younger viewers might be surprised at how frankly sexuality was discussed on television in the mid-’70s. Barrett has personally chosen 10 of her favorites for this compilation, and one dollar for each DVD sold goes to the Rona Barrett Foundation, which helps elderly citizens without the economic resources afford assisted living. Extras: A biography of Barrett, who details her journey from a Queens grocer’s daughter to the unrivaled gossip queen of her day.