Travolta was less than Civil to press

Boston Herald, April 26, 2000
By Gayle Fee and Laura Raposa

What happened to John Travolta, the glad-handing Hollywood heartthrob who wowed women - and men - in Boston three years ago while shooting "A Civil Action"?

Because yesterday, while in town to promote his Church of Scientology-inspired sci-fi flick "Battlefield Earth," Travolta was downright Terllike - at least to the media!

No, there were no dreadlocks or breathing tubes in his nostrils. But the artist-formerly-known-as-Vinnie Barbarino laid down the law during this press stop. He did a couple of TV interviews, but refused to chat with the print media.

Because the actor, a devout Scientologist, knows that a Face/Off with the ink-stained wretches would turn into an inquiry about the controversial cult and the late L. Ron Hubbard, the Scientology founder who wrote the book "Battlefield Earth" which John labored mightily to make into a movie.

But that's not all. When Travolta did a small sit-down with a few radio stations at the Ritz-Carlton, he decreed that he'd only answer questions about the $80 million post-apocalyptic flick - nothing else.

Following the round of interviews, John headed off to a packed "Battlefield" book-signing at Borders in Downtown Crossing where he would only sign - you guessed it - "Battlefield" books and no other Travoltaobilia. Well, gotta support the mother church and all. Anyway, the fans - mostly women in their 30s and 40s - went wacky for the blue-eyed actor.

"It wasn't like a book-signing by the Backstreet Boys or anything," said one curious business gal who blew into Borders to buy a book. "But there was a big line of women. They were all gushing and he was very gracious."

One final note: Travolta's PR peeps didn't want the actor to pose for pictures, but he broke ranks and snapped photos with every gal packing a disposable camera (probably bought minutes earlier at CVS) before blowing off - with a police escort - to his waiting 727 at Hanscom Field.