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John Travolta Makes First Public Appearance Since Masseur Allegations

Find out what the Pulp Fiction star is up to tonight

By Marc Malkin, Brett Malec Jun 08, 2012 4:30 AMTags
John TravoltaKevin Winter/Getty Images

John Travolta is in the building!

The 58-year-old Pulp Fiction actor has been out of the spotlight ever since he was hit with allegations of sexual misconduct by two masseurs.

But he's back now.

What's he up to?

Travolta was on hand tonight to be a presenter at the American Film Institute's tribute to Shirley MacLaine in L.A.

He didn't sit in the audience like fellow surprise guests Jennifer Aniston and Julia Roberts, but simply appeared onstage to give his remarks.

Travolta presented MacLaine with video clips of her work alongside Aniston and Roberts and focused his speech on MacLaine's origins as a dancer before her award-winning acting career.

He said, "Several years ago, Warren Beatty was talking about a young actress. And I said to him, 'What was she like?' And he said, 'She filled the room with presence like I've never seen before.' And I said, "You know your sister, Shirley? She fills the room with presence.'" Travolta then added, "She fills the world with presence like no one I've ever seen before. And that's my Shirley. And I love you."

"Shirley MacLaine is first a dancer, and when you move from Broadway to film to television to writing to directing, you have to move to these things with the grace of a dancer. To train and push harder than you ever thought you could."

During the event, MacLaine chatted with her tablemates, which included her Rumor Has It costar Aniston, her Steel Magnolias pals Roberts and Sally Field, Postcards From the Edge's Meryl Streep and Melanie Griffith.

"I want to thank and pay tribute to the women at my table," MacLaine said during her acceptance speech. "Because they've been my compadres, my other half of the sky, my sustained belief that women who speak their truth will make the world a better place."

"I want to thank all the fabulous costars, male, that I have worked with," she continued. "Those I've made love to on the screen, and those I've made love to off the screen. I swear I remember maybe half."

Other celebs at the event included Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Dakota Fanning and Steven Spielberg.

The AFI Life Achievement Award Honoring Shirley MacLaine special airs June 24 on TV Land.

(Originally published June 7, 2012, at 8:28 p.m. PT)