Quote from Oladosun Joshua Segun on April 11, 2025, 9:43 PM

Sean Ono Lennon recently shared fascinating details about his upbringing and his legendary parents, John Lennon and Yoko Ono. He described them as “ahead of their time” for their habit of documenting their private lives through 16mm film, long before reality TV or social media existed. Sean even referred to them as the first “reality TV celebrity couple”

This practice wasn’t just artistic it was also practical. John Lennon began recording calls and conversations in the early 1970s as a safeguard against potential misinformation, especially during a time when the FBI was surveilling him due to his anti-war activism. Sean, who was only five years old when his father was tragically murdered, treasures these recordings as precious connections to his father’s voice and presence.

Sean also highlighted how these recordings offer a candid glimpse into Yoko Ono’s experiences and intelligence, particularly in the newly released documentary One to One: John and Yoko. It’s a poignant reminder of their artistic and political legacy

“I think it’s really interesting that John and Yoko famously recorded their lives all the time via video I mean, via 16-millimeter film,” he shared in an interview published April 11. “The fact that they were doing that in the early ‘70s, before reality television and before social media and before memes … As far as I am concerned, it’s like they were the first reality TV celebrity couple.”

“On one of the audio calls, you hear my dad saying, ‘I’m recording all of these calls just so we have our own copy of this, so if anyone ever tries to say anything about what we are talking about, then we’ll have our own version, so we’ll know what the truth is,’” Sean continued. “It’s pretty wild to think that that was actually necessary to do, which I think it was probably a smart idea.”

"Especially because I grew up without my dad around," he went on, "every recording of his voice and every video of him that people have seen, it’s a limited resource."

Sean Ono Lennon has shared that the documentary One to One: John and Yoko offer a fresh perspective on his 'mother', Yoko Ono. The film includes newly unearthed phone calls recorded by John Lennon and Yoko Ono during the early 1970s. Sean emphasized that these candid recordings allow viewers to hear his mother speak for herself, showcasing her intelligence, resilience, and the challenges she faced during that time.

The documentary One to One: John & Yoko opens in IMAX theaters, April 11, offering an immersive cinematic experience. It will then go into wider release on April 18 featuring newly restored footage of their iconic One to One benefit concert at Madison Square Garden.