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This page continues The Irreverent Guide to Barbra Streisand tradition of recounting recent news items. Items reported on this page reached the IG news desk during the year 2000.
For 2001 news click here.
For 1999 news (ie, the original news page), click here for the supplemental page.
| Concert News | Music News | Movie News | Other News |
A few weeks ago, Barbra Streisand completed her four final concerts. Her publicity team tried to milk this one every which way it could. But, in the end, what was the big deal? She never really was a concert act. She started and canceled one tour in 1966, performed a limited tour in 1994, and this year completed her concert career with 10 shows (if you count Australia and Las Vegas). There are many other acts that perform more concerts in one year than Streisand did in a lifetime. But, of course, with Streisand, everything is blown out of proportion.
Still, it was a good thing for Streisand to bid farewell to the concert scene. It's evident that the drive is no longer there. For one, she did not even bother to warm up her voice before the shows. As stated by herself, she used the first acts as her warm ups. Never mind there were people paying $2,500 to listen to this. And her material, as put by one critic, was all "recycled".
Carelessness was also showing in her appearance. For the first time in ages, Barbra was somewhat overweight. At first, I thought she was pregnant. Then I did the math and realized she had passed the child-bearing years (a long time ago). To add to this lack of glamour were her persistent complaints about having to wear high heels. Hello? I mean, if her feet hurt before, they were bound to hurt even more with the added weight. In one show, she just took off her designer stilettos (after "The Main Event") and proceeded to walk around the stage barefooted for the rest of the show. I just don't get it.
Also evident on the big screen above her were each of her 58 years. So apparent that she reminded me of Halstead, that very nasty Streisand impersonator. (Just watch the Halstead videos, and you'll know exactly what I mean.)
In short, I do believe it was time to say good-bye and I do applaud her for that. Let's just hope that now that it's over her publicity team will take a much-needed break.
Associated Press has reported that scalpers are losing big money on the Streisand concerts. Apparently, these ticket brokers (the PC name for scalpers) had purchased the tickets hoping to make a killing on them; instead, they have been reduced to selling some tickets almost at half price. Also, according to AP, there were plenty of tickets available on the internet shortly before the Wednesday show. So, what appeared to be a sellout was nothing more than scalpers trying to make a profit. Go figure.
Has anyone noticed how garbage attracts flies? The older the garbage, the more flies just swarm to it. They just can't help it. I had visions of this as I observed the near hysteria among the faithful who were trying to obtain tickets for the September 28 concert (ie, the "last" one). Not even the threat of killer mosquitoes loose in NY could stop them. The $128 tickets sold out in less than 15 minutes; the $353 tickets were gone in a few hours; by mid-afternoon, tickets remained only for the 9/27 show. As of 10:00AM today, there were still $1503 tickets available for 9/27; by evening, they were also sold out. Now, I will report the following even though I know it may traumatize a few fans: the Garden has asked Streisand to add two shows in NY. As of today, the Diva has refused.
As of 7/30/00 10:00 PM EST, it is far from a sellout for the LA concerts. Shockingly, there are still $150 tickets available for both nights. Judging from TicketMaster availability, there are numerous seats available in all other ticket ranges. In what appears to be a last minute change, the $2500 tickets are also available through Ticketmaster. Now, let's see what happens tomorrow, when the NY tickets are released for sale.
Just one week after the final concert announcement, New York City Mayor Giuliani was forced to close Central Park in order to deal with killer mosquitoes. These insects, which are carrying the deadly West Nile Virus, appear to be on their merry way to the Madison Square Garden itself. Of course, for those planning to attend the concerts, please carry some kind of protection, or it may indeed be a final concert.
Hmmm...I wonder of this is the first in a string of supernatural occurences leading to up to the Goddess' final act. If so, LA people brace yourselves! Can an earthquake be far behind?
To quote Esther Hoffman from A Star is Born: "Is it ever enough?" Apparently not. Though she claims these concerts are in response to fan pressures to perform, she has made them her most expensive non-New Year's concerts ever. Wall of Sound has reported that tickets will be priced at $2,500, $1,275, $375, and $150; not the previous range of $75 to $1000 for VIP seating reported earlier by the New York Post. With these kinds of prices, I think there will be only one VIP in the room. Or should I say one VSIP is the room. (S stands for "Self".)
It appears that the prices referred to above were only for the LA concerts. A number of sources quoted slightly different prices for NY; the most reliable source reported the following: $2503, $1503, $353, $128. All sources are consistent in that the most expensive tickets ($2500 LA, $2503 NY) will not be available via Ticketmaster. There will be a special number to call for these tickets.
After announcing how delighted and honored they were at having Streisand in her last concerts, the Staples Center had the nerve of putting a seating chart on its web site with "Barbra" spelled "Barbara". Makes you wonder. BTW, catch it before they change it--it's The Staples Center Seating Chart . Sorry! Staples has fixed it!
Remember the boy who cried wolf? The third time no one believed him. Likewise, skeptics are reacting to Babs claim that her latest string of 4 concerts will be her last. For example, just read the following bit from E! Online:
"Barbra Streisand's ready for another encore. Again.
Sure, the ultimate diva has vowed before to never perform live again (1997, anyone?), only to schedule another concert and make a bundle. But now, La Streisand, who claims to have overpowering stage fright, swears she's retiring from live perfomances."
As reported by Army Archerd on June 30 and now confirmed by Reuters, the 4 "final" concerts will take place on 9/20 [LA], 9/21 [LA], 9/27 [NY] and 9/28 [NY]. Ticketmaster will sell tickets to the 2 LA concerts starting July 30 and to the 2 NY concerts starting July 31. Indeed, Babs has announced these will be her final concerts. Of course, no one has exact ticket prices yet.
As if money can help him... Devout democrat Babs is doing her duty to help get Gore elected President (even though polls show he will be trounced by Bush Jr.) On Thursday, August 17, at the Shrine auditorium, the singer is expected to attempt three songs. Of course, I will not be there. Tickets are ranging from the hundreds to the $50,000.
It's become a joke now. I mean, has anyone kept track of the number of times Barbra's publicity crew says, "This may very well be her last concert?" As far as I know, they've been saying this since 1993. Yet she just doesn't seem to go away (as long as there are big bucks to be made.) Or so it seems if we are to believe Army Archerd. According to Army, Barbra will be at the Los Angeles Staple Center on 9/20 and 9/21. The following week she is scheduled to appear at the Madison Square Garden (9/27 and 9/28). No word as of yet as to what outrageous price she will charge her loyal fans for the privilege of seeing her.
Apparently, the promoters of Babs' Oz extravaganza overestimated her appeal. According to several sources, the promoters are seriously in the red to the tune of 6 to 12 million dollars (one source said $11 million). This comes on the heals of several other fiascos: A Love Like Ours, I've dreamed of you, and If you ever leave me. I guess she's not so "timeless" after all.
In her debut night at Melbourne, Streisand was upstaged by sound problems. Some patrons were annoyed; others reportedly walked out. The irony of it is that the Diva is notorious for demanding the best sound for her voice. In New York in 1994, she personally checked the sound and ordered the replacement of her acoustic carpet, before the concerts took place. Well, obviously she didn't care as much in Melbourne, as the sound problems were discovered during the concert. The operators of the Colonial Stadium denied responsibility for the echo stating that is was eventually corrected by Streisand's engineers. Although the General Manager of the stadium refused to point fingers, he did clarify that it was not something the stadium had to fix. Well, if not the stadium, then guess who...
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Martin Erlichman (Her manager) said that Barbra "flew halfway around the world to perform four sellout shows..." However, in a separate article, The Sydney Morning Herald is quoted as saying "the lead-up to her...appearance has been littered with advertisements promising 'good seats still available' as the battle raged to fill the Sydney Football Stadium". The paper made specific reference to the difficulties in selling the platinum seats (AUS$ 747).
According to industry gossips (per an Aussie paper), Streisand stands to make approximately $38 million Australian dollars. In US dollars as of 3/10/00, that's about $23.4 million (roughly $6 million per show) for the Australian Concerts.
Finally on stage, Barbra said, "My voice is a little hoarse but I've sang in the rain for two nights." What's worse, as a result of her hoarseness, Barbra was unable to reach all the top notes (hence, the "topless"). Interestingly, this is not the first time Barbra claims she is hoarse in one of her rare appearances. She also pleaded hoarseness at the Inauguration for President Clinton almost 8 years ago.
Barbra Streisand is heartbroken, according to her manager. Her first concert ever in Australia was postponed due to inclement weather (ie, rain). And we know what happens to Barbra's kind when they get wet.
Barbra Joan Streisand has arrived in Australia in order to complete Part 2 (of an anticipated 4) of her Millennium Tour. This part takes her to Sydney and Melbourne, Australia. She will perform at The Sydney Football Stadium on March 8 and 10 (Wednesday and Friday), and at the Colonial Stadium, Docklands, on March 15 and 16 (Wednesday and Thursday). Australians, please be sure to do the following: have a red carpet available at all times, plenty of rose petals (in case she needs to make a pit stop), and above all, never, NEVER, look directly at her. The latter rule can be broken, however, if you are at the concert and have paid for your ticket.
Surprise, concern (and outrage) have been expressed over the prices Streisand is charging for her Australia Concerts. Granted she always charges too much, but until now she had only done so in the US and England. Australia, though a developed country, is not as economically booming as those two countries, certainly not as thriving as the USA. Still, that has not stopped Streisand from charging prices over what she has asked for in the USA. The following table shows
the prices in Australian Dollars and the conversion to US dollars.
For those that recall the 1994 concerts in the USA, ticket prices ranged from $50 to $350 (US Dollars), except for the special New Year's Concerts in Las Vegas. Her most recent USA Millennium Concerts had prices ranging from $500 to $2,500 (US Dollars), but these were for the special millennium changeover.
With these prices in Australia, it's easy to see why many are perturbed and why a number of fans truly feel "down" and "under".
Perhaps due to disappointing Millennium Concerts (see the Millennium Madness Supplemental Page), Barbra Streisand has told TV Guide (January 22, 2000), that these concerts were her last. The official reason (however): Babs claims that she is
very shy and that performing makes her feel like she is an 18 year-old in a beauty pageant. Is it me or do the following words NOT belong in the same sentence: Barbra, Streisand, shy, beauty and pageant?
Tthe whiney star also complained that the media portrayed her as a "diva" and not a normal person. Here is where I get on my editorial soapbox. Sweetheart, YOU ARE A DIVA. You talk like one, dress like one, complain like one...you may not sing like one anymore, but you
sure act like one. What's more, you don't give a hoot about your fans (what caring star charges $2500 a ticket, then puts on a lackluster show?) It is your right to do so, but please, stop pretending your normal and some kind of victim. Good Grief!
The most shocking part of this interview, surprisingly, was not something Streisand said, but rather the TV Guide comment: "Onstage [Babs was] larger than life...her golden voice lifting her to another dimension." The only other dimension I can think of is the one TV Guide must have been in. Certainly, they couldn't have been
at the same concert I attended, which is the most boring concert I've ever seen.
The MGM Grand has announced that Barbra Streisand's New Year's Eve Concert grossed $14.7 million. Once confirmed, this amount will make
Streisand's Millennium Concert (12/31/99) the top grossing single concert in history (previous record holders are the Three Tenors with their 7/20/96 concert, which grossed $13.4
million.) The MGM Grand also claims that all 12,477 tickets were sold. However, having attended this concert (see the Millennium Madness Supplemental Page), I can
assure you all that there were empty seats (and I am not talking about a handful).
The biggest mystery is the Concert which took place on 1/1/00. This concert was seriously undersold, and many tickets were given away to hotel patrons. However, no one is coughing up any
statistics. Finally, it has been reported that Streisand made $15 million for one or both concerts. I honestly don't see how the hotel made any money. Which may explain why there was no air conditioning (they couldn't afford it...).
For part 1 of this story, click here for the 1999 News Story.
As predicted only by the Irreverent Guide, Barbra faced empty seats on both December 31, 1999 and January 1, 2000. I was present on December 31 and witnessed empty $2500, $1500 and $750 seats, though Streisand's publicist had reported a "virtual sellout". I also noted a number of scalpers unable to sell tickets -- even at bargain basement prices.
All sources have confirmed that January 1 was far from a sellout, but no one will provide exact figures. Estimates of 4000 empty seats have been suggested. Though I was the only site to predict the empty seats (click here for 1999 News Story), I was incorrect to note that this was the first time Barbra played to less than sell-out crowds. It also happened in 1970, when she played at another hotel in ... Las Vegas. For a full report and review on the Millennium Concert,
please see the Millennium Madness Supplemental Page.
It seems Bette Midler had the last laugh after all. As reviews came in for the Las Vegas Millennium concerts, all consistently rated The Divine Miss M's concert as better than Streisand's. Bette also took some shots at Barbra. In her show, a Barbra impersonator showed up and said, "I'm here to join my husband; he couldn't afford my prices". As one couple wandered into to Midler's concert one hour late, the quick-witted Miss M snapped, "Let me guess, you're coming from Streisand's concert. Couldn't take more than an hour, could you?"
As reported by AP, Barbra sang three songs at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on 8/17. The concert/fundraiser raised over $5 million for the Democrats, who have been struggling financially and unable to keep up with the Republicans (in terms of donations). The last singer of the evening, Babs sang her usual stuff, starting with On a Clear Day. Of course, she then sang Happy Days are Here Again (for the millionth time) and ended her brief appearance with the medley I Believe/Somewhere. Unable to keep her mouth shut between songs, the Diva treated everyone to a speech. Reportedly, she criticized Bush's record in Texas, though no one has offered any exact quotes. What we do know is that she shuddered. Referring to the future changes to the Supreme Court, the Diva said, ``I shudder at how a more conservative court can put at risk all we hold dear.''
Seating
Aus Dollars
US $ @ 2/21
US $ @ 3/5
VIP
$1527
$956
$929
Platinum
747
468
455
Gold
447
280
272
Silver
137
86
83
Much to everone's disbelief, the RIAA has certified Timeless as both gold and platinum. It is no secret the tired CD is struggling on the Billboard chart. Actually, "struggling" isn't a good choice of words. More like, "going by unnoticed", "fizzing out", or "dying without a buzz". Regardless of the words, Timeless is NOT selling. Certainly not to the tune of the 1,000,000 units required for platinum certification (not even close). So, how did this happen?
As it turns out, the RIAA does not track actual sales to consumers. Instead, it is more interested in copies that go from Columbia to the record stores. So, what RIAA is really saying is that at least a million units have been shipped to record stores.
In the meantime, most of the million units are still at the stores waiting for buyers. Which begs the question, isn't it time for the RIAA to change its certification process? Obviously, it is meaningless when a cd can flop commercially and still carry a platinum certificate. And bogus. Simply Bogus.
As follows: 21-27-52-63-69-90-101-102-121-150-128-129-132 (Most Recent data from Billboard Chart dated 12/30/00).
If we base it on the first-week sales of Timeless, it is clear that the sun is setting on Barbra Streisand. On Billboards Top 200 for the week ending 10/6, Barbra will debut at, as E! Online put it, a dissapointing #21. Far worse than this is the fact that the CD did not even manage to break the 100,000 sales mark in its first and much-hyped week. Since Timeless is a double CD, which counts for 2 units sold per purchase, it would have only needed to sell 50,000 copies to break the 100,000 mark and have a chance for a Top 10 debut. Instead, it only sold 25,500 copies, which counted for 51,000 units. Dismal, indeed.
In the meantime, the Diva's Material Nemesis, Madonna, will debut at the top of the album chart with 419,000 units sold (BTW, Madonna's "Music" is also at the top of the singles chart). The difference? Madonna stays at the cutting edge, trying new styles and new material; while Babs sings the same old songs with barely a few changes in the arrangements. What's more, this is the second double live album in 6 years (remember "The Concert" in 1994?). I won't even mention how many songs are repeated.
In an interesting side note, E! Online adds, "The double-CD captures what were supposed to be her last two performances, December 30 and 31 in Las Vegas. However, she has since added a few more "final" performances..."
As reported by Billboard: "Streisand's album further cements her reign over several categories. Among solo female artists, she has the most charted albums (48) and the most top-40 albums (41), and the longest chart career (37 1/2 years, dating back to the debut of the "The Barbra Streisand Album" the week of April 13, 1963)."
Just read what they're saying on the Newsgroup. In short, several fans have voiced complaints about the photo that will appear on the cover of her upcoming CD. One fan has even desgined his own cover (which is actually better than the official one.) Some have described the official cover (see picture in the next news item) as boring, dull and even "funereal". But worst of all, it isn't original. The photo was used by Columbia in January in an ad to congratulate Barbra on her Cecil B. DeMille award. Tacky, tacky...
Finally, the "compilation" of the concerts that took place almost 9 months ago is going to be released. Mind you, there are babies that gestate in less time than this. Apparently, after juggling the release date around from as early as February to as late as next year, Columbia settled on September 19 to coincide with the Diva's upcoming "final" concerts, which will take place in the weeks that follow the release. Of course, it won't hurt to have the extra (and free) publicity. However, Columbia will face one major challenge: Madonna. The once "Material Girl" is scheduled to release her new cd on the same day.
One reliable source has indicated that the Timeless CD will be released next year. It is clearly unknown at this time what is causing these delays. Some speculate that Streisand still wants to perform in LA and New York before releasing the CD; however, the contracts for these engagements have not been signed. Others speculate that Columbia Records is no longer interested in this recording. Initially, Columbia had pressed the Diva to release this recording in February, while the Millennium Concert was still fresh in public's memory, and more importantly, in the press. At this point, Columbia is fully aware that this CD will only appeal to die-hard Streisand fans who absolutely must have everything.
Columbia Records has again announced a new release date for the Timeless CD. This time it's August 8, 2000. Those who read my earlier news items know that only the Irreverent Guide predicted this CD would not be out before summer. Let's face it, I know her too well...
Columbia Records has announced an April 11 release date for the Timeless CD. It is now officially called Timeless: Live From The MGM Grand Hotel 12/31/99-1/01/00 and is supposed to be "assembled" from her Millennium Concerts. It is expected the cd will sell for about $25 (one site already has it listed at $24.47). Will it be delayed again? Only time will tell.
Columbia Records had announced a February release for a Timeless CD, which was supposed to be "assembled" from her Millennium Concerts. Other sources had also reported a February release for a Timeless video. One fan site has announced that the CD release has been "indefinitely postponed". Presumably, the same is true for the video.
As reported by several eyewitnessess, the Timeless concert was professionally videotaped on January 1, 2000. In addition, a few cameras were on hand New Year's Eve to record that evening.
So, there will likely be a video, as soon as Babs finishes her editing (and we all know how long that can take). As for the CD, it is safe to say it is being edited, re-edited, mixed, re-mixed, enhanced, touched up, etc., etc., etc. By the time they're through with it, I will probably be able to make a case that it's no longer a live CD. And based on what I heard on New Year's Eve, there is a LOT of patchwork to be done. Therefore, I wouldn't expect the CD before summer.
The Grammy nominations are out, and for the second year in a row, Streisand has been snubbed. She had one single (IDOY) and one album (ALLO) both eligible for nominations. It is the Irreverent Guide's opinion that Streisand's last minute cancellation of her duet with Celine Dion two years ago, has left Streisand very unpopular with Grammy voters and nominating committees.
Columbia records rushed to the RIAA and requested a gold and platinum certification for ALLO. RIAA, who bases these certifications on "units shipped" [to retailers, etc] has granted the gold and platinum certifications to ALLO. However, ALLO has not even come close to selling a half a million copies. To make matters worse, it has begun to plummet down the Billboard 200 after its suprisingly low debut at #6. At the time of this update, ALLO has already fallen to #37. What this means is that there are a lot of copies (approximately 700,000) out there searching for owners.
[3/00] The slide continues as ALLO falls off the Top 200 on the BillBoard 200, after a 23 week run, for the week ending March 18, 2000. ALLO's [poor] 23-week performance on Billboard is as follows: 6-17-21-26-26-37-44-63-54-70-63-64-64-66-109-84-94-118-119-133-129-153-188.
Earlier this month, the restored Funny Girl premiered at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. Streisand, who on more than one key occasion has become ill, missed the event. Once again, she had the flu. At least two others, including Omar Shariff, also had the bug. Perhaps the absence of the two protagonists lead to the press' virtual lack of interest in this news item.
While at Brighton, the IGBS discovered that there are historical errors in the Streisand's On a Clear Day You Can See Forever... In this film, Melinda claims she met Robert Tentrees at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton in 1814. However, the Pavilion depicted in the movie is the Pavilion redesigned by Nash. Architect John Nash began his redesign of the interior and exterior of the Pavilion in 1815 (a year after Melinda met Robert) and completed this work in 1823. In particular, three rooms featured in the movie (ie, the Music Room, the Banqueting Room and the Great Kitchen) were built by Nash after 1815. Consequently, the exterior of the Pavilion in this movie, as well as the interior, are incorrect.
BTW, Brighton is a WONDERFUL place with really nice people. I had a great time there and had the privilege of meeting Sadie (no relation to Streisand), Steve, Sarah and many more. Unfortunately, I don't remember the name of a new friend with whom I discussed "conspiracies" and the Book of British Dentistry. Thank you all for your hospitality.
The Mirror Has Two Faces appears to be destined to be Streisand's last film. Currently, there are no motion picture plans which include Streisand as the leading lady or as a secondary character.
Days after word got out that ABC was after Cher to portray Mame in the upcoming TV movie, Streisand "officially advised the network she'll only be involved in the project as producer." [Quote from Reuters.] Can anyone explain to me what was the point of her announcement? They had already passed on her! Like they didn't know she wouldn't be starring in it; they've been looking for someone else, dear...
As always, Barbra takes forever to make up her mind on anything these days. And people do tire of waiting for her. Let's face it, she's not the star she once was. And so, word is out that ABC execs, who have been waiting for a response since February, have decided to move on. If they have their druthers, Cher will be TV's Mame.
Admittedly, I am the last to report this. But somehow, I am just not convinced the (very) proud Diva will star in a TV movie. Still, everyone has reported that sources close to her said the following: "Barbra is dying to play Mame and is determined to get a script that suits her, even if she has to rewrite it herself." Though I'm not convinced this is true, it sure sounds like her.
Perhaps Barbra took her role as Daisy Gamble a little too seriously. For ages we've heard Babs was cultivating a rose. Believe it or not...IT'S TRUE! Winter Gardens Catalog has announced the arrival of the "Rosa Barbra Streisand" [Rosa BS, for short] with the following description:
"'Barbra Streisand' Wekquanele; PPAF. "Hello, Gorgeous!" Ms. Streisand personally grew and selected this extraordinary lavender Hybrid Tea as her namesake. Her criteria were fragrance, color and bloom size, and this cross of R. 'Blue Nile' and 'New Zealand' excels in all 3 areas. The scent is an interesting citrus-influenced Rose, so powerful that only 2 or 3 blooms can perfume an entire room. The color is a highly distinctive, intense lavender which darkens with age and is handsomely complemented by the glossy, moss-green foliage. And the blooms are magnificent 4 to 41/2 inches across, fully double and with immaculate form each with a petal count of greater than 35. As if these merits were not enough, 'Barbra Streisand' is quite free-flowering, producing plenty of blooms for cutting while remaining colorful as a specimen in the landscape or mixed border. An especially good performer in mild climes, the shrub grows just 3 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide, with disease-resistant foliage. A star is born! Zones 5-9."
Now, the picture, which follows, is not as enticing as the description. Note how Winter Gardens points out that the Rosa BS has a powerful odor. Which makes me wonder if its petals are the ones Barbra places in her toilets when in concert or at home. (Thanks to Rob for this news item.)
It's over. Today, Vice-President Al Gore conceded Bush's win of the US Presidency. A devastating blow to Streisand, who raised millions for the party and had shuddered over the possibility that Bush would select three Supreme Court Justices over the next four years. Her fears must be exacerbated given that the Republican-controlled US Supreme Court handed Bush the victory in a silver platter (ie, in several questionable rulings). And now the Republicans stand poised to remain in control of this court for many years, since Justices are appointed for life.
Anyways, back to Babs. Despite this fiasco, Clinton will be honoring her for her contribution to the arts and the humanities on December the 20th (according to Jeannette Walls of MSNBC). My very insightful colleague Jeannette further added that the award was really for Barbra's fundraising effort. I never would have guessed.
E! Online has named Barbra the winner of the Tacky Taste 2000 Awards. To earn this distinction, she had beat out the likes of Richard Hatch of Survivors (#3), Diana Ross (#4) and Rosie O'Donnell (#10). How did Barbra reach the #1 spot on this list (which is, BTW, the only #1 of any kind she's had in ages)? In the words of E! Online: "I'm sick to death of her 'final concert tour' and the absolutely outrageous price of her tickets," griped John Lewandowski. Reader Anna adds, "It was the hardworking people who gave her support and admiration and got her where she is. And what do we get? To read about how good her concert was. Thanks a lot." But perhaps the simplest, most pointed Babs barbs came in the form of votes for "$trei$and."
As reported by the IGBS in January and February, photographer Wendall Wall was accused of stalking Barbra, only to be released three/four days later due to insufficient evidence. As noted back then, a lawsuit was inevitable due to the unusual circumstances of the arrest, the ridiculous bail ($1 million), and the fact that Streisand denied requesting the arrest while official documents show she was desirous of prosecution and had complained that she was being stalked.
As reported by the Associated Press, Wall is requesting unspecified damages from Streisand, Brolin and the Sheriff's Department. Once again, Streisand and Brolin have reported not requesting the arrest. So....Why oh Why was he put in jail? Sounds like he's gonna win this case.
5 days have gone by since the USA elections took place and we still don't know who won the Presidency. However, we do know that a dead man became Senator for the state of Missouri! It was the first time ever that a candidate died before the election and was allowed to remain on the ticket. Dead people have rights, too! I guess.
Overall, it was a rough elections for the Democrats, including Streisand. The Party scored no major wins except Hillary Rodham Clinton, who became the first First Lady to win a Senate seat. Hillary will began her term as Senator for New York in January. Congratulations, Mrs. Clinton!
In the meantime, the State of Florida holds the key to the Presidency. Bush is holding on to a lead there of 800 votes in the recount; however, a number of complaints about voting irregularities (including a misleading ballot in one county) may turn the election in favor of Gore. Still, at present, many believe Bush will be declared the winner next week.
As we all know, Barbara Walters refused to air Barbra's entire speech at a Democratic Fundraiser. Streisand, who has to let her opinion known, called on Rosie O'Donnell to air the speech. The star-struck Rosie, who grew up worshipping the Diva, aired 2 minutes of the speech (plus Send in the Clowns from the upcoming Timeless DVD). According to numerous sources, Rosie had to battle her network to accomplish this (she even threatened to resign when the network asked her not to air the speech).
NOT suprisingly, Barbra is reportedly upset with Barbara Walters over the 20/20 interview that was shown on 11/3. But it wasn't because it was a horrible interview, but because Walters did not include Streisand's complete speech at a Democratic Fundraiser. In addition, some anti-Bush remarks were also omitted by Walters. To add insult to injury, Walters is not returning Streisand's phone calls (according to Army Archerd).
"It seems we stood and talked like this before...We looked at each other in the same way then, but I can remember...Where or When..."
Is it me or does every Streisand interview sound the same? While watching Barbara Walters' most recent Streisand interview (11/03/00 on 20/20), I had that dreadful feeling that I had seen it or read its contents before. And how could this feeling of deja vu not overcome me? After all, the topics were all the same: her retiring from concerts, her dislike of live performance, her hatred of high heels, her being a day-trader, her husband Jim Brolin, her marriage changing her life, her being a democrat, her undying support for Bill Clinton... Did I forget something? Oh, of course, her dead father who she never knew.
On the latter subject... It was interesting listening to Streisand describe the séance by which she contacted her dead father. And how the table (?) spelled his name (Manny) and his message to her: SING...PROUD. Honestly, I had read that story before, but never believed that Streisand would have actually done this. It just sounded so tabloid. Well, I was wrong. It's also interesting that the deceased dad told her to sing, not to act or direct. I guess father does know best.
The only other interesting moment occurred when Ms. Walters asked the diva about the Clinton affair with Monica Lewinsky. The face Ms. Streisand made during this part of the interview was to die for. Her lips literally disappeared in a grimace. Then regaining her composure (and summoning the remains of her acting talent), Ms. Streisand claimed she would of stood by Bill, just like Hillary did. And who said she didn't deserve that Funny Girl Oscar?
BSNN.Net has included Barbra in its Who Sucks? Feature. In addition, the inflamatory and generally nasty website claims the Babs-Bitch (as they call her) will star in two Gore ads. The promo pictures follow. BTW, is that HAIR in her armpits? OY! [UPDATE: The features have been removed from the dated site.]
Steve found this on EBAY: "Item #471998417 BARBRA STREISAND PANTIES (bought at auction)". According to the seller, he/she bought the White Nylon Danskin panties at an auction and now is selling them on EBAY for no less than $100. I am attaching the picture. Need I say more? Well, I will add that they look more like Depends than panties. Senior citizen, you know.
Anything would have been an improvment. The new official website, www.barbrastreisand.com, was relaunched yesterday putting an end to one of the most embarassing celebrity websites in the history of the internet. At least for now. Only time will tell if the new website will also suffer from the lack of upkeep the previous one did.
The most interesting aspect of the new website is its obvious focus on selling Streisand merchandise. Her concert merchandise is there, and her video and CD pictures are linked to CDNOW.
The organization of the website is terrible (you have to click on page after page) to find a particular CD, for example. The highlight, without a doubt is the page on Downloads (no, not the Truth Alerts). Though few, the downloads represent an interesting feature, nonetheless. For fans who cannot be there, the site will have a live stream of the her "final" concert's last song; however, it will only be available to AOL members.
If there is one thing even the die-hard fans cannot stand about Barbra Streisand, it is her official website, www.barbrastreisand.com. Until yesterday 8/23/00, the last time this dreadful site was updated was sometime back in March. Finally, a new "Truth Alert" was posted (a silly one about the stupid adoption story) and the following announcement was added: "NEW WEBSITE LAUNCHING IN SEPTEMBER!" I've just got to see this!
When looking back at the 1960's, History remembers Streisand as the Queen of Wailing Banshees and the First Lady of Camp--largely due to the fact that she outlived her one and only nemesis, Mrs. Miller. When it came to quivering vibratos and tremulous trills, living legend Babs was no match for the late Mrs. Miller. With a career that spanned a few years in the late sixties, Mrs. Miller put her inimitable stamp on a number of covers ranging from Yellow Submarine to Strangers in the Night, and from Monday Monday to Second Hand Rose. An untrained but willing soprano, Mrs. Miller paved the way for banshees like Streisand by singing pop, country, bossa nova, and rock and roll before anyone knew a diva could sing these genres. As we all know, it wasn't 'til after Mrs. Miller that Streisand tried singing Lennon/McCartney, pop, and country.
To honor the legendary performer and perhaps to set the record straight, Capitol has released The Artist Collection MRS. MILLER with brief liner notes and 21 classic tunes performed as only Mrs. Miller could. Interestingly, the quality of this recording is stunning. There is no surface noise and definitely no static (other than Mrs. Miller herself). With all its campiness intact, this CD is quite a treasure. I suggest you run to your nearest Borders or go to Amazon.com and order your copy. Questions on Mrs. Miller and her lovely voice can be addressed to George Schubert. And please, Mr. Schubert only has time to answer questions on Mrs. Miller; questions on the website should be addressed to the WebMaster at BarbraGuide@hotmail.com. Thanks!
In what is probably the most exciting Streisand news to date, www.suck.com has called Barbra an "exhausted, irrelevant relic." Not content with just that, the nasty web page also refers to her as a "faded celebrity" and a "has been" (and people think I'm vicious!). Apparently, what pushed the suck people (I don't know what else to call them) over the top, was the Golden Globes tribute, which they referred to as "the most fulsome, overblown Streisand tribute in the history of fulsome, overblown Streisand tributes." Of course, you have to read this yourself. The full text is at: http://www.suck.com/daily/2000/01/27/.
Not content with bashing the Diva, suck.com also took a pot shot at yours truly. Referring to me AND linking to my site (unbeknownst to me), suck.com wrote "even the wags who affect to have some fun at Barbra Joan's expense inevitably come off sounding more like Linda Richman than John Simon." (John who?) Anyways, as you all know, I am above taking offense to this -- I am truly a professional. However, I should clarify (for the benefit of the suck people) that I am not in the business of bashing. Instead, I report honest, unbiased information targeted at a mature and sensitive audience. So, suck.com, do your own bashing.
On April 29, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) presented "Equality Rocks", a pre-Millennium March concert starring Garth Brooks, the Pet Shop Boys, Melissa Etheridge, George Michael, and others. In one of the pre-recorded segments of the concert, which took place in Washington DC, a few celebrity parents advocated human rights. Among these parents was Elliot Gould, father of openly gay Jason Gould. Jason's other parent, superdiva Streisand, was nowhere to be found.
As if she isn't old enough already... The self-proclaimed "timeless" one and star of these web pages is now 58 and counting. In case your wondering, I introduced her as the star of my web page because she doesn't seem to be starring anywhere else. No new concert news, no new motion pictures, no other news period. Timeless? Indeed.
Dr. Linda Pohly, in her book The Barbra Streisand Companion/A Guide to Her Vocal Style and Repertoire made several comments which are tantamount to screaming, "VOCAL DECLINE":
Another interesting comment from Ms. Pohly: "The duet between Celine Dion and Barbra Streisand indicates the former's range is higher and that her vibrato can be faster than Streisand's."
Interestingly, Dr. Pohly's analyses confirms some comments contained in my review of A Love Like Ours and of the Millennium Concert, as well as my discussion of Celine Dion. However, her book has a number of problems, which are discussed in a great review posted to www.amazon.com, Customer Reviews.
Lawrence Longo, photographer Wendell Wall's attorney, has informed the press that his client will be suing Barbra Streisand. The lawsuit is a result of Streisand's allegation of stalking, which resulted in Mr. Wall spending several nights in jail. Mr. Wall and his father, who live about 500 yards away from the Diva, are also planning to sue the sheriff's office. The matter is complicated by Streisand's new claim that she never requested the arrest. However, the police report indicates that the diva was "desirous of prosecution". Shall we say it is time for a ... "Truth Alert"?
Actually, it was Shirley MacLaine who attempted to canonize the Diva. The Golden Globes were simply awarding Streisand with the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievements (please note, the decision to
give her this award was made BEFORE she sang at her Millennium Concert).
MacLaine was tasked with presenting Babs with the award, a task which started off as humorous and quickly turned into blasphemous deification. Somehow, MacLaine's presentation speech shifted to the Biblical Garden of Eden where Shirley claimed she was "Adam". She also claimed Streisand was at the Garden. According to the half-looney Ms. MacLaine, Barbra was there as "God". And if that wasn't enough, Shirley took the opportunity to publicly pat Barbra on her butt (see photo). Well, and I thought I was irreverent...
Despite her aching feet, Babs did show up at the Golden Globes Ceremony to accept the Cecil B. DeMille Award (did you think she'd miss Shirley's speech?). In reporting this special event, the press focused on the unusual length of both Barbra's and Shirley's speeches. Between the two, according to the Associated Press, they took up almost a quarter of the show. (And she wonders why they call her a "diva".) Shameless to the end, the Diva stated, "It's great getting awards, but it's difficult knowing just what to say." That said, the Diva went on to read her endless acceptance speech from the TelePrompTer. Later, after keeping them waiting, Streisand reappeared with MacLaine to chat with the press and made her usual diva-esque comments:
Whatever...BTW, this isn't the first time I hear about her aching feet. May I suggest a podiatrist? a masseuse? masseur? comfortable shoes? all of the above?
In early January, Barbra Streisand and her husband (James Brolin) accused one of their neighbors (Wendell Wall) of stalking them. This 28-year-old individual was arrested and held on $1,000,000 bail. Until three days later, that is, when the case was tossed out due to insufficient evidence. It appears that Ms. Streisand's neighbor is just a photographer who was following her in an attempt to get some photos. Honestly, it would seem to me that Babs would be used to this by now after 40 years in the business. She should also know better than to accuse photographers of stalking, which is a very serious crime. And why, WHY, with all the houses she buys and sells, would she move into a known photographer's neighborhood?
Armed with an evaluation from the district attorney's office, Mr. Wall was quoted as saying, "This says that I didn't break the law and she had me arrested for no apparent reason...I'm still going to take her picture...this is not going to stop me. It's my job." (Source: AP)
The son of Streisand's husband, Josh Brolin, appears to be having some trouble finding the right kind of roles. In what particular flick, Flirting With Disaster, Josh plays a secondary role as a gay/bisexual special agent and aspiring writer who's "married" to special agent and coworker Richard Jenkins and wants to adopt a baby. Whew! Try saying that in one breath. In one scene, the protagonist (played by Ben Stiller) walks into his room and finds Josh licking his wife's (Patricia Arquette) armpit. Hats off to Josh, who is very convincing in this scene and in this role. If you're into this kind of stuff you're in luck; Miramax has released Flirting With Disaster on DVD and home video.
As previously reported, Babs sold her Holmby Hills estate on 301 Carrolwood Drive last year (for story, click here). As a special treat from the Irreverent Guide, a photo of the entrance of that estate follows:
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On second thought, maybe not.
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