The Divine Miss M, Bette Midler and MeidasTouch.com have a message for the treasonous GOP Senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley.
“You suck!”
Credits: Parody lyrics by Eric Kornfeld – Piano by Marc Shaiman – Vocals by The Divine Bette Midler
Tag Archives: Bette Midler
WATCH: Bette Midler Performs In My Life/Friends at the 1991 Benefit for the AIDS Project of Los Angeles – VIDEO
In 1991 Hollywood’s one of the largest responses to the AIDS epidemic, a $1 million+ fundraiser was held at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles, California. Bette Midler, Carol Channing, Tyne Daly, Melissa Manchester, Lainie Kazan, Richard Dreyfuss, Jennifer Holiday, and others gathered to support the AIDS Project of Los Angeles
Bette received APLA’s “Commitment to Life” award along with MCA Inc. President Sidney Sheinberg and AIDS research specialist Dr. Joel Weisman in recognition of their work in battling discrimination and the disease.
Midler seemed downbeat about Hollywood’s response to AIDS. “I didn’t start running for the hills like a lot of people did,” she said, referring to the mid-80’s when Hollywood responded tepidly and nervously to the epidemic that has ensnared the film community. She said, in a cracking voice, “Nearly everyone I started out with has died.”
In 1991 alone, 29,850 Americans died from HIV infection
This is what life was like in 1991
Heart-wrenching.
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Gay History – WATCH Bette Midler’s Final Performance At The Continental Baths in NYC (1971) – Video
In the late 1960’s Steve Ostrow opened the Continental Baths in the basement of the landmark Ansonia Hotel, which at one time was home to such greats as Caruso, Stravinsky and Toscanini.
Famous for its lavish accommodations, the Continental Baths was advertised as being reminiscent of “the glory of ancient Rome.” The impressive features of this bathhouse included a disco dance floor, a cabaret lounge, sauna rooms, an “Olympia blue” swimming pool, and clean, spacious facilities that could serve nearly 1,000 men, 24 hours a day. (And many patrons did!)
One gay guide from NYC in the 1970’s described the Continental Baths as a place that “revolutionized the bath scene in New York.”
An extra added attraction at the Continental was the first class entertainment provided by performers such as Melba Moore, Peter Allen, Cab Calloway, The Manhattan Transfer, John Davidson, Wayland Flowers and Madame and Bette Midler, who began her career by performing there with Barry Manilow in 1972.
Despite Midler’s constant complaints about “that goddam waterfall,” her poolside performances were so successful that she soon gained national attention, beginning with repeat performances on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
Many of those who were fortunate enough to see Bette’s early bathhouse shows attest to the fact that her greatest achievement in show business took place the night she convinced the otherwise shy Barry Manilow to accompany her on the piano while wearing only a white towel, which was considered “proper bathhouse attire.”
As the popularity of the cabaret shows increased, a wide variety of entertainers were invited to “give it up” at the Continental Baths, including the soprano Eleanor Steber, who gave a “black towel” concert there in 1973.
The list of visitors to the Continental Baths read like a “who’s who” of the entertainment world, from actors, singers, artists, producers, to the mafia and and even the Metropolitan Oper. They all paid a visit either to see Bette, or have some fun.
And for those unfortunate souls who never descended into that legendary basement bathhouse, the Continental Baths were able to come to them in the form of the highly popular Continental Baths towel, which was sold by Bloomingdale’s department store at the height of the club’s fame.
During this period even the mainstream news talk show The Pat Collins Show broadcast live from the club. In one segment, Pat sat by the pool and interviewed proprietor Steve Ostrow while nude men, apparently indifferent to the television cameras, went splashing (WCBS-TV received only one complaint about the program.)
Below watch one of Bette Midler’s final performances in its entirety at The Continental Baths. (With Barry Manilow on the piano of course)
Apologies about the quality of the videos below but its a miracle that it exists at all
Setlist:
“Friends”
“Fat Stuff”
“Chattanooga Choo-Choo” (Andrews Sisters)
“Superstar”
“Empty Bed Blues” (Bessie Smith)
“Marahuana”
“For Free” (Joni Mitchell)
“Easier Said Than Done” (The Essex)
“Chapel Of Love” (The Dixie Cups)
“I Shall Be Released” (The Band)
Bette Midler and The Continental Baths – ABC News Report Circa 1980
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Faux Outraged CONservatives Call Bette Midler Racist Over Trump Tweet
The Divine Miss M. is catching seriously manufactured backlash from right-wing nuts and snowflakes over a tweet about “supposed” black Trump supporters being paid.
Bette Midler sent a tweet on Wednesday in which she caustically joked that black attendees of President Trump’s recent 2020 re-election rally were paid to be there.
“Look, there are African American men in this shot! How much did he pay them to be ‘blackground?’” Midler tweeted with an image of the Trump rally.
Well that left an opening for every deluded Trump supporter and nutjob to be histrionically faux-outraged and to pile on Bette “dontcha’ know” as Soph would say. Calling the grand Diva and “racist”
Said whackadoodle nutjob and Scientologist cultist Kirsty “Hail Xenu” Alley:
“This is one of the most racist, degrading ‘jokes’ I’ve seen on Twitter & that’s saying a lot. We get it Bette, you hate Trump & that’s your right but to imply Black men have to be PAID to celebrate their OWN political views is pure and REAL racism. And “BLACKGROUND”?? WTF??!!”
Former shirtless “Actor” and holy roller Kevin Sorbo who is so dumb he couldn’t think of anything original to say retweeted a post from the unknown black CON-servative comedian Terrence K. Williams who has REALLY been caught talking racist smack against Asians.
“I support the @POTUS for free,”. Williams tweeted.
Then Joy Villa who is more well known for her wearing of Trump inspired clothing than her lackluster music career chimed in,
Really, Bette? REALLY? @bettemidler You’re this crazy to insinuate black Americans have absolutely no mind or values of their own & would only support their country & @realdonaldtrump for ‘money’? SMH you probably think they’re all pimps & black women like me are just hoes, too?
You were the one who said “hoe” Joy Villa. Not us .
Hoe.
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Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker & Kathy Najimy to Reunite for the 25th Anniversary of ‘Hocus Pocus’!
Freeform TV announced on Thursday (October 18) that Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker & Kathy Najimy will reunite during the Hocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash airing on Saturday (October 20) at 8:15-10:15 p.m. ET/PT, as part of their “31 Nights of Halloween” series.
The special will feature exclusive interviews with the Sanderson sisters themselves, plus musical performances by Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, and Jordin Sparks as well as a “Hocus Pocus” themed costume contest, judged by Sharon Osbourne, Kelly Osbourne, Margaret Cho and Ross Mathews.
Source: Just Jared
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Bette Midler Slammed On TWITTER After Quoting: “‘Women Are the N-Word of the World’
Bette Midler was thrown under the bus last night and slammed over what she thought she was a powerful statement about how women are perceived and treated in the world in light of the FBI’s brief and limited investigation into the sexual assault claim made against Kavanaugh by Christine Blasey Ford.
Midler tweeted a paraphrased line from one of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s more controversial songs entitled “Woman Is the N—-r of the World.”
Midler’s name began trending on Twitter immediately and continued to through the night. Her post instantly sparked outrage, with many arguing it erases the struggle of black women and is blatantly disrespectful to the African-American community in light of social issues in our country. Midler was also accused of showing her privilege and reminded that a white woman shouldn’t be marginalizing black women.
People also stressed that the struggle of white women can’t be compared to the history of racism, violence and systematic oppression that black women have faced, which her tweet “erased”.
Franchesca Ramsey
✔@chescaleigh
BLACK WOMEN EXIST BETTE
Midler acknowledged in a follow-up tweet that her message “offended many” but defended it by noting that it was originally spoken by Yoko Ono, “Which I never forgot. It rang true then, and it rings true today, whether you like it or not,” she wrote. “This is not about race, this is about the status of women; THEIR HISTORY.”
“I am an ally and stand with you; always have,” she wrote. “And I apologize.”
But that was not enough for many.
Midler’s explanation of the quote inflamed people even more.State Sen. Nina Turner (D-Ohio) told Midler that her white woman privilege was showing.
Rapper Talib Kweli Greene reminded her that “black women exist” and “are treated like niggers. You are not,” he tweeted to her. “Please stop erasing black women. Thank you.”
Later Midler apologized and acknowledged that black women “doubly suffer, both by being women and being black.”
Bishop Talbert Swan
✔@TalbertSwan
Nothing like a white woman telling another white woman that her offensive Tweet, which invalidated black suffering, “didn’t invalidate black suffering.”
This is a classic example of whitesplaining.
Shanita Hubbard
✔@msshanitarenee
How exhausting it is to have to even state this in 2018. But here we are.
Lura Groen@lura_groenNo ma’am.
Please don’t appropriate the racism Black people experience.
Sexism is bad enough as it is.
Racism is a different bad thing.
Some people experience both.
And this is a very bad tweet.
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Social Justice Warriors Accuse Bette Midler of Homophobia. OY GAVALT!
Social Justice Warriors are accusing Bette Midler is being homophobic after the long-time ally and Divine Miss M posted a tweet yesterday about US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
‘Trump and Putin are meeting in Finland next month,’ she wrote.
‘That’s a long way to travel for a blowjob, but hey — Putin’s got the money.’
Well that just shocked, shocked I say those within our community that are so “woke” it must be exhausting.
Bette has not responded to the “faux” uber-pc outrage.
But we have.
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Bette Midler’s Tweet About Rand Paul Has Fox News and Conservatives In A Tizzy
A tweet made by the patron saint of gay men, The Divine Miss M. herself about Rand Paul and his arduous 7 hour delay of the U.S. Senate voting on a two-year budget deal meant to avert a government shutdown has Fox News and some very overly sensitive CON-servatives in a tizzy.
Via FAUX News:
Bette Midler shocked the Twitterverse on Thursday with a post suggesting Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., should be physically attacked for his stance on the spending budget in the Senate.
Midler tweeted Thursday evening, “Where’s Rand Paul’s neighbor when we need him?”
Midler’s tweet was referencing a violent November incident during which Paul was assaulted by his neighbor and suffered several injuries.Rene A. Boucher, 58, admitted to attacking an unsuspecting Paul in his yard and is facing 21 months in prison. Paul suffered bruises to his lungs and broken ribs, and contracted pneumonia following the attack.
One of Paul’s aides, Sergio Gor, called out Midler for a tweet that crossed the line.
“This is disgusting @BetteMidler calling for violence. She should be ashamed,” Gor tweeted.
Shocking and disgusting? They obviously don’t know Better Midler at all.
(Bette Midler imitation) Those dirty motherfuckers.
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Gay History – November 9th: Rock Hudson’s Beard, The Rose, and SNL’s First Gay Cast Member
November 9th:
1955 – Rock Hudson marries his agent’s secretary to squelch rumors about his sexual orientation. Rumours which were unknown to Phyllis Gates who became Hudson’s wife. That is of course until Phyllis had hired private eye Fred Otash who then in turn secretly taped Rock’s and Phyllis’ personal conversations.
On January 21, 1958, Rock Hudson’s wife confronted him, demanding to know if he was gay and grilling the actor about a Rorschach test he had taken. “You told me you saw thousands of butterflies and also snakes,” she said “[A therapist] told me in my analysis that butterflies mean femininity and snakes represent that male penis. I’m not condemning you, but it seems that as long as you recognize your problem, you would want to do something about it.” She also complained about “your great speed with me, sexually. Are you that fast with boys?”
“Well, it’s a physical conjunction [sic],” replied Rock, then 32. “Boys don’t fit. So, this is why it lasts longer.”
Added Phyllis: “Everyone knows that you were picking up boys off the street shortly after we were married and have continued to do so, thinking that being married would cover up for you.”
“I have never picked up any boys on the street,” Rock insisted. “I have never picked up any boys in a bar, never. I have never picked up any boys, other than to give them a ride.”
Well we all know how this story ends.
1979 – Bette Midler’s first movie, The Rose, opens in theaters and leads to an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for the Divine Miss M.
The Rose is the story of a self-destructive 1960s rock star who struggles to cope with the constant pressures of her career and the demands of her ruthless business manager.
The story is loosely based on the life of singer Janis Joplin. Originally titled Pearl, after Joplin’s nickname, and the title of her last album, it was fictionalized after her family declined to allow the producers the rights to her story.
Bette performed the soundtrack album for the film, and the title track became one of her biggest hit singles.
1985 – Openly gay Terry Sweeney joined the cast of Saturday Night Live.
Sweeney’s run on the show came at a time when there were few openly gay characters or actors on television. For roughly 27 years, there were no other openly gay cast members on SNL, until Kate McKinnon (a former cast member of Logo’s The Big Gay Sketch Show) was added to the cast in April 2012.
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Hello Bernie! – Bernadette Peters Will Succeed Bette Midler in Hello, Dolly!
Tony Award winner Bernadette Peters will step into the Tony-winning revival of Hello, Dolly!, taking over the role of title matchmaker Dolly Gallagher Levi from fellow Tony winner Bette Midler.
Peters will begin performances January 20. As previously announced, Midler, who won a Tony for her leading performance, will take her final bow January 14, 2018.
In a statement, Ms. Peters said, “I’m absolutely thrilled to continue in the tradition of the incomparable Bette Midler, Carol Channing, and all of the other wonderful actresses who have played Dolly Levi, and I look forward to joining this wonderful company at the Shubert.”
Broadway veteran Victor Garber will also be taking over the role of Horace Vandergelder currently played by David Hyde-Pierce at the same time of the Midler/Peters swap-out.
Source: BroadwayWorld
