Bette on Oprah!

[starlight2]

Posted: 1/29/08 at 10:05am

Did anyone see it? Looks like a FUN show in Vegas! did you notice our 2 Hairspray & a Rent alumni dancing and singing behind the Divine Miss M?! "Vegas or Bust"!

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/29/08 at 10:36am

Tivo-ed it but haven't watched it yet. More interested in seeing her daughter Sophie, actually. Bette is retiring after her Las Vegas run is over.

And yes... several HAIRSPRAY alumni in Bette's troupe, including the peppering of Marc Shaiman and Bruce Vilanch (her head writer).

[RyToast1]

Posted: 1/29/08 at 10:37am

I am so excited to see Bette! Mike & I are going sometime in March or April.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/29/08 at 10:54am

I definitely will be seeing the Divine since this show is her swan song.

My first time seeing Bette was at the Palace (and the Miami Beach Auditorium) in 1973 when I was 8 years old. Then her CLAMS ON THE HALF SHELL REVUE at the Minskoff three times in Spring 1975 (I had just turned 10).

My folks took me and my older sister to everything -- regardless of its content. I'm still forever grateful to them both.

[RyToast1]

Posted: 1/29/08 at 11:03am

Oh man, I've never gotten to see her live, but then again, I wasn't even thought of in the 70's.

You're my mom's age Brody!

[mauriposa]

Posted: 1/29/08 at 11:04am

Do we know how long her show is running? I've got to get out there and see her.

[starlight2]

Posted: 1/29/08 at 11:33am

Thanks brodyfosse123 for reminding me of the AMAZING, BRILLIANT, contributions of Marc and Bruce...me bad! I was just looking at the actual performance. Bette said they will be at Ceasars 2 years beginning Feb. 20th, but it would be on a few weeks, off a few? have no clue of the schedule after march 16th, the performances added. But might try her website?

[starlight2]

Posted: 1/30/08 at 2:40pm

Brodyfosse, what did you think about the interview with Sophie?
Did they say what she is studying at harvard? I know they said she is a senior and 21. the Law school student who won tickets and a night at the hotel looked thrilled! fun!

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 1/30/08 at 3:07pm

Way to go Bette!

[defyingravity07]

Posted: 1/30/08 at 3:18pm

From those pics I could totally see Bette playing Ursula in TLM.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/30/08 at 3:50pm

Having only seen glimpses of Sophie in the past, it was great getting to see her speak for herself, et al. Her mom-related stories were great... and no, they did not mention what she is majoring in. They mentioned she's attending an 'Ivy League' school -- Harvard was never mentioned so it can be anything. The clip of her stage debut in her mom's 1994 EXPERIENCE THE DIVINE Tour was a gem.

NOTE: for those thinking that Bette named her daughter Sophie after the late great Sophie Tucker (whom she always pays tribute to in all her concerts), she is not. She's name after a family member.

Bette has already stated that she is retiring after her Las Vegas run ends, so any hopes of seeing her on Broadway (Ursula in THE LITTLE MERMAID) won't ever be happening, unfortunately.


Bette and Sophie:

[neelyohara]

Posted: 1/30/08 at 4:05pm

I'm pretty sure Sophie is at Yale; I remember Bette giving an interview a few years ago saying that she was going to be a freshman there (I remember it so well because it was the year I graduated high school, too, LOL).

[jeffrey1dog]

Posted: 1/30/08 at 6:27pm

She was just amazing on Oprah. I can't get over the great shape she's in. Still shakin' up the stage at 62.

The show's supposed to run for 2 years .
They've been putting the tickets up in blocks every couple of months. I'm crazy mad for her.

[MuppetManiaMan]

Posted: 1/30/08 at 6:54pm

This is one amazing woman I wish I could meet. I mean, I would give back every single celebrity encounter I've had to meet Miss Bette.

[Flaunt It]

Posted: 1/30/08 at 6:54pm

I found her surprisingly dull and unpolished on Oprah. For all the cries of how bawdy and tacky she is going to be.. it all seemed reather luke warm to me. Glad I saw her in 1994.

[philcrosby]

Posted: 1/31/08 at 11:05am

Bette in real life is way different from Bette on stage, by her own admission. "The Divine Miss M" is creation of Midler's, not Midler herself. She often goes out shopping in LA totally unnoticed. She's tiny, quiet, and extremely lady-like.

Now on stage, she is a dynamo!

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/31/08 at 11:21am

Yup. Bette Midler and The Divine Miss M are 2 completely different personas. Just like Beyonce' and "Tonya".

I've was a P.A. on the film STELLA (during the exterior filming in South Florida) and she is NOTHING like The Divine Miss M. As Bette, she is quiet, sweet and subtle -- rather bland, in a way. Now... on stage she is a wild force of nature -- in real-life she was a completely different person.

[atlsuperstar]

Posted: 1/31/08 at 3:34pm

What are the name's of the three background singers?

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/31/08 at 4:10pm

Jordan Ballard, Kyra DaCosta and Kamilah Martin

[starlight2]

Posted: 1/31/08 at 4:23pm

hey brodyfosse123, just noticed your jimmy marsden comment. (:
my friend from ocu told me that marsden and ballard went to the same highschool, but apparantly several years apart. small world!
Updated On: 1/31/08 at 04:23 PM

[Popular]

Posted: 2/3/08 at 5:34pm

Just playing Oprah catch up with my brother's TIVO while I babysit my napping nephew. I thought the segment was fun. I've always enjoyed Bette Midler.

Kamilah Martin played Joanne in RENT ages ago when L.A. still had a Shubert Theater, and she was also in HAIRSPRAY on Broadway.

Recently, I've seen her perform for the Lippa benefit concert in Orange County and with Shoshana Bean at BB Kings in Universal City.... really talented girl!

EDIT TO ADD: Just looked up the other 2 girls and they are broadway performers as well! Jordan in HAIRSPRAY and Kyra in AIDA, DREAMGIRLS benefit, and SWEET CHARITY. Most of you might have known that but it's news to me to thought I'd share :)

Updated On: 2/3/08 at 05:34 PM

[starlight2]

Posted: 2/3/08 at 6:04pm

i love kamilah in anything she does! jordan ballard was a great maureen in Rent in the tour, played amber in the first national tour of Hairspray and then moved to Broadway in the role, when i looked it up, i also remembered she had done some tv? I am not as familiar with krya, but i did hear that shayna steele is a singer in the show, can anyone confirm that? Can't wait to see 50 showgirls in mermaid suits flapping away on stage. i am saving my money for vegas!

[Copeman63]

Posted: 2/3/08 at 6:08pm

FYI - Bette is contracted to perform 200 shows a year fro 2 years, alternating with Elton John and Cher.

[Copeman63]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 8:17pm

Also, Cher is on Good Morning America tomorrow (2-5-0 and is expected to officialy annouce her run.

[starlight2]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 11:00am

Copeman, i missed Good Morning America! did Cher announce? what did she say? wear? how did she look??? anyone watch?
crap!