Streisand can't play Rose but Bette can play Dolly?

Double standard much folks? Now I have nothing against Midler (even though Patti Lupone should be playing Dolly) but why is it you all praise the 71 year old Bette for playing Dolly and then get out your pitch forks when the 73 year old Streisand wants to play Mama Rose?

Valid point. But Streisand looks great for her age and could sing the score wonderfully. I don't get the nastiness towards her playing the role. She's a legend and ending her career on Gypsy is pretty much perfect.

You can't berate one performer and then praise the other when neither women make much sense in either roles, yet both could still do their respective roles total justice.

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Updated On: 2/6/16 at 11:26 PM

I'm not talking to anyone specifically. Just the many on this board who complained on all the Streisand gypsy threads.

Lucille Ball could not sing.

Lucille Ball in her 60's lost all of her sense of humor.

Lucille Ball incessant cigarette smoking made her croak the role of Mame.

Streisand is still funny and has a sense of humor.

Steisand can still sing

Streisand's voice is not ravaged by smoke.

It's an unfair comparison and Streisand will kill as Mama Rose as she doesn't look more than

45 on film.

Shrek3 said: "Double standard much folks? Now I have nothing against Midler (even though Patti Lupone should be playing Dolly) but why is it you all praise the 71 year old Bette for playing Dolly and then get out your pitch forks when the 73 year old Streisand wants to play Mama Rose?

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Exactly how old do you think Dolly is supposed to be, and why? She is a turn of the century semi-wealthy widow looking for someone more wealthy to live out the rest of her days with. What in the show gives you any idea of what her age is or should be?

You may try pointing to the fact that Horace intends to marry a younger woman as evidence that Dolly, too, is a young woman. The problem is that Irene Malloy isn't necessarily an engenue. She is old enough to have become a successful business woman in her own rite, and while she may be younger than Horace, younger women often married men several years their senior during the turn of the century.

Rose, on the other hand starts the show off with two young daughters. The girls grow up, but by the end of the show, Gypsy is still a relatively young woman. A 74 year old mother is still not quite convincing, especially on screen. Close-ups are not exactly forgiving on screen. If Barbara were playing Rose on stage, she would likely be able to pull it off; however, that is not the case.

We have all seen Mame. We all know what risks are involved when an actress who is at least a decade too old for a role is cast in a film. Nobody wants to see history repeat itself.

Dolly doesn't have a clear age in Hello Dolly. It is being performed on stage, where close-ups are not a factor, which means that Bette Midler is an acceptable actress for the role. The character of Rose gives many clues as to how old she is. The movie means that close-ups will be necessary, and the age of the actress playing the role will be much more apparent because of this. Because of this, Barbara runs the risk of appearing too old for the role. This isn't some sort of hypocrisy, it is looking at a set of facts, and coming to a conclusion based upon deductible logic.

Where did you get the idea that Barbra Streisand looks 45? Have you seen an actual 45-year-old woman recently?

perfectlymarvelous said: "Where did you get the idea that Barbra Streisand looks 45? Have you seen an actual 45-year-old woman recently?

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I'm assuming, like me, you are talking to Goldenboy?

A 71 year old dolly singing "Before the parade passes by" makes absolutely no sense. It's just ridiculous.

Regardless, it doesn't make any sense within the context of the show. Thoughts on Streisand wanting to play Rose?

Streisand as Dolly again would be incredible. She get's so much hate on that role but you know what, here are the facts: She was ******* hysterical in the role and she sang the **** out of it and it was glorious.

The same people who are praising the 71 year midler are the same people that blasted streisand for being too young for the role of Dolly. Don't give me the "Dolly is ageless" crap when you wouldn't shut up about Streisand being too young for the film. Hypocrisy 101 people.

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None of it makes sense! that's my point.

I like Patti better in the role, not cause of her age, but because I think she has better comic timing, a stronger voice and she'd probably re-invent the role like she she has with many of her other roles.

I don't think you understand. My entire point wasn't to berate bette cause of her age. I could care less. My point was people praising bette for doing dolly yet complaining about Streisand doing gypsy. Neither women make much sense in either roles, but that clearly doesn't really matter, so why like one and not the other?

And again, The Midler defenders main defense is that the role of dolly is ageless, yet lots of them complained to no end about Streisand being to young for the role in the film.

It's just hypocritical.

But regardless, I like midler and all but damn, Lupone would have been amazing.