this is a fan's account of barbra's participation in al gore's 2000 fundraising vs. the new trashy unofficial streisand bio, 'the way she is.' the book is really full of shit,
I got the new Barbra bio today from Amazon.com. Very, very gossipy and there's really nothing "new" that we don't already know about Barbra. But, it has many, many lies in it. Especially the August 17th, 2000 concert for Al Gore - The Democratic Nomination Celebration Concert that Barbra participated in.
I was in Barbra's choir for that concert, I was there, and NONE of the "gossipy" things that are written about her is true!!!!! After reading it, I got so angry. I can't even begin to imagine what Barbra goes through each and every time this happens to her.
He writes........during a 6 hour rehearsal, she demanded that a small table be set up onstage, and that a pot of hot tea be placed on the table. But she hated the beige tablecloth, and the green one that replaced it. After two hours and a half-dozen tablecloths (blue, yellow, white, red and white checks), she finally settled on one in cranberry. NOT TRUE!!!
First off, our rehearsal with Barbra...........the choir and her band..........was not 6 hours, it was about 2 hours. She did not demand that a table be on stage, she asked for one and one was brought out. When haven't we seen a table on stage when Barbra sings?? She did go through several color choices for the table and chose one that she liked. That process didn't take 2 hours. It took, maybe 10 minutes. That's what you do at rehearsals.........you check your mic, you check your props, etc. That's the whole point of rehearsing!
He then writes................after her performance, Barbra ran into her dressing room and began wailing, "I looked TERRIBLE!" she said. "The lighting was awful! Why did the camera keep shooting me in profile! Goddammit! I look like @#%$!" she shot back, oblivious to the fact that the crowd was still roaring it's approval.
NOT TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
First off, Barbra didn't have a dressing room. The Shrine Auditorium where the concert was, has many floors of dressing rooms - including very large ones with sitting areas, green rooms, etc. Barbra didn't have this. She had more of a changing area off-stage left. It was put together with draperies, wood and pipes holding it together. Certainly not something you would think that a person of Barbra's stature would have. She had an entire building of dressing rooms to choose from. She was happy with what was made for her.
When the concert was completely over and the curtain came down, Barbra stayed on stage and milled around with the political guests that were there..........Al and Tipper Gore, Joseph Lieberman and his wife and others. They were all talking and laughing and in a very, very good mood!
During the entire day at The Shrine, Barbra couldn't have been more professional! Originally after we, the choir were finished singing - an upstage black curtain was to have come down and we would have been done. Then she was going to bring Gore and Lieberman on stage. She said, "Don't have the choir go away. Have them on stage." Then she turned to us and said, "You don't want to leave, do you?" To which we all said, "NO!"
Barbra changed it to have us remain, and, we sang the chorus of "Happy Days" during her curtain calls. Gore and Lieberman would then be brought up on stage. We then would sing the chorus of "Simply The Best" - Gore's theme song! We rehearsed it a few times and it was great, just great!!!!
During the rehearsals, Barbra constantly said how great we all sounded and what a treat it was for her to be "backed up." In other words, all the weight of the evening wasn't on her shoulders. She commented that it was nice to perform in a much smaller venue.....comparing to The MGM Grand or Madison Square Garden.
When the concert started, we, the choir assembled behind the black curtain. I was lucky enough to be stage left and I could see Barbra in the wings, pacing before she went on. She was nervous. But, she was acting like any other person who's about to go out on stage. She was talking and laughing with the stage crew, checking her hair and makeup.....right there......not in a dressing room, not with a hundred assistants hovering over her.......just Barbra........a performer........about to perform!
During the show, when Barbra brought Gore on stage, he acknowledged how great the choir sang. Barbra acknowledged it again, as well. When the concert was over and the curtain came down, Barbra was all smiles, turned upstage, we made eye contact, I blew her a kiss and she thanked me!! A moment I will NEVER, NEVER forget!!!!
There's been so much that has been written about Barbra that is so not true. And, just because it's written, doesn't mean that it's true. That is the power of the written word.
I just wanted to share with you and your many Barbra fans who read this site, what really happened on that historic Thursday night of August 17th, 2000.
Thanks...
Neal
this was posted on craig's the barbra streisand forum. thank you so much neal for standing up for ms. streisand. celebrity life must really be a big shit, especially when so many bad things are being said about you. it just becomes so easy to be mean, the way they want you to be, so they'll prove they're right.
lz
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