(Do you think this woodcarving resembles Barbra?)
Back in the early 90's, When Barbra Streisand couldn't sell her compound in Malibu after five years of trying, she donated the 12 million dollar Ramirez Canyon property to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. Barbra purchased the original house and land in 1974 - through the years she added more land until there was a total of four houses and over 22 acres. When she gave it to the city she got a massive tax write-off and never looked back. The Conservancy was grateful, but needed a LOT of money to maintain the houses and lush grounds that include a stream and several bridges. At first the Conservancy rented out the place for weddings and conducted private tours to pay the upkeep. But neighbors (Britney Spears is two houses away) got riled up and banned tours or wedding parties on their private gated street. Now the four once exquisite houses are falling into ruin - rats, water damage, and neglect. Barbra's pricey leather outdoor furniture is in tatters. The hand carved wood is warping. The grand piano that Paul Simon gave her is out of tune. Without revenue, the conservancy is just letting the houses fall apart and they don't know WHAT will be done with the property. It's a sad, wasteful story.
Imagine all these egos packed into ONE photograph! These are the celebrities who visited Barbra Streisand backstage after her performance at the opening of Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas last weekend. It's a lot to look at. Can you identify every one of these very famous faces?
Barbra Streisand turned up at the opening party for the Los Angeles Antiques Show Wednesday night at Barker Hangar and she spent all of her time shopping, with little time for schmoozing. She was with a red haired female companion (James Brolin got off the hook for this event) and Barbra looked slim and fabulous - at least 20 yars younger than her age. She wore black riding boots with leggings tucked in, with a black wrap and tie sweater, glasses, and she let her hair kind of cover her face. As long as she whispered, few people recognized her. Those that did were reverential and didn't bother her and we loved watching her shop. She enthusiastically photographed some primitive art pieces that cost $1800, tried on some vintage jewelry, and ended up buying a petite late 1800's end table (worth around $10,000) that HER FEMALE FRIEND carried out for her. Imagine that. The place was loaded with admiring gay men who were just aching to carry that table for her.
Spoiler alert: If Barbra Streisand is reading this, we recommend she stop right now or a big surprise will be ruined. That said, we will proceed with our scoop. Barbra's husband James Brolin is planning a surprise party for her 65th birthday this Thursday. He invited 200 people to their Malibu house and swore them all to secrecy. Along Came Mary is catering, David Foster is arranging the music, and Sweet Lady Jane (Barbra's favorite ) is whipping up the birthday cake. Brolin has schemed to get Barbra out of the house early Thursday and hopes to have everyone jump out and yell surprise when they return. We're not sure this is a great idea - first of all, Barbra likes to prepare and look her best at social events, and she might be freaked out by having everyone jump out. Plus, does she really want her AGE played up to that extent? Hope she remembers it's the thought that counts.
Photo Credit: Gary Lewis
We almost forgot how cute Barbra Streisand was back in the 70's. She looks like a hippie girl her in her Woodstock hair and embroidered jacket from Chinatown. And that was a real suntan - they didn't have tanning booths then. A few weeks ago Barbra was at a big art event in Santa Monica - it was held in a large space crowded with wealthy art collectors. A woman heard Barbra was in the house and asked several people where she might find her. She was told "If she's here, she'll be by the food." Sure enough, Barbra was found nibbling at the food table. Hubby James Brolin was socializing while, according to a server, Barbra was " parked at the food table all night."
Katie Holmes made another break from the Cruise compound to go to the place "where nothing bad can happen to you" - Barneys in Beverly Hills, of course. Barbra Streisand was browsing in the store just a couple of hours before Katie arrived, and no one paid attention - there were no paparazzi in sight. But the millisecond Katie set foot in the door a mob of snappers assembled outside. Hmmm... wonder who called them... a first floor clerk or SOMEONE else...Kate, followed by her Scientology entourage, headed straight for the designer department. (NO more junior co-op stuff for HER!) She took her time and picked out several dresses (a wedding dress was NOT among them.) She was overheard telling a companion "This is my favorite store." Another shopper said she looked sad compared to the euphoria most women feel when shopping at Barneys. There was no sign of the "happy act" she puts on when Tom is around. Closing time of 7 PM came and went and the photogs were still entrenched outside - Katie was in no hurry to get home.
What's RIGHT with this picture?
Barbra is scowling and wearing NO makeup, her matted hair is uncombed and her posture and baggy black clothes hardly flatter her mature figure, but she still sports the PICTURE PERFECT manicure of a hand model. Barbra always said she thought her hands were her best feature, and obviously she meant it.
If Barbra Streisand is wondering why tickets for her upcoming tour are stagnating at the boxoffice, she might be advised to take a look at her ticket prices. At last count at venues across the country, only a third of the presale tickets have been sold. Usually there's a mad scramble! Seats cost more than TWICE what Madonna charged on her recent tour - and we thought SHE was shockingly expensive! Streisand's $800 up to $3500 tickets are not selling like hotcakes. Informed sources explain they HAVE to charge that much because Barbra insists that she be guaranteed four million dollars for each night she performs. "That's incredibly greedy" shared our source "Bono only got 1.5 million."
Ticket brokers speculate that Barbra's politics may have turned off some of her wealthy fans - the ones likely to fill the costly seats. Plus, this is her third or fourth farewell tour. Insiders are amused to note that American Idol's ticket sales are outselling Streisand by a mile.
