Barbra Streisand

SORRY BARBRA, BETTE MIDLER’S GOT THE LAST LAUGH!

#barbrastreisand #bettemidler #janetcharlton

Barbra Streisand can’t be thrilled that her holiday release movie “The Guilt Trip” (with Seth Rogan) has been pretty much a flop while Bette Midler’s movie, “Parental Guidance,” with Billy Crystal is a hit. “The Guilt Trip” cost 40 million to make and has only taken in around 31 million. “Parental Guidance” was made for 25 million and is expected to take in 70 million plus. Both movies obviously appeal to the older generation, but Seth Rogan halfheartedly promoted “The Guilt Trip” to HIS generation. Billy Crystal tirelessly promoted “Guidance” to an older generation and it even landed on an AARP cover. Bingo. We figure that icons Barbra Streisand and Bette Midler are more than a teensy bit competitive and Bette couldn’t be happier.

SETH ROGAN CALLED BARBRA STREISAND “AN OLD JEWISH LADY!”

#sethrogen #janetcharlton

Seth Rogen made some incredibly off the wall comments about his “Guilt Trip” costar Barbra Streisand yesterday. (Maybe he’s tired of doing most of the work promoting the film.) When asked how it felt working with such an “icon,” Seth quipped “To me, she’s just like an old Jewish lady – I WASN’T the biggest fan on earth. She knows how to annoy people and I know what it’s like to be annoyed BY people. She feeds you a lot and then criticizes you for eating too much.” He admitted Barbra DID give him a gift – socks and underwear from The Gap. Seth also had unexpected comments about Barbra’s husband James Brolin“her husband is sexy and rugged – he’s the most masculine man I’ve ever been around.” Wonder what Barbra thought about all this….

BARBRA STREISAND AND LADY GAGA AS MOTHER AND DAUGHTER?

#barbrastreisand #ladygaga

Suddenly it’s dawned on us why Barbra Streisand was so adamant about looking young in the billboards and ads for her new movie “The Guilt Trip.” It’s because she wants to star as Mama Rose, the fiftyish character in “Gypsy” – the movie remake she’s been struggling to put together. Barbra, 70, plans to direct the movie and hopes to convince producers and investors that she’s not too old to play the Mama Rose character made famous by Ethel Merman and Rosalind Russell. Barbra would LOVE to cast Lady Gaga to play her character’s mousey daughter who grows up to be the flamboyant stripper Gypsy Rose Lee. That WOULD be brilliant casting, but it’s the first Gaga has heard of it. We wonder what SHE thinks about playing second fiddle to Barbra…

BARBRA STREISAND: PHOTOSHOPPING IS THE NEW PLASTIC SURGERY

Like most Hollywood actresses, Barbra Streisand has always been terrified of showing her age. Ageism for women is more rampant than ever, if Streisand’s billboard for her new movie “The Guilt Trip” is any indication. In the comedy, Barbra, 70, plays the mother of Seth Rogan, 30, but her face is so heavily photoshopped that she looks to be the same age as him! Keep in mind, Barbra had final approval for this. LA Observed pointed out this strange phenomenon when Westside billboards popped up promoting the movie’s Dec 19 opening. (Of course, we are still dying to see it!)

LIBERACE PAVED THE WAY FOR BARBRA STREISAND’S LAS VEGAS SUCCESS

#liberace #barbrastreisand #janetcharlton

Barbra Streisand is in Las Vegas this weekend and the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Norm Clarke reminisced about her FIRST appearance there in 1963. She was the OPENING ACT for Liberace from July 2 to Aug 4 in 1963 at the Riviera. The ladies who adored Liberace didn’t warm up to Barbra, then 21, and her first two nights were disastrous. So Liberace started introducing her at the beginning of the show as his “discovery” and raved about her talent. After that great buildup people started paying attention to Barbra, and the rest is history.

BARBRA STREISAND’S ELLE COVER PHOTO: WORTH THE AGGRAVATION

We know how controlling Barbra Streisand can be, so we can imagine what Elle magazine went through to get her on the cover. Barbra, 69, is extremely fussy about lighting and the angle at which she is photographed. That’s why some of her movies took SOOO long to make. But the end result is pretty impressive. Streisand is on the cover of Elle’s “Women in Hollywood 2011” issue coming out this month and she’s never looked better. Sadly, Barbra’s former manager and onetime best friend Sue Mengers died this weekend.

BARBRA STREISAND IS PLOTTING ANOTHER MOVIE MUSICAL

Barbra Streisand has no intention of letting “Little Fockers” become a significant part of her legacy. She’s acquiring the rights to do a remake of Gypsy – the Broadway musical that was turned into a movie in 1962 with Rosalind Russell and Natalie Wood. She’ll play the Mama Rose stage mother character who belts out the biggest songs. Whether she will direct also remains to be seen, but observers think she will “soften” the shrill and bossy Mama Rose role into a more likeable character.

BARBRA STREISAND HAS LOYAL FRIENDS

Photo Credit: Pacific Coast News

On Thursday, Barbra Streisand sang at Sandy Gallin’s birthday party in New York at her pal Donna Karan’s apartment. While she was in Manhattan, Barbra also promoted her new coffee table book “My Passion For Design.” Barbra and her husband of 12 years, James Brolin, returned to the West Coast for the weekend and were photographed leaving a Memorial Day party in Malibu.
This reminds us of a funny story about Barbra and her best friend Donna Karan. In the early 90’s, Barbra was in England and while shopping she noticed a pair of $60 tights by Donna Karan at Harvey Nichols that she just HAD to have right away. But she had no intention of paying retail. She called Donna and asked her to rush her the tights (in exactly the right color and size) to her overnight. Donna had to LOCATE the right tights in a store and went to all kinds of trouble to get them shipped immediately free of charge to Barbra. Now THAT’s a friend.

BARBRA STREISAND AUCTIONED OFF HER BEDROOM SLIPPERS

barbra auction

Photo: DAVID GEORGE

We couldn’t resist attending Julien’s auction of Barbra Streisand’s latest collection of items she doesn’t want any more. Apparently she LOVES to shop and accumulates huge quantities of furniture, art objects and clothing. We’re not surprised by the vintage furniture and lamps and paintings, but the personal items that most people would just throw away were up for sale too. There were two lots of unglamorous old flat sandals and beat up bedroom slippers that probably pre-dated James Brolin. Her loyal fans spent nearly a thousand dollars for the worn footwear.

DID BARBRA STREISAND HIRE JENNIFER ANISTON'S HAIRDRESSER?

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Photo Credit: Splash News

Well, there IS a resemblance. Barbra Streisand looks like she stole Jennifer Aniston’s coloring and hairstyle. And the result is quite flattering. Barbra looks better than ever although she’s wearing her trademark choker necklace. (If only she’d pick up some fashion tips from Jen.) She was in Washington for the Kennedy Center Honors with her husband James Brolin.