Bette_Head in Onstage_1 asks: Hi Bette! we have all been anticipating this moment since this chat was announced, we are all exstatic, waiting to see if you answer our questions. how do you feel about all of your fans being here? we all love you so much, we cant say Thank You enough!
Bette Midler: Oh that is so kind. I am somewhat isolated nowadays. I have been in NY for ten years.
Bette Midler: It is a busy city but you kind of don’t rub elbows with people too much.
Bette Midler: I am especially surprised that so many people from around the world are on. That is really shocking. (laughs)
ccbloom1066 in Onstage_1 asks: Hi, Bette, it’s Leslie from Asheville, NC, just wondering… In all your years in the business, what is the best advice that you ever got from anyone about either surviving in the industry or just in life generally?”
Bette Midler: Johnny Mathis told me not to be mean to other performers onstage or in real life and I have pretty much held to that.
Bippie27 in Onstage_1 asks: Happy Birthday ( a few days early) from Springfield, Illinois (well, actually a huge fan in Springfield Illinois)
Bette Midler: That’s great!
MissyRebaCherBette in Onstage_1 asks: Miss Midler- Will you be touring again anytime soon?
Bette Midler: I am thinking about it. We had a successful tour in Australia. Met good people, drank good wine. Went to New Zealand. I like touring. It is always a challenge to change up the show. It keeps you on your toes and I like that.
dr_g_adam in Onstage_1 asks: Hi Ms. Midler, it’s Adam from South Australia. Just wondering, what meeting with a person/group you admired in your youth (e.g. The Andrews Sisters, etc.) was the most memorable? Did you ever meet
your ‘idol’ Debra Paget? Thankyou
Bette Midler: (laughs) I met Esther Williams once. I had a lot of thrills. I met wonderful people. Meeting Rosemary and Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Paul McCartney (which was a cause for weeping.)
Bette Midler: The older I get the more grateful I am.
Bette Midler: I have become more and more respectful of the people who manage to stick around.
Bette Midler: The biggest thrill? I guess it was meeting Bob Dylan because I was in High School when we first started.
Bette Midler: One day I was told Bob Dylan was coming to teh studio and I think I started to sweat from the time he came to the time he left. I was so terrified. It was great. It was an enchanting experience.
Bette Midler: The last Johnny Carson show was a really big thrill.
Bette Midler: I tried not to get too wrapped up emotionally because I didn’t think it was appropriate to get emotional. It was his farewell not mine., When it was over I was really very happy.
Bette Midler: I felt I had done the right thing by him and I thought I had done what the audience wanted me to which was set myself aside and honor him for the joy he brought us.
Bette Midler: It was a big moment in my life. It came a couple weeks later.
DishDiva says: Why the Peggy Lee Songbook? What do you like about this music?
8Host_Judy_LiveEvents has joined the conversation.
Bette Midler: I like the idea that I was allowed to dig into that catalog. I didn’t know her well before Barry approached me.
8Host_Judy_LiveEvents has left the conversation.
Bette Midler: She was always in the corner of my eye. I was looking for people more obscure than she but once I started listening to the music I got very excited because she was exceedingly cool.
Bette Midler: Men more than women were more defining that attitude and she was good or better than they were.
Bette Midler: When you listen to the music you hear how restrained she was and how she refused to be swept away by the music.
Bette Midler: She honed her style.
Bette Midler: There was no one in the world who did what she did.
Bette Midler: Aside from the sound of her voice there was that attitude but never giving an inch attitude.
Bette Midler: She transfixed audiences for decades.
Bette Midler: It was incredible to resurrect it in a way.
Bette Midler: When we started singing the songs I didn’t realize she sang a lot of blues. Blues written for her.
Bette Midler: “I’m a Woman” that song.
Bette Midler: I love the blues but didn’t pretend to be ablues singer.
Bette Midler: I am pleased that people have called to say they like it or they bought it.
Bette Midler: It is the highest charting record I have ever had especially at my time of life.
Bette Midler: Boy, I sure am chatty.
Manolis_Varnasactor in Onstage_1 asks: ms midler i am a big fan of your movies and music my qs is what did you enjoy most in the proccess of the recording of your new album
Bette Midler: Well, as I said earlier I really loved rediscovering Peggy Lee and giving her her due. I enjoy going into the studio with Barry.
Bette Midler: He knows I can get caught up in the minutae of record making.
Bette Midler: He saves me from myself and I need that.
DivineMissMegan in Onstage_1 asks: Aloha, Bette! I am just wondering if all the rumors we are hearing about Vegas are true? From South Dakota
Bette Midler: Well there has been some exploration. It would be kind of great. They pay your expenses and being the way I am thrills me to no end.
Bette Midler: I worry that everyone who goes there gets sick.
Bette Midler: The shows are pretty short.
Bette Midler: I am thinking about it but there are no deals.
Bette Midler: I am not really sure I would want to make a contract for that long.
Bette Midler: It is a couple years and there are so many things I haven’t seen.
Bette Midler: I am having a big birthday and I start thinking of my time.
MichelleWhatabroad in Onstage_1 asks: What is the one thing that you hope your daughter has learned from you and the one thing you hope she forgets?
Bette Midler: Eeek! That is a very tough one.
Bette Midler: Honestly I hope she remembers I was funny.
Bette Midler: She has a terrific sense of humor. We had such good laughs together.
Bette Midler: I hope she forgets how to swear.
Bette Midler: She can cuss right along with the best of them.
bigbettefan in Onstage_1 asks: From one performer to another, how do you handle your stage fright?
Bette Midler: I have stage fright pretty badly. I have learned that it is only until I get on the stage.
Bette Midler: I try to ride it out.
Bette Midler: I keep busy.
Bette Midler: I rehearse and put my makeup on and just focus focus.
Bette Midler: I know it goes away as soon as I hit the stage.
Bette Midler: You don’t have time to think of how terrified I am.
ChickpeaSoup in Onstage_1 asks: Hello Bette, London calling here. wonderful album, love it. Do you have any plans for doing any films in the future or are you concentrating on your music ?
Bette Midler: Well I have gotten the message that it is not my time for movies. I have been going to shows and listening to music.
Bette Midler: I have always found music exciting.
Bette Midler: I always have my eye open. The music at this point in my life is much more exciting and I might be in England around Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day. I might go. I haven’t been there since I was shoved off the
sidewalk in Covent Garden
Bette Midler: I would love to go back.
divinehollywood in Onstage_1 asks: Hello Miss Midler, what is your favorite song? (either of yours or someone else’s)?
Bette Midler: I am supposed to do a song list and I wondered if I should reveal what my favorite songs are.
Bette Midler: I love dall sorts of music.
Bette Midler: I loved “Girl from the North Country.”
Bette Midler: I love “Some People’s Lives”
Bette Midler: and almost anything Louis Prima did.
Bette Midler: I love the the Boswell Sisters.
Bette Midler: They all sang and had the best 3 part harmony.
Bette Midler: There is a lot of Frank Sinatra.
Bette Midler: I love “Wild Horses” by the Stones.
Bette Midler: There is very little music that I don’t like.
Bette Midler: I love “Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cook.
allbettesoff in Onstage_1 asks: West Virginia here…i love the new Dual Disc Album, i cried watching the tears fall from your face when you sang (live, right?) “Is That All There Is”….what did you like best about having a cd side and a dvd side?
Bette Midler: Well, the CD I made with Barry and he runs a really tight ship. He doesn’t let me examine anything too closely.
Bette Midler: With the DVD I met Peggy’s daughter and granddaughter and it was really interesting. A lot of stories didn’t make the sut.
Bette Midler: cut
Bette Midler: I thought her home movies were so fascinating.
Bette Midler: Flip was the director and meeting those two women and hearing them talk about Peggy. There is one where she gets a mink coat on Christmas Eve. She was so madly in love with this person.
Bette Midler: The level of closeness was so sweet. Just so moving. I loved it.
Manolis_Varnasactor in Onstage_1 asks: ms midler what song moves still you when you perform it live on stage
Bette Midler: “Stay With Me.” After all these years it moves me and I have been performing it since 1979.
Bette Midler: “I Shall be Released.”
Bette Midler: “Shiver me Timbers” what a great song.
Bette Midler: From the 70’s. That was on the same 3rd album. That still moves me.
DishDiva says: From all of your fans here around the world on MSN, first of all Happy Birthday!
DishDiva says: Thank you for taking the time to chat with fans here today!
DishDiva says: best of luck with this new album!
Bette Midler: I would like say happy holidays, peace on earth and good will to men. I hope people will work towards making it a better world.
Bette Midler: Pick up a plastic bag on the street.
Bette Midler: My biggest passion after music is the environment.
Bette Midler: I really do hope that people see how important those tiny steps are to improving life all around. It is that beautiful chaos theory. One little step has repurcussions around the world.
Bette Midler: People are good. They may be covered in layers that may not look that good. I am thinking of you all.
Bette Midler: Thank YOU for your kindness to me. You have given me a wonderful life.
DishDiva says: Thank you to the amazing Bette Midler.
DishDiva says: Isn’t she amazing?
DishDiva says: So amazing.
divinehollywood in Onstage_1 asks: Thank you, Bette! We love you! Happy Birthday!
newxyork in Onstage_1 asks: My mom says hey! She thinks you’re hilarious and so do I.
auntietobettefan in Onstage_1 asks: Even though you didn’t talk to me this was an awesome 1/2 hr
”¢Â¤”¢J?y?ë?ën”¢Â¤”¢ in Onstage_1 asks: thank you, bette. we get that from you
dr_g_adam in Onstage_1 asks: Thankyou Bette, God bless! Happy birthday!
MichelleWhatabroad in Onstage_1 asks: Bette your awesome….Happy Birthday
DishDiva says: From all of us here at MSN Live, thank you for joining us!
PunchingElk in Onstage_1 asks: Thank you very much Bette. I hope you have a wonderful Birthday and godbless!
BarryFanilow in Onstage_1 asks: thank you bette happy birthday! Me and Leighann are your biggest fans from mississippi
nudio_munkey in Onstage_1 asks: Happy birthday and thnak you for inspiring me for most of my life
DivineMissMegan in Onstage_1 asks: BETTE ROCKS MY SOCKS!
JuliaHillje in Onstage_1 asks: Thank you Miss M! We love you! Happy Birthday
MissOtis4 in Onstage_1 asks: wish you all the best for the future!!!!!
redhawk113 in Onstage_1 asks: Thank you, you lightened my heart again
Bippie27 in Onstage_1 asks: THanks for sharing your abundant talents with us!
AintYouGotAVase in Onstage_1 asks: Thank you for your time! You’re so special! Feliz Cumpleanos!!!!
Barbra_Gal in Onstage_1 asks: Goodbye Gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
nieceofbettefan in Onstage_1 asks: Happy Birthday and ALOHA!!!!!!
lisadlamm in Onstage_1 asks: Thank you for everything Ms. Midler! We love you! Happy Birthday!
Bette_Head in Onstage_1 asks: Thank you so much Bette!
DishDiva says: That’s all the time we have for today!
DishDiva says: Thank you and good night!
(Thanks Miss Anna)
