Divine Miss M plans holiday show, new album of Christmas faves
Liz Smith
November 13, 2006
SO YOU’RE the notorious White Flower of the Orient!”
That’s Clive Brook expressing dismay over Marlene Dietrich’s reputation in Shanghai Express, 1932.
I don’t know what the Chinese of 2006 will make of Bette Midler, but this great star of stage, screen and park restoration is in that far-off land this very minute. Bette and her hubby, Martin Von Haselberg, traveled from her triumph at New York’s “Hulaween” to China, where their daughter Sophie is studying.
Midler bounces back to the States after Thanksgiving in time to perform at NBC’s tree-lighting special, and to promote her Christmas album, Cool Yule, which is already in the stores. This is the Divine One’s very first holiday disc! Among other cozy chestnuts Bette sings “Winter Wonderland” with Johnny Mathis. And fans are sure to love a reworked holiday version of her big hit, “From a Distance.”
