Far Out Magazine
Bette Midler slams 2025 as the worst year in US history: “A smaller nation”
By Tom Taylor
Jan. 3, 2025
Bette Midler, known for starring in the likes of Hocus Pocus, The Rose, and The First Wives Club, has slammed 2025 as the worst year in recent US history.
The year, which began with widespread and devastating wildfires in California, continued with a lot of turmoil and tumult in the US, and the 80-year-old actor did not hold back in calling out the extent of that in her recent social media post.
Midler, who is also a multi-Grammy winning singer, comedian, and author, who most recently starred in The Fabulous Four in 2024, wrote on Instagram, “In my entire life, I have never lived through a more horrible year than the one that ends tonight.”
She continued by adding, “It was hideous, and left us a smaller nation in the eyes of the world in the eyes of the world; we may never shine in the same way we once did.”
Midler, who retired from performing on stage back in 2021, continued, “Every day was full of cruelty, viciousness, sadism, stupidity, corruption, even towards our friends. Every day, decimation of every value and institution we as Americans hold dear. It has been a heartbreaker, we got through it, but barely.”
Before concluding, “Hats off to everyone who stood up, and for the crooked gang bent on our destruction, fuck you. It ain’t over til the fat lady sings. Pass me the pie.”
She followed this yesterday with an image saying, “365 new days, 365 new chances.” She captioned the image by writing, “Hope is the thing. Keep it always in your heart.”
It was certainly a year that will occupy a wide chapter in the US history books to come. The economy showed moderate growth, persistent inflation, and a cooling labour market. There were two distinct assassinations. And aggressive tariff actions also gripped headlines.
In Midler’s view, this culminated in the worst year of her entire lifetime, one which she thinks left the US a “smaller nation” than it had been before.
