Photo: BaltoBoy Steve
Richie B., BetteHead Divine!
I will never forget it.. you know
(AC Review 3/20/03)
As we I sat down with my friend, (a virgin bettehead), I knew something special was going to happen. Our seats were terrific 7th row, center floor. The Boardwalk Hall, a rather old arena with beautiful architecture from the 40’s was filled with 14, 000. Being that it was in Atlantic City, I couldn’t help but notice many of the prime seats went to “high rollers” who really did not have much of clue about the Divine.Miss M.
The front row boasted a woman in a low cut pink dress, (think Janet /-J-Lo)..Bette would later refer to her as frozen and assuming she was from Sweden.
The show started a little late, close to 8:30. When Bette came down off her horse she was greeted by her first of many standing ovations, (from the 3row back). She opened with. “Kiss My Brass”, “Big Noise from Winnetka”, and “Stuff Like That There”.
Bette made her usual remarks about the audience, (“Wildwood show me you mullets”); Her take on our adminstration, proclaiming her Queen could be a way to make the world a safer place. Her observations on Xtina, Britney and Janet. (“the one with 2 knobs to expose.”) on Gay Marriage…”who would have thought it would replace disco?”
A few more jokes including how amazed she was to see gamblers hooked up to oxygen tanks and the slot machines while smoking human time bombs. “ Fuck” seemed to become Bette favorite word. In fact, she mentioned how her bawdiness got her daughter into a private school. She then began to talk about birds, how few there were few in NYC and how much she would love to see a variety of birds, segue in “Skylark”. Then the song, as she put it. “started it all”. “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”. Singing in front of giant images of Bette in the 70’s synchronized to her magical voice.
Next came her putdown of her ill-fated TV show, complete with Judge Judy sentencing Bette. She lamented by singing,” I’m Sorry”, referring to the TV flop, “Nobody but the Jews” an altered version of the TV theme song. Followed by remarks that Anna Nicole was still on the air. Then came the Rosemary Clooney tribute “ Come on to my House” and “Tenderly”
Riding around in a swan she sang, “Chapel of Love”, with screens acknowledging Hollywood divorcees, and of course remarks on Benifer, and his (Ben) new film “Jersey Girl” (hope it is better than “Gigli” and Liza with and X noting that their will be no sex tape of Minnelli and David G.)
One of the 3 screens had technical trouble, but the audience ate it up. She continued with the rest of the set list listed on this site, and got an incredible standing ovation after “A Man loves a Women”. Then came the Soph Jokes. Ending up in a tent and poking her head out of the top. The crew played a joke on her by removing the top of the tent (which was to be her hat) and dangling above her. Bette, noting that it was the end of the tour, so it was time for the crew to begin (here they come), “their jokes”. She reminded them, that she pays their salary.
Ending the first half, barefooted, with “Shiver me Timbers, she sailed away on the carousel horse that brought her to the stage.
Second act opened with Delores Delago on B’way. The songs where switched around, but basically remained the same. As she descended from the atop the a staircase singing “Hello Dolly”, (on a motorized chair lift) she remarked, “let’s see you do this, Cher.. Another standing ovation. (sans the first three rows).
Then she got serious with her Mister Rogers Segment/ “I Like To Be Told” and a tribute to 9/11, “September”, “From A Distance”, (which she sang during both “Bush wars”). Another standing ovation, which this time included the first 3 rows. They must have woke up.
Bette then dedicated the “Wind Beneath My Wings” to her entire crew, introducing everyone in her band (commenting on the recent firing of one of the band member’s other half). Then singling out musical arranger Bette Susan, production supervisor Richard-Jay Alexander, writers Eric Kornfeld, BruceV, and a litany of others who made this 45 city tour such a wonderful experience. Another standing ovation. My personal favorite “Do You Want to Dance” followed.
The video montage of “the Rose then filled the screen, with Rose being advised not to say “motherfukers.” Enter Bette, saying “hello motherfuckers”…and “Keep On Rockin”.
More thank you’s, followed by, “with the sun’s love..in the spring becomes…The Rose..”
Everyone was on their feet. She encored with “Friends” and brought the entire crew, staff, Toni Basil (choreographer and hat extraordinaire), Eric Kornfield, Richard, onstage..They all sang along.. It was a the ultimate moment and the realization that this was, in fact the end of what will go down in history as Bette Midler’s most successful and entertaining tour she and the thousands who saw it, have had the extreme pleasure to experience.
Now let’s hope she will bring it back long enough to film this incredible fete!
