Thanks Sammy…LOL
COOPER: All right, Lisa Bloom, thanks very much, covering the case for us.
It has been a tough day in news. We thought you might want to have something a little — something to smile about. Luckily for us, we got a very strange letter about spanking. We’re not kidding, we’ll share it with you ahead on 360.
Plus, Bette Midler, the divine Ms. M tells me about her career, her new tour and would you believe, Rush Limbaugh?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: We’ll have Bette Midler in a moment. Before that, let’s check on some pop news in tonight’s “Current.” An SUV carrying James Gandolfini was hit by a suspected drunken driver over the weekend. “The Sopranos” star was not injured. The driver of the other car also escaped injury, at least for now.
Donald Trump’s ex-wife is also getting into the reality TV business. Her new show is called “Ivana Man.” Get it? She promises to help older women hook up with younger. I think it’s a great idea, though I think Demi Moore may have come up with it first.
MTV’s “The Real World” begins its 15th season tonight. The show gives viewers once again a “chance to see what happens when people stop being polite and start getting” drunk, really, really drunk. And yet I watch every single season.
The record industry going after more online music traders. A new lawsuit counts 744 new accusers who are all code-named John Doe. To protest the lawsuit and show solidarity with all those John Does, Greg (ph), our sound tech, will now dance to his favorite downloaded Leo Sayer song. (MUSIC PLAYING: “YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE DANCING”)
COOPER: He loves Leo Sayer. But if Leo Sayer is not your cup of tea, may we suggest Bette Midler. The divine Ms. M has sold 14 million records, won four Grammys, three Emmys and two Oscar nominations. On September 30 she kicks off the second leg of her “Kiss My Brass” tour, that’s brass with a B, tour in New Hampshire. And if you’ve never have seen her on tour, you are missing out. There is no one like her.
When she stopped by today I asked her if she ever get gets tired of performing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Do you get tired of doing — I mean, you’ve been doing this for a long time…
BETTE MIDLER, SINGER/PERFORMER: I take really long rests between these shows. Because you know the shows take about two years to put together and then you have to rehearse and that’s ten weeks. And then you go out and it is usually 30 shows but this time — last time I did 45 which nearly killed me. So I really did have to take a nap after that.
COOPER: Do you watch the news a lot?
MIDLER: I watch the news constantly.
COOPER: Because I understand you talk about politics.
MIDLER: I do. I’m a ranter. I’m a ranter.
COOPER: And you’re a big supporter of President Bush.
MIDLER: I’m not saying anything. I’m here to plug my show.
COOPER: But in your show you talk about…
MIDLER: I do.
COOPER: Rush Limbaugh.
MIDLER: I do. I talk about Rush. He deserves…
COOPER: Do you listen to Rush Limbaugh?
MIDLER: I can’t listen to Rush Limbaugh. He makes you tear your hair out. He’s not even American.
COOPER: He’s not American?
MIDLER: I mean, it is so un-American to behave that way. I just think it is un-American. I just — there is a level below which you cannot sink and he’s just sunk. I’m sorry.
COOPER: That’s fine. It is fine. How do you think you’ve lasted so long — this business that you’re in is an incredibly difficult business and you’ve been a major star for a very long time. You started playing in the Continental Baths with Barry Manilow.
MIDLER: Yes. In the sixties, in the late sixties. How do I think I’ve lasted so long? Well, I think I’ve had tremendous luck. I’ve had tremendous perseverance. I’m a really, really hard worker and I’m curious. That’s the one thing I can say. I never really sort of rested on my laurels. I always said is there something else I can find to do.
COOPER: You also seem enormously optimistic. Your shows are full of hope.
MIDLER: That’s really true. Personally as a human being I’m beset by devils and beset by doubts and…
COOPER: Really?
MIDLER: Oh, yes.
COOPER: Doubts about yourself?
MIDLER: Doubts about myself, doubts about the world, doubts about humanity, doubts about all sorts of things. That’s kind of the journey. You — you’re always struggling to find your way. That is the journey of life, I think. You never really say well, now I know everything. I know how it works. Now I can just go home.
COOPER: What do you think about Christina Aguilera?
MIDLER: I think she’s gorgeous. I adore her. I think she sings great.
COOPER: Did you say something funny about her?
MIDLER: I always say funny things about — I always say funny things about the young girls because they are — they do tend to dress like hoes. But when I was very young, I kind of was a little ho-like myself. It is very upsetting to the grown-ups because then they think it is their fault.
COOPER: And upsetting because she didn’t send you a thank you note.
MIDLER: She didn’t send me a thank you note because I opened the door for — you know, for girls in low-cut — girls who dress like tramps.
COOPER: And not even a thank you note.
MIDLER: Not even, imagine.
COOPER: Shocking. We live in an interesting time. There is a lot of — you know, the FCC has been cracking down. MIDLER: That’s so curious. They don’t really crack down at all. The FCC doesn’t crack down. They got all angry about Janet Jackson but there’s records that they play on the radio that are so shocking, even for me. And I’m talking — and you have to say — you have to say plenty to shock me. Some records are so shocking and they don’t say anything because they never touch radio. I don’t know why they never touch radio.
COOPER: Why do you think they got so upset about Janet Jackson?
MIDLER: I have no idea. Personally I thought it was hilarious. I mean, I couldn’t understand — it looked like a door knocker, you know, it was a knocker on a knocker.
COOPER: What?
MIDLER: For me I couldn’t — she looked like she was wearing a door knocker. So I didn’t really get it. Looked like a knocker on her knocker.
COOPER: Well, the show starts September 30 and it’s already been a huge success. This is the second leg of it.
MIDLER: The second leg. We’re hoping for another big success. We start in New Hampshire. A place I’ve never been.
COOPER: Really?
MIDLER: Yes. And we’re trying to go to all the places I’ve never been so…
COOPER: New Hampshire is live free or die, isn’t it?
MIDLER: Live free or die. Hey, they’re waiting for me. How come you know all the mottoes of all the states?
COOPER: No, just that one. Don’t know why. Spent a little time in the big house making license plates.
MIDLER: I see. I see. Very interesting. I see. It is all coming clear to me now. And I’m at Radio City for four nights in October.
COOPER: That will be amazing. Bette Midler, it’s great to meet you.
MIDLER: Thank you. Nice to meet you, too. Thank you.
