Bette Midler MSNBC Audio Interview Where I’m Brought Up In The Conversation (2005)

MSNBC
Bette Midler: Peggy Lee Interview
By Mister D
October 20, 2005

I was going to show you all how things got so crazy for a 14-year-old, very naive little boy when he reached the age of 50 plus and finally met up with his idol and mentor under such odd circumstances. but I’m just not ready, yet. So much to process still. It really felt like serendipity,

Bette reached out to me due to certain circumstances, primarily due to the Kiss My Brass band in 2003 and it’s basically carried on through now. That doesn’t mean I am actively involved with her. She knows she can depend on me. She treasures my honesty, that I can joke with her, that I can put my foot in my mouth, that I can say no to her, mainly because I don’t always think I’m the best for her.

I turned down a real job with her. I wasn’t about to take a chance on ruining a relationship with her. I helped where I could. Got some perks And I loved it. She has a very motherly quality to her and helped me or calmed me down in certain situations. I considered myself part of a little family, but I knew my place;. I was surrounded by royalty and got to experience so much.

Bruce Vilanch invited me to Hairspray shows and benefits. I met my beloved Harlettes, Charlo, and Ula. choreographer Toni Basil, and comic writer Korny, who taught me to be myself and to treat stars like they were real people. I didn’t have a lot of trouble with that.

Bette worried about the hate mail I might get because of her “Big mouth” lol I didn’t tell her about the psychopathic death threats I got. Slaughtering my pets and cutting my partner and I’s throats in our sleep. That started having an effect on me and I would get sick. I went through a really rough patch the decade before this one.

I stood Miss M up twice, but she never let me know she was put out. Jill joked I was the only person who ever stood up Bette. And we’d laugh. Of course, I made enemies, but I chalk that up to what was happening to me, not the others. And I do regret that. I really wasn’t cut out for show business. I can put up a great facade for a while but I can’t maintain it. In today’s world, it could end in a second because everyone has let themselves lose their way as to what is really important in life. No matter what, I can handle it now.

Sorry this is so vague, but one day I’ll fill in all the pieces and you’ll see why I could only give my heart to one celebrity. I don’t even like calling her a celebrity. I find the word to be cheap She’s more than a celebrity. She’s taught me a lot. She’s funny, smart, and kind, and she can take a joke especially if I lobbed it at her. I was good at putting my foot in my mouth too.

This interview: Tiny blurb here about me. Then in a minute, she says one more thing about me. And she’s correct. Enjoy. Oh I’m brought up with Judy Garland, Peggy Lee, Rosemary Clooney, and Bob Dylan (smell me lol)