n 1998, Bette Midler discussed her album "Bathhouse Betty," how her career began singing to towel-clad audiences at a New York bathhouse, and why performing has always been her real social outlet.

The post Video – Bette Midler – Bathhouse Betty – 1998 first appeared on Bootleg Betty.

Back in 1970 though, it was a quietly subversive move for Carson to book Midler, who was becoming a rising star in New York by performing regularly in a gay bathhouse.

The post Bette Midler – From Bathhouses To The Tonight Show first appeared on Bootleg Betty.

Boodles BonBon Video: Chapel Of Love (Continental Baths) - Bette Midler & Barry Manilow [VHS Full Version]

The post Boodles BonBon Video: Chapel Of Love (Continental Baths) – Bette Midler & Barry Manilow [VHS Full Version] first appeared on Bootleg Betty.

BonBon Short: Bette Midler + Barry Manilow - Chapel Of Love (The Baths)

The post BonBon Short: Bette Midler + Barry Manilow – Chapel Of Love (The Baths) first appeared on Bootleg Betty.

Bette performs songs by Randy Newman and Bob Dylan during one of her engagements at the Continental Baths in New York City on December 4, 1971

The post Archive Audio – Bette Midler – I Don’t Want To Hear About It/Sign In The Window – 1972 first appeared on Bootleg Betty.

a young singer named Bette Midler began performing at the venue, accompanied by her pianist Barry Manilow. Her shows, delivered to crowds of gay men—some wrapped only in towels—soon became legendary

The post Bette Midler And The Continental Baths: A Defining Chapter In Gay History first appeared on Bootleg Betty.

Bette Midler had already graced the Broadway stage before she started performing for gay men at New York’s Continental Baths

The post Bette Midler And Those Bathhouse Days first appeared on Bootleg Betty.

The Oscar-nominated star launched her career performing at the Continental Baths, a gay cruising spot on New York City's Upper West Side, in the '70s

The post Bette Midler’s Steamy Rise to Fame first appeared on Bootleg Betty.

As many of you will know, the divine Bette Midler began to build a following for herself when she performed regularly at the famous Continental Baths in New York City in the early 1970s.

The post Bette Midler Spills ‘The Baths’ Tea In Old 1972 Interview first appeared on Bootleg Betty.

A trailblazing figure, Steve Ostrow left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape of New York City during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The post Steve Ostrow, Continental Baths owner, trailblazer in US and Sydney gay scenes, has died first appeared on Bootleg Betty.