Friday, November 8, 2024

NYC Dueling Divas Tonight: Streisand vs. Midler for the Championship

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Tonight the man you don’t want to be is Ken Sunshine. He’s the pr flack for both Bette Midler and Barbra Streisand (here on the East Coast). And tonight it’s a deathmatch diva duel as Midler opens on Broadway in “I’ll Eat You Last” and Streisand celebrates her birthday with a big party. Today is her actual birthday and she turns 71.

Midler is playing Sue Mengers, who was Streisand’s pal and agent at one time. Streisand just got her Lincon Center award. Now there’s a swanky soiree for her at Donna Karan’s Urban Zen tonight in the West Village. The Midler show kicks off at 6:45pm, produced by (among others) Graydon Carter. The show is 90 minutes, no intermission. Then everyone heads to the faux Russian Tea Room on West 57th St.

Cocktails for Streisand begin at 7:30pm, just as Bette starts the second half of her 90 minute monologue. Word is she’s great, and ticket sales are through the roof.

Overlap in invites? Without a doubt. How will it work? Where will everyone go? Will anyone sing? (Doubtful.)

Happy Birthday, Barbra!

Good luck, Bette!

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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