Bette Midler

Bob Macki e

In the world of entertainment there are very few true originals. Those amazing creatures that somehow appear on the scene and instantly shock, amuse, delight and surprise us.

Bette Midler miraculously showed up in the early 70’s looking and acting like no one I had ever witnessed. She was completely modern and disarming, and yet, also a throwback to the Golden Age of Vaudeville- when per- formers made their audience laugh, cry and have a hell of a good time.

She instinctively knew how! Her biggest goal in life was to entertain that audience. Bette didn’t behave like anyone we had ever seen before. She certainly wasn’t the “Girl Next Door” or was she? Who was the girl next door anyway? Farah Fawcett? Doris Day? Or Barbie?, but wait, this one was just a little dangerous and cer- tainly a lot more fun. “The Divine Miss M” seems to be an invented character by that rather studious, glasses- wearing little Jewish/Hawaiian theatre nerd named Bette Midler. Once landed in New York, the working actress, (one of Tevye’s daughters’s in Fiddler on the Roof”) would turn herself into “The Fabulous, The Incredible, The Amazing, and The Divine Miss M”. There she was, Queen of the underground performers, and, of course it was the gay audience that discovered her and started the ruckus. It wasn’t so hard, since she was entertaining at the Continental Baths…Smart Girl!

It was the early 70’s when I first noticed “this girl” on “The Tonight Show”, ‘Who is she? “ “Where did she come from ? Oh, My God, you won’t believe her!” She took not wearing a bra to a whole other dimension. I loved her and I loved her music. Immediately the album “The Divine Miss M” was on a continuous loop.

In 1975 I was asked to design the costumes for a television special starring Cher with Guest Stars Flip Wilson, Elton John and, of course, Bette. WOW. It doesn’t get any better than that. The three musical stars were as hot and exciting as it gets and worked beautifully together. This was an amazing package, and for me a won- derful experience as a designer, having four, completely unique individuals to dress. Talk about “Originals”!

The whole world was taking notice of Miss Midler and was won over. The Broadway shows, the Concerts, her own Television Specials and of course, the Movies. Who would have guessed this truly unique personality would become a huge movie star?

In 1993 I worked with Bette on the televised version of the Broadway Show “Gypsy”. I loved her Mama Rose, she had just the right edge and sang the songs beautifully and, of course, she got her laughs.

My favorite way of experiencing Miss M is in a theatre with a live audience. She feeds off of them and they cer- tainly return the affection. She has always been true to her style and opinions and doesn’t mind a good argument to prove her point. Her stances on so many subjects are completely endearing, and only go to prove there is a real person under the curls, spangles and fins.

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