The Way We Were

The day after Thanksgiving I watched the Barbra Streisand special- “The Music…The Mem’Ries…The Magic!” on Netflix.  I am not a big Barbra fan anymore but I was fascinated just the same.

NO SPOILER ALERT:  If you haven’t seen it yet, this is a documentary of the concert in Miami on her last tour. It was filled with singing- and eating.  I especially liked the part that showed her calling Joe’s personally and asking them to add fried chicken to her après-concert standing stone crab order. Somehow it’s gratifying to know that La Streisand and I share the same passion for their cole slaw.

Back to the show…

Her set list was comprised of the usual suspects: “The Way We Were,” “People,” “Windmills Of My Mind,” “Evergreen.” All the old chestnuts were done and duly received standing ovations.  This concert was such a love fest- as I suspect all of her concerts are.

There was an odd, cringe-worthy mutual admiration society with Jamie Foxx an a corny duet of “Climb Every Mountain.”  There were some pleas to pay attention to climate change and a tribute to past POTUSes JFK, LBJ, and WJC with her wonderful anthem “Happy Days Are Here Again.”

Her voice isn’t what it used to be but that said, she is still a canny song stylist, a sensitive interpreter of lyrics and a mesmerizing entertainer.  She effortlessly holds the audience in the palm of her trademark long-nailed hand.

BS is a legend- and she knows it.  And she enjoys it and it’s a gas for us to be able to tag along and enjoy the road show.

SIDEBAR: The guy who enjoys it the most is her husband, James Brolin.  To use a Yiddishism, boy did he fall into the schmaltz barrel!  You should see him living it up in his role of consort to Barbra’s Jewish Princess.

Okay, we always knew she went for Gentile guys on screen-  Robert Redford, Nick Nolte, Kris Kristofferson, Ryan O’Neal.  But I’m pretty sure that in this case, Art Imitates Life.

After she became a superstar and ditched hapless Elliot Gould, Barbra must have figured that she deserved some serious eye candy. (I’m not counting that bad boy hair dresser turned Hollywood producer, Jon Peters.  He had her under his Svengali spell for a while but she snapped out of it, thank goodness.  Who liked the frizz?)

Enter James Brolin.  Meh tv star- See Marcus Welby, Md.- and distinguished now, if not by his acting, but his gray hair.

His role on the tour – if not in his marital life- seems to be pretty straight forward.  Kiss the dog, shut up, smile pretty and enjoy the key lime pie.  And I bet he always know the correct answer to “Honey, does this make me look fat?”

I’m sorry this reads like a pan.  I used to be so in love in with her.  From the day in 1963 when my mother brought home The Second Barbra Streisand Album, I was a goner.

And then in 1968 the album of Funny Girl came out and it rocked my world.

“I’m the Greatest Star,” “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “Funny Girl,” – Barbra’s haunting voice spoke to me personally.

And she spoke to me as a role model, as well- Jewish Girl Makes (Very) Good.  She was a force of entertainment Nature and she set the bar winning the EGOT and The Peabody Award.

Even though I’m not in love anymore, I’ve got to admit my hat is off to the lady.

She’s one of a very rare kind.

Now take a look at her when we were both just starting out.

Hello, Gorgeous.