Archive for the 'Barbra Streisand' Category

Should she stay or should she go?

Barbra Streisand's got a new album coming out this August…and it could be her last one with Columbia, if the label isn't able to work out a deal with her.

Right now, it's looking like it will cost Columbia around $20 million to sign Barbra on for a deal, which could "include one new album and three reissues." Seems kinda pricey…but then again she is kind of a legend.

Here's what Barbra's manager Marty Ehrlichman had to say about his client's future at Columbia:

"I’m not peddling Barbra. I will stay with Columbia unless I can’t make a deal, then I’ll go elsewhere."

"It’s a process. [New Sony Music Entertainment CEO] Doug Morris just came in, and we’ve just started negotiating. We’ve been with Columbia since the very beginning. I have no reason to believe we won’t continue to stay there."

Some sources have said that the record deal renewal talks have been "heated" and words like "diva" have been used in reference to the negotiations.

Yeah, it's easy to call Barbra a diva and say that she's asking too much, but Babs is a living legend and she's been pretty consistent with her ability to deliver over the years! We'd say it would be in Columbia's best interest to work something out.

What do U think? Is Barbra Streisand asking too much with her record deal renewal? Or does she deserve it all?

[Image via WENN.]

People … People who meet royal people!

Luckiest people in the world!!!

On Saturday night, Hollywood held its breathe as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge stepped out for an evening of glitz and glam at the BAFTAS. William and Catherine dazzled the throngs of celebrities in attendance with not only their attire (DAMN!), but also their charm and personality. Among those privileged to get an audience with the royals were Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Jennifer Garner, Barbra Streisand, James Brolin and Nicole Kidman, among others.

Jennifer Lopez also got a moment of the royal's time, after her mother, Guadaloupe stole some of the excitement away from them when she tripped and fell over her dress on the carpet! Poor dear! Happens to the best of us! Doesn't seem like it spoiled anyone's evening though. Look at the smiles on those faces! (above)

We sincerely hope the Duke and Duchess enjoyed their stay here in California! We know we enjoyed having them!

Come back anytime, ya'll!

[Image via WENN.]

Yes! Get ready to LOSE it, gays!

Barbra Streisand has just announced that she will be releasing a brand new album, comprised of only tracks written by Alan and Marilyn Bergman that she has not yet performed, called What Matters Most - Barbra Streisand Sings the Lyrics of Alan and Marilyn Bergman!

The album will be released on August 23, and will reportedly feature such tracks as The Windmills of Your Mind from The Thomas Crown Affair, Sergio Mendes & Brazil ’66's So Many Stars, and Frank Sinatra's Nice 'n' Easy!

Check out the album art (above)!

Gah! It's too much! We can't!

Too exciting!

What do U think?? Are U looking forward to new Babs?

…and she's okay with it!

Back in 1993, Barbara Streisand donated a 22.5-acre Malibu ranch to the state of California and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, an agency established by Governor Jerry Brown during his first term in 1980.

In an effort to balance the budget, Gov. Brown wants to sell the property known as Ramirez Canyon Park, despite fierce opposition.

Luckily for him, Mz. Streisand seems cool with it and has said:

"I understand Governor Brown's tough decision given the severe budget shortfalls that California is facing. I only hope that there is little disruption to the residents of Ramirez Canyon through this potential transition and that whatever entity does purchase the land and the homes on it will preserve its special habitat."

So understanding!

The $15 million property contains meadows, gardens, a creek and three homes customized by Streisand herself, but is only open to the public by special appointment.

The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy is against the sale of the ranch, but California doesn't seem to think it serves "any essential state function."

A spokesperson said, "The state should not be the landlord for a place that hosts mountain retreats."

Do U think the state should profit from a donated property to help pay off California's debt or should it remain a state park?

[Image via WENN.]

Everyone loves Beyonce!

She will be honored at Sunday night's Billboard Music Awards and all the celebs are coming out to pay tribute.

Stars like Lady GaGa, Bono, Stevie Wonder, Barbra Streisand, and THE FIRST LADY Michelle Obama will be on hand to salute her.

That's huge, Bey. But you deserve it, gurl.

The show will air on Sunday night at 8 pm on ABC.

Are U gonna watch??

[Image via WENN.]

We still don't know who is kicking the bucket next week on Glee, but we do know we're DYING over Lea Michele's solo from the episode. It's the one we've been waiting for…and she didn't disappoint.

A batch of songs have been released from next week's episode, entitled Funeral, including Princess Lea performing the Barbara Streisand classic ballad My Man from Funny Girl. Truthfully, we think this is one of her best performances yet…still not quite on par with Don't Rain On My Parade, but we don't think anything will ever compare to that for us.

Anyway, CLICK THE JUMP and you'll be transported to a world of pure imagination - literally. One of the numbers performed next week is an ensemble number of Pure Imagination, originated by Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory. Sound like a weird choice? Just wait! You have to hear what Chris Colfer does with it. Very pretty. Plus, there is a third track - Amber Riley singing Try A Little Tenderness by Otis Redding. Very cool!

Ch-ch-check them out!!!

Such a shame that it's come to down to this when we think it's safe to say that everyone here probably had the best intentions!

Barbra Streisand was long attached to direct a film adaptation of the play The Normal Heart, written by Larry Kramer; however, the project never seemed to get off the ground, and Kramer frquently claimed that this was due to the icon having rewritten the script to expand the character of Dr. Emma Brookner so she could then star in it!

However, Streisand has taken to her blog to set the record straight about the mess, and goes into pretty specific detail about what ultimately caused her to abandon the project!

She writes:

I’ve endured Larry Kramer’s outbursts in the past, not wishing to dignify them with a response. But at a time when we are all pulling together to achieve such giant steps toward gay equality, it is anguishing to me to have my devotion to this cause so distorted. I think my efforts for the gay community and my immersion in securing its constitutional entitlement and other equitable rights is quite evident and a matter of record.

During the time we were trying to move The Normal Heart forward, my production company, Barwood Films, made the TV films Serving In Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story—which brought home to millions of Americans the painful truth about the disparate treatment of gays in the military, and What Makes A Family?—about gay adoption. Perhaps it’s time for me to disclose why my earnest and passionate efforts to direct The Normal Heart as a film were frustrated.

When I saw the play in 1985 I was very moved and immediately contacted Larry to acquire the rights. I worked for ten years, without pay, trying to get it made. After going through several drafts with Larry, I hired a writer to develop a screenplay that was faithful to Larry’s play, adapting it to make it more cinematic. But Larry refused to accept any revisions and insisted we use his screenplay. I couldn’t get any studio to commit to his version. Many fine actors were ready to commit to our version, but Larry would not allow it.

When Larry now says I rewrote the script in order to make the woman doctor the star, marginalizing the gay characters, he is rewriting history. My objective was not to be in this movie. I only wanted to direct it and I was willing to play the doctor only if that would help get it made.

Eventually, when it became clear that we couldn’t raise the money to do it as a film, I thought, all right, we’ll do it on TV. At least it would reach a wide audience. But even HBO would only pay Larry $250,000 for the rights, and he would not let it go forward for anything less than $1,000,000. No studio was willing to move on it, considering the controversial subject matter and the burden of that cost.

After ten years, the rights reverted back to Larry. But even when I had no contractual involvement, I still persisted in pressing to get The Normal Heart made, purely because I believed in the project. As my producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron can confirm, I thought that if we could get a great cast together, maybe a studio would finally finance it and we could persuade Larry to let us do it. I offered the part of the doctor to Julia Roberts because I thought she would be terrific, and when she turned us down, we approached another actress. I also asked Mark Ruffalo and Bradley Cooper to be in it, and Bradley Cooper immediately said yes to my version of the screenplay. By the way, this is not to say that it wouldn’t have been rewritten again. The work is never done until the movie is released.

I think it’s unfair to blame me for the movie not getting made. After all, Larry has had the rights for the last 15 years and he couldn’t get it made, either. Those are the facts, and none of this is news to Larry.

More recently, he sent me a note before giving the project to another director, asking me again if I wanted to direct it—but only with his screenplay. As a filmmaker, I couldn’t have my hands tied like that. What if I needed to make changes? What if I needed to have something rewritten? Sadly, I turned his offer down and wished him well.

It’s been very hard for me to find a piece that I feel as passionate about. I will always believe in Larry’s play and its powerful theme about everyone’s right to love.

Wow!

Given the amount of detail she goes into and how genuinely upset she seems about the way this whole situation has been handled, we can't help but assume that she's being 100% sincere here!

Which is ultimately just a shame, especially because they clearly are both so passionate about the piece!

Here's hoping that The Normal Heart will eventually make it to the big screen, and be everything that both Babs and Larry wanted it to be!

[Image via WENN.]

Barbra Streisand was very close to Broadway writer and director Arthur Laurents.

The two worked on The Way We Were and she was going to collaborate with him again on the new film version of Gypsy.

This is what she has to say about her memories with Laurents:

"Arthur and I go way back to I Can Get It For You Wholesale in 1962. Then we did The Way We Were in 1973 and we were about to do Gypsy together. He created people you care about because he cared about people. I spoke to him a few weeks ago and he sounded so strong, as always. He was lucky to have lived a full and creative life up til the very end. I’ll miss working with him again."

So touching. We're sure it was very hard for her to hear about his passing.

His work of art will always be remembered.

[Image via WENN.]