Musicians often announce their “retirement,” in an effort to gross more money for ticket sales. They can charge higher prices, and naive fans pay the hefty fee thinking it’s the last time they will get to see the artist live. Barbra Streisand is amongst the many culprits. In 2000, she announced her final tour. Ticket prices were ridiculously high, and it reportedly grossed over $70 million. In 2006, perhaps she got sick of laying idle, and announced a “comeback” tour, which grossed close to $100 million. Though she has yet to announce another retirement tour, I imagine that it’s just around the corner. Oh yeah — and so is another comeback tour.
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Streisand never retired in 2000. Never said it was her last tour. I think the closest she got was a “maybe”. This is an urban myth that jut keeps going and going. The person who really does this final tour schtick over and over is Cher. Wrong diva.
Nope. She definitely retired. I specifically remember her press tour where she went on Oprah and said she was retiring because her stage fright was so horrible she no longer enjoyed touring. Perhaps she got over it.
Streisand never retired in 2000. Never said it was her last tour. I think the closest she got was a “maybe”. This is an urban myth that jut keeps going and going. The person who really does this final tour schtick over and over is Cher. Wrong diva.
Nope. She definitely retired. I specifically remember her press tour where she went on Oprah and said she was retiring because her stage fright was so horrible she no longer enjoyed touring. Perhaps she got over it.
No, it is a myth created by her detractors. You cannot show me a quote by Barbra HERSELF which shows her announcing her retirement. May she continue top thrill us for years to come.
I can unequivocally confirm that it is not a myth. I remember the interview where she discussed her retirement. She said it’s because of stage fright. She didn’t say she was retiring altogether, just form touring — which is what warranted the inflated ticket prices.
No, it is a myth created by her detractors. You cannot show me a quote by Barbra HERSELF which shows her announcing her retirement. May she continue top thrill us for years to come.
I can unequivocally confirm that it is not a myth. I remember the interview where she discussed her retirement. She said it’s because of stage fright. She didn’t say she was retiring altogether, just form touring — which is what warranted the inflated ticket prices.
Unequivocally huh? If you remember the interview why don’t true Barbra fans remember the interview?
I have seen (and have) all of her Oprah interviews and not a word about retiring. Where is it on Youtube? Nowhere. Sure she talked about her stage fright (as she does a lot) but as the very reason to perform live (to get over it) not as a reason to stop. She talked about how she got over her stage fright as she got older….not that it was getting worse. Oiy!
These are that same people who believe the myth that Barbra said she would leave the U.S. if Bush got elected. Never happened but still pops up all the time as fact.
Unequivocally huh? If you remember the interview why don’t true Barbra fans remember the interview?
I have seen (and have) all of her Oprah interviews and not a word about retiring. Where is it on Youtube? Nowhere. Sure she talked about her stage fright (as she does a lot) but as the very reason to perform live (to get over it) not as a reason to stop. She talked about how she got over her stage fright as she got older….not that it was getting worse. Oiy!
These are that same people who believe the myth that Barbra said she would leave the U.S. if Bush got elected. Never happened but still pops up all the time as fact.
BARBRA ON OPRAH 2006
Oprah:Are you looking forward to your tour?
Barbra: I’m looking forward to the challenge.
Oprah: So when I come to see you onstage, you’re not going to be having fun up there?
Barbra: Well, I did have fun during the final shows of the last tour. I surprised myself. What I like about music is that it marks time for people—like “I got married to that song.” One reason I can perform now is that they have pills for stage fright. I wish somebody had told me about these pills years ago.
Oprah: Will you use a teleprompter?
Barbra: Yes, or I might go blank. I’ll think, “What am I doing on this stage? Holy mackerel!” But then I realize that fear has an energy behind it. The whole point is to go beyond the fear and do it anyway, because I know I’m singing for a good cause. I can sing before a full stadium because it’s like looking into a black hole. I can’t perform in front of a few people in a living room. I was once with Donna Karan and Liza Minnelli, and Liza just got up and sang. I was fascinated. I’m thinking, “Where do you look in a room lit up like this?” In a black hole—a theater—I can escape into my own little world.
BARBRA ON OPRAH 2006
Oprah:Are you looking forward to your tour?
Barbra: I’m looking forward to the challenge.
Oprah: So when I come to see you onstage, you’re not going to be having fun up there?
Barbra: Well, I did have fun during the final shows of the last tour. I surprised myself. What I like about music is that it marks time for people—like “I got married to that song.” One reason I can perform now is that they have pills for stage fright. I wish somebody had told me about these pills years ago.
Oprah: Will you use a teleprompter?
Barbra: Yes, or I might go blank. I’ll think, “What am I doing on this stage? Holy mackerel!” But then I realize that fear has an energy behind it. The whole point is to go beyond the fear and do it anyway, because I know I’m singing for a good cause. I can sing before a full stadium because it’s like looking into a black hole. I can’t perform in front of a few people in a living room. I was once with Donna Karan and Liza Minnelli, and Liza just got up and sang. I was fascinated. I’m thinking, “Where do you look in a room lit up like this?” In a black hole—a theater—I can escape into my own little world.
By the way Barbra has been on Oprah exactly three times…
-1996 to promote The Mirror Has Two Faces (no talk of retiring)
-2003 to promote The Movie Album (again no retirement talk)
-2006 (see above)So obviously she was never on Oprah as part of the press tour for her 2000 tour and never said to Oprah “I’m retiring”. Myth.
By the way Barbra has been on Oprah exactly three times…
-1996 to promote The Mirror Has Two Faces (no talk of retiring)
-2003 to promote The Movie Album (again no retirement talk)
-2006 (see above)So obviously she was never on Oprah as part of the press tour for her 2000 tour and never said to Oprah “I’m retiring”. Myth.
Oops! Forgot her 2009 Oprah visit to promote Love is the Answer (again no retirement announcement)
As for retiring helping ticket sales Barbra sold top tics for $1000 in 1993 without a hint of retirement.
Oops! Forgot her 2009 Oprah visit to promote Love is the Answer (again no retirement announcement)
As for retiring helping ticket sales Barbra sold top tics for $1000 in 1993 without a hint of retirement.
All you Barbra fans, CONGRATS! Only we know the facts! Like Barbra herself has said (I paraphrase),”negativity makes good copy, but the truth prevails”
All you Barbra fans, CONGRATS! Only we know the facts! Like Barbra herself has said (I paraphrase),”negativity makes good copy, but the truth prevails”
Barbra has spoken of retiring SPECIFICALLY due to her stage fright. She stated that the 2000 tour would be here last for actual pure profit and it was. She specifically did her 2006 tour mainly for charity, BUT ALSO because she is getting much more comfortable on stage. If I were her, I would perform too if I were FINALLY after 30 or 40 years (since the 1967 Central Park incident which started her severe stage fright) getting over something that had held me back, I’d want to jumo in with both feet. I had the honor of a several-day-long personal experience with her in 2000 at the MGM in Las Vegas, NV where she performed on New Years Eve (1999/2000) and New Years Day.
I worked in the executive offices for MGM at that time and I was co-manager of the team that made sure she had what she needed from her stay on the hotel to all of her rehearsals at the arena. Several of us were with her almost non-stop for several days (we all even stayed at the hotel for her entire stay). Number one: she had EXTREME stage fright. I was actually shocked she was performing at all and I admire her for doing it. I sure wouldn’t have. Also, she was a JOY to work with and magnificent to be around. She is brilliant. I actually watched her stop in the middle of a rehearsal for the show, turn around and point to a specific violinist and tell him he was “off by just a hair”. That was one of I think 60 musicians. her ear for music is just miraculous (she has super-sonic hearing by the way which is why she has 24/7 constant ringing in her ears). She literally puts out an energy that anyone and everyone around her can feel, and what is so refreshing is that I dont think she even knows it. She’s THE MOST vulnerable, kind and unassuming celebrity I’ve ever worked with (and we work with A LOT at the MGM). NEVER did she insist people not look at her (that was a horrible rumor) and she was very easy to please when it came to her personal needs…literally hardly asked for anything. Professionally, she was very meticulous and an absolute perfectionist when it came to the show. She showed frustration, BUT ONLY when someone was being ignorant or stupid and not performing their job to her expectations (i.e. they deserved her wrath). But even her wrath was very slight. She hardly ever raised her voice at all (oddly enough yelled at herself more it seemed – she’s VERY hard on herself) and even was asking all of us around her if we had eaten, slept, etc. – the perfect Jewish mother. We all adored her, literally adored her. She was amazing and I will admire her forever.
So, she is doing concerts now (2006, Village Vanguard in 2009) SPECIFICALLY for charity and political fundraising and she has been very open about that. Of course I’m sure she keeps some for herself, but everyone else would to, so no big deal. Bottom line is, she’s worth hundreds of millions and could easily retire. But she’s aware she has a voice and people listen, so she’s using her voice. We will lose one of the most creatively brilliant minds when she does retire, so I hope it’s not for a very long time!