Barbra Streisand is one of the most successful performers of all time and her autobiography ‘My Name Is Barbra’ has been worth the wait.
Streisand has spent the last ten years searching journals and jogging her memory to give a no-holds-barred life story in meticulous detail. Given her very private life, it’s surprising to see such intimate stories and personal anecdotes revealed. Streisand’s editor told her “To leave some blood on the page”, and that she does. Often presented in the media as difficult to work with, the star attempts to set the record straight.
My Name Is Barbra has been decades in the making and is close to a thousand pages
She writes about her marriages to Elliott Gould and James Brolin and numerous celebrity romances including Ryan O’Neal, Andre Agassi, Warren Beatty (although Beatty had to remind her, they slept together), Jon Peters, Don Johnson and Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Then there’s her son Jason (who featured in DNA) and close group of friends cum extended family. Most are life-long companions and with many now gone, Streisand’s sorrow can be felt in the pages.
“One can’t help but admire Streisand’s philanthropic work for AIDS research.”
Streisand talks openly of the strained relationship with her mother Diana, who even ditched the star’s comeback opening concert at the MGM Grand – to hang in Vegas with friends. Diana, who also had star ambitions, was jealous of her daughter’s success, but Streisand found a surrogate in her friend Bill Clinton’s mum Virginia.
Streisand with Many Patinkin in Yentl
Painful career moments are revealed, including working with Funny Girl co-star Sydney Chaplin (son of Charlie) who after being rejected by Streisand, would secretly taunt her on stage, even calling her “a bitch”. Then there was Mandy Patinkin (a DNA Straight Mate) who created problems on the set of Yentl because he was expecting an affair with the star. On Hello Dolly, co-star Walter Matthau shouted (with pure venom) “I have more talent in my farts than you have in your whole body!”
“Australia gets a mention, where she was rain-drenched at the Sydney concert and enjoyed Chinese pork buns in Melbourne!”
But she shares the positives too. Streisand had great respect for her duet partner Donna Summer – who passed out while reaching the crescendo notes on Enough Is Enough (No More Tears)! She details her friendships with the Clintons, Prince Charles, Steven Spielberg and Marlon Brando, who told her he’d like to fuck her (he never did!)
Barbra Streisand with Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Teri Polo and Blythe Danner In Meet The Fockers
Her stories are unique and captivating. There’s the time she climbed into Anne Frank’s attic, asked Queen Elizabeth why she had to greet her wearing gloves, smoked pot (unintentionally) with Peter Sellers and then there’s her unseen Playboy Magazine cover complete with bunny corset (the picture is in the book!) She talks about meeting Elvis for a role in A Star Is Born, her idea for The Way We Were sequel, cloning her dog and sets the record straight about ‘The Streisand Effect’ – where attempting to suppress an online image of her house backfired. Australia gets a mention, where she was rain-drenched at the Sydney concert and enjoyed Chinese pork buns in Melbourne!
Streisand with Ryan O’Neal in The Main Event
Three chapters are devoted to her directional baby Yentl – including the Oscar snubs, but she also includes the projects that failed, including Larry Kramer’s AIDS-themed play The Normal Heart. Streisand pursued this for twenty-five years intending to produce, direct and play the role of Dr Emma Brookner. Losing the project ‘broke her heart’.
“Marlon Brando told her he’d like to fuck her (he never did!)”
One can’t help but admire Streisand’s philanthropic work for AIDS research, heart disease in women and her well-documented support to the Democratic Presidential elections. But more than anything, the autobiography explains what makes Streisand tick. It sheds light on her diva status.
Streisand worked with Barry Gibb on Guilty – her most successful album to date
Universally talented, she rose to fame like a lightning bolt debuting in Broadway’s Funny Girl at twenty. Becoming a singer’s singer, she was treated as a rare and precious talent – and she got to call the shots. She is a creative perfectionist and her painstaking efforts to get the right cinematic shot or musical note have presented her with friends and enemies.
Streisand with Kris Kristofferson in A Star Is Born
The star herself admits to being a perfectionist but has learnt that perfection is something never achieved. She believes in ‘Bashert’ – a Jewish term for destiny and how things can strangely fall into place. She also feels that fame is a hollow trophy, stating, “It was much more fun to dream of being famous than to actually BE famous”.
“Streisand pursued The Normal Heart for twenty-five years intending to produce, direct and play the role of Dr Emma Brookner.”
Streisand wanted to set the record straight and indeed she does. My Name Is Barbra finally gives an intimate insight into one of the greatest entertainers of our time. Given her music, movies, activism and now this book, she will long be remembered and deservedly so.
My Name Is Barbra is out now, including in audiobook form
Streisand as Susan Lowenstein in The Prince of Tides
