Friday 29 June 2007

Liz Smith Column -- June 29th, 2007

ONE OF comedienne Kathy Griffin's funniest bits is on Barbra Streisand - how Barbra never changes a jot or tittle in her concerts. But maybe Kathy will have to change her act, because Barbra is suddenly spontaneous.

Barbra's second performance in Vienna's great outdoor arena was postponed because of a torrential downpour. The next night, the star received a rousing response when she opened with "Come Rain or Come Shine."

No matter what her detractors say, this woman owns the house record for every venue she has ever played. Her backers (and even the sometimes snarky fan sites) say she is "conquering the continent." Ticket prices remain astronomical. But nobody ever said it was a crime to make money from what the show biz traffic will bear.

P.S. Reviews have raved that Barbra displays "the voice of a 30-year-old" (she is 65). And that she tells anecdotes, charmingly, in three languages! And, yes, she set the house records for Vienna and Zurich.

*A similar story will appear on Entertainment Tonight/The Insider tonight, if you care to tape it.*