Welcome to BarbraNews.com

Here you'll find all the latest on Barbra Streisand's current US tour.

* BarbraNews.com talks to... The Streisand Foundation -- Click for interview

*Read Barbra's thoughts about the forthcoming elections -- click here

* Allison J. Waldman writes NEW blog -- Click here -- "The Morning After"

* Barbra's LA Publicist Sets The Record Straight (scroll down to read)

*Rare Barbra Interview -- Barbra talks from her plane -- Click to read (New)

*Allison J. Waldman writes second Tour Blog -- Click here to read.

*All About Barbra Magazine -- New Issue Coming Soon -- Click here for more

(Scroll down for updates...)

**Support BarbraNews.com -- Small donations at this busy time are welcome to cover web hosting and traffic costs.

If you'd like to know where Barbra is performing -- click here.

Previous Venue Information (Reviews, Videos, Photos + more)

• My Report on Vegas and LA Shows
• November 13th -- San Jose
• November 7th -- Barbra in Chicago Night 1 + 2
• November 4th -- Barbra in Atlantic City
• November 2nd -- Barbra in Atlanta
• October 30th -- Barbra in Fort Lauderdale (Night 2)
• October 28th -- Barbra in Fort Lauderdale
• October 24th -- St. Paul, Minneapolis -- Xcel Energy Center
• October 22nd  -- Boston -- TD Banknorth Garden
• October 17th & 20th -- Toronto, Canada -- Air Canada Center
• October 15th -- Montreal, Canada -- Bell Center
• October 13th -- Washington DC -- Verizon Center
• October 11th -- New York -- Madison Square Gardens
• October 9th -- New York -- Madison Square Gardens
• October 6th -- Columbus --  Schottenstein Center
• October 4th -- Philadelphia -- Wachovia Center **Opening Night**
• The Dress Rehearsal

News Updates

Double CD Set Coming Soon **Please note -- this has been delayed until February**

• Columbia Records will release the tour album in a double CD box set. The set will be released in December. No date has been confirmed. Pre-order the album here.

From Barbra's LA Publicist

(Sent to BarbraNews.com on 2 November. This can also be read at Barbra's website)

You may have picked this up already from the new Truth Alert on Barbra's website.  If not, I know it will interest you.  An important aspect of this story is that in an election season that has had so much name-calling and so many ads which distorted the truth, someone (Barbra) actually cared that the truth be told.. even though it erases the impression that the original Associated Press story had inferred someone politically opposed to her, committed a rude act or throwing a drink (actually, a paper cup with some liquid in it) on the stage.  Barbra's desire to set this matter straight is one step towards civility in politics.  And, as the proverb says, the longest journey begins with but a single step. -- Dick Guttman

In view of press speculation that there was a political aspect to an incident at one of the recent Ft. Lauderdale performances of the current Barbra Streisand national tour, the star wishes it known that she discovered later that the outburst was in no way political.   The man who threw a paper cup with liquid in it onto the stage was actually the guest of someone to whom Streisand had given tickets, a guest who had had one or more too many beers but no political convictions.

After a recent stay on a friend's boat near Miami, Ms. Streisand had given each of the crew members tickets (these happened to be front row) for the sold-out concert.  When one seaman became ill, an Australian friend was invited, a rowdy friend as it turned out.

There have been three occasions during the tour, which has now completed 12 or its twenty concerts, in which a heckler protested a skit in which the George W. Bush impersonator Steve Bridges interacts with Streisand.  The management of the tour points out that Bridges is a Republican and has performed his impersonation with President Bush at the White House Correspondents Ball and for him on several occasions including one at the White House, and that Bridges' writers had created the skit used in the concerts.  Martin Erlichman, Ms. Streisand's manager and a producer of the tour, noted that if Bridges feels the material is in good fun and conforms with the President's self-deprecating sense of humor, that was good enough for Ms. Streisand.

Three of the nearly 180.000 people who have seen the concerts so far have chosen to make vocal protest of the skit during its performance, but singer feels it should be made clear that the person who threw the drink had no political motive or message..

A Europe Tour?

Will Barbra continue her tour in Europe? Long-time manager, Marty Erlichman recently said that this is being explored -- but nothing is confirmed. (BarbraNews does not have any further information on this)

A Nice Report

• Despite rumors to the contrary, we heard Barbra Streisand was a doll to deal with when Salon Rik Rak owner Rick Watters did her hair color in the comfort of Rosie O'Donnell's Star Island manse over the weekend. Also on hand: Streisand's hubby, James Brolin, who didn't partake in beauty treatments, but spent time talking to Watters about business strategies. Babs was so impressed with Watters' wizardry that she invited his entire family to her sold-out Monday night show.

Michael Cohl (Tour Promoter) Comments On Tour

• "These latest records are a testament to a truly legendary artist." Said tour promoter, Michael Cohl, "This tour has been a hit right out of the gate and I anticipate its continued success in each city she plays."

Streisand Sets New House Records in Washington and Montreal, Holds Top Three Spots at MSG

• Barbra Streisand has broken records at all 5 venues she has played to date on her 2006 Streisand Tour. Her latest top grossing records were set at the Verizon Center in Washington and Bell Centre in Montreal, coming on the heels of those she recently set in Philadelphia and Columbus. Additionally, her October 9th appearance at Madison Square Garden was the third highest grossing ever, exceeded only by her own September 2000 shows. She now holds the record for all three of the highest grossing shows in the venue's long history. Streisand, who has received rave reviews, will play Toronto October 17th and 20th, the tour will then continue with dates in Boston, Minneapolis, Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta, Atlantic City, Chicago, San Jose, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.

FUNNY GIRL DINES OUT
PETER CHENEY

• When a car pulled up outside his Mount Pleasant Road restaurant on Tuesday, Dave Johnston had no idea that he was about to serve the most famous dinner in the 56-year history of Penrose Fish and Chips. The order (five servings of halibut, deep-fried in his restaurant's signature beef fat) came to less than $50, but produced an unexpected bonanza -- the customer, it turned out, was Barbra Streisand, who gave Mr. Johnston's fish and chips a rave review during her sold-out concert at the Air Canada Centre that night.
   
• Within minutes, a friend who was attending the concert was on the phone to Mr. Johnston: "You won't believe what Barbra Streisand just said," the friend told him.
  Mr. Johnston's was not the only Toronto establishment to receive the celebrity version of "Eat at Joe's" from Ms. Streisand. The legendary singer also praised the ice cream she got at Caffe Demetre on Danforth Avenue, and raved about the pizza she bought from Il Fornello. "We had no idea," Il Fornello president Ian Sorbie says. "It's obviously good advertising. If Madonna or Bono want a pizza, that would be fine too."