Barbra Streisand was a guest on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday. I didn’t realize that this was her first late night TV appearance in 50 years. (I do know that she was on Oprah in 2003 and she also did promotion for The Guilt Trip with Seth Rogan, which was out in 2012.) The last time we covered Barbra she had Instagrammed her first photo, a picture of herself sitting on a lawn chair with her dog, Sammy, an 11 year-old Coton, on her lap. Barbra used that photo for her new CD cover, Partners, but the image was cropped to only show her face and not Sammy. Boo! Sammy is the star.
On The Tonight Show, Barbra performed a medley of duets with Jimmy Fallon from her album, which came out yesterday and features classics such as The Way We Were, Come Rain Or Come Shine and It Had to Be You. (That video is below.) On Partners, Barbra sings 12 songs with different well known male singers like Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder and Andrea Bocelli. She also does a duet with Elvis to Love Me Tender. (Barbra told Fallon that it was her A&R man’s idea to do that track and they were “very fortunate” that Elvis’ estate let them use it.)
Jimmy Fallon was so deferential to Babs that he allowed her to take his seat behind the desk. He fawned over her and they reminisced about her early start in show business, including an appearance she made on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson when she was just 17. It’s hard to tell how old Barbra is now because she has that frozen look that puts her age anywhere between 50 and 80. She’s 72. When she’s talking only her mouth moves.
Fallon also reminded us that Barbra was the first woman to write, produce, direct and act in her own movie. (1983’s Yentl.) Barbra joked that “you have nobody to argue with” when you’re in charge of everything.
Partners is already the number one selling album on both Amazon and iTunes. That may have something to do with Barbra’s Tonight Show promotion, but that’s only a fraction of the reason Barbra’s music is selling so well. People love Babs, her talent blows so many other artists out of the water and her music is timeless.
Here’s Barbra doing a medley of her duets with Fallon:
Singing Come Rain or Come Shine:
Fallon interview Part 1:
Fallon interview Part 2:
I always felt Barbara got a raw deal when it came to her being criticized for her personality. I think she’s driven and smart. I really like her and she has earned the right to be and say what she wants.
P.s. I’m a little over Jimmy being obnoxious with his guests. You don’t have to laugh at everything.
I honestly can’t stand Jimmy Fallon, I’ve never understood his appeal. But anyway, we are apparently in the minority. 😛
As for Babs, I also think she’s gotten a raw deal. It’s the typical “if a man is being driven and assertive that’s awesome, if a woman is then she’s a bi*ch.” I’m not a big fan of her music but she does have one amazing voice, and I’m not surprised that her album is a hit.
Count me among those who can’t stand Jimmy hosting this show. It’s as if I’m watching SNL every night. Bad SNL. And I don’t think Fallon is a good interviewer, either. Enough already, Jimmy.
I’ll always love The Barbra. I think Michael K mentioned that her face is Aniston’s future face. I do notice the similar mannerisms and Hair, so I get a Single White Female stalker vibe when I see Aniston. Oh, she wishes. Hey, also the manufactured Blue eyes. Huh.
Love her. Saw her live in Concert at the. Staples Center years ago when she did her show there.
Love her! I will watch Yentl anytime it’s on, it’s still so good.
I don’t think Jimmy really “let” her take his seat at the desk, I think this was negotiated as part of her appearance. Barbara only likes to be shot from her “good side” and the only way to achieve that was for her to sit in the host chair.
I 100% agree. That was the first thing I thought of. She did the same thing with Oprah. She’s been doing it since Funny Girl!
I like my Barbra with curly, or at least wavy, hair. Barbra doesn’t need to go all Goop with straight hair parted down the middle. She has too much soul.
Am I the only one that enjoyed her in The Guilt Trip and the Focker movies?
Really one of the most amazing vocal talents of our time. THIS Ariana, Gaga, Miley, Britney, Selena and other assorted ‘singers’ is a golden voice. No auto tuning or other BS needed. Sit down, be quiet and listen you might learn something.
I have got a sh*t ton of Barbra’s questions as a foreigner that never got the thing about her:
Is she really that great a singer?
Why is it that every year is her last concert/last cd ever?
Why the Big Hoopla every time she comes out with these things, Like I see her contemporary divas etc , a cd is put out, shows are done there isn’t a great big ring the alarm/to-do? about em?
Does she sell that well? or is this one of those Billie Joel/ The Boss things that they just have that rabid fanbase and the Old Glory thing going?
Is there a hazy light that follows wherever she moves? like a Fog Ghost?
Is she Jennifer Aniston’s Real Mom?
She was a great singer. I won’t testify as to her voice now because I won’t click on the video, I am too creeped out by her new “look”. As for the rest of your questions. . .yeah, she might have major hype going on. But then again, she and Cher have the same fan base and you see how Cher holds onto her fame with their insane idolization of her.
Gaga and Tony’s new jazz album, Cheek 2 Cheek, is coming out next week. I wonder if Partners will slow down first week sales of Cheek 2 Cheek coming out a week earlier. HSN did a big special for Cheek 2 Cheek, so will probably still do fine. Gaga tends to be a little shouty at times showing off on the songs promo’d so far, but the third song showcased, Nature Boy, finally shows her singing like Barbra knows how to do, understated, and Gaga sounds really lovely on it. I’m not a huge jazz fan, though, so would prefer Babs’ songs on the album anyway.
Babs’ album looks interesting with the duet partners she chose. Willy Nelson was recorded. I wonder why he didn’t make the cut.
Her first single released is with Buble. Great video with the song showing them talking and then recording it with an orchestra. It got me interested in the album when I saw this this weekend as she records live with her duet partners, not cut and pasted, never together even in the same city, like some duets.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6t7bqGEw-C4&list=RD6t7bqGEw-C4#t=0
What the heck did she do to her eyes? Additionally, either she got a nose job or that picture is seriously photoshopped.
Photoshopped? Barbra? Of course it is LOL
Given her age I thought her Tonight Show performance was spectacular. The only other singer in that age range I’ve seen do as well is Tony Bennett. Not at all easy for someone in their 70’s to still have the muscle tone to push out that kind of sound. I thought it was jaw-dropping.
The fact that she has had MAJOR work done creeps me out. I mean, is that Cher or is that Barbra???!!!!!
Wow! Much Aniston. So Jennifer.
I LOVE her. Every time. I see her I turn into Mike Myers on that SNL skit. ” like buttah”.