Divine Madness
A National Treasure Chest
In 1980, the head usher at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium gives his crew a pep talk: he wants tonight's 'Betty Midler' show to go smoothly. He's a little worried about risque language, Liberace recently gave him a scare. Then, boom, there she is, with her backup trio, 'The Harlettes,' going from rock to ballad to medley, from 'Big Noise From Winnetka' to 'I Shall Be Released.' It's a concentration of camp: she imitates Sophie Tucker, she's mermaid Dolores Delago, and between every song, it's non-stop movement and lots of raunchy patter.
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