Bab-ilicious!
Streisand fans sing her praises
as comeback tour sells out MSG
BY NOAH FOWLE and BILL HUTCHINSON
DAILY NEWS WRITERS
Some major fans of Barbra Streisand came from as far away as England to see the singer perform live at Madison Square Garden.
Barbra Streisand wowed a soldout Madison Square Garden last night in a triumphant comeback that had fans wondering why the "Funny Girl" ever retired.
Performing old standbys with a new flair of showmanship, Babs proved to an adoring crowd of all ages that she hasn't lost a step in her six years away from the stage.
"I didn't get to see Elvis, so I'm seeing Barbra instead," said Diane Stilwell., 40, who came from England to see Streisand strut her stuff in a live performance.
Fans paid an average price of $250 to see the resurrection of the 64-year-old, Brooklyn-born icon. Some tickets for two Garden performances were going for as much as $1,195 each on the Internet.
But not everyone was pleased with Streisand's performance, especially when it turned to politics. Five songs into the gig, the chanteuse started ridiculing a Bush impersonator she brought onto the stage.
"I paid to hear Barbra sing, not make fun of President George Bush," said Michele Newland, 35, of Atlanta, who stormed out of the Garden before the concert was over.
The diva showed off her New York roots by waxing nostalgic about knishes at Yonah Schimmel's bakery while kvetching about her diet. One heckler prompted Streisand to air her Brooklyn brogue, telling the disgruntled fan to "shut the f--k up" and promising to give him back his money.
Don Henneberger, 52, of Springfield, Mass., said he admired Streisand's outspokenness.
"Politically she's done the best for gay rights of any entertainer," Henneberger said. "I'm a gay, married man and I wouldn't be where I am without Barbra."
Streisand has vowed to donate $10 million of the proceeds from her 16-city comeback tour to charity.
Lawrence Rush, 45, a Times Square street entertainer who performs Streisand songs, said he was determined to see the star as soon as he heard she was emerging from retirement.
"I've been listening to Barbra since I was a little kid," Rush said. "It's because of her I came to New York to follow in her footsteps on Broadway."
Marie Dente, 50, of Old Bridge, N.J., who suffers from lupus, said she got out of her sickbed when her daughter Linda Labatto surprised her with tickets. They both were dressed in evening gowns for the show.
"I've been singing Streisand to her since she was a baby," said Dente, pointing to the 29-year-old Labatto.
"We love Barbra," said Labatto. "She's classy and so we have to look classy to be here. She has helped us through so much. The first thing we do in a tragedy is listen to Barbra."
Originally published on October 10, 2006
