Say goodbye to The Divine Miss M — because sources tells Straight Shuter that Bette Midler has hung up her mic for good.
According to sources, 79-year-old Bette, the legendary voice behind “Wind Beneath My Wings” and “The Rose”, has no plans to ever sing again — not on stage, not in a studio, not even in the shower.
“There’s nothing wrong with her vocal cords,” an insider confirms. “She just doesn’t want to. She’s completely over it.”
“She doesn’t miss it at all. She’s moved on. That chapter is closed.”
The source says the Beaches star is now focusing on writing, producing, environmental activism and enjoying a quieter life outside the spotlight.
“She still loves performing — just not singing,” the insider adds.
Behind the scenes, sources share friends expressed surprise at her definitive decision. But the insider insists, “No farewell concert, no Vegas run, no Broadway comeback — she’s truly done.”
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Cher, Elton John and Bette Midler Imagined Life in Their 70s on the 1975 Special That Turned into The Cher Show
The talented singers, along with the late Flip Wilson, imagined their lives in 2025
Cher brought out some very special guests for a moment that still makes fans laugh 50 years later.
In February 1975, the entertainer broke out on her own for the first time onscreen with her solo variety show, The Cher Show. The pilot episode, originally airing as a standalone special, included some very special guests. The CBS series ultimately aired through January 1976.
That first episode included performances from some of the biggest names of the time, who are still revered today. Fellow singers Elton John and Bette Midler, as well as actor Flip Wilson, were among the guests.
The four appeared together in a skit called the “Final Curtain Rest Home for Aged Performers.” It begins with John thanking Cher for having him on the show and telling her, “You’re the sort of person that in 50 years time will still be going strong.”
In a dream sequence, the entertainers each appear as themselves, just 50 years older in an old-age home, preparing to watch that very special in 2025.
Wilson ushers Cher on one arm and Midler on the other as they come down the stairs, with Cher boasting, “We made it down the stairs in record time — 2 hours and 45 minutes.”
“Well, that’s cause you cheated,” Wilson replies, deadpanning, “You fell down the last flight.”
As they debate what they can do, they say, “Wait a minute, I think I’m getting an idea.” After a pause, she says, “No, it was just a hot flash.”
The three talked about the good old days, making audiences roar as Wilson asked, “You mean these aren’t the old days?”
The “Rocket Man” singer then entered in a decked-out wheelchair with a racing flag on it. He asks the group, “Does anybody want to fool around?” To which they all enthusiastically say yes. He follows up, “Does anyone remember how?” to which they sullenly reply no.
Fan account The Cher Planet shared a clip from the episode, with fans celebrating the fact that three of the four entertainers are still alive and active.
“50 years ago, Cher, Bette Midler, Elton John, and Flip Wilson gave us a hilarious (and very exaggerated) glimpse into their futures—imagining themselves as stereotypical old folks in 2025! 😂. Sadly, Flip Wilson is no longer with us, but Cher, Bette, and Elton are still looking better than ever today!” the caption reads.
Bette Midler on her ‘nervous breakdown’ – ‘I became very sad and depressed’
BETTE MIDLER is a multi Grammy Award-winning actress, best known for Hocus Pocus (1993), The First Wives Club (1996), and Beaches (1988). Aside from celebrity status, she’s a normal woman who is vulnerable to the grips of despair.
In an interview with Oprah, Bette Midler regarded her nervous breakdown as an “episode”. The 76-year-old elaborated: “After I made a picture in the early 1980s, I was unjustly accused of grandstanding, and I never did any such thing.” Which picture that may be is unclear, as Midler starred in numerous productions during the 80s. Hits from that decade include: Jinxed!, Down and Out in Beverley Hills, Ruthless People, Outrageous Fortune, Big Business, and Oliver & Company – to name a few.
“It brought me up short,” Midler indignantly said of the incident. “And I became very sad and depressed.”
Midler added: “I cried a lot and I couldn’t get out of bed. I called it a nervous breakdown, because what was I going to say?”
A nervous breakdown
Doctor Dan Brennan verified that a nervous breakdown is also known as a mental breakdown.
Describing it as a period of “extreme mental or emotional stress”, a nervous breakdown prevents a person from carrying on with their day-to-day life.
The term, however, is “no longer used by professionals today”, with a nervous breakdown usually attributed to an underlying issue such as depression.
The NHS says: “Depression is more than simply feeling unhappy or fed up for a few days.”
Depression can be diagnosed when a person feels “persistently sad for weeks or months”.
The mental health condition can lead to lasting feelings of unhappiness and hopelessness.
Thankfully, for Midler, she shares her hopes for the Earth to one day heal itself.
“Even if the whole human race dies off because we keep fighting and killing each other and being heartless, the planet will take care of itself,” she told Oprah.
“Eventually, after millions of years, it will cleanse itself, and new life forms, maybe better ones, will come.”
The ability to feel hopeful for the future can be a sign of depression lifting.
“Treatment for depression can involve a combination of lifestyle changes, talking therapies and medicine,” the NHS notes.
Mild depression might improve on its own, the health body points out, especially when engaging in regular exercise.
If, however, exercise alone does not help to improve a person’s mood, then cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) might be recommended.
Other lifestyle recommendations include cutting down (or eliminating) alcohol from your diet, not smoking, and eating healthily.
Hollywood Legend, 79, Sends Bold Political Message That Has Fans Declaring Her a ‘National Treasure’
The Broadway icon didn’t mince words with her blunt declaration.
Bette Midler sent a bold political message involving Donald Trump that left fans declaring her a “national treasure.”
On Tuesday, July 8, the Hocus Pocus star, 79, took to Instagram with a blunt declaration about Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Mike Johnson in the wake of Trump’s “big beautiful bill” being signed into law.
In text on a photo of Johnson, Middler wrote his name followed by, “Because Trump’s b—s won’t lick themselves.”
Fans of the Hello, Dolly! Tony winner promptly flooded her comments with their amused reactions.
One Instagram user declared, “🤭😂🔥👏❤️ Ms. Midler, you are a national treasure!!”
Someone else shared, “Best post EVER.”
Another follower echoed, “This is my Christmas card 🙌🏽.”
A different follower wrote, “This made my morning 😂😂😂.”
Meanwhile, yet another fan commented, “This was 1000% worth spitting out my coffee while reading this. 🔥🔥🔥.”
In recent days, Midler isn’t the only celebrity to issue a political message. Grey’s Anatomy star Caterina Scorsone posted an emphatic update with a photo of her daughter in the hospital. Guy Fieri also shared a (perhaps unintentional) political message on the Fourth of July.
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