For Bette Midler, witty banter and “trash talk” have always been synonymous with her iconic performances.
During the 1970s, as she rose to stardom from the Continental Baths in New York, her global variety shows featured memorable characters like Delores DeLago, a wheelchair-bound mermaid. This character, much like Midler herself, often playfully poked fun at herself and her audience between musical acts.
Beyond the stage, Midler has long been a vocal critic in the entertainment industry, particularly when it comes to Donald Trump. She’s famously dubbed him a “parasite” and “a flibbertigibbet,” even once likening a public spat with him to her “personal Battle of the Bulge.” In return, he’s called her an “extremely unattractive woman” and a “washed up psycho.”
However, on a recent crisp fall afternoon in Brooklyn, the Divine Miss M was quite literally delving into “trash talk” of a different kind.
“Go on, put your finger in,” she urged a nearby reporter with a mischievous grin. “Doesn’t that smell absolutely divine?”
She was leisurely strolling through a vibrant Bushwick garden, a colorful tapestry of sunflowers, hibiscuses, and ripening tomato plants surrounding her.
The “divine” scent she spoke of wafted from a bustling compost heap close by.
Following her instruction, my index finger found its way into the surprisingly warm soil. Then, covered in earth, I instinctively sought something to clean it with.
“Use your jeans, you silly man!” she chuckled. “Or, if you prefer, my sweatpants.”
I politely declined her offer of sweatpants – which she humorously noted were “designed by no one” – opting instead for my own attire. (Her outfit, a black Gucci blazer and a charcoal Dries Van Noten sweater, suggested a different caliber of design).
Midler’s presence in the garden wasn’t just a casual visit; she was there as the visionary founder of the New York Restoration Project (NYRP). Established in 1995, this organization has since cultivated and cared for an impressive 52 green spaces across New York City.
While many celebrities launch charities, few see their organizations thrive for three decades. This month, Midler joyfully marks the NYRP’s 30th anniversary with garden tours, a flurry of late-night talk show appearances, and her iconic annual “Hulaween” gala, held at Cipriani South Street.
Just weeks ago, she graced “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” delivering a hilarious parody of her 80s hit “Wind Beneath My Wings.” The new lyrics showered praise on Colbert while, predictably, taking another jab at Trump.
Following that, she appeared on Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen,” where she regaled audiences with tales from her six-decade career and played a game called “Let’s Restore or Please, No More.” This involved revisiting her famous outfits, with a black-and-white bustier from Live Aid making the cut, while a deep-plunging violet gown from the 1977 Grammys was, regretfully, retired.
At her recent Friday benefit, Midler made a memorable entrance in red Crocs and overalls – the same practical attire she uses for tree planting. Clutching several boxes of Kleenex, she playfully tossed most into the cheering audience. She used the last box herself, openly weeping as she spoke of the profound dedication shown by her staff, volunteers, and generous donors.
A moment of unexpected humor arrived as she fondly reminisced about the early days, even offering thanks to Rudy Giuliani for his mayoral support. “Back when he was sane!” she quipped, drawing a laugh.
Later, fashion icon Michael Kors (impeccably dressed as a yellow taxicab) and theater impresario Jordan Roth (creatively transformed into a Barneys shopping bag and window display) presented awards for the evening’s best costumes.
The evening culminated with Midler leading a heartfelt rendition of her 1973 hit “Friends,” joined on stage by an ensemble of fellow divas and Broadway luminaries.
The week prior in Bushwick, Midler candidly stated that her renewed availability to the entertainment press wasn’t about personal vanity.
“Some years you’re lean, and some years you’re fat,” she mused about her charity’s finances. “The last few years have definitely been tough.”
According to tax returns, the NYRP received over $9 million in donations and grants in 2018. However, by the end of 2023, that figure had dipped to just under $6.8 million, reflecting recent financial struggles.
Gordon Davis, a former city parks commissioner, observed that many civic organizations encountered significant funding difficulties both during and after the pandemic.
The challenge of fundraising is compounded by the fact that many of the New York Restoration Project’s gardens are located in some of the city’s most economically disadvantaged neighborhoods.
“What she has achieved with that organization is truly remarkable,” Mr. Davis remarked.
For nearly three decades, Midler resided in an expansive triplex apartment on Fifth Avenue’s Upper East Side, cherishing her reservoir view. However, in 2019, she listed the property for a hefty $50 million, citing her daughter Sophie von Haselberg’s departure from home and the apartment’s substantial upkeep costs.
Despite her luxurious abode, Midler’s working-class upbringing continues to shape her identity and her philanthropic endeavors. Her passion for urban green spaces has led her to transform parks across the city, primarily in areas that were historically underserved.
As she candidly told The New York Times in 2003, “There were already enough rich, stupid white women like me who could save their own parks.”
Midler’s own story began in Honolulu, where her father worked as a house painter and her mother as a seamstress and homemaker. Their 1950s residence, a converted Army barracks, even offered residents communal gardening plots.
One of her three siblings initially took up gardening, and eventually, Midler followed suit.
The New York Restoration Project’s inaugural initiatives in the 1990s focused on extensive trash removal in Washington Heights’ Fort Tryon Park.
By 2003, the organization successfully restored a five-acre park along Harlem River Drive, transforming what was once a notorious dumping ground.
This revitalized park, named Swindler Cove in tribute to the late city garden advocate Billy Swindler, received $10 million in city funds. The restoration created a beautiful space featuring waterfalls and a vibrant garden for students to cultivate fruits and herbs.
Midler personally spearheaded fundraising efforts, securing an additional $2.3 million to transport a boathouse from Norwalk, Connecticut, completing the park’s transformation.
From this successful model, the NYRP expanded its reach, initiating projects across Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
A significant milestone occurred in 2007 when the city collaborated with the NYRP to plant a million trees, an initiative championed by then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Midler publicly honored Bloomberg at her 2009 benefit gala.
“He was the best one for us,” she stated last week, gesturing towards a flourishing tomato patch.
She demurred from offering an opinion on the ongoing mayoral race, noting she votes in Dover Plains, N.Y. There, she enjoys a sprawling estate, complete with magnificent gardens and a flock of chickens she greets daily with a theatrical “Hello, girls,” as if they were part of her stage ensemble.
Leaving the tomato patch behind, the tour resumed, with a driver whisking us to the next verdant destination.
During the ride, our conversation inevitably shifted to the vehicle we were in.
“It’s a friggin’ Volvo hybrid,” she declared, a hint of frustration in her voice. “Sometimes we run out of charge because there aren’t enough charging stations, and getting stranded on the Taconic is not my idea of a good time.”
Indeed, it has happened.
“We’ve gotten stuck!” she exclaimed. “And then you arrive at a charging station only to find it broken, or face endless queues, waiting for hours on end. This country, I tell you, is simply not forward-thinking.”
Despite these frustrations, she remains committed to hybrids, certainly not considering a gas-guzzler or another Tesla.
(In a widely shared social media post in April, Midler announced she had sold her Tesla, proclaiming: “No longer do I have to drive a symbol of racism, greed and ignorance!”)
As the car turned onto Lafayette Avenue, Midler’s commentary also took a political left turn. She highlighted the superior clean-energy infrastructure in many European and Asian countries, noting, “You go to so many countries in the world, and the charging stations are there. It’s orderly.”
She then voiced strong criticism for the administration’s decision to eliminate tax breaks on electric vehicles and abandon a substantial $7 billion solar energy plan.
With a deep sigh, she steered the conversation towards lighter topics.
Midler excitedly shared videos of guinea fowl she was considering buying. “I mean, have you ever seen anything like this in your life?” she asked with genuine delight.
She then indulged in some delightful gossip, discussing recent movies and Broadway shows she adored (like “One Battle After Another” and “Death Becomes Her”), and her observations on current plastic surgery trends.
“I can’t be judgmental about it,” she confessed. “I’ve had some stuff done. I’m not going to tell you what. Whatever Dolly Parton says, I say the same thing.” (A nod to Parton’s famous quip: “If something is bagging, sagging or dragging, I’ll tuck it, suck it or pluck it.”)
Next, Midler offered her less-than-approving assessment of billionaires venturing into space.
“The problem is they’re going with each other, and they will *never* get along,” she asserted. “Can you imagine? You think there’s war here? Just picture what chaos will erupt out there. It’s utterly ridiculous!”
She also held no praise for plutocrats who choose to freeze their remains, hoping for a future revival.
“I’m going to be wrapped in a shroud, and I’m going to have a tree planted over me,” she stated resolutely as the car arrived at the next garden. “Let the worms come.”