Bette Midler’s Broadway Comeback Is Killing Her
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Bette Midler collapsed on stage, coughing and fighting for air, leaving alarmed pals fearing she’s too ill to continue performing — and may be on her last legs!
Photo credit: Files
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The terrifying health crisis came during an April 14 preview of 71-year-old Bette’s Broadway revival of "Hello, Dolly!" She wasn’t any better six days later on opening night, where theater critic Terry Teachout noted her “energy” level was “disturbingly low” and her voice was “hoarse.”
Photo credit: BACKGRID
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Now, showbiz insiders wonder if her years of partying and yo-yo dieting have wrecked her health and Hello, Dolly! will be her final curtain call. “This is a woman who’s led a hard life,” a longtime friend tells The National ENQUIRER. “She partied like a rock god in the ’70s, dabbling in drugs and booze.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
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The week before, as the audience watched in horror, Bette, who was in the middle of a number, suddenly crumbled to her knees. “She was gasping,” a source tells The ENQUIRER. Fortunately, the veteran trouper got control of her breathing, and then dismissed the scary fit by quipping: “Live theatre — who can beat it?!”
Photo credit: Getty Images
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“But the cast and crew is now worried about Bette,” says an insider. New York physician Dr. Stuart Fischer, who hasn’t treated Bette, but has seen her perform five times, including the night after she collapsed, tells The ENQUIRER: “She used to run around all over the stage, but she barely moves now. She has to be cautious about her health.”
Photo credit: BACKGRID
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Still, Bette won’t give up booze. She tweeted on April 13: “I had no problem drinking the four cups of wine at tonight’s seder. It’s not Passover until I Passout!” Says the friend: “Everyone is preparing for her to die on stage while performing.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
Bette Midler collapsed on stage, coughing and fighting for air, leaving alarmed pals fearing she’s too ill to continue performing — and may be on her last legs!
Photo credit: Files
The terrifying health crisis came during an April 14 preview of 71-year-old Bette’s Broadway revival of "Hello, Dolly!" She wasn’t any better six days later on opening night, where theater critic Terry Teachout noted her “energy” level was “disturbingly low” and her voice was “hoarse.”
Photo credit: BACKGRID
Now, showbiz insiders wonder if her years of partying and yo-yo dieting have wrecked her health and Hello, Dolly! will be her final curtain call. “This is a woman who’s led a hard life,” a longtime friend tells The National ENQUIRER. “She partied like a rock god in the ’70s, dabbling in drugs and booze.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
The week before, as the audience watched in horror, Bette, who was in the middle of a number, suddenly crumbled to her knees. “She was gasping,” a source tells The ENQUIRER. Fortunately, the veteran trouper got control of her breathing, and then dismissed the scary fit by quipping: “Live theatre — who can beat it?!”
Photo credit: Getty Images
“But the cast and crew is now worried about Bette,” says an insider. New York physician Dr. Stuart Fischer, who hasn’t treated Bette, but has seen her perform five times, including the night after she collapsed, tells The ENQUIRER: “She used to run around all over the stage, but she barely moves now. She has to be cautious about her health.”
Photo credit: BACKGRID
Still, Bette won’t give up booze. She tweeted on April 13: “I had no problem drinking the four cups of wine at tonight’s seder. It’s not Passover until I Passout!” Says the friend: “Everyone is preparing for her to die on stage while performing.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
