Larry King Live 1992

Streisand / Television

Larry King Live (1992)

Aired: February 6, 1992 on CNN
Screen caps of Streisand on the 1992 Larry King interview show.
Larry King—born in Brooklyn, New York—was the television host who, from 1985 to 2010, broadcast a nightly interview television program called Larry King Live on the news cable station CNN. Barbra Streisand appeared on his show several times, and their rapport was always smart and congenial.

“Two Jewish people from Brooklyn sitting here worldwide, Barbra don't be nervous,” King said as they began their first interview together in 1992.

Streisand appeared on the show to publicize her new film that she directed, The Prince of Tides, and she also answered questions from Larry and some callers.

In the first segment of the hour-long show, King's first question was “Are you an actor who directs and sings? Are you a singer who directs and acts? What are you?”

“Do I have to label myself?” Streisand responded.

King covered Streisand's childhood and early career aspirations in New York.

After a break, King reminded Streisand that his show was broadcast live. “I like live. I like spontaneity,” Streisand admitted.

King asked her about the interview with Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes when Wallace made her cry. “Well, I'm very naive, I suppose. I like Mike. I feel him. I feel his own pain, even, ya know? He's a complex human being. And I was just very naive in terms thinking, Well, he's part of my life and history—we started together 30 years ago. When I was 19 I was on his show. And I thought, God, this is wonderful. So I was kind of shocked to be attacked. I was hurt. But that's my naiveté, I guess. In other words, he's looking after getting a terrific show, I suppose. I don't know exactly what in me touches off that anger in him. I don't know what issues he has unresolved with his own mother ... Even though the show was painful at moments, it was spontaneous, it was alive. People got a chance to see who he was as well as who I am.”

Streisand and Larry King went on to discuss the press and interviews, then why she doesn't like to perform live. “I may want to,” she added, “it's a challenge for me!”

In the third segment, they discussed the price of fame, and Streisand stated she understands giving up her private life is part of that price.

Larry King showed and read the letter that the crew of Yentl wrote to the press, praising Streisand, in the last segment of his interview with her. “I'm not temperamental,” Streisand stated, when talking about how she's perceived as “difficult.”

Live callers got to ask Streisand questions next. Streisand told a Toronto caller she'd love to perform there. She told Larry King the chances were “fifty-fifty” that she would perform live again. A Houston, Texas caller asked about reuniting with Robert Redford for a Way We Were sequel. “I don't know. We have to have meetings again and talk about it.” Staten Island, New York asked Streisand about her son, Jason Gould. And Streisand told a Los Angeles caller that she didn't have any role models or stars she wanted to emulate when she was growing up.

When asked about the criticism she receives filming closeups of herself in the movies she directs, Streisand responded: “That's just nonsense. I would shoot me the same way I would shoot any actress playing the role—the way I would shoot Blythe Danner, the way I would shoot Kate Nelligan. You know what I'm saying? You want to make everything look as beautiful as it can in a movie. You're not going to try to make it look bad. So I don't understand criticism like that. It's very personal, trivial commentary.”

Another Toronto caller asked Streisand which album of hers she liked best (The Broadway Album) and least (“I think my album called Butterfly. That was pretty lousy. I think that's the only one that I didn't love. I just don't remember the songs. I can't remember what was on it. I don't remember doing it.”

Streisand talked about working with actors; directing herself; staying fit; how she only listens to classical music and film scores; President George H.W. Bush; and her sister, Roslyn Kind. “Well she's terrific, my sister. She has a great voice.”

When asked if she'd ever run for political office, Streisand laughed, “No. I'm too afraid of crowds!”

End / Larry King Live interview 1992
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