"Hawaiian Oklahoma" - Bette Midler - NBC [1977]

[MsSevenstation]

okay...kinda weird how they portray hawaii but bette midler has awesome boobs, real boobs..so much nicer than the fake ones of today looking like plastic. she`s so awesome

[fritzquarar]

@MsSevenstation Agreed! I was 16 when me and my penis watched this special and later my pillow was a biohazard. What a woman. They don't make 'em like that anymore.

[SueSnell]

Wow! She's so skinny! Looks great!

[elliottmanning]

In 1965 Bette Midler and I both worked at KGU AM 760 radio in Honolulu. At the same time, Bette was working in the movie "HAWAII". Later on she moved to New York to continue the rise to fame...

[wendoma]

Living in Oklahoma, Bette does us proud!!

[EagleRockers]

This was from the opening of her show "Clams on the Half Shell" which ran on Broadway in 1975. I know, I saw the show and it was just great! She always has great entrances so she used it again for her TV special in 1977.

[mylesrvs]

Great body, great ball swinging!

[deeway1963]

HA! TOO FUNNY! BETTE IS SOOOOOOOOOOO DIVINE!

[dmarshallok]

As an Oklahoman, I must say .... this is my FAVORITE rendition of my state song!!!  Bette is always a hoot!

[narcissusverbena]

Before Lady Gaga, there was Bette Midler..

[Chuck1974]

@narcissusverbena And after Lady Gaga, there will still be Bette Midler!

[mlfarley]

I remember this TV Special, it was either aired on Dec 5,6 or 7th of 1977. I remember because I was in the hospital after having had my daughter. I can remember being in my room, baby was in the nursery and I was enjoying the show. This bring backs great memories! Real talent!

[19ccj65]

Too camp!,,,and that's a good thing.

[54slater]

And this was before Lady GA Ga Ga ga arrived on the red carpet in an egg, try and Oyster shell, lol!

[absoflutelyfabulous]

Long live Midler! She is so funny-

eat your heart out Lady Gaga, Madonna et tout.. younger showgirls can learn so much from her esp re humour...

[Geka140774]

Cool! Wild West im Paradies :-) Bette Middler ist ne echte Ulknudel

[GaryFTaylor]

Midler did an interview on this number. She said she was raised in Hawaii, and it was so strange to be in Hawaii and listen to show tunes like "Oklahoma"--so she turned that surrealistic juxtaposition into a musical number.

[kathyuk28]

What a body on her!

[SaucyPickle]

i cant believe she was actually born in hawaii

[MalibuGeoFF]

OK

LA

HO

MA

[AlohaFromANaniWahine]

Aloha! Narly video dude! Mahalo for uploading man!

[johnny1841]

yeah she is a local island girl,I believe a Radford High School grad.

[beyoncetyratina]

And their she goes with her balls. Aren't they poi balls?? Nice song! Was she born in Honolulu?? Read in wikpedia. Just love her!

[dotbishop]

Her body rivaled Madonna back them............whoa!!! GO BETTE!!

[whitedavis2]

It took cojones to use a "handicapped" person, in any form, for comedy in the early 80's.

[bharbhy10]

I love Bette!!!

[mrsacos]

Oh wow! She actually got into that whole polynesian culture! Brava Bette!!!!

[shae737]

Duh, she was born in Honolulu, Hawaii

[beeej417]

Don't know why they don't put this on dvd like 'Liza With A Z" . I remember seeing it on tv while at a bath house in Atlanta.

[celtkilt]

Was it the Locker Room or the Club Baths?( I worked at the Locker Room is why I ask...)

[beeej417]

@celtkilt It was, to my memmory, the Club Bathes. I did go to another one, but do not recall the name. That was in 1997 and 1998 while I was stationed at Ft. Gordon.

[YesYesYoureRight]

@beeej417 Oh, really, what bath house was that then? . Do you go to bath houses often? . I have a sauna in the basement. Stop by if your in my city, anytime. Cheers. from, del-boy.

[beeej417]

@YesYesYoureRight It was the Club Baths. There must have been a chain of them, cause I went to one in Dallas quite often. The one in Dallas had the plexiglass window that extended about 6 inches down into the pool, so you could get in the pool inside the building and swim out into the main pool. It was, I think, maybe N of downtown, 'cause you had a good view from the pool.

[beeej417]

@YesYesYoureRight Actually, I have not been in a bath house since the mid 1980's. That was pre-HIV days. I don't even go to spas anymore. I have a sauna and steamroom in the house. Took out the hot tub when I converted the solarium to a studio.

[YesYesYoureRight]

@beeej417 Hey man, that's all cool. I had only emailed because you wrote an interesting comment. . I was intending to be flippant, so as to get a response. . Those were the days. I've never been to Dallas (Houston, yes) but the place you qoute sounds like it was great ! Have a good week. . Cheers. from, del-boy. London.

[beeej417]

@YesYesYoureRight I have not been in London since 1980. A friend of mine and I went to visit her parents. I was living in Berlin at the time. Came back to Oklahoma in September of 1980. Been here since. If I ever leave, it will be to move back to Berlin, or move to Greece to live with an ex. But most likely it would be back to Savannah, Georgia. It and New Orleans remind me of Paris, but NOLA is just way to hot in the summer. I enjoy our little chats.

[dexxy84]

Guess the censors didn't notice the visible pubes on the shell boy with whom she spoons at the end. I wish I could find the rest of this. I don't remember Dustin Hoffman doing TV in that era.

[queenybeth]

I want those balls!!

[xXBetteMidler4evaXx]

AMAZING!! I cannot wait for Las Vegas. It's gona be the best time of my life = ) xx

[MamaMidler]

Only the Divine Bette Midler could pull this off with so much taste! FABULOUS!

Love,

Mama

[xXBetteMidler4evaXx]

I Love you Mama = )

[mzmiller52]

i remember the Oklahoma overture was playing as the audience took their seats at the Minskoff for Clams.

the opening was incredible, a chorus sings "old man river" and "catching" the clam. what a fanfare as they opened that

clam and she burst into "moon over monakura"(?), skittiering all over the stage, balls act and threw her back.

what a show. anyone have it?

[ajt141]

This is why I love her!

[MysteriousTOAST]

does anyone know the acctual name for this video..?

[rodanvideo]

Does this video even HAVE an actual name?

I suppose that it would be called "Oklahoma." After all, that IS the song she is singing.

;-}

[delagosis]

this video is the opening act of bette midler's show "ol' red hair's back"

[MasonOnTheFly]

I remember watching this on t .v. and howling at the opening . . . my Mother and sisters, of course, did not get it!

[MysteriousTOAST]

Bette is hot!!

[StoneyEnd444]

i saw her in person, she is really small but really sexy

[nekobasu01]

I can relate. I live in Hawaii near the volcanic crater "Olomana" and very often, if the mood strikes me, I burst into song as I drive by: "OOoooooooooo lo mana where the wind ......." well, you get the picture!

[wotan10950]

I remember watching this in college. Most people didn't understand the humor, but I nearly fell over from laughter. To me, it just seemed so funny to sing 'Oklahoma' at a Hawaiian luau, akin to singing 'I Love Paris' at the North Pole, or 'White Christmas' in the Sahara.

[highlandsh]

She was making a comeback in 1977?! Where did she go before that?

That outfit must have been glued on. I suppose it would be hard to sing completely nude on TV.

[Munchenette]

Wonderful! I had this television show on BETA for years until it finally disintegrated into bitter vetch!  Thanks for posting! BklynBoy

[mtn33bkr]

I would totally move to Oklahoma if this were its tourism ad.

[MysteriousTOAST]

she has pretty long legs

[hell5309]

Hard to believe she's only 5' 1" (so I'm told).

[1timysand]

If you have to ask why Oklahoma and why a shell, you don't get Bette Midler. P.S One of her shows back then was titled "Clams on the Half Shell Revue."

[ksonicshadow]

i dont get it. Why is she in Hawaii but singing about Oklahoma? And why did she come out of a shell?

[avid4David]

Bette was raised in Hawaii so that's the reason the scene is set in Hawaii. Rising out of a clam shell is in reference to a very famous painting called "The Birth of Venus" by Botticelli. Singing "Oklahoma" would, in my opinion, be based on the similarity of the word Oklahoma to some of the words the Hawaiian people are chanting. It's not expected and it's hysterical!

[paul51]

I remember when this special aired . . . it was too, too much. My friends had a "house party" and Bette had us on the floor!!

[StoneyEnd444]

i just want her boobs in my face. like now.

[rodanvideo]

What?? - a str8 male is watching Bette Midler?

[jmwhite33]

funny..huh..

[robertsmiff]

me too

[Xhayley16X]

She looks so pretty, i'll bet the people who bullied her whe she was at school are kicking themselves coz they could have been fiends with a star, but maybe if she didn't get bullied she might not have realised she wanted to act and still be living in Hawaii and no-one would know who she is? ah that i a bad thought, christ!! i bet they are all so jelous of her now, Ha u stupid Bullies!!!!!!!!

[violinist391]

omg look how good she looked!! I mean she is still very nice looking, but this isnt what i imagined her looking like 30 years ago.

[jejaynes123]

love this video she is truly amazing.

[ThatsKentertainment]

Is there a weird edit at about 2:04-2:05?  Did she clock the guy in back to her right?

[WESTSIDEsoul]

just to let all the doubters know, Bette might have been born in Paterson but she was in Hawaii most of her young life, because im from Hawaii and my auntie knew her.

[rodanvideo]

COOL!!

I don't have an issue as to where she was born, just that she NEVER utters the words PATERSON, PASSAIC, or NEW JERSEY. In this "NBC special" she plainly states, "I was born in Honolulu." Liar, liar, pants on fire. ;-}

[stphncrmr]

Is it really that big of a deal?? I mean if I had the choice between New Jersey and Hawaii... I'd totally go with Hawaii hands down. Bette's the best.

[yieldyieldyield]

It is a fact that Bette WAS born in Honolulu. Her parents and siblings moved to Honolulu from Paterson NJ before Bette was born. So there.

[rodanvideo]

That's not what I heard. And, she was NOT from Paterson anyway. The hospital was in Paterson, so that's her birthplace. The family lived in Passaic. If you're going to "so there" me, then get the name of the city correct!

Now, don't I sound like a pompous ass? EEK - sorry-about-that! I will have to bite-the-bullet and go to the Hall of Records to look this crap up, once and for all. ;-}

[hnlrr]

I love this video! I'll have to see if the entire special's avail on DVD or something. I live a couple of miles from the high school she attended in Honolulu and never fail to think of her w/ a smile when I drive past it.

[rodanvideo]

Like I wrote in an earlier comment, "some guy is offering a burned DVD on iOffer dot com."

I'm glad that you like this opening number. Even though I posted it, I still click on it and watch all the time!!

[samantharox1327]

bette midler was born in honolulu hawii

[hnlrr]

No. Her family moved here when she was a young child. See above--she was born on the Mainland, in New Jersey.

[rustytrombone1027]

Love her juicy Heeb boobs.

[rodanvideo]

NBC used to have specials that they named "Big Events." In this concert, Bette refers to her boobs by saying, "Talk about your Big Event!" ;-}

[Redheadedtroll68]

What a voice!!! What a rack!!! Oh, and what a voice too.

[rickwoods]

As I recall, this was the opening number for Bette's Broadway show, The Clams On The Half Shell Revue, which I saw in 1975 at the tender age of 14. And so began my love of theatre. Legendary vibes player Lionel Hampton was in the show as well.

[missmluva]

i love this!

[PuffLippy06]

LOL!!!!!! My stomach hurts! This is too good!

[veronicaklaus]

Do you have any more from this television special? I have been wanting to see it for years! Please post them if you do!!!!

Thanks

[rodanvideo]

Search Bette Midler at iOffer dot com. Some guy is selling it.

[dexterville]

I would guess that a lot of intelligence and creative hutspa went into establishing Ms. Midler's career. There will never be an entertainer with a "rack" and a voice like The Divine Miss M!!

[craigsupra07]

She really loves her poi balls. She is really good at them.

[rodanvideo]

I love mine too!!

[yeukelduck]

Ok so its set in Hawaii, presumably. So why is there a kookaburra, a native Australian bird in the beginning?

[leojrevlis]

I suppose kookaburras are very strong migrant fliers! ;-}

[avapepper]

I sang this song for 12 years in school and I don't remember the getting into the clam shell part at the end, I feel deprived! Kudos!

[selamarina]

She's a bit iggy boodle in the kepi but absolutely brilliant! I paid huge bucks to sit 10th row center for Kiss my Brass in Seattle. INCREDIBLE! Toda Raba Bette!!

[Nappeehead83]

LOVE-LOVE-LOVE the sponsor!!!!

[Mapman923]

I worked once with a guy who was 3/4 Hawaiian and 1/4 everything else (mostly Japanese and Irish). He told me that Midler is a huge advocate for Native Hawaiian rights, even though she is so NOT Native Hawaiian.

[nydon57]

Oh, but she is native Hawiian; born and raised.

[Mapman923]

Yes, you are right. I was referring to her ethnic background. I'm Swedish/German/Swiss/Irish

/English/Scottish/Welsh. I live in what would have been Iroquois territory, but I'm not very Native American. Hawai'i is a different story.

[mimidenea]

excellent point

[rodanvideo]

I was born in Paterson, NJ.. My sister was born in Paterson, NJ [1945]. Bette was born in Paterson, NJ [1945]. I wish that she'd cut the shit and admit it.

[stept1]

i think this is fantastic

[yieldyieldyield]

I love where she is about to sing "Shiver Me Timbers" and she says, "Water, you know, water..." The best!

[jimk0403]

What a thrill to see this again! I've loved Bette since the early 70's and I remember this TV special fondly. Remember her crack at being exhausted after doing two numbers in a row in front of the cameras and asking "How does Marie (Osmond, who had the "Donny and Marie Show" on at that time) do it?' Then with eyebrows arched, asking "You mean she DOES do it?!"

[rodanvideo]

"How does Marie Osmond do it?.. You mean she doesn't do it?.. I heard she did." I love that line!!

[TruSlack]

I JUST (as in, an hour ago) was able to pickup a copy of this complete show on 1" tape. Bette at her bouncy, broadcast-safe best!

PASS THE BROWNIES! :)

[rodanvideo]

Whoopee!! This clip is from my complete recording that I made from the original TV broadcast on my super-deluxe $1000 Betamax VCR [and THAT was a bargain price back in those days!!]

BTW... haven't eaten "those" brownies for a couple decades. College WAS fun!

[yieldyieldyield]

Bette's figure is a hit. So are her tits.  The guy that climbs in the clamshell with her is cute. A+

[wrinehart]

This was great stuff!! never seen anything from her pre 80's.

[nydon57]

check out A&E's Biography on Bette. Lots of her early stuff

[nydon57]

fabulous. please post more numbers from "old red hair is back" thanks

[oorlandos]

She was born and raise in Honolulu Hawaii and moved to NY when she was 18 and her first gig was Findler on the Roof on BWAY

[yieldyieldyield]

I saw Bette on 20/20 last week talking about what happened in Kuaui. She looks amazing. The woman is awe inspiring.

[IsntSheDivine]

she was definately born in hawaii, but i guess you could say she was conceived in NJ, but what ever...she is still the greatest woman to walk the earth!

[rodanvideo]

Why do say "definitely?" Not that it really matters where she was born, but how do YOU know for sure?

[marcosvalenca]

The Divine Miss M is a blast! She hailed from a place with a very interesting culture: Hawaii.

[rodanvideo]

So she says!!! She was born in Paterson, NJ!

[marcosvalenca]

Why would Miss M lie about her birth place? She has spoken so much about her upbringing. Bette wouldn't fabric all of that. She didn't have a Hollywood studio's public relations department on her side in the beginning.

[rodanvideo]

She was raised in Hawaii from a very early age, although my fading memory remembers [for some weird reason] that the family home was in Passaic, NJ [in 1945]. If you poke around the internet, you'll read conflicting stories about her birthplace. Google her. Tell me what you find!

[marcosvalenca]

The books I have confirm Hawaii and I prefer to believe in The Divine One. By the way, don't you have more from this special to upload? This one I don't have.

[spamtoit]

It doesn't really matter since where you're born and where you're from are totally different terms. I was born in CA but was raised in Hawaii (where my mom is from) and I say I am from Hawaii. This performance was weird. I wouldn't think someone raised in Hawaii would represent Polynesia in such a kitschy, lame way. But I guess it was the 70's.

[energy2429]

This performance was awesome. I loved it..

[nydon57]

she was born in hawaii, then her family moved briefly to nj, then back to hawaii

[energy2429]

Thank you so much for this. I would love to see more!!

[IsntSheDivine]

Just so you know, you are now the greatest person in the world for posting this! thanks so much! Bette is the Best!