Barbra Streisand’s Secrets

American singer/songwriter, author, and actress, Barbra Streisand, at the Dorchester Hotel, London, 14th January 1969
Larry Ellis/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Barbra Streisand is an icon. She got her big break in Funny Girl and continued to climb the ladder of success, appearing in tons of films and on Broadway. She also built an impressive music career with her beautiful voice. Now, she’s telling it all in her new memoir called “My Name is Barbra.” With so many stories coming out in the book and from others, we decided to share some of them, alongside iconic photos of Streisand.

Joking around with JFK

381091 69: President John F. Kennedy speaks with Barbra Streisand at an event May 24, 1963

National Archive/Newsmakers

Streisand was just starting to become famous when she was able to attend the 1963 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner. She was so excited to meet President John F. Kennedy that she broke a rule of etiquette by joking around with him! She said, “When JFK got to me, he told me that I had a beautiful voice and asked, ‘How long have you been singing?’ I said, ‘About as long as you’ve been president.’ He laughed, and then I did exactly what we were told not to do.”

Advice from Judy Garland

THE JUDY GARLAND SHOW, from left: Barbra Streisand, Judy Garland, (Season 1, ep. 102, aired Oct. 6, 1963), 1963-64.

Everett Collection

Kennedy isn’t the only celebrity she had an interesting encounter with. She recalls meeting the late Judy Garland and revealed that they became quick friends and that Garland warned her about the dangers of show business. Garland reportedly warned Streisand not to let Hollywood execs do to her what they did to Garland. Streisand said she never asked for specifics.

Taking her dog to the White House

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 24: U.S. President Barack Obama (R) presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to singer Barbra Streisand (L) during an East Room ceremony November 24, 2015 at the White House in Washington, DC. Seventeen recipients were awarded with the nations highest civilian honor

Alex Wong/Getty Images

When Streisand received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2015, she caused a scene when she brought her dog with her. She had no idea that dogs were not allowed in the White House but they let her keep the pup with her.

She had her dog cloned

COLOR ME BARBRA, Barbra Streisand with poodle Sadie, (aired March 30, 1966).

Everett Collection

Speaking of her dog, she actually had her dog cloned! Her beloved dog, Sammie was a gift from her husband James Brolin in 2003 and passed away in 2017. Sammie accompanied Streisand on many work trips and even came to the set of films such as Meet the Fockers. When Sammie got sick, she did everything she could and before she died, she got cells so that they could clone her. Turns out, the cloning process created two pups so now Streisand has Violet and Scarlet as well as another pup named Fanny.

She was not happy with Siri

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 11: Singer Barbra Streisand performs at Barclays Center of Brooklyn on October 11, 2012 in New York City.

Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

One more fun fact: Streisand realized that Apple’s Siri was mispronouncing her name so she went right to the CEO Tim Cook to talk about it and had it fixed!

Her husband James Brolin was celibate before they wed

EAST HAMPTON, NY - JULY 06: Barbra Streisand and James Brolin attend the "And So It Goes" premiere at Guild Hall on July 6, 2014 in East Hampton, New York.

Sonia Moskowitz/Getty Images

In a recent interview with Streisand and her longtime husband James Brolin, he admitted that he was celibate for three years before they wed in 1998. He said he just didn’t want to get involved with anyone else after his divorce but Streisand changed all of that.

If you want to read more of Streisand’s secrets, pick up her memoir “My Name is Barbra” on Amazon.

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