More About Barry

Ok so my first and second Barry Mani-shows are behind me and I can't wait to see him again! I've been devouring everything I can get my hands on for these last (what?) 4 weeks or so (?) as follows:

First I went to the library to see if they had any DVDs of him. I knew there was this Ultimate Manilow DVD on Amazon for just under thirty bucks but wasn't sure if I was ready to commit to that or not. I couldn't find any DVDs but did take out a CD of him singing a bunch of Sinatra songs, since that was all I could find. I've never been a fan of Frank Sinatra but I was willing to hear Barry's take on his music. I may end up writing a review of that one for Amazon; it's awesome, as is he.

I gave up on the library and started looking in stores for stuff. I ended up at Best Buy after Target and Walmart both turned up empty. Best Buy had the CD version of this Ultimate Manilow I referenced above for $9.99. I had watched enough of this on YouTube to know I would enjoy listening to it, but what I really wanted was the DVD. I searched all of their concert DVDs and even checked their computer and they just didn't seem to have it. The other CD offering, "The Essential Manilow" had 2 discs with 17 songs on each, and cost $13.99. I realized in the early stages of this re-discovery phase that I would rather hear the original songs than the version he sang for that TV special, so I bought the more expensive CD and haven't regretted it since. It's a wonderful double disc set.

So I haven't listened to the radio in my car for the last 4 weeks because all I want to listen to is Barry, and they just don't play him on the radio. I'm not sick of any of the CDs yet and actually considered renewing the Sinatra one when it was coming due, but in the end I just returned it and scoured the shelves for another one, and ended up with the Greatest Love Songs of All Time, which is good because I've been looking for his version of Love Me Tender on YouTube and so far have been unable to find it.

In the meantime I've also read his book, "Sweet Life (Adventures on the Way to Paradise)", that was published in 1987. I've been watching interviews, reading articles and interviews and listening to his songs on YouTube in every minute of my spare time. I love the old ones, the recent ones, and all the ones in between.

I've been checking his tour schedule so I know what to enter for search terms when seeking the latest concert videos. I love watching other people's concert footage as much as I love watching my own. It doesn't bother me hearing him tell the same jokes and stories, and singing the same songs in the same order, over and over again. I keep watching him sing to Jenny McCarthy on Donny and Marie and singing Strangers in the Night with bronchitis and Rosie O'Donnell. Every now and again I get a hankering to watch him sing "Can't Smile Without You" with some lucky audience member, and there are plenty of these posted on YouTube so I can see a different one any time I feel like it.

Anyway, what I really came here to write about tonight were my observations over this time watching all of these videos. First of all, he is (or has been) a smoker. I read in an article that he had smoked for 30 years, given it up, started back up again when he was in Vegas, and ended up smoking electronic cigarettes and wanting to quit. It's also mentioned in his book, and there is at least one video on YouTube where he reaches into his breast pocket during a break as though he's getting ready to light one up. Of course this made me love him more! No wonder he battles bronchitis. He shouldn't be a smoker and a singer! But then I wonder if that's where he gets the raspiness I love so much?

The other thing I've noticed is Barry is a bit of a potty mouth! Obviously it's completely in control, but he's let enough slip that it makes me believe that when he's not on stage or in public, he probably lets the swear words fly! This is what makes me say that: There's one clip where he's asking people in the front row how many shows they've been to. Someone gives a number like 145 or thereabouts and he gasps and says Holy Shit! It's not the first time I've heard him say shit, but I can't give another specific example. There's an outtake from American Idol where the young contestant walks up to the piano player thinking he's Barry and Barry mutters after she leaves the room, "it's just so fucking depressing" which they not only bleeped out but even covered his mouth with an American Idol logo but you can still tell that's definitely what he said (and it was hilarious!). Just yesterday I found one from 1998 where he's telling his Manchester audience how he was able to say tits on the Parkinson show and he goes off on a bit of a rampage spewing "tits" and "penis" repeatedly in various sentences. He also mentions his ass at least once. It's adorable. Just the look on his face and the way he covers his mouth, his hand gestures and facial expressions, I could watch him over and over in this four minute clip.

I love that I live in a world where I can seek this stuff out and keep finding it. He's a very guarded individual and has blatantly stated that people don't know him, can't know him from his singing and his concerts and he's right, we can't. We don't know him. But I feel like I am learning more about him, and so far everything new I've learned, I've liked.

Only one negative comment has been made to me, although I know there are all kinds of horrible rumors swirling around the internet, but the one thing I've heard in person was that he would cancel his shows in Vegas if the venue had sold less than two thirds.of the tickets. Who knows if it's true. Maybe he had bronchitis, which was the reason his last three shows in Texas had to be postponed. I'm really happy I saw him when I did, who knows how much longer he'll go on, but I am also happy I didn't take time off from work and spend money flying to Texas to chase him around. Not that I ever seriously considered it but imagine if I had, and he postponed? I'd be bullshit!