Extract from an article: Shut up and Sing! from www.forbes.com by James Brady

 

Barbra wanted to know if I could arrange for her to meet Coco Chanel while she was in France. Of course--nothing simpler. Streisand would be there during the couture collections, and so would I. I went to see Coco and told her about Barbra.

"Never heard of her," said Coco.

"I know, I know, Coco, but she's important in the States."

Well, if I vouched for the woman, why not?

A few days later, Barbra and I went together to the rue Cambon. As we climbed the famous mirrored, steeply curving stair to Coco's apartment over the store, I took Barbra's arm. She was trembling. She had a rep as a tough cookie, and I didn't expect her to be nervous. Coco opened the doors of her suite and smiled broadly, still not having a clue who her visitor was.

When I made the introductions, Barbra launched into a very gracious little speech about how the designer's achievements and independence had inspired her. Her remarks were memorized, and though she had no French, Barbra had that superb singer's ear, and the accent was true. Coco responded, in her rapid French, assuming the girl was bilingual, telling Streisand how courteous she was and how delightful it was to receive her.

Barbra listened for another few moments, not getting a word of it, and clearly over her head, she grabbed my arm. Whispering intensely, she said, "get me the hell out of here."

Next day, when I lunched with Coco, she asked vaguely, "And who was that nice young woman?"

Streisand's album in French came out later that year, and I got a first copy in the mail with a grace note attached. Its title, I was delighted to see, was Je m'appelle Barbra.

She was young then, and had good manners. And didn't need lame impersonators. Or four-letter words.

 

For full article:  

http://www.forbes.com/columnists/2006/10/11/james-brady-on-media-oped-cx_jb_1012barbra.html