Love Talks. Sunday Sessions. Barbra Streisand and Robert Rodriguez at the Tribeca Film Festival

An original is an original.

No one can or ever will capture a song's heart like the incomparable Barbra Streisand. This definitive performance of My Man from the feature film version of Funny Girl is a sizzler that lead me to dream my life into the entertainment business.



Some days I hear "My Man" Some days I hear another song made famous by Ms. Streisand. I treasure her message and the recognition of the truth of Funny Girl, she plays the legendary Fanny Brice who falls in love with a gambler. Barbra Streisand won the Academy Award for Funny Girl, the William Wyler directed performance, would be the first and only tie in Academy history. Barbra shared the award with Katharine Hepburn for her performance in The Lion in Winter... which is super cool for your first Oscar.

You might say I was weaned on "My Name is Barbra." Happy Days Are Always Here Again when she is singing. In my teens I became hooked on her movies, every performance was a master work.

I don't know how many people's happy place is (with Barbara) on the boat scene from Funny Girl singing Don't Rain On My Parade, but I am proud to number myself in its mystique. Her legendary "white microphone" incident on Oprah's Show is told with a fans knowing smile that rejoices in the celebration of an artist who knows how to deliver.

Ms. Streisand is a role model in always standing for what she believes in with grace whatever the platform of her expression. Her gifts are legendary, how she uses them extraordinary.

At the recent Tribeca Film Festival Barbra Streisand sat down with Robert Rodriquez to share a bit about her upbringing, her philosophy and her deeply inspirational career. She talked in depth about her work on her upcoming autobiography, some of her philosophies of work and life ie. 'thoughts create form or as George Bernard Shaw wrote thoughts transcend matter. Each thought is an act of creation. Make it count. 

Barbra Streisand is an inspiration to so many and while she mentioned the spotlight is not her favorite space to occupy, we are all the better for her turns in its light.  Enjoy some Mel reflections from the evening below on SoundCloud. ❤️✨