Host_Drew_LiveEvents : Get into the Holiday spirit and chat with Bette about her spectacular career in both the film and music industries! Then stay tuned...

Host_Drew_LiveEvents : Mary J. Blige is going swing by the MSN Live stage tonight to chat about her new album!

Host_Drew_LiveEvents : Read what Bette Midler had to say on her last chat with MSN Live! Click here: http://chat.msn.com/msnlive_feature.msnw?id=artist/bettemidler

Host_Drew_LiveEvents : To ask Bette Midler a question, use the "Submit a Question" button above the member list in this room!

DishDiva says: Welcome to MSN Live! This afternoon we are pleased to welcome recording artist Bette Midler whose latest album is "Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook."

DishDiva says: Bette, thanks for being here!

MSNLive_Star says: I can't beleive we are all back here again! I am delighted. Happy holiday!

MSNLive_Star says: I wish there wasn't a transit strike because my feet are killing!

Bette_Head in Onstage_1 asks: Hi Bette! Happy Hanukkah! thank you so much for being here tonight! i was wondering if you can clear up any rumors about touring or playing in Vegas. Thank you So Much! You have really touched my life, you give me and everyone else so much happiness! Bye!

MSNLive_Star says: That is very sweet. I am thinking about going back on the road. "Kiss my Brass: was a great show. I did 87 agrena shows in the US and Australia. I would like to get to 100 before the show goes into mothballs.

MSNLive_Star says: I took the holidays off. In January I will start looking seriously where I can go and probably it will be in the Spring.

NotWorthMyTears1 in Onstage_1 asks: How long did it take to make this new album?

MSNLive_Star says: Well, Barry did most of the work. I was in Australia for 6 week. Barry put the arrangements together. He settled on the songs with me.

MSNLive_Star says: He did what is called sketching and made demos. He worked on it for 6 weeks, we mulled them over and we went to las Vegas and we stayed in Elvis Preslye's old suite. It's like 20,000 square feet

MSNLive_Star says: There was a hot tub for 40. We had a lot of laughs! We settled on the keys. He had done about 20 songs and I wanted to cut 11 or 12. Then he went ahead and did the tracks which was another week.

MSNLive_Star says: He did the bulkof the work. I had taken a long time learning the songs but Barry did most of the grunt work. My part was about a week.

Manolis_Varnasactor1 in Onstage_1 asks: mrs midler do you feel that your music style has changed over the years?

MSNLive_Star says: I think my style ha changed but my taste hasn't changed. I think I am more restrained than I used to be. I don't take as much singing risks a I used to.

MSNLive_Star says: I am more conscious of whether they are correct. My tastes have remained the same since I was a kid.

MSNLive_Star says: I love songs that are humanistic. I love songs of hope.

MSNLive_Star says: I also love funny songs, funny songs. I lok for strong melodies and strong lyrics that tell a story. What has changed is my delivery.

MSNLive_Star says: I have changed my bravado. These are all techincal things that most singers never talk about but you talk about this to other singers.

MSNLive_Star says: It is one of my favorite things to talk about.

DishDiva says: How is the New York Restoration Project going?

MSNLive_Star says: It is going great.

MSNLive_Star says: We had our Hulaween Party and we made close to 2.7 million dollars.

MSNLive_Star says: With my 60th birthday, people bought big tables. We had Elton John who was on fire that night.

MSNLive_Star says: Even he didn 't know whappened.

MSNLive_Star says: he came as a devil. He looked like a crazy baby in a funny way. He was playing like the devil was on his tail. Everybody walked out on air.

MSNLive_Star says: We had crazy things on the table, fake noses, lips, everything was on the table. On top of everything else, we served Thansgiving dinner. People really dug deep.

MSNLive_Star says: We kidn of like getting into the nutriotional aspect of growing kids.

MSNLive_Star says: We wanted to take kids to the gardens

MSNLive_Star says: where they could see where the fod is coming from and they could see what is fake food versus real food. We have a great team and great enthusiasm from all teh areas we serve.

SketchupsUK in Onstage_1 asks: good evening bette- what would you say has been your worst fashion disaster? love, sarah, aged 18, england

MSNLive_Star says: I have had so many!

MSNLive_Star says: My worst fashion disaster, I did the Oscars one year.

MSNLive_Star says: We had this Norma Kamali dress. It was greenish gold. My friend said "This is my dress and these are the colors it comes in.:"

MSNLive_Star says: the 70's were the bottom for most people but the 80's were the worst for me.

MSNLive_Star says: The costume i wore on the "No Frills" cover was my worst public disaster I would have to say.

DanaA24 in Onstage_1 asks: Hi Bette! I'm Dana from Virginia. Your new CD is a hit with my 2 year old niece. Any possibility you might do a children's CD?

MSNLive_Star says: I think about doing a children' album all the time. I know a lot fo really odd songs.,

MSNLive_Star says: I tought about it. I thought about it too when my daughter was yong but she is now 19. I really liks kids and I like them when their imaginations are just waking up.

MSNLive_Star says: My daughetr is still singing Baby Beluga. Thank you Raffi!

LizaDelLago in Onstage_1 asks: Hey Bette here's a good one. I saw you in Salvation! How about that???

MSNLive_Star says: (laughs) Oh my God!

MSNLive_Star says: You are the one!! (laughs)

Kate_somers1 in Onstage_1 asks: Hey Bette - any chance you will write anymore books?

MSNLive_Star says: I have been asked but I don't look forward to it. They want to know the dirt and there is not that much dirt I would want anyone to know. I don't think so. It is a lot of work.

BetteinTurkey in Onstage_1 asks: I’m Emre from Turkey.You’re multi-talented star and diva(real one) what do you think about to direct your own movies?

MSNLive_Star says: It has crossed my mind. It is right up there with books--a lot of work. It is years and years and most of it id sone in a dark room. I don't think so. It is too hard and when you put it out if you don't have a hit in the first weekend it is gone forever.

MSNLive_Star says: Fo rme, it is not an efficient use of time. I hate to say it.

DishDiva says: What is your favorite song from the new CD?

MSNLive_Star says: My favorite song is "Is That All There Is"?

MSNLive_Star says: My dad was very much like this character- a dyed in the wool cynic.

MSNLive_Star says: When Peggy lee recorded it, she got bad flack. It was a song that was hopeless. She thought it was a song that had hope in it.

MSNLive_Star says: I think it is a song about hopelessness. There is a moment that you throw your hands up in despair.

MSNLive_Star says: That is an accurate description of how a person can feel sometimes

Dave18475 in Onstage_1 asks: Hi Bette!!! I'm a HUGE fan!! You have brought so much insperation into my life!!! i'm doing a Girlscout project, now that i'm aG.S. Senior (12) years!!! I was wondering if you had any advice. I wanted to do something that would give back to the community.

MSNLive_Star says: Where are you located? City?

MSNLive_Star says: There are so many things.

MSNLive_Star says: I will tell you. You need to do something that you feel a calling for. Go on your computer and look up non profits in your city. Do you like kids>?

MSNLive_Star says: Dp you want to pick up garbage. Once you start looking you will br shocked but ho wmuch of a need there is.

MSNLive_Star says: I am fond of the environment.

MSNLive_Star says: You can always be a candy striper and help the nurses, bring cheer to people who are sick. There are theatrical groups that you can volunteer for.

MSNLive_Star says: You need to ask yourself what you really love and I am sure you will find a community service that is in line with that.

visur11 in Onstage_1 asks: Dear Bette, I'm Eze, from Spain. You are so talented!!!. How much of it is natural, and how much is hard work?. Love you SO MUCHHHHHH

MSNLive_Star says: Thank you, Eze.

MSNLive_Star says: I want to say I have to give hard work an awful lot of credit. Also luck. You also need someone to believe in you. If you have that person who eggs you on, that i sthe best things.

MSNLive_Star says: That makes up for a lot of it. That is what can put you over the top, I have found.

Dave18475 in Onstage_1 asks: I'm located in Florida. (port Saint Lucie)

MSNLive_Star says: Is that near Miami? They had a terrible time with the Hurricane. I went to a museum there that was pretty battered by the hurricane. They do a lot of chidlren's programming.

MSNLive_Star says: i am sure down where you are that there is hurricane damage that you might be able to help with.

Rapturella in Onstage_1 asks: Who is it that has believed in you and egged you on over the years? *Hugs and Love* from: ~Leigh~

MSNLive_Star says: Well, I have been very luck. When I was very young I met people who believed in me and gave me the necessary guidance.

MSNLive_Star says: The first time I can to NY there was a guy named Tom who gave me my frist job off off Broadway. I gradually worked my way from Chorus to Lead.

MSNLive_Star says: I had a wonderful friend who used to play things for me. He would play wonderful records. I was from Hawaii and did't know anything about music or movies.

MSNLive_Star says: For years, he was a dear friend of mine. Every night we would find a movie theatre and see great Fellini movies and Italian post war films. He played Marlene Dietrich movies for me.

MSNLive_Star says: He played music for me I never heard before. I was very lucky.

MSNLive_Star says: Lots of times people don't share stuff with you but this guy did.

MSNLive_Star says: He showed me there was an enormous world out there.

MSNLive_Star says: I knew show music, rock and roll and Hawaiian music. He introduced me to soul music, opera, ballet, performance art, modern dance. .

MSNLive_Star says: It all took hold. After I gathered all this information, as an artist you were allowed to be many things. That was a big step forward for me.

MSNLive_Star says: Everyone has some talent.

MSNLive_Star says: People have to be honest with themselves about what their gift is and what they like.

MSNLive_Star says: You have to put yoruself up against other people and be honest with yoruself.

MSNLive_Star says: Somewhere in your world is something that you do better than anyone else.

MSNLive_Star says: There is nothing more illuminating than someone who shows you their soul.

DishDiva says: Bette, thajmk you so very much for coming back and chatting with fans about the new CD "Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook"

MSNLive_Star says: I love doing this. It is one of the most interesting things that I do.

MSNLive_Star says: Thank you to everyone from around the world who is joining us tonight.

MSNLive_Star says: Happy holidays.