DeepSummary
David Duchovny recalls meeting Bette Midler at a restaurant and asking her to be a guest on his podcast 'Fail Better,' where they discuss failures and how they shape people. Despite initial technical difficulties, they have an insightful conversation about Midler's early career struggles, including being physically assaulted by the director on the film 'Jinxed' and her failed sitcom 'Bette.'
Midler reflects on her unwavering confidence from a young age, which stemmed from never receiving praise or acknowledgment growing up. She discusses how this inner drive led her to develop her iconic 'Divine Miss M' persona at bathhouses in New York, and how that energy fueled her performances even when singing unconventional songs.
Towards the end, Midler expresses frustration with modern technology sapping her creativity, but notes her ability to separate from negative thought patterns. She advises against beating oneself up over failures, emphasizing that everything eventually fades, both successes and setbacks.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Bette Midler's unwavering confidence and authenticity as a performer stemmed from an innate self-belief cultivated from a young age.
- Failures and setbacks, while painful, are inevitable and temporary - the key is not letting them consume you or diminish your drive.
- Pushing boundaries and trusting your own artistic instincts, even if unconventional, can lead to groundbreaking self-expression.
- Asserting yourself and speaking up, especially in difficult professional situations, is crucial to avoiding regrets.
- Finding an outlet to channel your unique creative energy is vital for personal fulfillment and leaving a lasting impact.
- Self-awareness about your own talents, limitations and thought patterns is essential for growth.
- Technological advancements can enhance but also hinder creativity if not kept in perspective.
- A healthy work/life balance and ability to separate your persona from your core self is important for longevity.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “I didn't give a fuck.“ by Bette Midler
- “When I saw other people doing it, using their energy, or allowing their energy out towards, pushing their energy towards another group of people, I realized, oh, that's a thing. But I didn't know that most people couldn't do it.“ by Bette Midler
- “If I had been in my right mind or if I had known that my part of my duties were to stand up and say, this absolutely will not do, I'm going to sue, then I would have done that.“ by Bette Midler
- “I believed in it, and I believe that. I'm such a snob. I'm such a terrible snob. I mean, I really am. As far as writing is concerned or movies is concerned or, you know, different kinds of performance is concerned, I'm a terrible snob because I really trust my taste.“ by Bette Midler
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Episode Information
Fail Better with David Duchovny
Lemonada Media
5/7/24
A long time ago when I worked as a bartender at Radio City Music Hall, I caught the second half of a Bette Midler show, and it blew me away. More than forty years later I ran into her at a restaurant in Santa Monica and said hi. I'm thrilled that she agreed to sit down and talk to me about a couple things that have gone wrong in her storied career. Tune in to hear about workplace horrors, how being self-deprecating doesn’t make me special, and what it really means to know thyself. All hail The Divine Miss M.
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