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Barbra, Live!

The Brooklyn Academy of Music

Oct 1993

© Barbratimeless 2009

Barbra spoke for about fifteen minutes at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on October 27, 1993. She seemed delighted to have returned to the neighborhood she knew as a youth, as she told those assembled.

All eyes from the worlds of show business and local New York City politics were firmly focused on Downtown Brooklyn on this balmy autumn evening. Barbra Streisand made an appearance at The Brooklyn Academy of Music. No, not to perform, though many in attendance were hoping for an impromptu ditty or two, including the borough's president. It was a political rally that compelled Barbra to return to her old neighborhood. The Brooklyn Academy was the setting for Barbra's grassroots stump to support the reelection of incumbent Mayor David Dinkins (D). Barbra was received royally and returned the favor with a lengthy speech urging voters to cast their ballots for the democrat.

Brooklyn Girl Comes Home
© Barbratimeless(Oct 27, 1993) - Brooklyn, October 27, 1993 - Barbra returned to the old neighborhood on October 27, 1993.  The occasion was to stump for David Dinkins who was seeking reelection as Mayor of NYC.  Dinkins, who was severely lagging in the polls behind Rudy Giulliani called on friend, native Brooklynite and staunch Democratic supporter Barbra Streisand to help give a boost to his campaign.  I was there along with a few hundred others that evening to witness this unique event in NYC politics.

Staging a Barbra Streisand political event in downtown Brooklyn - at The Brooklyn Academy of Music no less - should have been the perfect prescription to inject desperately needed life into the lackluster Dinkins campaign: the prodigal daughter returning to the town of her birth to lend a hand.  It was a political coup of brilliance designed to garner a © Barbratimelessmassive infusion of votes for Dinkins. 

Barbra made an impassioned political speech blasting Giulliani in her plea for voters to reelect the mayor.  She and Dinkins arrived promptly at 6 PM - along with Marilyn and Alan Bergman in tow (Barbra was in town collaborating with the Bergmans and preparing for her upcoming New Years concerts which were only eight weeks away).  Barbra's speech lasted about a half an hour. 

Oh yeah. Giulliani beat Dinkins in a landslide. The rest is history.