Laraine Newman Recalls Her Collision with Barbra Streisand at Bar Mitzvah

Laraine Newman, a veteran cast member of Saturday Night Live (SNL) from 1975 to 1980, recently shared a memorable encounter with Barbra Streisand. During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Newman recounted how the legendary singer-songwriter confronted her at a Bar Mitzvah after seeing her impression on SNL.

The Bar Mitzvah Encounter

While Newman was at a friend’s son’s Bar Mitzvah, Streisand was performing there. The Coneheads actress, who starred in a sketch lampooning Streisand’s ego and earnings, was surprised to see Newman and approached her. “I wanna talk to you,” Streisand allegedly said, according to Newman.

However, Newman wasn’t interested in striking up a conversation. She left the event without interacting with Streisand. In her own words, “I didn’t wanna talk to her.”

Marilyn Miller, an SNL writer, created the song “Me,” which included some biting commentary on Streisand’s success, with lyrics such as “Even if one of my films sucks, it still makes 4 million bucks for me.”

Other Celebrity Reactions

The conversation with Cohen was not limited to Newman’s Streisand encounter. Several other SNL veterans shared how celebrities they had impersonated on the show had reacted. Here are a few notable responses:

Judge Judy

Cheri Oteri, who portrayed Judge Judy on SNL, received an unsolicited call from the judge. She remembers, “She called my manager — ‘Tell Cheri, your client, she’s almost got me.’

Judge Jeanine Pirro

Cecily Strong, another SNL alumna, told Cohen that Judge Jeanine Pirro attempted to reach out multiple times. “Pirro wanted to get lunch a couple of times,” Strong said. “I was busy.”

Martha Stewart and Celine Dion

Some celebrities were pleased with SNL’s portrayals. According to Ana Gasteyer, Martha Stewart and Celine Dion were both gracious. “Martha Stewart and Celine [Dion] were both super-gracious,” she said.

Jo Anne Worley

To add to Gasteyer’s positive mentions, Jo Anne Worley showed her appreciation by leaving a voicemail. She said, “This is Jo Anne Worley. I just loved the show.”

Calista Flockhart

Rachel Dratch also shared an example of a positive reaction. She impersonated Calista Flockhart, and later, when Flockhart hosted SNL, they got to face each other side-by-side.

Laraine Newman on ‘Saturday Night’

Newman also discussed the recently released biopic of SNL titled Saturday Night. She recognized that much of the film was fictional but still found it enjoyable. “I thought it was really entertaining, and I loved it, and I cried at the end,” Newman shared.

Newman’s Sentiment on SNL’s Legacy

Laraine Newman expressed a deep connection to her fellow original cast members, particularly lamenting the loss of Gilda Radner. “I just wish she could be here for all of this, really,” she said. Her sentiment highlights the enduring impact of SNL and its original members on comedy and pop culture.

Newman also praised the camaraderie within SNL’s multiple casts. “I get to meet them and sometimes do some things with them,” she remarked, expressing her admiration for the legacy and the new talent coming through SNL.

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