60 Minutes
is the CBS Television news magazine show that has aired since 1968. Barbra’s first (and only) appearance on the show was November 24, 1991. Mike Wallace was Barbra’s showbiz friend who used to interview her on his show,
P.M. East, in the early days of her career. Since Barbra was publicizing her film,
The Prince of Tides, she sat down with Wallace to film an interview for
60 Minutes, reminiscing about the old days on his show. Wallace, however, pursued an accusatory line of questioning (including a quote from her mother about Barbra not having time to be close to anyone) that cut too close to the core, and Barbra cried on camera.
The interview began with Mike Wallace and Barbra walking through the old New York neighborhood where she lived as a young performer.
Wallace:
Did you believe 30 years ago when you slept there that you were going to be Barbra Streisand?
Streisand:
I knew that ever since I was seven years old.
Wallace:
You really did?
Streisand:
It just had to be. Yeah, there was no other way for me to be.
Wallace then sat down with Streisand for an in-depth interview. He soon began badgering her.
Wallace:
You know something? I really didn't like you back 30 years ago.
Streisand:
How come?
Wallace:
And I don't think you liked me either.
Streisand:
I thought you were mean. I thought you were very mean.
Wallace:
I didn't think that you paid much attention to me because you were totally self- absorbed back 30 years ago...
Streisand:
Wait, wait, wait. I resent this. I resent this. You invite me as a guest on your show and ... We would talk about all kinds of subjects that interested me, right? So you were using me as a guest on your show to talk.
Wallace:
Right.
Streisand:
Now how do you dare call me self-involved?
Wallace:
Self-involved is one thing. Self-absorbed is... You know something? 20 or 30 years of psychoanalysis, I say to myself, "what is it that she's trying to find out that takes 20 to 30 years?
Streisand:
I'm a slow learner.
Wallace:
How many years have you been in psychotherapy?
Streisand:
Why do you sound so accusatory?
Wallace highlighted the psychotherapy comments by showing clips from The Prince of Tides — in which Streisand played a psychiatrist. Later, after sitting down with Barbra's mother Diana Kind, Wallace dug deeper with Streisand.
Wallace:
You know what your mother told me about her relationship with you?
Streisand:
What?
Wallace:
She says you haven't "got time to be close to anyone," and...
Streisand:
She said "to anyone," or did she say to her?
Wallace:
"To anyone."
