Streisand wows A-list crowd

LOS ANGELES -- While half of Hollywood seems to be making its way back from TomKat's Italian wedding, what seemed like the other half was seated in the front two rows of the Staples Center on Monday night to catch the final performance of Barbra Streisand's 2006 tour.

But was the sold-out concert truly her last?

She confirmed that it was only "the last time I'm ever ... going to wear this dress."

Getting a chuckle from her audience, Streisand shot back, "What did you think I was going to say?"

In fact, near the end of the show, Streisand confirmed she has been approached to sing in China and is considering "maybe six more" (shows) in Europe.

Among the famous faces in the crowd: Leonardo DiCaprio and his mother, Irmalin; Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson; Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell; Sidney Poitier; Rob Lowe; David Hyde Pierce; Ben Stiller and his wife, Christine Taylor; Meg Ryan; Rosie O'Donnell; Sydney Pollack; Diahann Carroll; Shirley MacLaine; Streisand's ex-husband, Elliott Gould; and Jeff Bridges, who escorted his elderly mother, Dorothy, to her seat.

"Her optimism" was MacLaine's favorite part of Streisand's concert. "But the best part was just finding my seat."

The only two celebrities Streisand said hello to from the stage were Barry Manilow and her "dear friend, Q" -- as in music producer Quincy Jones.

But she did shine the spotlight on two female Democratic politicos from California in the crowd: U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer of California and incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was seated in front of Bill Maher.

"What a House -- and the Senate, too," Streisand quipped, mimicking the same line Billy Crystal delivered two weeks ago at a tribute to Tony Bennett.

Streisand said that when she made 1976's A Star Is Born, there were no women in the Senate; 16 will serve in the new term.

The singer happily responded to many expressions of love from the audience. Only once did she have to admonish the overly excited crowd, playfully scolding, "Don't talk amongst yourselves."

The usually guarded Streisand, 64, dropped a few tidbits about her personal life.

She expressed her gratitude in being back in L.A., where she could sleep in her bed and walk in her garden and "get a sunburn in November." Temperatures reached the 90s on Monday.

Though no mention was made of her husband, James Brolin, she said son Jason Gould, 39, recently purchased a home, which, she said, "I helped him paint."

She also said mother and son often begin their mornings by analyzing each other's dreams.

During her three months on the road performing, she said, her own house was being remodeled.

She had intended to spend her first day back in L.A. at the Pacific Design Center to select new tiles but instead made visits to her favorite eateries.

Among her stops: Malibu Seafood, Il Pastaio restaurant and Sprinkles Cupcakes.

"I never got to the Design Center, but I got a taste of L.A.," she said, raving, "Fabulous. Fabulous."

She also cracked several jokes about her age, expressing gratitude for a teleprompter. She blamed "a senior moment" for nearly prematurely jumping into a song. And later, she slipped on her reading glasses and complained of "a cramp in my calf" while sitting at a piano to play the first song she ever wrote. Her musical guests, "popera" quartet Il Divo, contributed their own jokes about her advanced years -- mostly about enjoying her music since they were little boys in their various countries.

Streisand ended the evening with a version of Happy Days Are Here Again, explaining that the original was written after the stock market crash of 1929, which launched the Great Depression. But, she said, "the people have spoken," referring to the Democratic victory in this month's elections, and "my depression is over."

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