Streisand's Ex Auctioning Private Tapes

By PopEater Staff Posted Aug 21st 2009 10:07AM

Barbra Streisand's ex-boyfriend is hoping to make a quick million off the singer by auctioning off tapes of her earliest performances, NY Post reports. With bids starting at $1 million, Barry Dennen is taking a risky move admitting, "I'm a little trepidatious. I don't know what the fallout will be. I don't like upsetting Barbra, and I don't want her fans angry at me."

Dennen said he met Streisand in 1959 as cast mates in the off-Broadway play, 'The Insect Comedy' and became lovers soon after. The two collaborated on a few songs and he has held onto those tapes until now.

According to reports, the tapes include Streisand singing 'A Taste of Honey' and 'Two Brothers' in Dennen's apartment, with him accompanying on guitar.

There's also a Sept. 17, 1960, rehearsal at the Bon Soir nightclub, where Streisand sang 'Keepin' Out of Mischief Now,' 'A Sleepin' Bee,' 'I Want To Be Bad,' 'When Sunny Gets Blue,' 'Lover Come Back to Me,' 'Nobody's Heart' and 'Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?'

After they broke up, she asked for the tapes back, but Dennen refused. "I said 'No. They are the only thing I have left of our collaboration,'" he recalled. Now the private tapes are being auctioned off to the highest bidder on his Web site, MomentsInTime.com. The auction will end on September 24.

A spokesman for Streisand said, "Our lawyers are dealing with this."

Tags: auctioning, barbra streisand, BarbraStreisand, private tapes, PrivateTapes

Comments

(136)

Friday 21 August

By Barbwa is like buttah!

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On Barbra's "Just for the Record" retrospective set, a section of the Bon Soir performances were included (I thought they were the Dennen tapes, but maybe not) so it's not like these are true rarities. Why didn't Dennen offer them to Barbra for sale in the first place? Dennen is probably down and out and needs the money.

Saturday 22 August

By Heather

Whats the big deal, not like they are sex tapes.

By jannykmac

There's something so icky about an ex-boyfriend making money off someone else's talent...

By Dan

I have lots of tapes of performances by fellow music school students. My goal is to make digital versions of them, burn them on CDs and send them back to the performers (or perhaps to their families for those folks who are no longer with us). The original tapes will be erased. No money will be exchanged.

By redfldnparadise

Just about ex-boyfriends? What about women who drill husbands into poverty.

By muchogroucho

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there's something really "icky" about people who say "icky".

By grapost

Streisand will spend 10 million in lawyers fees to prevent him from selling the tape instead of just paying the guy 1 million for the tape itself.
Stupid is as stupid does.

By Kevin

It's a no-brainer for lawyers: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS. This guy's dead in the water.

By Lazarus Long

If it comes down to intellectual rights,Babs is in a heap of trouble. She has the intellect of a slow turnip.

By red white & Law

YOUR ass hurts Kevin. Try reading David Levine & Michael Boldrin dispute in justification on this. Nice try with google.

Sunday 23 August

By Hello Ellen

To: Lazarus Long - Slow turnip - LOL, yes I guess that's why Barbra's worth is close to a billion $ and you are the schlep making comments about her intellect.

By Clara

What about his rights? Didn't he perform on them...

By hd

SHE knew thy were being taped and she has known for 50 years. She did not legally fight for ownership for 50 years. He taped them and therefore sh consented to a work for hire. Steisand doesnt hold a prayer for any rights to the tapes, since she collabrated and he kept the tapes as his part of their "split" (just like divorce or (and Babs was an early "winner" of shaking up break up settlements with Jon Peters, and etc.)
She has never contnded in 50 yars that she had ownership therefore he is the owner by default.
If Babs tries to fight this he can get an immediated cease and desist injunction against her that will allow him to sell the item and she will hav to pay ALL legal costs to try to stop him ... HERS and HIS, since thsi is considered his property of "community property"
If you are an Atty, you are a VERY STUPID ONE.

By Raffael Zuccaro

I think that if he was DINGING Barbra and he has it on tape, he would make millions- Everybody would like to see a guy making love to an ugly PIG-- But for songs, WHO CARES???

By Jim

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you got that wright , not one time in her shallow life would i want to see that talentless shrwude naked ...eeeeeewwwwwww

By Gail

you are just jealous. She has had some bad times too. Be careful what you say about other people it can come back and bite you where it hurts

By shoegal85

excuse me.. she is not ugly. you are rude for saying that about the most talented female singer of all time..

By twogolfcats

Hey Shogal85, Not only do I think Barbra is UGLY, I also think her voice has a NASAL quality that is unbearable when you hear her sing for a short period of time!!! You say she has one of the greatest voices of all time???? I DISAGREE- the only reason she became famous is because of the "LIKE" people who PULL the STRINGS in Hollywood and New York!!! They have "MADE" stars out of NOBODIES for years-Its all about the "SHECLES", thats all!!!