Bette Midler’s performance on The Late Show this week wasn’t just a musical parody — it was a full-blown political spectacle masquerading as entertainment.
Dressed in nostalgia and laced with partisan barbs, Midler rewrote her classic “Wind Beneath My Wings” into a bizarre homage to Stephen Colbert, complete with references to Lord of the Rings, Jeffrey Epstein, and, of course, her favorite punching bag: Donald Trump.
“You never kissed the orange a–,” she crooned, prompting cheers from the audience and a group singalong, as if the partisan punchline was both novel and profound. At 79, Midler still knows how to hold a tune — but whether she’s holding on to relevance is another matter.
The performance was tone-perfect for Colbert’s studio — a safe space for progressive celebrities to vent their frustrations through song, parody, and the occasional Tolkien metaphor. But while Midler’s theatrical chops remain intact, her political commentary continues to veer into the overwrought and, at times, awkwardly divisive.
Consider her closing lyrics: “Thank God for the lord of all our rings.” It’s unclear what that means, exactly, beyond being a tortured Tolkien pun meant to elevate Colbert to some kind of spiritual warrior for democracy.
Subtlety has never been Midler’s strong suit when it comes to politics — but even by her standards, this was a heavy-handed performance cloaked in fanfare and applause.
This isn’t the first time Midler has put her voice behind a political parody. After the Supreme Court’s 2024 ruling on presidential immunity — widely seen as a victory for Trump — she unleashed a Wizard of Oz–themed spoof: “If I Only Had a Brain,” complete with digs at Justices Thomas, Kavanaugh, and Gorsuch.
The lyrics attacked reproductive rights rulings, judicial ethics, and originalist jurisprudence, painting the conservative wing of the Court as brainless and heartless. As expected, the clip was widely shared — and widely criticized.
One lyric in particular sparked backlash from progressive corners: “You gals are holding grudges.” Critics called the parody exclusionary to trans individuals. Midler pushed back, insisting the song was a rallying cry for all women, not a commentary on gender identity. “Even then, men got top billing,” she wrote, referencing prehistoric patriarchy in a now-deleted post.
