Rafe Chase interviewed Mike Wallace in 1995 and asked him about working with Barbra Streisand on PM East, as well as the infamous 60 Minutes interview in which Wallace made Barbra cry. [Read more about Barbra's appearances on PM EAST >>]

Rafe Chase, based in San Francisco, has written many excellent articles about Streisand for Just Like Buttah and All About Barbra magazines.

He graciously contributed this interview to The Barbra Archives for fans to enjoy.

Mike Wallace: Yes, he had been down at the Bon Soir the night before to hear her sing and had spent some time with her. In any case, she came on the show, sang “A Sleepin’ Bee” and I was simply floored. And she had this big bunch of keys on a key ring. I said, “What’s that all about?” And she said, “Well, I sleep around.” I said, “What do you mean I sleep around?” She said, “I have a bunch of friends who have apartments and I live over in Brooklyn. When I work sometimes I want to stay in Manhattan and these are the keys to their apartments.”

RC: What happened to the video tapes of “PM East”?

MW: We tried to find them. They were on these old primitive tapes that were very big and they cost about 350 bucks a roll. We discovered that Westinghouse Broadcasting, in an economy move, erased them. I couldn't believe it when I heard that they had done that.

RC: How important do you think PM East was in Barbra’s early career?

MW: Oh, I think it was moderately important at a certain time in her life. It gave her exposure to a certain group of people. Mind you, it was on late in the evening. If it was important, and I think there was a certain importance to it, it was important because a lot of people in show business would have the opportunity to hear her. And once you heard her, you did not forget her.

RC: Right. What was it about her voice or about her presentation?

MW: And it still is… It’s... How do you define a voice? She was born to sing.

Hear Wallace speak with Rafe Chase:

MW: Oh, she understood the lyrics and she cared about the lyrics. And she had this glorious… It made me shiver. There was such integrity to the voice and such purity to the voice and such understanding of a lyric.

RC: Has Barbra surpassed your expectations for her professionally?

MW: I didn’t have the slightest doubt… not the slightest doubt.

RC: Didn’t you think her looks were too unusual for her to make it?

MW: I thought her looks were so unusual that they were going to enhance her reputation. Because, if she had just been an ordinary pretty girl with that voice, fine. But it’s such an offbeat look, that one in a strange way offset the other.

RC: Do you remember the show when Barbra was on PM East with Rod Serling and David Susskind?

MW: No…

RC: They were promoting the film version of Requiem for a Heavyweight. It was during that show that Susskind sort of went after Barbra.

MW: In what way?

RC: Well, he complained that she sang obscure songs and that she was “not exactly a master of coherence.” He suggested that she go into analysis...

MW: (laughs) Well, she took his advice. In the piece I did on her [on 60 Minutes] she said she had been doing it for thirty years.

RC: When Barbra appeared on PM East, what was your relationship off camera.? Did you have much interaction?

MW: Very little.

RC: Did you give her any advice during that period?

MW: Not really, no… because she didn’t want advice.

RC: On the audio tapes I’ve heard of the show, you often sound irritated with her.

MW: I do?

RC:. Yes.

MW: I wouldn’t be surprised. Well look, she regarded herself, than as now… there wasn’t any doubt in her mind that she was going to be a star. And, without having achieved it, she displayed a great deal of the temperament of a star.

RC: Even with that, did you enjoy having her as a guest?

MW: At first, I loved it because she was so offbeat and interesting. And you knew that it was always going to be fascinating in a strange way. But then, if she didn’t get enough attention… she was simply difficult. Did you see the piece I did with her on 60 Minutes?

RC: Yes.

MW: Incidentally, I saw her Saturday night. We were down in Williamsburg, Virginia and she was in the group and we had an opportunity to talk.

RC: Is that the first time you’ve seen her since 60 Minutes?

MW: Yes it is, actually.

RC: How was that, was it comfortable?

MW: It was good natured anyway. She was complaining that when I talk about her I put her down. Before her concert played on CBS, about a week or two ago, they did a three-parter locally on channel 2. And they interviewed me about her and Michelle Marsh interviewed her about me. And I was asked, “Do I think Bill Clinton asks her for political advice?” I said, “I doubt it. I’m sure they admire immensely her voice and her capacity as a director and whatever… but I doubt that he asks for her political advice.” She was a little miffed at that. Also, she can raise a lot of money and frequently that’s what they use those Hollywood folks for. That’s perfectly honorable, but she was a little miffed that I said that, too. She thinks I have it in for her. And I said, “On the contrary, you’re dead wrong. I have nothing but admiration for you as a professional.” I really don’t know her personally.

END