Bette Midler is facing brutal mockery online after her performance at an anti-Trump event in New York City drew strong reactions from critics.
The 80-year-old actress and singer took the stage Sunday at the Rise Up, Sing Out concert, which was held as counter-programming to UFC Freedom 250 at the White House.
The New York event featured several major Hollywood names, including Jane Fonda, Robert De Niro and Julia Roberts.
At the same time, President Donald Trump was in Washington, D.C., attending UFC Freedom 250 on the White House South Lawn while also celebrating his 80th birthday.
Midler performed her own version of Woody Guthrie’s “All You Fascists Bound to Lose,” changing some of the lyrics to take aim at Trump and his administration.
“All you fascists bound to lose. Lose, you fascists bound to lose,” Midler sang to the crowd and viewers streaming the event.
She continued, “We’ll battle ICE together, until they cut and run, just like in Minneapolis, and when the midterms come you’re bound to lose, you fascists bound to lose.”
Midler was joined by backup singers during the performance, but clips of the moment quickly spread online and sparked a wave of criticism.
“I refuse to believe this is real,” one person wrote on X.
Another mocked the performance, writing, “Holy moly this is sooooooo painfully bad.”
A third said, “OMG I regret to inform you liberals are ‘singing’ again. Good lord. Second hand embarrassment is real.”
Others said they were shocked to see Midler, who has long been celebrated for her powerhouse voice and stage presence, performing such a politically charged number.
“Bette Midler was an iconic, masterful performer,” one critic wrote. “I’m stunned to see how far she fell off the rails. This mess she’s singing is just so embarrassing.”
Another person called the event “like a bad PBS telethon” and described it as “humiliating.”
But not everyone joined in the pile-on. Some fans defended Midler and praised her for using her voice in a political moment.
“Bette Midler could read the phone book and I’d still be entertained,” one supporter wrote. “Absolute icon.”
Another fan said Midler still brings “joy and a touch of brilliance into the world,” adding that her presence shows “how powerful art can be.”
Before singing, Midler told the crowd she was thrilled to be surrounded by a community that was “so bright, so intelligent, so well-meaning” and “so desperate for justice.”
Midler has been one of Trump’s most outspoken celebrity critics for years. After Trump defeated Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, she deactivated her X account following a series of posts criticizing him.
Other celebrities also took the stage at the New York event.
Robert De Niro opened his remarks by joking, “Good evening everyone, and welcome to all of you who couldn’t get tickets to the White House cage fight.”
He later delivered a fiery speech against Trump and joined the crowd in a profanity-laced chant directed at the president.
Jane Fonda also spoke at the event, warning that “our democracy is in peril” and urging the entertainment industry to stand together in defense of free expression.
Other stars who took part included Joy Reid, YouTuber Ms. Rachel, Rufus Wainwright, Julia Roberts, Tessa Thompson, Lily Gladstone and Ayo Edebiri.
Meanwhile, UFC Freedom 250 drew attention in Washington as Trump sat near the ring with Dana White and First Lady Melania Trump. His son Barron was also seen sitting behind his parents during the matches.
