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Bette Midler on Aging: "The Clock Really Is Ticking, Isn't It?"

Aired on 01/22/2008 | CC tv-pg
Not many performers have the energy and verve of Bette Midler. The singer, songwriter, actress and stage performer (to name just a few occupations she's known for) has a brilliantly colorful presence capable of lifting the spirits of stadiums.

Today, at age 71, Bette is getting ready for her next Broadway play, proving once again that age is only a number. In 2008, however, she acknowledged, jokingly, that as she entered her 60s, she became aware that time is finite.

"I love the 50s," Bette told Oprah. "I had a great time. Fabulous time. I felt better, looked better, had more fun. The thing is, when I turned 60, I wasn't so nervous. But as 61 crept up, and 62, I was like, 'Oh my God! The clock really is ticking, isn't it? I better get cracking here.'"

Here, Bette explains how she used the dawning realization to explore a few things she always wanted to do.

Original airdate: January 28, 2008