Bette!

There's a factory out there in the valley turning actresses into stars of their own sitcoms. It must be a straightforward transition and profitable all round.

That's because they still wield power over TV viewership (even if they no longer have it over the movie theatres), they can (on the whole) act, they get their celebrity mates to guest star (in this case Danny DeVito) and it's all part of the celebrity deal to show some self-effacement.

And what better way to do that than play yourself as a self-obsessed, neurotic Hollywood cliche (preferably on the way out) but a bit loveable with it? This time it's Bette Midler doing a kind of Cybill meets Ellen - with an even stronger gay element.

She throws a nod in the direction of her largest fan base with the most lurid of sets, James 'Gimme, Gimme, Gimme' Dreyfuss as sidekick and an amusing riposte to her daughter's new boyfriend, who gushes, 'I have all your albums. I'm your biggest fan.' Bette: 'He's gay.'

Definitely one for the boys.

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