There’s no need to introduce Barbra Streisand, obviously. Singer, songwriter, actress, writer, film producer, and director, she has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, five Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, just to name a few. This makes her one of the few entertainers to win an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award.
What people might not know about the legendary diva is that she is a true dog lover. She is the proud mother Samantha, a Coton de Tuléar – just like our sweet Baby Hope!
“She’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen. She’s like the daughter I never had. She speaks English. She understands English I swear to God. She’ll come up to me and go ‘mmm’ it sounds like a baby. That means she wants water. Or she’ll just look at me with those eyes and then she wants a treat. She always comes with us. I would never leave her,” says Streisand.
Barbra became familiar with Sammie’s breed through a friend, Sue Balmforth, owner of an antique shop, who has several Cotons of her own. Jim Brolin, Streinsand’s husband was determined to get his wife one and looked for the perfect breeder. He apparently chose well as Barbra stated herself: “My puppy, Sammie, has that kind of unconditional love for me, and it’s so satisfying. She’s happy every time I walk into a room. Jim made the perfect choice for me.” Every year Sammie is gifted with an antique as a birthday present from Sue; one of those was an antique $4,000 doll bed.
Not only does Sammie play an important role in Barbra’s personal life, but she is also an integral part of Barbra’s professional life. Streisand takes her dog everywhere, when she goes on road trips with her husband or on tours. Samantha was with Barbra on Streisand’ 2006 US tour and also on her 2007 tour in Europe. The pooch even joined Barbra onstage when the singer regaled the audience in Paris with her final song, “Smile,” which is dedicated to Sammy, Barbra’s former dog.
Barbra has been the voice for animal advocacy for many years, offering her version of the song “Smile” to the Humane Society of the United States for their “Kindred Spirits” memorial program that is dedicated to those who have experienced the loss of a pet.
“I was very flattered that The Humane Society of the United States wished to use this song for this purpose,” Streisand declared. “I’m a great admirer of The HSUS’s efforts to improve life for animals, and to assist those who love—and eventually lose—pets who become so much a part of their families. The song brought me solace and if it does the same for others, that will be a very great reward.”
Samantha also appeared on the cover of Barbra’s book, My Passion for Design. References to Sammie are found throughout the book. The pooch is lovingly included in the Acknowledgments: “Samantha, my furry little girl who never takes a bad picture, as you can tell from this book”.
What do you say? Should we try and arrange a meeting between Samantha and Baby Hope? As two famous Cotons, Sammie for being the pet of the best entertainer ever and Baby Hope for being the record holder for the most expensive pet wedding, they sure have a lot to bark about!
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