Barbra Streisand’s Apple Blunder: A Name That Needed Fixing
In a tale reminiscent of past celebrity disputes with Apple, legendary music icon Barbra Streisand recently raised her voice against the tech giant.
Unlike some predecessors, her issue wasn’t with Apple’s growing streaming service, but rather a minor yet irksome blunder involving her own name.
The 81-year-old songstress, known for her roles in Hollywood classics like “The Way We Were” and “A Star Is Born,” shared her story during an interview with BBC Breakfast’s Mark Savage following the release of her memoir, “My Name Is Barbra.”
The Pronunciation Predicament
Over the years, countless individuals have mispronounced Barbra Streisand’s name, and the singer decided it was time to address this unintentional error.
Her discovery that even Apple’s virtual assistant, Siri, mispronounced her name pushed her to take action. During the interview, she humorously clarified, “My name isn’t spelled with a Z.
It’s Strei-sand, like sand on the beach. How simple can you get? Sand on the beach, Strei-sand.”
The Call to Tim Cook
Barbra Streisand, being the problem solver she is, decided to rectify the situation. She recounted, “So anyway, I decided how do I change this? See, I like solving problems so I figured I better call the head of Apple, Tim Cook.”
Following a discussion with the Apple CEO, she successfully convinced him to address the pronunciation issue. Siri would now pronounce her name correctly, as she celebrated this small victory of fame.
Siri’s Name Correction
To confirm the correction, Mark Savage, the BBC Breakfast presenter, decided to put Siri to the test. He inquired, “Siri, who sings ‘Papa, Can You Hear Me?'” Siri responded promptly and accurately, declaring, “Barbra Streisand sings the song ‘Papa, Can You Hear Me?'” Barbra’s cheers in the background echoed her satisfaction with the resolution.
A Promise of Fun
In addition to discussing her name’s correction, Barbra Streisand shared her future plans. She expressed her desire to embrace a more carefree and enjoyable life moving forward.
She emphasized her wish to spend time with her husband, children, and dogs, and to prioritize having fun. Streisand revealed, “I haven’t had much fun in my life, tell you the truth, and I want to have more fun.”
A Unique Relationship with Music
Despite her illustrious music and film career, Barbra Streisand confessed that she doesn’t listen to music at home. To her, music is work, especially the meticulous process of creating and fine-tuning records.
She explained, “Music is work to me, meaning after I make a record, which I love making records, but what I have to go through to get it out is listening to it, mixing, listening to it, listening to it on different systems, it’s work.
I mean, it takes time. So by the time it’s over, I never want to hear it again, until maybe 25 years later.”
EGOT Honoree
Barbra Streisand is a distinguished member of the EGOT club, having won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony award.
Her enduring legacy in the entertainment industry continues to inspire and entertain fans worldwide.
BBC Breakfast airs daily on BBC One from 6 am. Stay updated on all things showbiz by following Daily Star.
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