By Debbie Schlussel

**** SCROLL DOWN FOR UPDATE  ****

. . . NOT deeply affected by the economic recession (“Not that there’s anything wrong with that . . .“).  Ms. Nose knows:

On Saturday and Sunday crowds turned out in record numbers to attend this weekend’s auction of property from The Collection of Barbra Streisand conducted by Julien’s Auctions.

Junk: Queen of Nostrils’ Crap Sells for Big Bucks

The multi-award-winning international star, brought more than $600,000. Fans and collectors from around the world gathered at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. The highlight (but not the highest selling piece) was the much anticipated extra “a” from Barbra Streisand that hung in her New York apartment for more than 30 years as a symbol of her removing the “a” from her original name “Barbara” (to Barbra) brought an astonishing price of $8,750, 43 times its pre-sale estimate of $200 – $300 selling to avid collector David Davis from New London, New Hampshire on the telephone. “If they paid $8,750 for one letter in her name, that means the remaining letters in her name are worth $131,250” said Martin Nolan, Executive Director of Julien’s Auctions.

Hmmm . . . I never knew whether or not she spelled her name with one “a” or two.  Nor did I care.  And I still don’t.  Making a big deal out of how she changed the spelling of her name?  Yet, another reason her initials are “BS” (in addition to snubbing Israel on its 60th Birthday because Israel is “no longer in vogue” with her fellow lefties).  Anyone who plunks down Nine Gs for something marking that is truly an idiot, indeed–millionaire or not.  Let me guess:  David Davis is also a fan of Liza Minelli, Donna Summer, “The Wizard of Oz,” Madonna, and is a potential suitor for retired Supreme Court Justice David Suter?

100% of the proceeds from the sale benefits “The Streisand Foundation” founded more than two decades ago by Barbra Streisand actress/singer/director/composer/activist/philanthropist to aid humanitarian causes worldwide. . . .

Other highlights include . . . a wig worn by Barbra Streisand in “On A Clear Day You Can See Forever sold for $3,500 and the matching nightgown sold for $3,750;  . .  . the original robe worn by Barbra in “The Way We Were” sold for $5,937.50; a set of 3 ceiling fans that hung in the home of “The Focker Family” in the film “Meet The Fockers” sold for $7,500 and a bright fuchsia pink costume worn by Barbra Streisand as Roz Focker in the film sold for $3,500; a dental cabinet bought by Ms. Streisand at the onset of her career at the age of 18 sold for $8,750.

Wow, talk about forking over gold for junk.  These Barbara-philes (or is that Barbra-philes, as I already forgot the one “a” / two “a” thing?) just took an IQ test.  And they failed.  Where’s Michael Moore to do a “documentary” questioning why they are entitled to fork over so much cash for such luxuries, as The Nose’s toothfloss and ceiling fans?

A century from now, when The Nose isn’t even a faint memory in history, anthropologists will look at this and wonder.  For now, one of Perez Hilton’s exes can brag:

See that ugly, dusty old fan?  It hung from the ceiling a stupid movie.

Oh, and by the way, this story truly is an illustration of how the recession really isn’t affecting gay America.  Think about it.  At least for gay men, the types of industries they are in are not the type that are deeply affecting America’s men–the biggest victims of job loss in this bad economy.  Construction and manual labor jobs are not typically where gay men flock.  Like women, I’d bet they aren’t affected jobwise nearly as much as men.  Not sure we can say the same for gay women, such as construction-oriented lesbians, since the construction industry is laying people off continuously, as are factories.

****  UPDATE:  So, I checked the Barbra Streisand Foundation tax forms, and it’s chock full of hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations to the usual leftist groups–pro-choice, environmentalist, etc.  Plus, she donated to Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow Push Coalition (I guess she enjoys being called a “Hymie”), Ralph Nader’s group, wacko guys with Ph.D.s (Union of Concerned Scientists), Media Matters, the ACLU, and moral equivalency terrorist summer camp Seeds of Peace.

Yup, that’s what the people buying Babs’ wigs, stupid signs, and ceiling fans are helping fund.