Bette Midler: Black Friday Brawls Wouldn’t Happen If People Had a ‘Decent Minimum Wage’

Actress and singer Bette Midler says people go crazy during Black Friday shopping sales because the minimum wage is not high enough.

As stories of Black Friday shoppers preparing to rev up their engines spread across the country, Midler jumped to her Twitter account to give us all the benefit of her wisdom.

“And how was YOUR Black Friday? No injuries, I hope!” Bette Midler said on Saturday. “It’s incredible that we have to fight over STUFF. If there were a DECENT minimum wage, or if workers were treated fairly, and got a tiny portion of the kinds of salaries and bonuses CEOS pay themselves, we wouldn’t.”

And how was YOUR Black Friday? No injuries, I hope! It's incredible that we have to fight over STUFF. If there were a DECENT minimum wage, or if workers were treated fairly, and got a tiny portion of the kinds of salaries and bonuses CEOS pay themselves, we wouldn't.

— Bette Midler (@BetteMidler) November 24, 2018

Twitter users quickly scolded the Broadway star.

One user replied, “You live in W.C. Fields’ old mansion, Bette. If you don’t love “stuff,” then move to a smaller and less opulent place. Most of the people shopping on Black Friday can’t afford any of the thing you take for granted.”

Another, though, pointed out that Midler does support a number of charities, at least two of which are economic improvement funds.

But more wondered why Midler, who is worth an estimated $230 million, doesn’t give her money to low wage workers on her movie sets if she is so worried about people’s income.

Another poked Midler in the ribs for the high cost of her concert tickets.

Finally, one Twitter user noted simply that Midler had “spoken like someone truly out of touch.”

The Where the Boys Are star recently sparked criticism and was accused of body shaming First Lady Melania Trump by making a snide comment about one of Mrs. Trump’s past modeling photos in which she wore a sheer top in the cockpit of a jet airplane.

Midler also raised eyebrows by alluding to the n-word to describe women. In an over-the-top October tweet, Midler insisted that “Women, are the n-word of the world.” Due to the backlash, she was later forced apologize.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.