Bette Midler was delighted when old pal BARRY MANILOW suggested they record a tribute album to Rosemary Clooney together because it meant he had forgiven her for her bad temper.

Manilow was among Midler's friends who helped to set up a surprise for the diva on Roseanne Barr's former chat show, but he fell out with the WIND BENEATH MY WINGS diva after she got upset about not being told about it.

She recalls, "I was booked onto the Roseanne show and she was tough because she'd always pull surprises on her guests, and we said to her when I agreed to so the show, 'No surprises.'

"The surprise was she had found everyone that I ever knew in my entire life and invited them on the show to surprise me, and when I saw them all I froze because I knew I would have to sing.

"I was completely flipped out about it and Barry said, 'You're making a big mistake. You could say hello to everybody and be happy that you're seeing them again, but you chose to take the negative path, and I never want to see you again as long as I live.'

"I kept on calling and he finally said, 'Alright,' but he was still pretty mad about it. And he was right because I was just in a bad place - I was tired, I didn't want to sing.

"By him saying let's go back in the studio and sing together it meant that he forgave me for my bad temper. He's a very enlightened guy and very genuine and kind."

19/01/2004 00:12