Bette Midler says short-lived sitcom "Bette" was a "big mistake"

Bette Midler opens up about her 2000 sitcom "Bette," originally planned to feature Lindsay Lohan as her daughter.

Actress Bette Midler recently appeared on David Duchovny's podcast "Fail Better" and discussed her regret over starring in the short-lived CBS sitcom "Bette" (2000). 

‘Midler called the show a "big, big, big mistake" citing several reasons including a lack of understanding of the sitcom format and a chaotic production experience.

"I did a television show, Bette. Does it get any more generic than that? A big, big, big mistake," Midler said on the podcast. She elaborated, explaining, "I think for several reasons. It was the wrong motivation. It was a part of the media I simply did not understand."

Midler, a veteran of film, theater, and variety television, admitted to being unfamiliar with the demands of sitcom production. "I had never done a situation comedy," she said. "I didn't realise what the pace was. And I didn't understand what the hierarchy was. And no one bothered to tell me."

Bette Midler also addressed the departure of Lindsay Lohan, who played her daughter in the show's pilot episode. 

"After the pilot, Lindsay Lohan decided she didn't want to do it," Midler said. She expressed frustration over the lack of studio support during this time. "The studio didn't help me. It was extremely chaotic," Midler stated. 

She acknowledged that a more assertive approach might have been beneficial. "If I had been in my right mind, or if I had known that my part of my duties were to stand up and say, 'This absolutely will not do, I'm going to sue,' then I would have done that," she said.

Despite Lohan's departure, Lohan recently shared a positive remembrance of her time on the show, posting a throwback photo with Midler on Instagram.