In a stroke of casting genius, Bette Midler has signed on to star in HBO’s upcoming biopic about Old Hollywood glamourpuss Mae West, based on West’s autobiography, Goodness Had Nothing to Do With It.  William Friedkin (The Exorcist) is directing and Harvey Fierstein (Kinky Boots) is writing the script.

Mae West will chronicle the bawdy babes’ scandalous Broadway show, Sex, which ultimately landed her in jail for 10 days for “corrupting the morals of youth.”  Midler recently garnered critical praise channeling another ballsy babe, superagent Sue Mengers, in the one woman show I’ll Eat You Last.  SEE MORE  HERE.

BUT WAIT THERE’S  MORE!

In what will surely prove to be the hottest ticket of the year. The Divine Miss M., Bette Midler has announced that she will play Dolly Gallagher Levi in a Broadway revival of the blockbuster 1964 musical, Hello, Dolly!

Midler issued a statement saying, “I am looking forward to portraying one of the most beloved characters in all of American Musical Comedy, Dolly Levi, born Gallagher, in Hello, Dolly! I know I’m going to have the time of my life, and I am so glad to be under the wings of Scott Rudin as Producer and Jerry Zaks as Director. See you next year!”

Said composer/lyricist Jerry Herman said, “Many times through the years I’ve been asked about bringing back Hello, Dolly! – and it has always been, ‘Who would be my dream Dolly?’ – and though I’ve had literally dozens of names tossed at me, I knew that we needed more than just a wonderful singer or a wonderful actor, so I held on to the hope that she would also be a distinctly original persona. Who is out there that has the necessary stature, warmth, the incredible talent and ability, and especially the singular, outsized personality that I was looking for in a 21st century Dolly? Only one person: Bette Midler. Only Bette could bring Dolly brilliantly back to ‘the lights of 14th Street!’