Fact Check: Did Bette Midler declare $68M Netflix investment on live TV?
WASHINGTON, DC: Streaming giant Netflix has announced that it has reached a $82.7 billion deal with Warner Bros Discovery to buy its film and streaming businesses.
Following this, a claim circulated online that actor and singer Bette Midler said she would invest $68 million in Netflix during an appearance on live TV. But is there any truth to this? Let us find out below.
Claim: Bette Midler declared $68M Netflix investment on live TV
In early December 2025, a Facebook post claimed that Bette Midler declared on live TV that she invested $68 million in Netflix "to rip apart the fog that has hidden the truth for far too long."
As per the post, Midler's announcement came on the night of December 2, 2025, during which she also referenced a 15-minute clip supposedly released by Netflix.
The post read, "On the night of December 2, a stage long familiar with dazzling lights suddenly became the epicenter of a media earthquake. Bette Midler — the Broadway legend and irreplaceable icon of Hollywood — appeared with an intensity no one had seen before. She placed both hands on the desk, her gaze cutting straight into the lens, and delivered a line that made the world freeze."
"'I will invest 68 million dollars into Netflix. It's time to rip apart the fog that has hidden the truth for far too long," the post added.
The Facebook post further mentioned, "Immediately after her declaration, Midler referenced a 15-minute clip recently released by Netflix — a piece framed as fiction but unsettlingly real in tone."
"Blurred faces, cryptic details, and an atmosphere so heavy it sent chills through the entire film industry. Midler insisted the clip was not entertainment, not a stunt, but a warning about secrets long buried beneath the weight of power," the post stated.
The claim spread across Facebook through different posts by various users.
Fact Check: No credible evidence to back the claim
The claims made in the posts are false, as there is no credible evidence to prove that Bette Midler said she would invest $68 million in Netflix during an appearance on live TV.
Searches on search engines, such as Google, with keywords "bette midler 68 million," "bette midler netflix", and "bette midler netflix 68 million" showed no results that would prove the claims were true, according to Snopes.
Moreover, no credible news outlet posted any such news of Midler investing $68 million in Netflix. Midler also did not post about a Netflix investment on her Instagram account, YouTube channel, or website.
The Facebook page that made the post linked to a blog post with more details in the comments section. It is a tactic commonly used by pages that share made-up, likely artificial intelligence (AI) generated stories.
Even though the blog post did mention a few missing details from the Facebook post, it was still vague enough to limit what identifying details were available to try and confirm the authenticity of the story.
Jane Fonda sounds alarm on Netflix buying Warner Bros
Actress Jane Fonda reacted to the industry-shaking $82.7 billion Netflix-Warner Bros deal, as she escalated her criticism and issued a warning that the deal is a threat to free expression and democratic norms.
She also framed the possible merger as a deepening political influence over media, as she undermined the First Amendment in an op-ed published at The Ankler.
Fonda pointed to claims that President Donald Trump wielded undue influence over the recent Skydance-Paramount merger and expressed fear that the Warner Bros sale will be more of the same.
"This is not how media companies behave in a healthy democracy. It’s what political leverage over media companies looks like, and it’s right out of the authoritarian playbook," she said.
"I want to be very clear: The First Amendment is not partisan, and neither is standing up to defend it. Even conservative leaders have warned that the administration is operating outside legal and ethical bounds," Fonda added.
