Watch: Bette Midler in Post-Tony Speech; 'They Are Dead-Set on Making Barbarians Out of All of Us'

Bette Midler may have gone over for the allotted time for her Tony Award acceptance speech, but although she eventually left the stage, she was far from finished.

It was Bette Midler's night at the Tony Awards Sunday. The 71-year-old gay icon, who is wowing audiences seven times a week on Broadway in the lauded revival of "Hello Dolly," took home top honors on the American theater's biggest night.

After ignoring the orchestra's play off music twice to continue her acceptance speech on stage at Radio City Music Hall, the Divine Miss M was taken back to the press pen where she fielded questions from the media. In true Midler fashion, she held nothing back.

After tearfully answering a question from a reporter about a mentor from her childhood who fostered her love for the arts, Midler not so subtly blasted politicians who cut funds for the arts to balance budgets.

"The Broadway stage supports 86,000 jobs, so the arts are a source of revenue for the city, and a great source of revenue for the United States if only they weren't so narrow-minded and perverse about helping with the NEA and helping the arts out in our world," Midler said.

She continued:

"They are dead-set on making barbarians out of all of us and all of our children. I don't want to be a barbarian. I want to have color and beauty in life, and I think everybody in their heart of hearts does."

Watch her here!