What was supposed to be a dazzling tribute to Liza Minnelli’s extraordinary life ended up leaving many fans anxious about her well-being.
The legendary “Cabaret” star marked the release of her memoir, “Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!” alongside her longtime friend and collaborator Michael Feinstein at a Los Angeles theater on Tuesday night.
However, attendees were taken aback as the 80-year-old Minnelli frequently lost her train of thought and laughed incoherently when prompted to reminisce about her illustrious career on stage and in film.
Concerning footage captured Minnelli, who faces challenges with mobility, appearing disoriented and slouched in a director’s chair, needing assistance as she was guided off the stage following the event.
Compere Feinstein carefully led Minnelli through a series of pre-submitted questions from the sold-out audience at the historic Million Dollar Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles, yet a number of awkward moments unfolded.
Throughout the hour-long Q&A, Minnelli did not make an appearance on stage, prompting whispers among the audience about her health. Despite openly discussing her past struggles with alcoholism and prescription drug addiction, Minnelli has stated that she has overcome these challenges.
Hollywood icon Liza Minnelli was joined on stage by song-and-dance man Michael Feinstein and her niece, Vanessa Jade O’Neill, at the Million Dollar Theater on Tuesday for the Los Angeles stop of her book tour
As Sally Bowles in the movie Cabaret is one of the most celebrated roles in her career, which has spanned over six decades
The event began with a photo and video montage of her childhood with her famous parents, actress Judy Garland, and her father, film director Vincente Minnelli.
The video quickly moved through her heyday, winning a best actress Oscar for Cabaret in 1972, dancing with Bob Fosse and partying at Studio 54 with a cadre of her celebrity friends. It ended with a tribute to Minnelli’s advocacy for HIV/AIDS research and her influence on dance, theatre and pop culture.
Dancers then strutted onto the stage with Fosse-like precision as the Cabaret song Wilkommen echoed in the 2,000-seat theatre. As the dancers parted and opened a large cloth that covered the stage, Minnelli suddenly appeared, smiling and sitting in a director’s chair.
The flashy reveal was monumental as Minnelli recently revealed in her memoir that she felt she was ‘sabotaged’ during her infamous 2022 Oscar appearance with Lady Gaga.
In her book, Minnelli said she was left humiliated after allegedly being forced to appear in a wheelchair on stage with Gaga, instead of sitting on a chair as she wanted.
Minnelli wrote, ‘When I stumbled over a few words, Gaga, who was at my side, didn’t miss a beat to play the kindhearted hero for all the world to see. “I got you,” she said, leaning down over me.’
Eager fans were left shocked as the 80-year-old star trailed off in mid-sentence and cackled incoherently several times when asked to recall her time on stage and in films
In her memoir, Minnelli recalled how embarrassed she felt when she was allegedly forced to appear on stage with Lady Gaga while in a wheelchair at the 94th Academy Awards on March 27, 2022
On Tuesday, Minnelli said her mom and superstar, Judy Garland, was ‘perfection’
Liza Minnelli’s event at the Million Dollar Theatre was also a special one for the actress. The historic theater was where her mom, Judy Garland, performed with her sisters Mary Jane and Virginia as the vaudeville group The Gumm Sisters
Gaga approached her in her dressing room after the debacle to ask: ‘Are you okay?’ to which Minnelli replied simply: ‘I’m a big fan,’ having ‘learned this lesson years ago from Mama and Papa. At a moment of high stress, you stay gracious.’
On Tuesday, Minnelli finally got her wish and she was presented to the excited audience already sitting comfortably in her black director’s chair.
For the next hour, Minnelli and Feinstein were joined by the singer’s niece, Vanessa Jade O’Neill, who is Lorna Luft’s daughter. Feinstein and O’Neill tried their best to keep Minnelli on topic, but the songstress at times could not directly answer the questions and went off on multiple bizarre tangents.
Feinstein asked Minnelli if she wished for ‘anything in particular’ for her milestone 80th birthday, to which she responded with a loud cackle. She then turned to her niece and said, confusingly, ‘To you?!’
‘Everyone in this audience will say, “Uh huh,”’ Minnelli replied, to the confusion of the audience.
Tuesday night’s program was part performance and part conversation, but producers also filled the gaps with audio excerpts from Minnelli’s book.
The audiobook recordings showed a bright and bubbly Minnelli, her voice steady and unwavering. It was, however, in sharp contrast with the Minnelli that the audience saw on stage last night, as the singer often failed to finish her thoughts.
Dancers surround Minnelli after a rousing dance performance of the song New York, New York at her book event at the Million Dollar Theater on Tuesday
Minnelli holds the Oscar she won as Best Actress of 1972 for the movie Cabaret at the Academy Awards Ceremony, which she discusses in her new memoir
At one point, Feinstein asked Minnelli how she was able to move forward with the many challenges in her life, including having multiple husbands and the physical pains she endured over the years.
‘Don’t we all,’ Minnelli replied nonsensically, with her impressive stage presence nonetheless eliciting laughter from the appreciative audience.
Minnelli would start speaking about her famous mother and at one point said, ‘I thought my mother was perfect,’ but then trailed off, seemingly lost in her thoughts.
Feinstein asked where she got that ability to ‘move forward and raise the bar.’ Minnelli seemed confused by this question.
She then replied that her best friend in the third grade was a ‘wonderful dancer,’ and that she always wanted to be like that little girl, not her mother or her father.
O’Neill chimed in at one point and said, ‘’The cast became your friends! I love that.’
A confused Minnelli said, ‘Good!’
Feinstein asked another question about her most memorable performance, mentioning Cabaret and her other acclaimed works.
In a tender moment, Minnelli looked at Feinstein and answered, “No, I think it was the first time that I was on stage to perform with you.’
Tuesday’s event also featured audio excerpts from her memoir where Liza Minnelli discussed winning a Tony Award win at 19. While the recordings showed a composed Minnelli, the actress looked visibly frail in person
For the closing event, dancers carefully carried the Hollywood icon off stage while she waved at her fans
One of the many highlights of the event was Feinstein and Minnelli’s duet of the song Love is Here to Stay, marking the first time the actress has sung on an LA stage in 15 years.
Minnelli stayed in the director’s chair but struggled to remain on key and joked, ‘I’m in Dolly Martin’s key!’
Nevertheless, the crowd of Minnelli die-hard fans didn’t care and applauded enthusiastically and shouted, ‘We love you!’ to the Hollywood icon.
Not missing a beat, Minnelli replied: ’Thank you. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here!’
For the grand finale, the performers came back and danced to the song New York, New York.
This was the moment that Minnelli briefly slumped in her chair, with her facial expression taking on a pained look.
But ever the showbiz trouper, she then lifted her leg and kicked it to the beat of the song as the director’s chair was pushed awkwardly off stage, while her adoring fans whooped and cheered.
Minnelli is set to take her book tour Q&A to New York City at the Temple Emanu-El Streicker Cultural Center on March 23.
