Liza Minnelli Details Heartbreaking Oscars Experience in New Memoir
Stage and screen legend Liza Minnelli received a standing ovation when she appeared alongside Lady Gaga at the 2022 Academy Awards, but the iconic performer reveals in her forthcoming memoir that the experience left her profoundly heartbroken. In shocking excerpts published by People magazine from Kids, Wait Till You Hear This, Minnelli recounts being forced into a situation that made her feel disrespected and humiliated on one of entertainment's biggest nights.
The Unexpected Wheelchair Demand
Minnelli explains that she had planned to be seated onstage in a director's chair when presenting the Best Picture award with Gaga. Instead, she was inexplicably ordered to sit in a wheelchair or not appear at all. "I was told it was because of my age, and for safety reasons, because I might slip out of the director's chair, which was bullshit," the Cabaret star wrote with evident frustration.
The situation escalated when her co-presenter reportedly insisted she would not go on stage unless Minnelli used the wheelchair. "I will not be treated this way, I said," Minnelli recalled declaring, but ultimately found herself wheeled out against her will.
Technical Difficulties and Perceived Patronization
The wheelchair placement created immediate practical problems. Minnelli explained she couldn't easily read the teleprompter positioned above her, asking readers to imagine how they would feel being forced to perform before a live audience while unable to see clearly.
When she stumbled over words during the presentation, Minnelli perceived Gaga's response as patronizing. "Gaga, who was at my side, didn't miss a beat to play the kindhearted hero for all the world to see," she wrote. "'I got you,' she said, leaning down over me."
Backstage Dynamics and Historical Context
Singer Michael Feinstein, who worked on Minnelli's memoir, previously suggested organizers changed their plan at the last minute after being shaken up by Will Smith slapping Chris Rock during the broadcast. "She was nervous, and it made her look like she was out of it," Feinstein told journalist Jess Cagle, describing Minnelli as feeling sabotaged.
Despite the tension, Minnelli maintained composure backstage when Gaga checked on her after presenting the Best Picture Oscar to CODA. "I looked at her and said simply, 'I'm a big fan,'" Minnelli wrote, explaining she drew on lessons from her parents Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli about staying gracious under stress.
A Complicated Relationship History
The incident contrasts with the women's previously friendly relationship. In 2011, Gaga cited Minnelli as an inspiration during her Monster Ball Tour at Madison Square Garden, and the two shared a warm hug behind the scenes. Representatives for both the Oscars and Lady Gaga declined to comment on Minnelli's revelations when contacted by HuffPost.
Minnelli's memoir provides a raw look at how accessibility accommodations, when imposed without consent, can become sources of distress rather than support. Her account raises questions about how entertainment institutions handle the needs of veteran performers while respecting their autonomy and dignity.
