Radar Online
A longtime pal of Liza Minnelli claims the Hollywood icon was ambushed and forced to use a wheelchair during the Hollywood broadcast.
The friend insisted the star's health fine, and the flustering in the moment was over being “sabotaged,” according to a report.
During the Oscar 2022 broadcast, Minnelli appeared on stage alongside Lady Gaga to present the Best Picture award. But Minnelli was seated in a wheelchair, seemed discombobulated, and missed many of her lines. That led to speculation that Minnelli was in poor health.
Gaga even told Minnelli at the end of their presentation, “I got you,” which was captured on a hot-mic and included in the broadcast.
However, pal Michael Feinstein claimed on Sirius XM's Jess Cagle Show that Minnelli had only agreed to appear if she sat in a director's chair because of a bad back, PageSix reported.
Minnelli said she wanted to look good and didn't want people to worry about her, Feinstein said.
But, minutes before going on the broadcast, a stage manager said Minnelli had to use a wheelchair, Feinstein claimed and PageSix noted. The academy declined to comment to PageSix about the claims. Minelli's reps also did not speak about the report.
“I guess they were all shaken up because of everything that had happened earlier,” Feinstein said about the infamous slap. Though, several awards were handed out between the slap and Minnelli going on the stage.
Feinstein said Minnelli initially refused to sit in the wheelchair, but then relented.
“[She was] so shaken that she was discombobulated,” Feinstein claimed, and PageSix reported. `
Feinstein told the Jess Cagle Show that the star was disappointed with what happened, but she is doing well.
“Can you imagine being suddenly forced to be seen by millions of people the way you don't wanna be seen?” Feinstein told the show. “That's what happened to her.”
