Liza Minnelli's Emotional Oscars Moment: The Untold Story Behind the Wheelchair Incident
The 2022 Oscars were not without controversy beyond the Will Smith slap incident. Liza Minnelli, in her upcoming memoir "Kids, Wait Till You Hear This," reveals her disappointment at being made to sit in a wheelchair instead of a director's chair when presenting the best picture award with Lady Gaga. Minnelli claims she was ordered to sit in the wheelchair due to her age and safety concerns, which she vehemently opposed, feeling heartbroken by the situation. The incident occurred during the 50th anniversary celebration of the film "Cabaret," for which Minnelli won an Oscar.
During the presentation, Lady Gaga stood beside Minnelli, who was seated in a wheelchair, and the two shared a touching moment when Gaga reassured Minnelli as she appeared momentarily confused. Minnelli struggled to read the teleprompter from the lower position in the wheelchair, leading to an emotional moment between the two stars. The presentation took place amidst the aftermath of the Will Smith incident, where he slapped Chris Rock for a joke about Smith's wife, resulting in Smith's ban from the Oscars for a decade.
Minnelli's friend Michael Feinstein later revealed that Minnelli was unhappy with the last-minute change to sit in a wheelchair, feeling she was sabotaged by the Oscars production team. Despite her initial refusal, Minnelli eventually relented and sat in the wheelchair, but the experience left her visibly shaken. Feinstein's account sheds light on the behind-the-scenes turmoil that unfolded during the Oscars ceremony, adding another layer of drama to the event.