Latest news with #MichaelFeinstein
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story review – Her Oscars wheelchair long gone, the star is sharp and witty in this enjoyable doc
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story Director : Bruce David Klein Cert : None Starring : Liza Minnelli, Mia Farrow, Michael Feinstein, Lorna Luft, Joel Grey Running Time : 1 hr 44 mins Anybody concerned about Liza Minnelli after her delicate appearance at the Oscars three years ago – friends deny she needed the wheelchair provided – will be reassured by her consistently sharp and witty performance in this hugely enjoyable documentary. There are some curious omissions. Nothing on her superb early film performances in The Sterile Cuckoo and Charlie Bubbles. No Arrested Development. Nothing on Arthur, for heaven's sake. If the tight focus on the 1970s can be forgiven, few fans will feel short-changed. Some of Minnelli's recollections are curious. Talking heads run through the array of drugs wolfed down at the legendary disco Studio 54: Quaaludes, poppers, cocaine. 'Nobody did drugs,' Minnelli then says. 'They just didn't.' The film-makers do her the service of not immediately cutting to the famous image of a man in the moon sniffing white powder from a spoon that hung above the dancers at the Manhattan nightspot. READ MORE Elsewhere the subject is, for the most part, stirringly frank, not least about the pressures of growing up as the daughter of Judy Garland . Bruce David Klein, an unfussy director, drags out notorious footage of Garland literally pushing Minnelli about the stage in an early performance together. One contributor is frank enough to suggest that, though (or perhaps because) daughter was devoted to mother, Garland's death in 1969 meant she 'didn't have to worry any more'. Just three years later, Minnelli broke out from the shadow with her incendiary performance in Cabaret. She has remained a star ever since – even if good roles were sporadic. The film has sad stories to tell about Minnelli's marriages, but there is often grim humour in the footage. Announcing the break-up of her engagement to Desi Arnaz jnr, she attempts to buoy the press by declaring that she is now in love with Peter Sellers. One doesn't need a PhD in celebrity lore to guess how that turned out. Michael Feinstein, a loyal friend of the subject's, minces no words about her last husband, David Gest. 'You should only speak good of the dead,' he says. 'David Gest is dead – good.' For all that, there is no sense here of Minnelli being a tragic figure. One can easily understand how endless comparisons with her mother weary her. On the evidence of this likable doc, she remains smart, charming and greatly, greatly loved. Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story is available on digital platforms
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Michael Feinstein Calls Kennedy Center Show Cancellations 'Government-Sanctioned Censorship'
Michael Feinstein is speaking out about the Kennedy Center event cancellations which led to the dismissal of a Pride program he was set to conduct. In an Instagram post earlier this week, the singer and pianist slammed the 'recent Kennedy Center losses,' noting them as 'government-sanctioned censorship.' There, Feinstein shared his penned 'Fear of Queer?' essay, where he further discussed the cancellations. More from The Hollywood Reporter Kennedy Center Events Set for LGBTQ+ Pride Celebration Canceled, Organizers Say Conan O'Brien Says It Was "Important" to Attend Kennedy Center Mark Twain Event Despite Trump Overhaul Liza Minnelli Set for 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 17 Finale Tribute 'Recently, I was invited to conduct the National Symphony Orchestra, perform and speak at a program entitled 'A Peacock Among Pigeons: Celebrating 50 Years of Pride' at The Kennedy Center, which celebrated the rainbow of influences upon art, music and our entire culture,' Feinstein began. 'This program was abruptly and unceremoniously canceled.' 'These recent Kennedy Center losses may well be defined in the years ahead, as the 21st century government-sanctioned censorship and silencing of creativity, regardless of value, based strictly on sexual orientation,' he wrote. Later in the essay, Feinstein also addressed Donald Trump's recent executive order to stop federal funding for NPR and PBS. 'Indeed, the latest attempts to strip PBS and NPR of critical funds, highlight the fact that any government-supported access to the arts is no longer safe,' he wrote. 'Since the current administration has banned, cancelled or forbidden, in an effort to erase any concert or program at the Kennedy Center, that in any way allows art to acknowledge of existence of homosexuality.' After returning to power, Donald Trump announced his plans to 'terminate multiple individuals from the Board of Trustees' of the center on Truth Social in February, and named himself chairman of the Kennedy Center in a vote that resulted in the center's longtime president Deborah Rutter being fired. In a statement shared online in early March, Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Center's vice president of public relations, said that 'the only shows under the Kennedy Center programming umbrella that we have cancelled since February 12 were due to lack of sales or artist availability.' Feinstein continued, 'The next logical step is to ban all works written by homosexual, bisexual, omnisexual, transsexual people, friends of gay people or people suspected of being queer. It worked for the Nazis, right?' As a lifelong friend and collaborator to Liza Minnelli, the EGOT winner showed her support for Feinstein's 'clarion call about what may only be defined as a bigoted attack on the arts' and the LGBTQ+ community. 'As an ally of the LGBTQ+ community, a human rights advocate, the daughter of two iconic, amazing artists, a career of my own that without contributions from LGBTQ+ geniuses, would have rendered me a singer with few songs, a dancer with few collaborators, mostly naked ON STAGE, acting without scripts and I could go on!' Minnelli wrote. 'Please read 'Fear of Queer? by Michael Feinstein' carefully. Become active in solution. Together, we will stop censorship and hate.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025 Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Michael Feinstein Accuses Kennedy Center of ‘Government-Sanctioned Censorship' for Pride Event Cancellation
Five-time Grammy nominee Michael Feinstein accused the Kennedy Center of cowing to 'government-sanctioned censorship' and the 'silencing of creativity' Saturday in response to the center canceling its Pride Month programming. 'The genesis of art is essential to our need to enlighten, entertain, educate and help each of us, as human beings, connect to one another. Art, especially during the 20th century in America, offered every soul an opportunity to express or experience the diversity of culture,' Feinstein wrote in an Instagram post titled 'Fear of Queer? by Michael Feinstein.' 'Recently, I was invited to conduct the National Symphony Orchestra, perform and speak at a program entitled 'A Peacock Among Pigeons: Celebrating 50 Years of Pride' at The Kennedy Center, which celebrated the rainbow of influences upon art, music and our entire culture. This program was abruptly and unceremoniously canceled.' 'These recent Kennedy Center losses may well be defined in the years ahead, as the 21st century government-sanctioned censorship and silencing of creativity, regardless of value, based strictly on sexual orientation. Art, in its purest form, is where we suspend our differences to illuminate elements of the human condition,' Feinstein concluded. In April the Kennedy Center and organizers canceled a slew of Pride events scheduled this summer to celebrate LGTBQ+ rights during the WorldPride festival in Washington, D.C. The events were part of a week-long Tapestry of Pride celebration, described on the center's website as 'a celebration of diversity and unity, weaving together performances, exhibitions, and experiences for all ages.' The decision to cancel the events came weeks after Donald Trump fired several board members and named himself chairman of the Kennedy Center. The post Michael Feinstein Accuses Kennedy Center of 'Government-Sanctioned Censorship' for Pride Event Cancellation appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Michael Feinstein Slams Kennedy Center For 'Government-Sanctioned Censorship'
Michael Feinstein is the latest theater star to take a stand against the Trump administration's takeover of the Kennedy Center. In an essay titled 'Fear of Queer?' posted to Instagram, the 5x Grammy nominee called out the performing arts center for reportedly canceling its Pride Month programming. More from Deadline Kennedy Center Quietly Cancels World Pride Events In 'Disappointing' Move Harvey Fierstein Says He's 'Banned' From Kennedy Center Amid Trump Takeover: 'How Freedom Ends' Francis Ford Coppola Talks 'Megalopolis' Cult Status "After The Election" & Denounces Trump's Tariffs 'Recently, I was invited to conduct the National Symphony Orchestra, perform and speak at a program entitled 'A Peacock Among Pigeons: Celebrating 50 Years of Pride' at The Kennedy Center, which celebrated the rainbow of influences upon art, music and our entire culture,' he wrote in part in the post. 'This program was abruptly and unceremoniously canceled,' added Feinstein. 'These recent Kennedy Center losses may well be defined in the years ahead, as the 21st century government-sanctioned censorship and silencing of creativity, regardless of value, based strictly on sexual orientation. Art, in its purest form, is where we suspend our differences to illuminate elements of the human condition.' After the Trump administration terminated grants this month that fund PBS and NPR, Feinstein stressed 'the fact that any government-supported access to the arts is no longer safe.' 'Since the current administration has banned, cancelled or forbidden, in an effort to erase any concert or program at the Kennedy Center, that in any way allows art to acknowledge existence of homosexuality (and these 'cancellations' do not acknowledge the disturbing, racist, misogynistic and other bigoted forms of censorship, which I find equally distressing, infuriating and indeed, despicable),' Feinstein continued. 'The next logical step is to ban all works written by homosexual, bisexual, omnisexual, transsexual people, friends of gay people or people suspected of being queer. It worked for the Nazis right?' Feinstein urged readers to 'please take action' and write their senator, congressperson or the White House, also encouraging donations to The Trevor Project. 'Oh, and I hope they don't forget to ban my upcoming show, 'The Gay American Songbook'!' he concluded. Deadline has reached out to the Kennedy Center for comment. Donald Trump visited the Kennedy Center in March, following his appointment as the Center's new chairman after he ousted half the organization's board members, who were nominated by Joe Biden. Since Trump took over, Shonda Rhimes has resigned from the board of the Kennedy Center, and Issa Rae has canceled a show scheduled for the venue. Meanwhile, Trump has faced backlash from supporters of the Kennedy Center's cancelled touring children's musical Finn, the Gay Men's Chorus of DC and International Pride Orchestra over scrapped performances. Trump previously threatened to make the Kennedy Center 'GREAT AGAIN,' announcing his plan in February to remove those 'who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture.' 'We will soon announce a new Board, with an amazing Chairman, DONALD J. TRUMP!' he added. 'Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP. The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation. For the Kennedy Center, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!' Best of Deadline All The Songs In Netflix's 'Forever': From Tyler The Creator To SZA 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery
