About a week ago, I stayed up way past my bedtime because I just couldn't turn off the video I was watching on youtube. I was mesmerized by the songs and stories and GRAND personality. She certainly is quite a dame!
Liza "with a Z" Minnelli!
I had my laptop sitting on top of me, while in my pajamas and under the covers of my bed. I was watching "Inside the Actors Studio: Liza Minnelli" and I couldn't stop it; I had to finish it!
Liza is someone, for me, that seems familiar while at the same time being such a stranger. I discovered how little I actually knew about this amazing woman. Before last week, I could have told you her name, big movies or things she's done in her life, and who her parents were, but beyond that................not much.
Plain and simple: I'm a fan of Judy Garland, not Liza. That by no means implies that I do not like Liza. Quite the contrary. Instead, she's just always been "Judy's daughter" to me. Nothing more and certainly nothing less.
Of course I know that she's appeared on Broadway, television, movies, and wow'd audiences for years with concerts and appearances. She's won an Oscar, Tonys, Golden Globes, Emmys, Grammys and a BAFTA and I'm assuming I'm even missing some more. She's decorated with all this recognition and that is just as it should be.
Despite all this fanfare, I've still only really ever seen her as "Judy's daughter" only because I haven't actually dove into her own work to really see her in a separate way. When I'd watch an interview with her, it was just to see what she'd say about her mother, knowing it was a matter of time before she'd be asked those personal questions. I was always fascinated how she remembered her mother and also how she'd share stories having to do with both the good and bad times. I'd only see "Judy's daughter" sharing stories.
That is until now.
Last night, watching "Inside the Actors Studio" with her as the guest, I finally saw Liza Minnelli in an interview. Of course she was still the daughter of Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli (basically royalty in the Golden Era of musicals), but she was also her own person. She was very gracious in answering questions about her parents, family struggles and her own demons, but I respect her immensely in how she chooses her words when speaking of her family. She speaks with a dose of blunt honesty but also an air of protection. She knows if she admits, "yeah she/I had some problems", that people won't push the buttons anymore. And she is always quick to finish up any story on a positive note.
She told a wonderful story of Judy and her concert at the Palladium in the 60's and described how Judy was a hard worker and loved the spotlight. Liza ends the story saying she (Liza) could "work with anybody after that, because I worked with her; the greatest there ever was!" Talk about a wonderful note to end on.
Here's a quote from Myrna Loy about Liza, who also knew Judy well from MGM and just being in show business. It's a wonderful quote.
"I love Liza. She is so original. People speak of her in terms of her mother, but she is herself, very definitely. A good, strong, unique person."
So true! I can finally see that.
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