Posted on Fri, May. 09, 2008
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Web extra: A conversation with Liza Minnelli
By PETE TATTERSALL
ptattersall@sunherald.com
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Liza Minnelli, who performs live in concert 8 tonight at the Beau Rivage Theatre in Biloxi, spoke last week with the Sun Herald by telephone about her new show; the pros and cons of being an icon; about growing up next door to Lana Turner; why she decided to set a different path from her parents and embark on the Great White Way; and how to stay grounded in the tempestuous whirlwind that is mega fame. She also, not for nothing, on more than one occasion threatened to slap me. And now I call her friend. (For more background info on Ms. Minnelli, see this week's Marquee cover story, also available at sunherald.com.)
Q: Hey Ms. Minnelli, how are you?
A"Oh please, call me Liza. How are you man?"
Q: Thank you so much for taking a few minutes. We really appreciate it.
A"Oh, it's my pleasure. Are you kidding?"
Q: Well, right off the bat, what would you like to talk about first?
A"I don't know. What do you want to talk about? Anything you want to talk about is fine with me."
Q: Well, what have you been up to lately?
A"Well, I'm doing this new show about my godmother, Kay Thompson. And I'm bringing part of it to you."
Q: Well, tell us about the show. What can audiences expect?
A"Well, my godmother was an extraordinary woman. Her name was Kay Thompson, and she was probably single-handedly the biggest musical influence in Hollywood history, as far as harmonies and vocals go. And she was a huge, you know where you would have seen her? Did you see 'Funny Face'?"
Q: Yes ma'am.
A"Do you remember...If you call me ma'am again, I'll slap you (laughs). Do you remember the woman who played the head of the magazine?"
Q: I do.
A"That's Kay. So that maaarvelous woman was my godmother. And she wrote all these incredible, incredible arrangements. First for herself on radio, she was an enormous radio star. And then MGM hired her to come out and be the vocal director - A woman! In her late 20s! - for all of MGM. That's unheard of."
Q: That's quite impressive.
A"And she probably revolutionized movie musicals because of the way she used voices. And she became great friends with my parents, and they made her my godmother and it was the greatest gift they ever gave me."
Q: And the show, is it kind of a re-creation of that? Or you kind of tell the story?
A"Well she did a nightclub act, which I saw when I was 2. And I can only remember these beautiful feet and long arms and legs flying around. But over the years she was such a wonderful godmother. She stayed close to me, you know? So I'm re-creating part of her nightclub act. Not re-creating but, how do you say it, paying tribute to."
