EXCLUSIVE: Watch Liza Minnelli Spasm in Chair at Book Launch Event — Sparking Death Fears as Diva Axes Public Appearance on 'Doctor's Orders'
Liza Minnelli has sparked concern after a health scare at her book launch event.
March 23 2026, Published 7:48 p.m. ET
RadarOnline.com can reveal Liza Minnelli has sparked huge health fears among fans after the 80-year-old icon appeared disoriented on stage during a memoir launch event – and later pulled out of a planned engagement on what sources described as doctor's orders.
Minnelli, 80, recently appeared at a sold-out event at the Million Dollar Theater in downtown Los Angeles to celebrate the release of her autobiography, Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!, alongside longtime collaborator Michael Feinstein.
Tribute Night Sparks Concern Among Fans
The eighty-year-old icon struggled to stay on track during a Q&A with Michael Feinstein.
The evening was billed as a celebratory retrospective of her life and career, featuring archival footage, live performance, and a Q&A session with questions submitted by the audience. Minnelli, who has long spoken about her past struggles with alcoholism and prescription drug addiction, and who now lives with mobility issues, was introduced on stage already seated in a director's chair following a choreographed dance sequence.
Feinstein asked Minnelli how she was able to move forward with the many challenges in her life, including having multiple husbands and the physical pains she has suffered over the years.
But Minnelli rambled in reply: "Don't we all," prompting fans to say she was making "no sense" for much of the talk.
Liza Minnelli sparked health fears after appearing disoriented during a Los Angeles memoir launch.
Concerns Grow Over Incoherent Appearance
Audience members at the Million Dollar Theater noted Minnelli appeared incoherent and confused.
Audience members described several other instances in which Minnelli appeared to lose her train of thought or respond incoherently.
One attendee said: "She would begin answering and then drift off or laugh in a way that didn't quite match the question," adding the atmosphere shifted from celebratory to concerned as the night went on.
Another source said: "People were whispering about her health – it wasn't what they expected from such a major event. Liza could be seen slumping and spasming as she was stuck in a chair, before she was carried off stage."
"There are real fears she has only weeks or even days left to live now."
Minnelli was not seen walking onto the stage and remained seated throughout the hour-long appearance. At several points, Feinstein and Minnelli's niece, Vanessa Jade O'Neill, who joined them on stage, stepped in to redirect the conversation.
Despite their efforts, Minnelli frequently veered into tangents, at times appearing confused by the questions posed to her.
Tangents and Confusion Mark the Night
Collaborators and family members stepped in during the live event to redirect her tangents.
The event opened with a montage tracing Minnelli's life from her childhood as the daughter of Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli through her rise to stardom, including her Academy Award-winning role in Cabaret in 1972 and her collaborations with choreographer Bob Fosse. The program also highlighted her advocacy work in HIV/AIDS research and her enduring influence on theater and pop culture.
In a moment that drew both applause and unease, Minnelli told Feinstein: "No, I think it was the first time that I was on stage to perform with you," when asked about her most memorable performance.
Later, during a duet of the Gershwin standard "Love is Here to Stay," she struggled to stay on key, joking at one point: "I'm in Dolly Martin's key!" – in an apparent reference to Dolly Parton.
Toward the end of the evening, Minnelli appeared to slump in her chair, her expression briefly pained as the finale performance of "New York, New York" played.
She then rallied, lifting her leg in time with the music as the chair was moved off stage to cheers from the audience.
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New York Engagement Abruptly Cancelled
The star recalled staying gracious when Lady Gaga assisted her on the Academy Awards stage.
Following the event, sources close to the production said Minnelli would no longer appear at a scheduled New York City engagement at the Temple Emanu-El Streicker Cultural Center on March 23.
It has since been confirmed that the event is being rescheduled.
"Hey Kids, Doctor Piro's orders, I'm sitting Monday out," Minnelli announced to her fans via Instagram on Friday evening about the cancellation, while telling those who were supposed to come to the show. "I'm so sorry."
One insider said: "The decision was made out of caution - her doctors advised that she should rest after what happened on stage."
In her memoir, Minnelli rages about being left humiliated after allegedly being forced to appear in a wheelchair on stage at the Oscars with Lady Gaga, instead of sitting on a director's chair as she wanted.
Minnelli said: "When I stumbled over a few words, Gaga, who was at my side, didn't miss a beat to play the kind-hearted hero for all the world to see. "'I got you,' she said, leaning down over me."
Gaga then came to her dressing room to check if she was "okay" – with Minnelli simply replying: "I'm a big fan," saying she "learned this lesson years ago from Mama and Papa. At a moment of high stress, you stay gracious."
