I can't say I'm the world's biggest Michael Feinstein fan. But ever since he was starting out in his 20s he has shown genuine care for the people and culture of yesteryear. Ira Gershwin, Rosemary Clooney, Jerry Herman, Marilyn Maye, Liza. It's his entire brand. Yes, some of those people helped his own career, but I think he's just a show queen at heart who would be happy knowing those people even if he wasn't also a successful performer. I don't see his actions and motives as malicious.
Minnelli is, by all accounts, a private person who has been exploited by a lot of people over the past 80 years. Telling her story to Michael Feinstein (someone she trusts and loves) is probably the only way her story gets out there in the way she wants it told. Would people be saying the same if Marc Shaiman cowrote Bette Midler's book?
In some ways the Michael-Liza relationship is not that different than the Liza-Kay Thompson relationship. Except I don't think she's actually housemates with Michael!
Updated On: 3/22/26 at 11:17 PM