There has been a lot of criticism of Michael Feinstein's handling of all this - the book, the promotional tour, etc. And it may be warranted. It may be self-serving and a money grab, and/or taking advantage of Liza.
But the other possibility is that he's genuinely trying to support Liza and help her to still feel relevant and loved, as she has so much of her life. Due to health and other issues, I suspect she has felt isolated and unimportant, and she may miss the public adoration and the feeling that she is still capable of creative expression. It could be that all of this - the memoir, the public appearances - is at the request of Liza and, out of his devotion to her, he is helping to facilitate it.
I have a dear friend who is just about Liza's age who is in a period of tremendous physical and cognitive decline. She was never famous like Liza, but she was a powerful and important person within her sphere, and she still wants to appear publicly and make connections with people in order to feel vital and appreciated. So I often take her out to events where she struggles to navigate the spaces, articulate what she wants to say, etc. And I often find myself doing what I see Michael doing - helping to clarify what she's saying or trying to contextualize things so people can follow her disjointed thoughts. It's not fun to have to do that, but out of my love for her, I do my best to make it happen.
If Michael is doing this against Liza's wishes, or consciously trying to make himself more important or wealthier through these actions, it's a terrible betrayal. But unless we know otherwise, I'd like to think that maybe he's doing it all out of his genuine love for her, and to help fulfil her wishes. And I hope her experience of being in the public again, of hearing the adoration of her fans, is bringing her joy.
Updated On: 3/22/26 at 11:47 AM
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