Liza Minnelli — she'll take Tom Hanks, thank you very much!

http://www.telegram.com/article/20130912/COLUMN87/309

 

One interview I did read was Liza Minnelli's. She is shown in a lovely shot by Terry O'Neill, quite dressed, questioned by my own Denis Ferrara. Denis and Liza have known each other a long time. Liza tends to call everybody "honey." But with Denis she means it.

Of her apparent phoenix-like persona and ability to keep on keeping on, Denis asks if it becomes tiresome to always have to explain this. "No, it's not tiresome. It's just well ... I don't think about myself. Look. When I go to the theater, I want to come out feeling good. So that's what I think about — am I going to make my audiences feel good? They're all scrunched in their seats and have paid good money, and I try to do what I can to entertain them. We're locked in a building for two hours, after all! When it's over, I'm just tired. I don't feel very indestructible."

Liza describes her concerts as "a conversation. A conversation that never bores me."She'd love to act more: "People assume I'm not interested. But I am! Listen, I act when I sing. I act when I dance. But I don't have to sing and dance to act." On the subject of screen work, Liza says she'd love to do something with Tom Hanks: "Every time I see him on screen, I trust him."

Liza thinks Madonna is great. "I've always liked her. She's fun to have dinner with. She's not a wacko. She knows things. She wants to learn, too." But my favorite part of the Q-and-A is when Denis asks Liza: "What is the best advice you've ever been given?" The star replies: "Oh, Jeez! So much. Well, one of the best things anybody ever said to me was 'keep moving.' But here's the best advice I can give; stay curious."

Says Denis, "And you have stayed curious."

Says Liza, "I have. But please don't ask me to do anything more with a computer than turn it on."129966