The Who2 Blog

Liza Minnelli's Facelift Is Both Honorable and Confounding

Photo of Liza Minnelli, making a funny face as she is pinned on the lapel by the French culture ministerLiza Minnelli was awarded the French Legion of Honor on Monday in Paris. The award comes with a handsome medal, a discreet lapel rosette for everyday wear, and a lifetime of bragging rights.

 
The Legion of Honor was created by Napoleon in 1802. It's less like a knighthood and more like a club of cool people who have done their bit for French culture or commerce. (2200 or so civilians and hundreds of military personnel get the award every year.)

Liza Minnelli is at the lowest level, chevalier, though promotions are possible. With typical calm, she had this to say:
"I'm here! I'm honored! I'm totally in love with all of you! To stand in this room in front of all of you, my God! This is my dream come true!"

What catches the eye, though, is this close-up photo of her from the event:
 

Thumbnail image for Photo of Liza Minnelli, close up, with her face kind of plump and young-looking

That's Liza Minnelli?  Not to launch into full gossip mode, but is sure doesn't look like any version of Liza Minnelli I remember. She's had facelifts before, of course, but she used to look like Liza-with-a-facelift. Now she looks like a much younger real estate agent from Long Island.

 
Here she was just last year at the Sex and the City 2 premiere at Radio City Music Hall:
 
Photo of Liza Minnelli smiling with that kind of crooked, ain't-life-just-something grin
Now that's Liza Minnelli. Good old Liza with the sad eyes and the wry "ain't life a kick in the chops?" grin. But now she looks like... her face is... she's just... well, here she is showing the medal to journalists:
 
Photo of Liza Minnelli smiling, surrounded by cameramen and people with microphones, wearing the medal of the Legion of Honor
It seems to be the eyes, or the lips, or... or maybe it's not a facelift but some kid of cheek implants, or... well, she really DOES look younger, right? Much younger? So that's a success?  Even if she doesn't look like Liza Minnelli?


It's too much. Let's just focus on the Legion of Honor.  Congrats, Liza!


See more photos of Liza Minnelli >>


{ Photos: WENN }