Is Liberace really a master showman?

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I think so...I bought "Here's Liberace" at Safeway yesterday for $6, and I love it.

Ashley Andel, Saturday, 19 October 2002 00:08 (twenty-three years ago)

Bit late to find out now alas. The Daily Mirror review he sued over back in the day is triffic!

Tom (Groke), Saturday, 19 October 2002 00:12 (twenty-three years ago)

Frequent poster Arthur is a big "Lee" fan... he may show up later and deny this, but he is, oh yes he is.

Sean (Sean), Saturday, 19 October 2002 02:09 (twenty-three years ago)

Which Safeways sell records?

Kris (aqueduct), Saturday, 19 October 2002 02:22 (twenty-three years ago)

All of them, don't they? Perhaps only in Canada?

Ashley Andel, Saturday, 19 October 2002 03:47 (twenty-three years ago)

He was good on Batman, can't deny that. I don't know any of his music, though. Isn't it just his renditions of classical favorites? I guess you have to respect him as a glam pioneer.

I love the Liberace Museum in Vegas. Home of the World's Largest Rhinestone. The people who volunteer there, elderly fans, are so reverent. When asked why anyone would want a rhinestone the size of a quonset hut, the Liberace docent replied, somberly, "Because it's very, very beautiful." And she was right!

Fun fact: His neice Ina went out with Kristy McNichol in the early 80s. They used to frequent LA new wave all-ages gay disco the Odyssey.

Sean, I think I'm gonna be in SF next weekend. Let's go record shopping.

Arthur (Arthur), Saturday, 19 October 2002 17:47 (twenty-three years ago)

YES!!

Ashley Andel, Tuesday, 22 October 2002 02:33 (twenty-three years ago)

Yes yes, the whole suing someone for saying he was gay bit was surely worthy of an Oscar.

nabisco (nabisco), Tuesday, 22 October 2002 04:54 (twenty-three years ago)

seven years pass...

Of course he was:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dioRwB4RvrQ

Revival inspired by this revelation:

Come anticipate Michael Douglas as Liberace in a Steven Soderbergh film, featuring Matt Damon as Lee's lover

Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 4 November 2009 17:11 (sixteen years ago)

My parents brought me to a Liberace show when I was 10. I touched his mink coat.

Jazzbo, Wednesday, 4 November 2009 18:15 (sixteen years ago)

based on that video i'd say no. every line is badly delivered.

jed_, Wednesday, 4 November 2009 22:07 (sixteen years ago)

ten months pass...

Pour one out...

One of Las Vegas' jewel attractions, and a significant part of its cultural and entertainment history, is closing.

The Liberace Museum, which has exhibited the jewelry, pianos, garish gowns and other artifacts owned by the great pianist and showman, announced today it will close effective Oct. 17. The museum opened April 15, 1979.

Elvis Telecom, Saturday, 11 September 2010 20:50 (fifteen years ago)

Oddly enough, my grandmother was his piano teacher when he was young. I'm afraid I don't have any interesting stories.

dlp9001, Saturday, 11 September 2010 22:00 (fifteen years ago)

My dad, who has very good taste in music, worked at a resort during the summers in the early 60s as a teen where he saw all kinds of acts up close--Ella, Errol Garner, even a mind-boggling Bo Diddley show--and he said Liberace, believe it or not, put on the best show. And that he was glad he didn't take him up on the offer of an after-show party with "the boys"!

iago g., Saturday, 11 September 2010 22:25 (fifteen years ago)

damn on the museum

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/18/us/18liberace.html

kind of shrill and very self-righteous (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 18 September 2010 09:04 (fifteen years ago)

The episode of Smothers Brothers where Liberace guested was great. Every time he tried to put his fingers to the piano keys, some giant object tried to destroy him.

Mormons come out of the sky and they stand there (Abbbottt), Sunday, 19 September 2010 00:08 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2BdoPTGc64

Mormons come out of the sky and they stand there (Abbbottt), Sunday, 19 September 2010 00:09 (fifteen years ago)

I oversimplified the premise in my memory but that is seriously the kind of thing that cracks me up hard, those clips.

Mormons come out of the sky and they stand there (Abbbottt), Sunday, 19 September 2010 00:11 (fifteen years ago)

I actually watched a few Liberace videos on YouTube after reading this article and was surprised, though probably shouldn't have been, at how compelling he was. Your eye just goes to him, he is so polished and yet so weird. His smile is just off. That Rolls Royce entrance is bizarre and kind of scary but everyone's in on the joke. You can see why so many people paid to see him perform.

Re: the museum closing and his lack of appeal, not that I am a Liberace expert but the semi-closeted flamingness and knowing, mildly disapproving chuckles from the audience seem like they were an integral part of his appeal. Now that that type of person is (thankfully) becoming obsolete modern audiences are more likely to find it creepy than saucy or funny. Maybe that's totally wrong though.

skip, Sunday, 19 September 2010 00:46 (fifteen years ago)

the Batman episode with Liberace as the guest villain was pretty dope

harbl madness (latebloomer), Sunday, 19 September 2010 18:47 (fifteen years ago)


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