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Minnelli weds fourth husband on 'night of a thousand facelifts'
Guardian | 3/18/02 | Oliver Burkeman in New York

Posted on 03/18/2002 3:03:52 AM PST by kattracks

The best man's speech was by Michael Jackson. The entertainment was by Gloria Gaynor. The bride's white silk dress was by the designer Bob Mackie.

And the metal detectors at the door came courtesy of Richard Desmond, proprietor of OK! magazine - intent on making sure that none of the 300 Hollywood legends who descended on New York at the weekend for the most hyped wedding in recent history were tempted to smuggle a camera inside.

Liza Minnelli, the 56-year-old star of Cabaret and daughter of Judy Garland, married the concert promoter David Gest on Saturday in front of an audience that included the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Collins, Donald Trump, Diana Ross, Anthony Hopkins, Mickey Rooney, Kirk Douglas, Gina Lollobrigida, Mia Farrow, Janet Leigh and Petula Clark.

But the throngs of photographers and reporters not employed by OK! magazine - which had bought full rights to coverage of the event - could only glimpse their arrival at the Marble Collegiate Church on Fifth Avenue from a distance.

"It was like a Night of 1,000 Facelifts," the gossip columnist Cindy Adams declared after leaving the reception at the upmarket St Regis hotel on Wall Street, where an 80-piece orchestra accompanied entertainers reported to include Tony Bennett, Roberta Flack and Gloria Gaynor. "Every person from 50 years ago."

The bride was practised in the art of assembling guest lists, having been married three times before - and benefited also from the expertise of her maid of honour, Elizabeth Taylor, who arrived for the ceremony with her eighth husband.

But few observers had thought that they would see such a trumpeted return to the public eye for Minnelli, whose career had been thought finished by a combination of back and hip replacement surgery, addictions to both alcohol and painkillers, weight problems and brain disease.

Confounding expectations, she is due to begin an international concert tour next month.

Minnelli and Gest, a 48-year-old concert promoter, then vanished to an undisclosed honeymoon destination - but not before he announced the couple's plans to adopt four children - "of all races, a black child, a white child _ it doesn't matter at all," the Sunday Express, OK!'s stablemate, reported Gest as saying.

"Liza is going to be the best mother in the world. She has the greatest heart of anyone I've ever met," the groom went on.

"It was a great wedding," said Mickey Rooney, in a fleeting comment that somehow escaped the watchful OK! minders.

"We hope they will be happy forever. Jan and I - my wife Jan - we loved every minute of it. They looked radiant, both of them."

The film star Jill St John summed it up, telling Cindy Adams: "It's the only wedding I ever saw where there's a green room."



TOPICS: TV/Movies
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1 posted on 03/18/2002 3:03:52 AM PST by kattracks
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To: kattracks
Elizabeth Taylor...arrived with her eighth husband.

I didn't know Elizabeth and Michael Jackson are married! LOL! Do I have a scoop? (Available pictures showed her arriving with Jackson, who was adorned with enlarged Peter Pan collar and diamond/rhinestone brooch.)

2 posted on 03/18/2002 4:11:10 AM PST by Carolinamom
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To: kattracks
The best man's speech was by Michael Jackson.

He and the groom have a lot in common. Wonder if they have the same cosmetic surgeon?

3 posted on 03/18/2002 4:51:21 AM PST by mountaineer
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To: kattracks
and benefited also from the expertise of her maid of honour, Elizabeth Taylor, who arrived for the ceremony with her eighth husband.

If she has a husband she ain't no "maid". She's the matron of honor.

I think she'd still be a matron even without the eighth husband. Having been married so many times and all.

4 posted on 03/18/2002 8:44:54 AM PST by hellinahandcart
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To: kattracks
Weird. That must be a family tradition, marrying gay guys and all. Liza's married at least one maybe two gay men, and her mother married at least one (minnelli) and possibly more gay men too. Gest looks weird. He paints his eyebrows and plucks them. Sheesh.
5 posted on 03/18/2002 9:09:55 AM PST by I_Love_My_Husband
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To: kattracks
Of all those in attendance, I wonder how many marriages/divorces between all of them?
6 posted on 03/18/2002 10:30:46 AM PST by hsmomx3
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To: grlfrnd
These people are sick. Why do they even bother getting married?
7 posted on 03/18/2002 10:31:46 AM PST by hsmomx3
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To: hsmomx3
Why do they even bother getting married?

Because the divorce is so much fun.

8 posted on 03/18/2002 11:01:24 AM PST by mombonn
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To: hsmomx3
These people are sick. Why do they even bother getting married?

Liz once said, "I'm old fashioned. I marry the men I sleep with."

9 posted on 03/18/2002 11:32:37 AM PST by lonestar
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To: kattracks
Liza Minnelli, the 56-year-old star of Cabaret and daughter of Judy Garland, married the concert promoter David Gest on Saturday in front of an audience that included the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Collins, Donald Trump, Diana Ross, Anthony Hopkins, Mickey Rooney, Kirk Douglas, Gina Lollobrigida, Mia Farrow, Janet Leigh and Petula Clark.

Pillars of knowledge regarding marriage. Which one on these guests have not been divorced at least twice, 3 thimes, 4 times, 5 times ...........?I heard they were registered at several high priced stores for wedding gifts. If this marrage ends, does Liza get to register again for the 5th time? I wish them well.

10 posted on 03/18/2002 11:44:24 AM PST by Teacup
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