Admirers have shelled out as much as $250 for autographed collectible editions of Liza’s Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!
Grand Central Publishing
However, some disgruntled customers are griping that the song and dance icon’s signatures appear to be identical, raising suspicions that the 80-year-old may have used the digital device, which can handily replicate a person’s John Hancock, according to a report from The Guardian.
“When you see footage of Liza today in her own documentary [Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story], she is far too frail to have signed a handful of books this accurately, let alone hundreds,” says Gareth Brown, who purchased a signed hardcover of the entertainment tell-all in a U.K. bookshop.
“I found there was much online discussion about this and many photographs of the signature, all of which look the same.”
Some sleuths even claim they’ve used tracing paper to analyze multiple scrawls and confirm they’re a match.
Justin Steffman/Linkedin
Damningly, Justin Steffman, CEO of autograph authentication service AutographCOA, maintains none of the examples he reviewed appear to have been signed by a human.
“It has sadly been common for many celebrities to sell ‘signed’ merchandise featuring fake signatures,” Steffman said, via The Guardian. “So uncovering that Liza Minnelli’s memoir features what looks like autopen-signed autographs was no surprise.”
As Globe previously reported, the once-energetic performer — the daughter of belter Judy Garland and director Vincente Minnelli — has appeared increasingly feeble, triggering concerns that a lifetime of health woes may be catching up with her.
The “New York, New York” singer has been to rehab five times since 1992, endured two hip replacements and a knee replacement, and had to relearn to walk and talk after battling brain inflammation in 2000.
At the 2022 Academy Awards, spywitnesses say Liza looked bewildered as she presented a trophy in a wheelchair — she later claimed she was ordered to use the mobility aid, per The Hollywood Reporter.