Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
David Says "Boozy Liza Beat Me!"
By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 22, 2003
Modified Mar 6, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 22, 2003
Modified Mar 6, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

As if the whole Liza Minnelli-David Gest tableau couldn't get any weirder, David Gest confounds us again. Gest now accuses Minnelli of spousal abuse. Seriously.
- Apparently Liza would get into drunken rages and beat the crap out of David, causing him "throbbing pain, severe headaches, vertigo, nausea, hypertension, scalp tenderness and insomnia."
- Gest alleges the alcohol gave Liza "remarkable force and strength." Maybe there was PCP in the alcohol. Or maybe she's like Popeye, with alcohol her spinach.
- She yelled, "I am the star!" after she beat Gest.
- The nadir of their relationship was in June, when Liza's career had "eclipsed, she was an alcoholic, overweight, (and) unable to be effectively merchandised."
- Liza bit a guard who was trying to restrain her.
- Gest has had many, many injections in his face to alleviate the pain from her beatings.
Domestic violence is a terrible problem, but Gothamist wants to know, what about us, the unsuspecting public, who had to witness various instances of Gest trying to gnaw off Liza's face in what he thought would be sexy, hetero kisses. What's our compensation? And Gest's lawyer is Raoul Felder, which means we're never going to hear the end of it.
Coverage from the Post, Daily News, and Times.
Gothamist on news of their breakup and some of their other publicity attempts.
Tagged
abuse
alcohol
As
celebrities
daily news
david
David Gest
gothamist
liza minnelli
news
publicity
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Inside a photographer's journey to visit every neighborhood in New York City
What do you see when you record the whole of the boroughs?
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 5, 2026
Banned books and Winnie the Pooh: October in NYC libraries
It's a busy month at the branches.
By
Alec Hamilton
Arts & Entertainment
Banned books and Winnie the Pooh: October in NYC libraries
It's a busy month at the branches.
By
Alec Hamilton
NYC music in October: The Strokes, a Blink-182 cover band, and Polish experimentalism
By
Hank Shteamer
Are you a New Yorker? The Department of New Yorker Verification will now decide.
By
Hannah Frishberg
In the mood for a pastoral autumn experience? Try Queens.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .