Tony Bennett Has Alzheimer’s

I love him.

[quote]started to show signs of decline two years later while recording an album with Lady Gaga.

At least a decline in judgment.

Is he still giving concerts? Working till the end.

Awful news. :(

He must have the slow progressing kind but the fact that his family announced it probably means the end is near or at least no more public appearances.

[QUOTE] Is he still giving concerts? Working till the end.

Performing is what keeps him going. God help him if he’s forced to stop.

Not shocking, but still terrible news.

Can I have his stuff?

[quote] Is he still giving concerts? Working till the end.

[quote] Performing is what keeps him going. God help him if he’s forced to stop.

Who is his manager, Britney's dad?

Funny, R8.

On paper, his manager is his son Danny. In reality his manager is most likely his 54 year old wife, Susan.

“It’s due to his long battle with herpes. He shared it with me in the studio. His story I mean, not his herpes.”

Saw him in concert at Radio City Music Hall when he was 75. At one point he had them turn off his microphone so he could sing a cappella to show us he still had his pipes and could reach the back of the theatre. He sure did.

Terrible news about the Alzheimer’s.

I'm right around the bend from this house. The owner anticipates the buyers will want to keep "as is" !

I should've known when they announced his next album, a collection of Nat King Cole covers, was called Forgettable...

You're terrible, R13.

That's hot.

Tony Bennett is a quality person, IMO. I was friends with his daughter, and while I didn’t know him intimately, I did have a vantage point. From mine, he was unpretentious and kind. Maybe he was a bastard in private, but I’ve never heard a word against him.

I’ll be sorry to see him go.

I hope he remembers he left his heart high on a hill in my town. Alzheimers patients are always losing stuff.

Are they implying working with Gaga accelerated his illness?

Tony Bennett 1960 in color on the Steve Allen Show. So cool. Reminds a lot of Louis Prima in the first number. I imagine he was an influence along with Sinatra. Love how he lights up a cigarette during the second number. So many Italian American singers during that era.

I see Tony is wearing his "I forgot to get a haircut" wig. Nice touch.

Seriously, He's my favorite boy singer of all time. Imho, Tony knocks Sinatra off the planet with his sound and versatility. If he was a good actor (he wasn't, see "The Oscar"), and did movies, he'd be as big as Sinatra was.

Up until the pandemic shutdowns he had a full concert schedule and some of the dates are still showing as rescheduled for later this year.

[QUOTE] I see Tony is wearing his "I forgot to get a haircut" wig. Nice touch.

Tony doesn’t wear wigs, R19.

I hope you're joking, R21.

Tony wore this fabulous wig when he was 60 years old, R21.

If you live long enough, you'll come down with almost every disease

R24, so depressing.

They teased this on the news three times this morning. I’m like, he’s 95 years old, of course it’s Dementia. What else would it be? A new baby?

I suspected as much since he couldn't remember where he left his heart.

And yet he's barely out of diapers!

I read that he doesn’t understand what a fork and keys are for anymore. I imagine he’s not long for the world.

More recent wig, it's a doozy!

No one can tell the difference between a wig and real hair!

R27 He left his heart in San Francisco, where did he leave his brain?

Damn, that's sad.

He’s 94. He’s lived a good long life.

I left my heart in . . . oh where did I leave my heart again? I just had it here with me. Can somebody help me find my heart?

Well, I guess that explains his non-response to my "Merry Christmas, Mr. Bennett" greeting in passing 20 years ago.

/s

Ugh so cruel this life. Stories like this remind me why I'm such a whore. Enjoy your youth, boys.

I've seen him in concert many times. Saw him with Gaga at the Hollywood Bowl. It was fucking AMAZING! Last time was two years ago at the Bowl and you could tell something was off.

[QUOTE] I left my heart in . . . oh where did I leave my heart again? I just had it here with me. Can somebody help me find my heart?

This is funny to you? The man is a national treasure.

He played a venue I was working at, and his one request for his dressing room was the Target brand of prune juice. No joke...this was like four years ago.

[quote] He played a venue I was working at,

Oh, dear!

I saved his ass on Thanksgiving a couple of years ago.

The bright side is he gets to meet new people every day now.

Tony’s concert schedule kept his mind alert. Without stimulation along with the quarantine has worsened his condition.

Am I the only one who read his tweet "life is a gift" in his voice with that big genuine smile on his face?

He came onto As the World Turns in late 1985, appearing as himself to open Caroline's.

Meg loathed that Lily had such privilege in her life that she got to go and meet him.

That's sad. To live to be his age and then get that diagnosis.

Alec Baldwin A Tony Bennett interviews Tony Bennett

Growing up in the 60s, Tony Bennett seemed impossibly square to me. Only as an eldergay have I realized how brilliant he is.

This is a serious question. My Aunt had Alzheimer's. She started showing signs when she was 68. It took about 10 years, and we watched it ravage her. She was tested and diagnosed by professionals. Now My mother, who died a few years ago, lived to be 93. She was mentally sharp and did just fine until she turned 90. They her decline was rapid. She developed dementia, the last 18 months of her life. Not Alzheimer's. So I want to know what's the difference.

We were told Alzheimer's starts earlier and is gradual. And Dementia usually begins as you age. I bet Tony had this disease for longer than they are admitting. When we noticed something wrong with my Aunt, it was very gradual and she'd have periods of normal, and if she took her pill and had the right stimulation she'd be fine. Then she'd decline a little more and plateau, then repeat the cycle. Each time getting worse.

I bet Tony has bee dealing with this for 7-8 years or more. It's subtle. At first they might think, well he's just tired, and getting forgetful in his old age. Either that or he has dementia and they don't want to use that. Dementia has a much more negative implication.

[QUOTE] Tony’s concert schedule kept his mind alert. Without stimulation along with the quarantine has worsened his condition.

That’s fucked up to think about. He escaped Coronavirus through infection but it might end up killing him in another way.

It's obviously sad news, but all in all, he's had a remarkable life. To have sustained a career as long as he has and to gain perhaps his widest critical acclaim and commercial success as an elderly man has been incredible. That's just... so rare.

When I was in middle school I remember getting hooked on his fantastic MTV Unplugged album. Even then, in his late-60s, it was obviously so unusual to see someone so advanced have such a breakthrough. And, then, just 6 years ago, in his late 80s, he had the #1 album in the country.

I'm also someone who thinks his voice has gotten better as he's aged. To me, his voice, his sensitivity, his delivery has gotten richer in his 70s -- and even into his 80s. Yes, it's sad news. But there's also so much to celebrate.

Years ago, as the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, I walked among the floats that were waiting to go (I think it was Central Park West).

All the performers we waiting on their floats.

Tony Bennett was on one and on another nearby, the boys from NSync.

I saw Bennett get off his float and walk over and meet the NSync guys. It was fun to witness their first meeting.

"I bet Tony had this disease for longer than they are admitting"

Why should his family "admit" anything? Of course he's had dementia much longer than they're saying, they can say whatever they want or say nothing. It's like when a famous couple separates and everyone hopes they'll get back together. Truth is they've been living separate lives much longer than they say, or admit.

Ronald Reagan had Alzheimer's while he was still in the White House.

INFO:

My father idolised him, so I grew up listening to Tony Bennett. He has always seemed to be a gracious gentleman despite his great fame.

I saw him and Gaga at the Hollywood Bowl five or six years ago. Both were just fantastic and their chemistry was off the charts. If his last album is a duet record with Gaga, that's not a bad way to cap a brilliant career.

Still, going out via Alzheimer's is my absolute worst nightmare. Poor guy.

Shit! Whom will we now award the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album to every fucking year? Will anyone notice if we keep giving it to him even after he stops releasing any material or passes away?

Well he sure won’t notice.

Will anyone notice if we keep giving it to him even after he stops releasing any material or DIES?

Bennett's incomparable paean to the city of my birth.

Weren't there gay rumors about Tony back in the day?

Ha ha, R63. Absolutely not.

I never went to a Tony Bennett concert and now I probably never will.

Gaga is a succubus who stole his soul.

Tony - Call me - I'd like to do a duet on my big hit - Rhinestone something

I’m glad you find this amusing, R67. 🙄

I love Tony r68. Sometimes we just need to lighten up a bit. Life is already so serious.

I love Tony r68. Sometimes we just need to lighten up a bit. Life is already so serious.

yes, I also regret not going to one of his concerts...

I have many of his CDs. Enjoy his work with KD lang

He turned into a boringly monotonous snooze in the last 15-20 years though but the NARAS kept showering him with Grammys. Even back in 1995 his shocking AOTY win reportedly caused a massive shakeup in NARAS and their voting practices because they were embarrassed about Tony Bennett, of all people, winning AOTY.

[quote] He left his heart in San Francisco, where did he leave his brain?

San Jose

Dionne may have gone to San Jose but her nostrils can still inhale the crack in Newark.

Who will get his toupee collection?

My mother has Alzheimer's. It's a bitch to deal with.

R75 He is donating to kids with cancer.

"Still, going out via Alzheimer's is my absolute worst nightmare. Poor guy."

More like his poor family. Tony has no idea what's happening.

The man hasn’t gone completely off the rails yet. He’s aware that he can’t do what he loves most anymore and it’s probably killing him.

I read an article about this - he's still somewhat functional but definitely in decline. Music is the thing that keeps him somewhat able to function.

How do you know, R79?

I'm not R79 but this article goes into depth about where he is right now.

Because it’s obvious, R81. It’s not like the guy’s been a recluse for the past decade—he’s been out here. We’ve seen him. He’s been working and touring up until the pandemic. The drop off is never that steep and sudden.

Who can ever forget his riveting performance as Hymie Kelly in "The Oscar"?

The article says that the pandemic is (like many of us) one of the worst things that could happen to him, because he's had to be isolated and it's accelerated his decline.

Shockingly, he appears to be booked for a concert in NYC in July.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

I can't wait for the Gaga album. What a great sendoff for Tony. Anybody know when it comes out?

He left his brain in San Francisco.

He's supposed to be a liberal but he lives in a trump building.

I saw him from the front row in a concert when he was in his 80s. He was awesome! Sir Paul should have half of Tony's then-vocals!

Somebody else just received their AARP magazine, it seems.

I read this article just today.

He looks good for 94.

A few years ago, I saw him perform on tv and he could barely move, he sounded good but didn't look too well.

The tipoff was definitely that Lady Gaga album...as Madge said above.

It’s the natural progression after being bewitched and bothered.

His wife says he doesn’t know he has it.

Tony’s going strong! And he can thankfully still recognize his friends and family.

Oh, I forgot about that.

ladyawhoooo?