What I’m Watching: An Unforgettable Finale

Love For Sale

A few weeks ago, Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett performed at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, perhaps for the last time together. Bennett, who is 95, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016. The effects of the disease have taken their toll, and Bennett struggles to retain his memories today. His hold on his mind becomes less tethered by the day.

This finale, which was put on hold because of the global pandemic, accompanies the release of their album Love for Sale. The event has been widely reported, but perhaps no one has done it better than Anderson Cooper and his segment for the CBS newsmagazine program, 60 Minutes.

Music As Therapy

Cooper takes us into the home of Bennet and his wife, Susan Crow, who now serves as his primary caregiver. He offers raw reporting on the toll the disease has taken Bennet’s mind, his family, and the people around him. But the segment isn’t all about the debilitating effects of Alzheimer’s. Rather, it offers insights into how caregivers and loved one’s cope. It illustrates the power of music as therapy – a lifeline to a world that is slipping away. 

When Bennett takes the stage in his final act, he immediately springs to life and becomes himself again. The power of his performance is punctuated when Lady Gaga comes to stage. Bennet recognizes her for the first time in years, and he exclaims, “Wow, Lady Gaga!” It’s a moment that moves people to tears. 

The day following his last show, Cooper sits with Bennett and his wife in Central Park. He asks him about the performance the night before, but Tony has already forgotten the magic that he brought to the stage, as well as the gift of song that he gave to the world one last time.