'60 Minutes' gives intimate look at Tony Bennett's struggle with Alzheimer's
It's remarkable enough that Tony Bennett celebrated his 95th birthday on Aug. 3 by performing at Radio City Music Hall with Lady Gaga.
It's miraculous and moving that he managed to do that while battling Alzheimer's.
During Sunday's 60 Minutes, a segment reported by Anderson Cooper gives the most intimate glimpse yet at how Bennett's condition has deteriorated since his diagnosis in 2016. (He publicly disclosed his Alzheimer's in February.)
"He recognizes me, thank goodness, [and] his children," Susan Benedetto—Bennett's wife of 14 years and partner of 30-plus years—told Anderson. "We are blessed in a lot of ways. He's very sweet. He doesn't know he has [Alzheimer's]!"
Benedetto explained that not being able to perform during the pandemic has "been hard on" Bennett.
"Our doctor said, 'If he wants to sing, let him sing because that's the best thing for him,' she continued. "All the meds and all the treatments they do the stimulate your brain, for him, there's nothing more stimulating than performing."
It was Danny Bennett, Tony's eldest of four kids, who suggested Bennett play Radio City Music Hall, later announced by Gaga in July. It will broadcast on CBS later this fall:
Toward the end of the package, footage from Bennett's birthday set at Radio City played—including him smiling and welcoming Gaga back to the stage by yelling her name into the microphone, which was a more meaningful moment than anybody in the audience realized.
"That's the first time that Tony said my name in a long time," Gaga, 35, revealed to Anderson. "I had to keep it together because we had a sold-out show, and I have a job to do, but I'll tell you when I walked out on that stage, and he said, 'It's Lady Gaga,' my friend saw me. And it was very special."
Unfortunately, a few days later when Cooper joined Bennett and Benedetto for their daily walk in Central Park, Bennett "had no memory of playing Radio City at all."
Bennett and Gaga released Love For Sale, their second jazz album together after 2014's Cheek to Cheek, on Friday.
Watch the full 60 Minutes feature below.
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