LIZA MINNELLI - MINNELLI SHOCKED CENSORS WITH UNDERWEAR-FREE TV SPECIAL

LIZA MINNELLI shocked censors with the costumes for her 1972 TV special LIZA WITH A Z, because she wore nothing under them.

Watchdogs at America's Standards + Practices threatened to shut the show down three hours before it aired live, prompting choreographer/director BOB FOSSE to beg them to reconsider.

The censors were outraged by the racy HALSTON costumes Minnelli was set to wear on the show, which has been remastered for a DVD release in March (06).

The CABARET star recalls, "It was the first time that Halston clothing had been seen, and I tell you this, there's not a lot of undergarments in Liza With a Z. It's fairly naked.

"There was a lady who came in who was from Standards and Practices, and she took a look at the costumes and said, `She's naked up there. We can't use that.'

"Fosse and (songwriters) KANDER + EBB and (designer) Halston took this one woman into a room and they talked to her for 15 minutes. I'm standing outside and we have three hours before the show goes on.

"She comes out and she has a different look on her face. I said, `Is it all right? Can I wear these clothes?' And she said, `Yes. It's fashion.' They won and the clothes won all kinds of awards, as did Fosse and myself. We all won the Emmys."