Liza Minnelli has claimed that she was forced to sit in a wheelchair to present the award for Best Picture at the 2022 Oscars. "I was inexplicably ordered - not even asked - to sit in a wheelchair or not appear at all," Minnelli, 79, writes in her upcoming memoir, Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!, according to an excerpt shared by People on Friday, February 20. Minnelli, who presented the Best Picture award alongside Lady Gaga at the awards ceremony, added that she was expecting to sit in a director's chair, but the plans changed at the last minute. "I was told it was because of my age, and for safety reasons, because I might slip out of the director's chair, which was bulls***," she continued. '"I will not be treated this way,' I said. My co-presenter insisted she would not go on stage with me unless I was in a wheelchair." Liza Minnelli Through the Years: Screen Stardom, EGOT, More Minnelli wrote that she was "heartbroken" by the alleged demand, adding that the wheelchair made her struggle to see the teleprompter. "I was much lower down than I would have been in the director's chair," she explained. "Now, I couldn't easily read the teleprompter above me. How would you feel if you were wheeled out, against your will, to perform in front of a live audience, and unable to see clearly? So, when I stumbled over a few words, Gaga, who was at my side, didn't miss a beat to play the kindhearted hero for all the world to see. 'I got you,' she said, leaning down over me." Minnelli claimed that Gaga, 39, later stopped by her dressing room to ask, "Are you OK?" Robyn Beck / AFP "I looked at her and said simply, 'I'm a big fan.' I learned this lesson years ago from Mama and Papa. At a moment of high stress, you stay gracious," Minnelli continued. "The winner for Best Picture that year was CODA. I loved the irony of the title. For me, writing my memoir would be my CODA, my truth. There's always a rainbow - if you know where to look for it." Us Weekly reached out to Gaga's rep and the Academy for comment. Gaga (real name Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta) and Minnelli went viral for their interaction on the 2022 Oscars stage. The moment saw the Cabaret star get a standing ovation as Gaga leaned over and told her, "You see that? The public, they love you." Minnelli, who appeared to be confused, shuffled papers in her hands and said, "But what am I ... I don't understand." Gaga then placed a hand on Minnelli's shoulder and told her, "I got it." "You know how much I love working with legends," Gaga said as she took Minnelli's hand. "I'm honored to present the final award of the evening with a true show business legend." Liza Minnelli Says Mom Judy Garland Was a 'Challenging' Part of Childhood Gaga then praised Minnelli on the 50th anniversary of her Oscar-winning role in Cabaret before passing the introduction to the iconic actress and singer. Minnelli stumbled over her words a bit, prompting Lady Gaga to tell her, "I got you." The "Born This Way" singer helped Minnelli hold the envelope as Minnelli announced the winner. Liza's memoir, cowritten with her longtime best friend and pianist Michael Feinstein, details her early life as the daughter of Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli, as well as her struggles with addiction, her four marriages and more. Kids, Wait Till You Hear This! will be available on Tuesday, March 10.