Lady Gaga steps out with fiancé Michael Polansky for a quiet dinner at Soho House in West Hollywood after Liza Minnelli criticizes their 2022 Oscars presentation

After a swirl of headlines and resurfaced drama from the 2022 Academy Awards, Lady Gaga chose not to fire back.

Instead, she did something far simpler: she stepped out for dinner.

On Friday night, the 39-year-old pop icon was seen leaving Soho House in West Hollywood alongside her fiancé, Michael Polansky.

The exclusive, members-only club has long been a safe haven for celebrities looking to avoid cameras and chaos — though in this case, photographers were waiting outside.

The timing wasn’t random. An explosive excerpt from a forthcoming memoir had just put Gaga back in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

Gothic Glam and Low-Key Energy

Gaga stayed true to her signature aesthetic.

She wore an all-black look — mock turtleneck, elbow-length sleeves, and a mini skirt that showed off her toned legs.

Black boots grounded the outfit, oversized dark shades shielded her expression, and her white-blonde hair fell sleek and straight down her back.

Polansky matched her monochrome mood in a black jacket and trousers, topping the look with a baseball cap pulled low.

The pair moved quickly into a waiting vehicle, their driver holding the door as they slipped inside.

It was a rare evening off. Since kicking off her Mayhem Ball Tour last July, Gaga has barely paused for breath.

She recently thanked Bad Bunny for inviting her to appear during his Super Bowl halftime show, adding yet another high-profile moment to an already packed schedule.

But as much as the tour has kept her busy, it’s the Oscars controversy that’s suddenly dominating conversation again.

The Memoir That Reopened Old Wounds

In her upcoming autobiography Kids, Wait Till You Hear This, Liza Minnelli offers her version of what really happened during that awkward 2022 Best Picture presentation.

At the time, Gaga and Minnelli appeared onstage together at the Academy Awards ceremony — held at the Dolby Theatre — to present the final award of the night.

It was framed publicly as a touching cross-generational Hollywood moment.

But Minnelli, now 79, claims the reality felt very different.

According to the memoir excerpt, she says she was told — not asked — to use a wheelchair to present the award.

She alleges it was framed as a safety precaution due to her age, a suggestion she strongly resented.

The Cabaret legend wrote that she felt sidelined and placed lower than she would have been in a traditional director’s chair, making it harder to read the teleprompter.

When she stumbled over a few words onstage, Minnelli recalls Gaga leaning in and reassuring her with, “I got you,” a gesture the younger star likely intended as supportive.

But Minnelli describes it as condescending, suggesting Gaga seized the moment to appear heroic.

It’s a sharp contrast to the warm optics viewers saw at home.

Fallout and Feelings

In the immediate aftermath of the ceremony, Minnelli’s longtime friend Michael Feinstein said she felt “sabotaged” by the last-minute change. Speaking on SiriusXM’s The Jess Cagle Show, he described her as deeply disappointed.

Minnelli, the daughter of screen legend Judy Garland and filmmaker Vincente Minnelli, had previously insisted she would never publish a memoir. “Tell it when I’m gone,” she once said.

But frustration over what she felt were inaccurate portrayals of both her life and her mother’s ultimately changed her mind. Now, she’s telling her own story — in her own words.

Notably, Gaga has remained completely silent about the new claims.

Tour Dates, Wedding Talk and Baby Dreams

While controversy swirls, Gaga’s calendar keeps moving.

She’s scheduled to return to the Kia Forum for shows on February 22 and 23, before heading to Fort Worth for late-February performances.

The tour wraps April 13 at Madison Square Garden, a venue that holds special meaning for any artist who has conquered it.

Through it all, Polansky has been by her side.

The American entrepreneur and venture capitalist — who has co-written several songs with Gaga — joined her in Paris last November and in Miami, where they were spotted relaxing on a yacht last September.

The couple got engaged in April 2024 but haven’t announced a wedding date.

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, they admitted they already “feel married.”

They’re not interested in a massive, spectacle-style ceremony — something fitting for a global superstar — but rather a celebration they can actually enjoy.

Gaga has also been open about wanting children.

She’s said becoming a mother is her biggest dream.

Polansky has cited Elton John and filmmaker David Furnish as inspiration, noting how grounded and happy their sons seem.

Gaga is godmother to the couple’s boys, giving her an up-close look at family life beyond fame.

For an artist who has reinvented herself repeatedly — from meat dress provocateur to Oscar-winning actress — the idea of motherhood may be her most personal transformation yet.

Silence Can Speak Louder Than Statements

Public spats between entertainment icons are nothing new, especially when award shows are involved.

The Oscars have long been a breeding ground for tension — from envelope mix-ups to political speeches gone viral.

In that context, this disagreement becomes part of a larger Hollywood tradition where behind-the-scenes narratives often clash with what viewers see on screen.

Gaga’s strategy appears to be restraint. No rebuttal.

No social media thread. Just dinner, tour rehearsals, and life as usual.

In an industry fueled by reaction, sometimes not reacting is the loudest move of all.

What’s Next?

Minnelli’s memoir is expected to spark wider debate once it’s fully released, potentially prompting further commentary from those involved in the 2022 ceremony.

As for Gaga, her focus seems firmly fixed on finishing her tour strong — and perhaps planning a wedding when the schedule allows.

Whether she eventually addresses Minnelli’s claims remains to be seen.

For now, she’s letting the music — and the silence — do the talking.

---

Summary

Lady Gaga stepped out for a rare dinner date with fiancé Michael Polansky at Soho House in West Hollywood amid renewed controversy stemming from Liza Minnelli’s upcoming memoir.

Minnelli claims she was forced to use a wheelchair during their joint presentation at the 2022 Oscars and felt Gaga’s onstage support came across as condescending.

Gaga has not responded publicly. Meanwhile, she continues her Mayhem Ball Tour, with upcoming shows in Inglewood, Fort Worth, and a finale at Madison Square Garden.

Engaged since April 2024, Gaga and Polansky say they already feel married and hope to start a family in the future.