Opening 52 tony awards 1998 - Jennifer Holliday, Rosie O'Donnell, Patti LuPone

[TheSuperGasman]

Who on earth sang Don't cry for me Argentina?.....what a warbler! The non-singer presenter that everyone is slating sang better!

[reelmack]

I recorded and watched this SOOO many times when I was 12. Oh the memories.

[davidj1210]

JENNIFER HOLLIDAY BLOWS IT AWAY!!!!!!!!!

[eustazio]

to all the total *idiots* who feel like they have to point out that rosie can't sing. it was exactly the point of the song. honestly i won't even explain further you probably don't have enough brains to understand.

[ValtronW]

@eustazio Doesn't make it any less annoying.

[ValtronW]

Rosie O'donnel can't sing. =S

[29psalm]

Rosie o'donnel please go away

[powerrecluse]

rosie, PLEASE stick with what you know hon!

[alexanderdiaz1]

I have been looking for this on youtube for years...Finally!!! Thank you so much for posting...I'm reliving and loving every moment....

[BlueSpirit3743]

I loved how O'Donnell laughed after doing the Riverdance thing, barely disguising it. It shows how seriously she DOESN'T take herself. It really s why America fell in love with her all the way back in '96. Rosie FTW!

[tipofmytongue1024]

Fuckin Betty Buckley...god love her!

[MyHeadintheClouds]

stupendous. absolutely stupendous.

[lcowles]

You can hear Patti just blaring through the entire group at the end. Amazing.

[mlc2005]

I love how the opening kind of started a bit ho-humb with Rosie (who is an AMAZING entertainer, but no Tony singer) starting it off (loved the self deprecation).You just know some of the snobs in the audience were thinking "Oh pluezze!She cannot sing."And then suddenly, it turns into this brilliantly choreographed opener with three of the most talented divas EVER on Broadway. It could not have been any better than this. And the the closing when they all brought the house down! FABULOUS Girls!

[KeepItGayStageNazi]

I love Seth Rudetsky.

[therealgiannab8D]

Rosie please stop singing PLEASE

[Asalieri2]

@therealgiannab8D EXACTLY

[sirenap123]

daaaaaamn D.I.V.A.S. 

[darreyl102]

Is it just me or does it sound like Betty said "Let the Shoe start" at 7:22 ?

[gioPHL]

WOW! Just WOW!

[timbalandj]

Thanks 4 reposting.. a truly classic moment - every voice.....

[missduh101]

dude...dude

[aronross78]

FANTASTIC!!

[kimboo03]

Jennifer Holiday Killed It!!!!!!

[TIPTON340]

Jennifer Holliday knocked it out of the park.

[travis7con]

@TIPTON340 Yes she did!!!

[mysticatedwine]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR POSTING THIS!!!! I've been searching for this clip online for years. This was the first time I ever laid eyes (and ears) on Jennifer Holliday. It was a big moment in my life.

[Tecfob]

I LOVE YOU!!! thank you so much for this!!

[AsdaGay]

for Miss ArtOIS. c u Sunday xxxxxxxx Monkey xxx

[10thDoctorsCompanion]

Thanks so much for uploading! I really enjoyed it.

I'm curious - did you tape the whole show? If so, would you be willing to upload Alan Cumming's acceptance of his award for best actor in a musical? I've been dying to see it, and definitely don't remember it (if we watched it, that is!) since I was only 7 at the time. :)

[victate]

I Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[FLATX7880]

Thanks for the Post. I watched the night this aired and it's my favorite too. Rosie knew what we wanted. Keep it posted please.Jennifer was the bomb baby. And Ms Patti LuPone is always a hit.

[cakes4days]

I love how the audience wasn't sure if it was Jennifer Holliday until she sang her signature, the broken "Go-ng". When she sang that, they went crazy...lol. She is a vocal power house and no one will ever come close to matching her God given voice.

[heidston]

What does Patti yell ate the end?!

[jaspar38]

I never knew this video existed. Thank you, Seth Rudetsky! If you have no idea what I'm talking about, watch the video of him deconstructing Julia Murney in "The Wild Party." :-P Go TONY!

[bettybern]

betty rocks!

[RLGbrs]

Huge thanks for posting this, I had seen it once on the internet and never found it again... Yet, here it is; the best opening ever! chills.....thanks

[bmjw06]

Jennifer Holliday Wow.

[risingdancer]

Thank you so much for posting this! I've never seen it before, but it's great!

I love how it's all divas too :D I wish they had done something like that this year!

[justtom77]

thank you SO much for putting this up!!!!  I remember watching this that night in awe of those 3 ladies!!!! such great memories and, agreed...THE BEST OPENING EVER!!!!!!

[iriear]

Jennifer Holliday is a beast. Where did God get her from? She's a vocal powerhouse!

[1618hp]

What does Patti say at the end?

[dscottvanmeter]

@1618hp Rosie O'Donnell: I can't believe that I'm on stage surrounded by All: DIVA's Patti Lupone: Tonight we celebrate BROADWAY.. Jennifer Holliday: You'll hear some other Diva's sing All: Ragtime, Pimpernel, Lion King Betty Buckley: Let the show start Rosie O'Donnell: Be still my heart.. All: Tony, Tony, Patti LuPone or Betty Buckley (not sure who says): GO BROADWAY Tony, Tony TAKE IT AWAY!!

[AtLastOnTheGround]

@dscottvanmeter

It's definitely Patti saying "Go Broadway."

[rrrich7]

@dscottvanmeter  Patti LuPone says "YO, TONY!"

[abcxyzcrap]

@dscottvanmeter It's LuPone. :)

[212dude]

@1618hp She says "Good luck!" 

[212dude]

@1618hp she says "Good luck!" 

[altatim]

@1618hp  She yells "Good Luck !"

[Foxx1981]

This just reminds me how much more fun the 90s were...

...great upload. Thank you!