Surprise! Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett are last-minute Emmy nominees for One Last Time special

Joey Nolfi

2 August 2022 at 6:37 pm·2-min read

Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett just jazzed up the Emmys.

One day before Bennett's 96th birthday, the musical pair were added to the TV Academy's nominees list for their work on the 2021 CBS concert special One Last Time.

Though they were initially left off of the special's roster in the Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) category, Bennett and Gaga's names joined those of the Alex Coletti Productions project's producers, which also includes Bennett's son, Danny, and Gaga's longtime manager, Bobby Campbell.

Filmed in celebration of Bennett's 95th birthday at Manhattan's Radio City Music Hall in the summer of 2021, One Last Time capped an 11-year partnership between the musicians, after they first worked together on his Duets II album in September 2011. It also promoted the release of their latest jazz album, Love for Sale, which was billed as Bennett's final release as he battles Alzheimer's disease.

At the end of the event, Gaga escorted Bennett off stage for the final time, with audience members rising to their feet for an uproarious ovation honoring the crooner's decades-long career in entertainment.

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga perform on stage during MTV Unplugged: Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga at the Angel Orensanz Center in New York City. MTV Unplugged: Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga will air Thursday, Dec. 16, at 9 p.m. ET on MTV in the U.S. and across its global platforms. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for ViacomCBS); Emmy statue at the 71st Emmy Awards Governors Ball press preview at LA Live in Los Angeles, California on September 12, 2019. - The 71st Primetime Emmy Awards will be held on September 22, 2019. (Photo by Mark RALSTON / AFP) (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP via Getty Images

Kevin Mazur/Getty; Mark RALSTON/AFP/Getty Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett have been Emmy-nominated for 'One Last Time'

"Mr. Bennett, it would be my honor to escort you off the stage," Gaga said, before taking Bennett's arm and walking out of view.

Bennett has two prior Emmy victories, both for similar TV specials: One for 1996's Tony Bennett Live by Request: A Valentine's Special, and another for the 2006 show Tony Bennett: An American Classic.

An Oscar winner for her songwriting on the 2018 film A Star Is Born, Gaga has a pair of past Emmy nominations to her credit for her 2011 concert film Lady Gaga Presents: The Monster Ball Tour at Madison Square Garden and another Bennett TV endeavor, 2014's Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek Live. If One Last Time wins this year, Gaga will only need a Tony (go figure) to complete her EGOT collection.

The 2022 Emmy Awards air Monday, Sept. 12, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC.

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Related content:

Hello!
Michael Schumacher's heartbreaking health situation: reclusive life and everything we know
Formula One legend and former Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher, 55, has lived a reclusive life with his family away from the glare of the spotlight since his skiing accident in 2013…
The Independent
‘Stanley Johnson caused our flight to be cancelled’ – claim from passengers on BA plane diverted to Heathrow
Exclusive: At one stage airport police were summoned to deal with an altercation, passengers say
The Independent
How David Beckham got ‘revenge’ on Prince Harry for Meghan Markle snub
The prince allegedly ignored the footballer after agreeing to meet him
Manchester Evening News
Footage shows out-of-control XL Bully being chased by armed cops before being shot dead following horror attack on woman
GMP said the dog had to be destroyed 'as the last possible option'
OK! Magazine
Amanda Holden takes brutal swipe at Meghan Markle and Prince Harry with five-word comment
Amanda Holden has claimed that the British public don't "really care" about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and argued the press make "too much" of the couple's moves
OK! Magazine
Carol McGiffin's blunt 4-word statement on friends Ruth and Eamonn split
Former Loose Woman Carol McGiffin has opened up with her true thoughts about Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes' split - two people she is friends with and admits she 'loves' equally
Manchester Evening News
'I plan to ruin my neighbour's business as he keeps blocking my driveway'
A woman has been left furious after her neighbour's customers kept blocking her driveway - so she's come up with a plan to ruin his business. She shared her tale over on Reddit
Manchester Evening News
'I gave up Diet Coke for a month and I couldn't believe how it transformed my life'
Paul Turner was stunned by the results
OK! Magazine
Prince William slaps Harry with 'absolute ban' and is 'calling the shots when it comes to family discipline'
It has been reported that Prince William does not want his brother Harry to return to the inner circle of the royal family 'in any way, shape or form' and is taking lessons from his grandfather
OK! Magazine
Katie Price reveals the results of her 17th boob job
Katie Price has proudly shown off her new body online after underoing the knife for a whopping 17th time, but this time to make her boobs smaller for the first time
OK! Magazine
BBC Breakfast's Charlie Stayt forced to apologise live on air after broadcast blunder
BBC Breakfast face a huge broadcast blunder on Saturday morning's show and long-standing host Charlie Stayt was forced to apologise to viewers for the sound mishap
News Shopper
Busy London station CLOSED with major police presence and cordons in place
A busy central London train station has been closed, with a major police presence at the scene.
The Telegraph
Donald Trump is going to turn Starmer’s Britain into an international laughing stock
Grandfather Robert Blackstock, a retired engineer from Nottinghamshire, became the “Brenda from Bristol” of this election campaign when he asked Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer during Wednesday night’s TV debate: “Are you two really the best we’ve got to be the next prime minister of our great country?”
The Guardian
London Pride: Sadiq Khan leads 32,000 marchers through capital
Annual LBGTQ+ celebration takes place with march between Hyde Park and Trafalgar Square
The Independent
A pair of siblings were stabbed and the sister’s dying words were that the killer was a man from Detroit. Thirty-four years later, he’s been arrested.
Pamela Sumpter, was raped and stabbed, and her brother John Sumpter was stabbed to death, at their Georgia home on July 15, 1990
FTW Outdoors
‘Ever vigilant’ elephant stamps out threat to calf at watering hole
Dramatic footage captured in India shows "what maternal instinct is all about” as crocodile limps away empty-handed.
The Telegraph
Did Nigel Farage blow himself up in the BBC Question Time election special? Our writers react
It was finally Nigel Farage’s time to appear before a BBC Question Time audience this evening, more than a week after Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer had theirs. The Reform UK leader took the podium in the same hour as a Green Party representative, Adrian Ramsay. Yet only one of these men has excited reaction from our writers.
OK! Magazine
This Morning star says police have made 'critical error' in hunt for missing Jay Slater
Former Scotland Yard detective Peter Bleksley has voiced his fears over the Spanish police investigation into the disappearance of British teenager Jay Slater, 19
OK! Magazine
Princess Beatrice seen partying until 2am at Glastonbury VIP bar as crowd hurls abuse at King Charles
Princess Beatrice partied until 2am at a secret VIP Glastonbury hideout as a band chanted "F**k the King" just hours before the royal was seen knocking back drinks
Manchester Evening News
Giovanni Pernice says 'it's happening' as he's reunited with Strictly Come Dancing star amid support
It comes after the BBC confirmed the professional dancer line-up for the upcoming 2024 series earlier in June

Latest stories