Excellent interview. Donahue allows Elton John space to really talk about himself. Super to look back today and listen to Elton's ambition and self-awareness. Wonderful!
@@dandax8707 no he is not, he is the same as hes always been, he humiliates himself in front of millions still, he does collaborations with younger artists, he lets other people use his music freely without copystriking them, he has a charity against aids, he adopted two children and he loves them, i truly dont see how hes a bad person.
Think about that 12.50 now is equivalent to about i would say 30 bucks today . anyone could spend 30 bucks now to go to a big celebrity concert. That's how it was then..
That's the main reason I won't be seeing his farewell tour.....ticket prices. I saw him 3 times in the 80s. The most I ever paid for a ticket was $35. And that seat was front row, center stage. No shit! I looked online for his farewell tickets at Greensboro. That $35 front row ticket from the 80s would cost almost six thousand dollars today. I love you Elton.....but I gotta pass.
I remember as a freshman in high school spending $11 emptying my wine jar/bank to the last nickel to go see the Eagles. By the way the Eagles suck. I've seen Elton John four times. He's a legend.
One of my most fav artists when I was a little kid, every song, Bennie and the Jets, Don't let the Sun go Down on me, I remember hearing Tiny Dancer for the first time and it literally changed my life. Elton John is and has always just been AMAZING ❤❤😎
its funny, EJ is clearly being open about how he was just like any other rock star but Donahue just refuses to see it, just doesn't want to see it, it seems.
Love the woman who said I want to give something back to you by saying you are so warm and flamboyant and I love you for that and told him thank you for the music.
WOW...I came here to see E.J´s Interview, but now I need to say that YOU Kelly, you´ve got a wonderful and cute smile!!! (I hope I´m not imposing, but I just HAD to let this out!) :)
I turned 15 two days before this! I recall being in 8th grade shop class and hearing Philadelphia Freedom come on the radio. We all laughed, having a consensus it was ancient and dated sounding. It was 1979! lol The only nostalgia stations played Perry Como and the like, but it was gradually filtering in other music. You know, the dentist office station. Funny how our concept of 'that's old' increases in years the older we get. I just realized that sadly John Lennon was murdered 7 weeks later on December 8th. I heard the news on Monday Night Football. Everyone was shaken.
@@paulj0557tonehead I remember that moment too. My dad was watching Monday night football and came to my room to tell me. I didn’t believe it. Thought it was another “Paul is Dead” type of thing. Yeah I was an idiot know it all teenager
I never knew Elton just flat out denied taking drugs for so long. He was living a life of a lie for the longest time which is sad, but I’m glad he found happiness eventually. Getting sober really fixed his life.
I remember seeing this one with Sir Elton John I was 15 years old and I always watched the Donahue show too ❤️ enjoyed his shows ! Thank you for bringing the memories back
@@cynthianolder3557I think he did some drugs before the show maybe. And he probably needed something before this show the way Donahue is grilling him . I hardly ever saw his show back in the day.
At 29:10 Elton cites Keith Jarrett as his all time favorite pianist. I find that very interesting because if you listen to any of Keith's albums from 1971-1978 (i.e. "Gary Burton & Keith Jarrett", "Expectations", "Treasure Island", "Belonging", or "My Song") aside from the Ornette Coleman-esque free improvisation, Keith's compositions sound like they could've been on ("Elton John", "Tumbleweed Connection", "Honky Chateau", and even "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" at times). So as a huge Keith Jarrett fan when I got into Elton I immediately recognized that Keith was influenced by him. But it's cool to see that the influence went both ways. Sorry I'm being a huge nerd right now.
He was a huge influence on my learning to be a singer and a musician. It's funny, the comment he made after being asked why he doesn't have an British accent when singing was that he and others were trying to imitate American singers. I was always trying to imitate him as well as others which is a comment people make at my shows, on how I can sound like other artists. Great interview, thank you for posting it. Phil Donahue always gave respect to those he interviewed. You don't see that level of professionalism much these days. Have never had the chance to see him live. Always working myself.
@@yvettenj he was high back then. Laughed when it didnt even make sense. These days he hardly laughs cuz times are bad and hes gone thru a lot since then.
Ah ROCKETMAN! We ALL LOVE YOU! You are a Beautiful Gifted, now blessed with two children. I’m glad you got clean. To still be around after EVERYTHING you’ve been through, all’s you wanted was too be loved and you finally achieved that. What a beautiful man.
@@janetphillips2875 Hi. For me that was 1977. Had the big poster up on the bedroom wall. Played my Crocodile Rock 45 nonstop. My best friend and I did a modern dance routine to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. And on and on.
Have to laugh at Donahue’s cluelessness here. (Phil was great at covering national affairs but sucked when it came to researching celebs, perhaps due to lack of interest.) I laughed when he said, with a straight face, that Elton had not been all that controversial, especially since by this time Elton had thrown himself into a swimming pool full of pills and had declared his bisexuality, both of which certainly got press coverage at the time. At the time this show aired, bringing up these subjects up might have been too hot for daytime TV-and Elton certainly wasn’t likely to say, “Hey, Phil, guess what: I’m high as a kite right now”-but Donahue looks really stupid trying to turn him into Mr. Clean.
I've been thinking about this.... was Donahue pretending that Elton wasn't on drugs or drunk (with those eyes and over-the-top laughing) for daytime TV, or did he really not know? I guess it's the latter....wow....
Elton has some dark circles under his eyes in this from what I can see on this old video tape. Wonder if Donahue has read EJ’s book by now. He’s probably too old to read it now.
I often see people use the term underrated - Elton's Band , particularly his guitar player is - in my opinion - under appreciated by many - it's a testament to Sir Elton's character how long his band mates have been with him - lots of superstars treat their hand mates as side men -:Not Sir Elton - I don't know the Man - but I believe he's one of the good guys - as is my fellow horse enthusiast Bernie +
I noticed that. He was probably afraid of what questions would be asked. But he played it well. Talking about his relationship with his father was as deep as he was willing to go and that's alright.
OMG he's adorable! And I LOVE his laugh. We dont hear that much anymore do we? And Donahue....bless his heart...really didn't do his homework did he? **giggle**
I loved this interview. Elton is so cute and delightful here! I loved his laugh. Such a beautiful personality and Phil Donahue was a fabulous interviewer. I remember watching his show when I was a kid and you can see why he became a talk show legend. (RIP Phil Donahue 12/21/35 - 8/18/24) First of all WTF was EJ sitting on. They couldn't give him a damn chair or a love seat? Elton still seemed to be really shy. He started out putting his hand near his mouth a lot and averted his line of vision quite a bit which is a sign of shyness, then after a while you can see that he got comfortable and then he relaxed a bit more in his surroundings. You noticed that he dodged the question about drugs pretty well but I guess he was used to doing that. He wasn't about to admit on the air that he was an avid substance abuser. That was at least 10 years away. I guess, saying that he "might have been" an alcoholic might have been more acceptable. I don't know, did that audience and Phil himself not know anything about his history? He had some high profile incidents prior which involved his drug use and his "partial" coming out in Rolling Stone just four years before this appearance but seems like they were all completely clueless. I was surprised when he mentioned that he and his father were not on speaking terms and it was kind of by mutual agreement that they didn't have a relationship. That was something that was deeply personal and you could tell that it still bothered him. His father didn't see him until he was two and his mom wanted more kids but Papa Dwight didn't...which IMO said more about his dealings with his wife than with his son but unfortunately Elton was a casuality of all their drama. It had to hurt Elton that his father remarried years later, had four kids with his new wife and was a good, loving and attentive husband and father to them. But I am so glad that he finally has the love and the family dynamic that he craved so badly. Of course we love him but it's different from what he truly felt he needed and I feel that. God bless you, Elton. 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
That father couldn't admit that he didn't see the diamond he had and then after, what a lack of character and how low you have to be as a parent not to celebrate the massive success of your child! Extremely sad to see some parents never grew up after a life time. The best give Elton can give to himself is be a great dad!
"Two bottles of brandy a day....well, I must have been an alcoholic.. ." *Audience gasp* They didn't see or chose to ignore his eyes and all the other signs...
I thought he was off the stuff temporarily because he knew he had to do the Phil Donahue show. I thought his eyes look good at that time. He especially took off the glasses so you could see what he looked like 👀
@@yvettenj You don't see the horrible dark circles under his eyes? You missed all his throat clearing? Added: I guess you can stop for a little while if you have to fake it for a special event.
meetpoorfor crowinsfo Not a troll, I’m only going by what Elton has said recently in his book and interviews since that time. He said he could stop drugs for weeks when he had something important coming up. When I saw this video on tv, I saw a much clearer picture and a very cute Elton, or at least I thought so 👍🏽😊.
So he said he just drink beer?? Very funny!! He was already an alcoholic and a cocaïne addict ! But I always loved him because he's a pop music genius and a legend !!
Mike Stevenson I know that!🙄He wasn’t talking about drugs, he was talking about alcohol ( he changed the subject from drugs). It sounds like he already knew he had a problem with alcohol and had tried to fix it on his own ( and failed, of course). He used to go for months without coke too.
@@claresherman2278 he was a heavy drinker since the late 70s same with blow. Hes spun out at this interview it was a lie. Nobodys gonna come out and just say their smoked off lol
He said in a later interview that at the time, he didn't regard cocaine as 'doing drugs'. He thought that shooting up heroin was doing drugs, and he wasn't into that. He was in denial, obviously.
He really poured his heart out to the donohue audience. He was clearly in pain and squirming to the rude drug question.... And then his "burps"....I was thinking how long ago did he throw up? Whatever it was, or a combo, he seems so uncomfortable..... he was just "getting through it all."
With those eyes, why would you ask if he's on drugs? Added: that last sentence was sarcasm. His eyes are *unmistakably* those of a man on drugs. Also, I'm surprised that somebody didn't ask him: "I heard you are gay.... don''t you prefer the grace and softness of females?"
@@claresherman2278 I never imagined that anybody would ask him that--- first of all, nobody in the audience knew that he had that illness. I simply was sitting here, (with my 20/20 vision), knowing why he's burping so much.
He is asking Elton " do you drink beer and have you escaped that pot and drug culture like many other music artists haven't "........ Are you JOKING 😂😂😂
But that was his style, tho. His talk show was different from others, whereas other talk shows, only the interviewer spoke to the guest. Oprah got her style from Donahue. He walked around through the audience and allowed them to speak.
I was wondering who the bloody hell this was being interviewed, but thank God for the name title at 13:25 otherwise I may have just assumed it was Lionel Ritchie.
Haha not into drugs. Read Elton's biography and you'll know that he was so into coke you wouldn't believe it. Lots of anecdotes about him and John Lennon and also Rod Stewart doing drugs... Great book btw!
Yeah but at that time, he was in deep denial. Besides he probably didn't see himself as an addict, just a recreational user who could stop when he needed to. But either Donahue wasn't paying attention or maybe it was willful ignorance...but even as a kid I remember the story got out about him taking all those pills with booze and trying to drown himself and that was only five years before this interview. I also knew about the Rolling Stone interview. His book is so beautifully and refreshingly honest, probably more than any other bio that I've read.
This was only 2 months before the great John Lennon was tragically shot and killed by a one time big Beatles fan since he was 11 and John had been his favorite Beatle. John asked Elton to become his son Sean Lennon's godfather and he did.
I had a belly laugh at the comment that $12.50 was a 'hell a lot of money for a concert ticket'. November 2019 I paid $800 for two tickets and was off to the side, never even saw the screen where the vids were playing . I didnt care, we saw EJ and without binoculars, we were that close.
I’m hoping to see him if he goes back on tour whenever this pandemic is over. I had a chance back in November and tickets were $300 then, Wow $400 apiece? I wish we were back in the days of $12.50 🤣🤣🤣🤣.
Hahahahahaha just bought yellow brick road final tour tickets for $300 each and very average seating! Had to skip groceries to afford them. And they are talking about $12.50 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Elton was a superstar by the early '70s so this lukewarm applause in 1980 must be due to the demographic of Phil's audience, which seems like a lot of seniors.
Donahue was the male version Oprah back in the day! His fatherinlaw was the famous Danny Thomas, singer, actor, and THE St. Judes Childrens Hospital Foundation, in Memphis, TN. DONAHUE wasnt a Rikki Lake, or a runofthemill personality.
After just finishing EJ's autobio book, I find it interesting that Donahue and Elton himself try and pretend Elton didn't do the usual druggie life of most music stars. At the time of this show (1980) he was HEAVILY into cocaine...probably snorted before this show. Also interesting that Lennon would be dead in only two months.
He appears to have circles under his eyes. I have that audio book on my libby app from the library. I renewed it about 5 times, for some reason no one else is putting a hold on it. I also have a hard copy though. It's actually hard to listen to some of the parts of it. Book was written in 2019 so it's nearly five years old. I also have Pete Townshend's book checked out and Bernie Taupin's audio book but that is a slog for me on audiobook, don't like the guy who reads it, it's not Bernie Taupin reading. Too much to absorb. I got into music bc politics is such a drag I couldn't stand reading about our upcoming elections anymore.
![Elton John Aquarius 1971 [Rare Documentary]](/img/n.gif)
Excellent interview. Donahue allows Elton John space to really talk about himself. Super to look back today and listen to Elton's ambition and self-awareness. Wonderful!
Elton’s music got me through shy teens. He will always be associated with my childhood. He is brilliant! He will never be duplicated!
He has pulled me out of death. He is only guy I can relate to.
Elton is so sweet, adorable, and interesting suppose this is why we love him so much.
Sweetest guy
Yeah but also he is silly
Not anymore he's not, he's now a cantankerous old fart.
@@dandax8707 no he is not, he is the same as hes always been, he humiliates himself in front of millions still, he does collaborations with younger artists, he lets other people use his music freely without copystriking them, he has a charity against aids, he adopted two children and he loves them, i truly dont see how hes a bad person.
@@gaelitos.s4392 He's the biological father of his kids.They used a surrogate mother.
Awe..didnt realize he was so gentle and transparent & the hyperventilating laughter. Cute♡
He's so cute when he blushes he's so sweet ❤❤❤
What a lovely guy he is. Such a great career and with the hurdles in his life he overcame I really have a lot of respect for Elton John.
“$12.50 is a lot of bucks to put down for a seat at a concert.” 26 years later I paid $350 to see Elton from the upper deck. Still money well spent.
Lol we did too in Raleigh NC! I wish it was $12.50!
Think about that 12.50 now is equivalent to about i would say 30 bucks today . anyone could spend 30 bucks now to go to a big celebrity concert. That's how it was then..
That's the main reason I won't be seeing his farewell tour.....ticket prices. I saw him 3 times in the 80s. The most I ever paid for a ticket was $35. And that seat was front row, center stage. No shit! I looked online for his farewell tickets at Greensboro. That $35 front row ticket from the 80s would cost almost six thousand dollars today. I love you Elton.....but I gotta pass.
@@Nolibtards_allowed yep
I remember as a freshman in high school spending $11 emptying my wine jar/bank to the last nickel to go see the Eagles. By the way the Eagles suck. I've seen Elton John four times. He's a legend.
One of my most fav artists when I was a little kid, every song, Bennie and the Jets, Don't let the Sun go Down on me, I remember hearing Tiny Dancer for the first time and it literally changed my life. Elton John is and has always just been AMAZING ❤❤😎
its funny, EJ is clearly being open about how he was just like any other rock star but Donahue just refuses to see it, just doesn't want to see it, it seems.
And Donahue married Marlo Thomas...a singer, actor
Love the woman who said I want to give something back to you by saying you are so warm and flamboyant and I love you for that and told him thank you for the music.
WOW...I came here to see E.J´s Interview, but now I need to say that YOU Kelly, you´ve got a wonderful and cute smile!!!
(I hope I´m not imposing, but I just HAD to let this out!) :)
I love the early late 70s/early 80s version of Elton without the glasses. He completely re-made his image from just a few years before.
I saw him live for the first time this very year, I was 15 years old. This December I’m going to see him with my adult children
I turned 15 two days before this! I recall being in 8th grade shop class and hearing Philadelphia Freedom come on the radio. We all laughed, having a consensus it was ancient and dated sounding. It was 1979! lol The only nostalgia stations played Perry Como and the like, but it was gradually filtering in other music. You know, the dentist office station. Funny how our concept of 'that's old' increases in years the older we get.
I just realized that sadly John Lennon was murdered 7 weeks later on December 8th. I heard the news on Monday Night Football. Everyone was shaken.
@@paulj0557tonehead I remember that moment too. My dad was watching Monday night football and came to my room to tell me. I didn’t believe it. Thought it was another “Paul is Dead” type of thing. Yeah I was an idiot know it all teenager
Not this year. Lol. You mean 1980, the year this interview aired on TV.
No disrespect.
@@stuartwray6175 By “this very year” I meant the year it is in the video. I should have been clearer
I never knew Elton just flat out denied taking drugs for so long. He was living a life of a lie for the longest time which is sad, but I’m glad he found happiness eventually. Getting sober really fixed his life.
He didn’t admit to until a sometime after rehab.
I remember seeing this one with Sir Elton John I was 15 years old and I always watched the Donahue show too ❤️ enjoyed his shows ! Thank you for bringing the memories back
This is back when daytime talk shows were good ! The hell with "The View" !
@@jornbuster6094 yes I agree.
I actually like the view,they hate the maga orange kool aid moron as much as I do.
Once talk shows were about the GUESTS, not about the hosts!
Yes, “the view” is pure Shit!
@@georgedoughly8682 lol,your pure shit,maga moron.
His laugh is adorable and contagious!
Love Elton-his laugh is goofier than Anderson Coopers
@@cynthianolder3557I think he did some drugs before the show maybe. And he probably needed something before this show the way Donahue is grilling him . I hardly ever saw his show back in the day.
Am watching this October 24, 2020--40 years after this show first aired, it's so amazing back then all the charm and impish tomfoolery Elton exuded.
At 29:10 Elton cites Keith Jarrett as his all time favorite pianist. I find that very interesting because if you listen to any of Keith's albums from 1971-1978 (i.e. "Gary Burton & Keith Jarrett", "Expectations", "Treasure Island", "Belonging", or "My Song") aside from the Ornette Coleman-esque free improvisation, Keith's compositions sound like they could've been on ("Elton John", "Tumbleweed Connection", "Honky Chateau", and even "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" at times). So as a huge Keith Jarrett fan when I got into Elton I immediately recognized that Keith was influenced by him. But it's cool to see that the influence went both ways. Sorry I'm being a huge nerd right now.
He was a huge influence on my learning to be a singer and a musician. It's funny, the comment he made after being asked why he doesn't have an British accent when singing was that he and others were trying to imitate American singers. I was always trying to imitate him as well as others which is a comment people make at my shows, on how I can sound like other artists. Great interview, thank you for posting it. Phil Donahue always gave respect to those he interviewed. You don't see that level of professionalism much these days. Have never had the chance to see him live. Always working myself.
I wish he still laughed like that.
Me too...loved that laugh, he’s so dry now, barely laughs in interviews 😕
@@yvettenj he was high back then. Laughed when it didnt even make sense. These days he hardly laughs cuz times are bad and hes gone thru a lot since then.
Freddie Mercury comes off stage at Live Aid 5 years later
Elton: you bastard. How does anybody follow that?
Freddie: thank you darling
love that
Elton's friend John Lennon was shot to death just two months after this show.SAD
Sad x 47.
What happened here as the New York sunset disappeared?
@@glennmiller9768 I found an empty garden among the flagstones there
''When you are an ass, you should be told you're an ass'' -Elton John 1980
And he still thinks so.
Who else was chuckling when he answered the drug question at 27:40? LOL
hahaha right? or when he was asked about the earring, you could see him contemplating his response lmao
He was smart and witty to divert
Ah ROCKETMAN! We ALL LOVE YOU! You are a Beautiful Gifted, now blessed with two children. I’m glad you got clean. To still be around after EVERYTHING you’ve been through, all’s you wanted was too be loved and you finally achieved that. What a beautiful man.
Beautiful comment.
John was alive at this point. That really gets to me.
Would have been a bonus if they had kept recording the commercials of that time!
I LOVE 2 see Eltons eyes!!
Me to
Those gorgeous brown eyes. 😍 And eyebrows.
Absolutely! I wanted to marry him when I was in 7th grade...1976
@@janetphillips2875 Hi. For me that was 1977. Had the big poster up on the bedroom wall. Played my Crocodile Rock 45 nonstop. My best friend and I did a modern dance routine to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. And on and on.
Yesssss and his eyelashes are long and beautiful 🥰
Thank you for posting this.
Elton has the best laugh
Aww..... I remember watching this the day it was on in 1980! Just happened to be my day off work ❤
Have to laugh at Donahue’s cluelessness here. (Phil was great at covering national affairs but sucked when it came to researching celebs, perhaps due to lack of interest.) I laughed when he said, with a straight face, that Elton had not been all that controversial, especially since by this time Elton had thrown himself into a swimming pool full of pills and had declared his bisexuality, both of which certainly got press coverage at the time. At the time this show aired, bringing up these subjects up might have been too hot for daytime TV-and Elton certainly wasn’t likely to say, “Hey, Phil, guess what: I’m high as a kite right now”-but Donahue looks really stupid trying to turn him into Mr. Clean.
Donahue is clueless about his interview subject and his career - drug use etc
I've been thinking about this.... was Donahue pretending that Elton wasn't on drugs or drunk (with those eyes and over-the-top laughing) for daytime TV, or did he really not know?
I guess it's the latter....wow....
meetpoorfor crowinsfo He didn’t know.
it makes you wonder what Donahue thinks is controversial. LOL
Elton has some dark circles under his eyes in this from what I can see on this old video tape. Wonder if Donahue has read EJ’s book by now. He’s probably too old to read it now.
He is so wonderfully beautifully charming kind and interresting 🥰
I really love him. He is articulate, good story teller. He seems smart, self-developed, self-aware and charming.
The audience was asking better questions than the host!
his comment his parents didn't CULTIVATE his personality, they dominated it, was very interesting and so true of a lot of parents.
Pretty normal thing honestly, guess it just depends how hard they try to do it and how they handle the child going a different route.
Yes, same for me...during the seen, but not heard era.
Elton John this is amazing and he’s a true Aries through and through 🤩
I often see people use the term underrated - Elton's Band , particularly his guitar player is - in my opinion - under appreciated by many - it's a testament to Sir Elton's character how long his band mates have been with him - lots of superstars treat their hand mates as side men -:Not Sir Elton - I don't know the Man - but I believe he's one of the good guys - as is my fellow horse enthusiast Bernie +
So modest and so friendly 👍
this is great viewing thanks
Rest in peace Phil!!!
Fantastic. I remember Phill on the TV often while growing up. Great interview with Elton..
Interesting interview
In an alternate universe, Elton John doesn't exist and a guy named Reginald sells records
Amazing interview. Phil had a way of bringing out the most in people. Elton seemed very nervous,
This was a pretty difficult time in his life before his comeback.
I miss Phil Donahue - he was way better than Charlie Rose.
I noticed that. He was probably afraid of what questions would be asked. But he played it well. Talking about his relationship with his father was as deep as he was willing to go and that's alright.
In the record ´21 at 33’ ,There is a song called ´white powder,white lady’ 😂
That song is definitely about cocaine
What a wonderful video ❤
Elton John is a great musician.
Elton’s laugh Is totally hilarious and reminds me of Eddie Murphy,and how he laughs.
OMG he's adorable! And I LOVE his laugh. We dont hear that much anymore do we? And Donahue....bless his heart...really didn't do his homework did he? **giggle**
Yea, Phil was naive lol
Agree - slid by pretty good.
My favorite musician/entertainer.
I adore him.
Happy Birthday Elton xx
I loved this interview. Elton is so cute and delightful here! I loved his laugh. Such a beautiful personality and Phil Donahue was a fabulous interviewer. I remember watching his show when I was a kid and you can see why he became a talk show legend. (RIP Phil Donahue 12/21/35 - 8/18/24)
First of all WTF was EJ sitting on. They couldn't give him a damn chair or a love seat?
Elton still seemed to be really shy. He started out putting his hand near his mouth a lot and averted his line of vision quite a bit which is a sign of shyness, then after a while you can see that he got comfortable and then he relaxed a bit more in his surroundings. You noticed that he dodged the question about drugs pretty well but I guess he was used to doing that. He wasn't about to admit on the air that he was an avid substance abuser. That was at least 10 years away. I guess, saying that he "might have been" an alcoholic might have been more acceptable. I don't know, did that audience and Phil himself not know anything about his history? He had some high profile incidents prior which involved his drug use and his "partial" coming out in Rolling Stone just four years before this appearance but seems like they were all completely clueless.
I was surprised when he mentioned that he and his father were not on speaking terms and it was kind of by mutual agreement that they didn't have a relationship. That was something that was deeply personal and you could tell that it still bothered him. His father didn't see him until he was two and his mom wanted more kids but Papa Dwight didn't...which IMO said more about his dealings with his wife than with his son but unfortunately Elton was a casuality of all their drama. It had to hurt Elton that his father remarried years later, had four kids with his new wife and was a good, loving and attentive husband and father to them.
But I am so glad that he finally has the love and the family dynamic that he craved so badly. Of course we love him but it's different from what he truly felt he needed and I feel that. God bless you, Elton. 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
They were talking about John Lennon, and I realized he was still alive when this was made. He died 54 days later. 😕
Yes, strange.
That father couldn't admit that he didn't see the diamond he had and then after, what a lack of character and how low you have to be as a parent not to celebrate the massive success of your child! Extremely sad to see some parents never grew up after a life time. The best give Elton can give to himself is be a great dad!
I have a theory that his Dad wasn't as bad as the film and he portrays.
Stanley was JEALOUS
@@silvabrothersmusic Nah, he was bad, Elton isnt telling the worst stuff
@@preesi1403 how would you know?
@@silvabrothersmusic Because Ive been a fan since 1972
His autobiography is very interesting
"Two bottles of brandy a day....well, I must have been an alcoholic.. ."
*Audience gasp*
They didn't see or chose to ignore his eyes and all the other signs...
I thought he was off the stuff temporarily because he knew he had to do the Phil Donahue show. I thought his eyes look good at that time. He especially took off the glasses so you could see what he looked like 👀
@@yvettenj
You don't see the horrible dark circles under his eyes? You missed all his throat clearing?
Added:
I guess you can stop for a little while if you have to fake it for a special event.
meetpoorfor crowinsfo Not a troll, I’m only going by what Elton has said recently in his book and interviews since that time. He said he could stop drugs for weeks when he had something important coming up.
When I saw this video on tv, I saw a much clearer picture and a very cute Elton, or at least I thought so 👍🏽😊.
meetpoorfor crowinsfo Guess I missed the circles under his eyes.
@@yvettenj
He is cute.... without dark circles. He's more attractive than he thinks he is.
The Donahue show format was kind of nice, with Donahue hanging back in the audience
Phil giving Elton credit for not being a crazy sex, drugs & rock and roller whilst Elton is stoned on cocaine is particularly humorous to me...
So he said he just drink beer?? Very funny!! He was already an alcoholic and a cocaïne addict ! But I always loved him because he's a pop music genius and a legend !!
pnynx Well, he might have been telling the truth, as it was before the vodka martinis, which proved to be his real undoing.
@@claresherman2278 No, it was a very bold and complete lie. He was an epic cokehead in the 70s.
Mike Stevenson I know that!🙄He wasn’t talking about drugs, he was talking about alcohol ( he changed the subject from drugs). It sounds like he already knew he had a problem with alcohol and had tried to fix it on his own ( and failed, of course). He used to go for months without coke too.
And it was nobody’s business.
@@claresherman2278 he was a heavy drinker since the late 70s same with blow. Hes spun out at this interview it was a lie. Nobodys gonna come out and just say their smoked off lol
He. Is an exceptional human being
Weird hearing him talk about John Lennon shortly before his death
Interesting to see him lying about cocaine use. Some of these questions should not have been asked. But was that the 80s?
All questions are fair game when you do a public interview.
@@glennmiller9768 true but i think nowadays, questions are vetted first.
I thought that was interesting too!!
Same
He said in a later interview that at the time, he didn't regard cocaine as 'doing drugs'. He thought that shooting up heroin was doing drugs, and he wasn't into that. He was in denial, obviously.
This was cute and sweet but our boy was lying his ass off about getting mixed up in drugs LOL 😝.
No I didn’t do that but I did drink more 😆👍🏽
@Austin Marshall Exactly, which was why we didn’t know he was lying about getting caught up in the drug scene as Phil Donahue put it.
Thought I was on the wrong planet for a minute with some of his responses. lol Loved seeing him!!
I don't mean it in a nasty way but I think elton should sing I'm still standing he has outlived lennon denver presley and Mercury
Two months before John died.
Classy interviewer.
you've never had anything controversial happen....EJ: Oh you are joking!
😁
John Lennon was still alive at time of this filming
He really poured his heart out to the donohue audience. He was clearly in pain and squirming to the rude drug question.... And then his "burps"....I was thinking how long ago did he throw up? Whatever it was, or a combo, he seems so uncomfortable..... he was just "getting through it all."
With those eyes, why would you ask if he's on drugs?
Added: that last sentence was sarcasm. His eyes are *unmistakably* those of a man on drugs.
Also, I'm surprised that somebody didn't ask him: "I heard you are gay.... don''t you prefer the grace and softness of females?"
I think the bulimia came later.
@@wagonstation3709 No one asked him that because that would be really weird.
@@claresherman2278
I never imagined that anybody would ask him that--- first of all, nobody in the audience knew that he had that illness. I simply was sitting here, (with my 20/20 vision), knowing why he's burping so much.
@@wagonstation3709 He wasn’t bulimic until a few years later.
Some good moments this interview a fresher elton of course
He is asking Elton " do you drink beer and have you escaped that pot and drug culture like many other music artists haven't "........
Are you JOKING 😂😂😂
"when you're an asshole, you should be told you're an asshole' - so. good.
Mentions Jim Croce passing. Wow. Interesting how death plays into the perception of one's music.
They're talking about John Lennon two months shy of that tragic day.
...i couldn't stand P.D. growing up. The mother always watching him set my nerves on edge.
Elton performed "Your Song" on this show, after the first break at 21:52. It's apparently missing on this upload.
Sadly Elton speaks of artists dying and talking about John Lennon and then 2 month's later John Lennon is assassinated
20:53 Freddie Mercury disguised in the public
Oh my gosh, it did look like him!
@@roxannemoser Hope you are kidding.
Donahue is prowling around like a wild animal 🐰
This interview gave me a weird vibe when Donahue was grilling EJ at the beginning.
But that was his style, tho. His talk show was different from others, whereas other talk shows, only the interviewer spoke to the guest. Oprah got her style from Donahue. He walked around through the audience and allowed them to speak.
Says he wasn't involved in drugs lol!! Had half of Colombia up his bugle!!!
phil donahue's hair looks like that microphone 🎤
"When you perform for people you have to give 100% or less"...what does that mean? You always will.
That stool he's sitting on looks uncomfortable.
I was wondering who the bloody hell this was being interviewed, but thank God for the name title at 13:25 otherwise I may have just assumed it was Lionel Ritchie.
Lionel Richie was a huge weed smoker back in the day, don't know if he still is these days. lol
Haha not into drugs. Read Elton's biography and you'll know that he was so into coke you wouldn't believe it. Lots of anecdotes about him and John Lennon and also Rod Stewart doing drugs... Great book btw!
Yeah but at that time, he was in deep denial. Besides he probably didn't see himself as an addict, just a recreational user who could stop when he needed to. But either Donahue wasn't paying attention or maybe it was willful ignorance...but even as a kid I remember the story got out about him taking all those pills with booze and trying to drown himself and that was only five years before this interview. I also knew about the Rolling Stone interview. His book is so beautifully and refreshingly honest, probably more than any other bio that I've read.
I paid over $1000 for a ticket to an EJ ticket a few years ago to see EJ, plus travel and hotel and cab
This was only 2 months before the great John Lennon was tragically shot and killed by a one time big Beatles fan since he was 11 and John had been his favorite Beatle. John asked Elton to become his son Sean Lennon's godfather and he did.
Look at those grannys in the audience...they were hoping for Liberace'
I had a belly laugh at the comment that $12.50 was a 'hell a lot of money for a concert ticket'. November 2019 I paid $800 for two tickets and was off to the side, never even saw the screen where the vids were playing . I didnt care, we saw EJ and without binoculars, we were that close.
I’m hoping to see him if he goes back on tour whenever this pandemic is over. I had a chance back in November and tickets were $300 then, Wow $400 apiece? I wish we were back in the days of $12.50 🤣🤣🤣🤣.
Same here! I saw him twice, totally worth it!
M J I’m getting side seats in 2022. Gonna but them next week if they’re still available from last week
I started going to concerts in 1982 and e never flinched the price. Even if you had to hit up the scalpers it as still not that bad
Yeah. He looks fresh. Fresh off the rails.
Hahahahahaha just bought yellow brick road final tour tickets for $300 each and very average seating! Had to skip groceries to afford them. And they are talking about $12.50 😂😂😂😂😂😂
high as a lite
Hi-i-igh as a kite by then
'I know you are related to Olivia Newton John..EJ: no I am not. Did you open any doors for her? Um....he's not related. LOL
Elton was a superstar by the early '70s so this lukewarm applause in 1980 must be due to the demographic of Phil's audience, which seems like a lot of seniors.
"Mother figures"
They wanna spank him....hahaha
All his fans were either working or in school during the day. I worked so I never saw this interview.
@@janetphillips2875 🤣WTF?
Looks like the old ladies were disappointed to be part of the audience for some English entertainer. 😂😂😂
I know its part of show biz, but Elton stooping to an appearance on Phil Donahue saddens me.
Donahue was the male version Oprah back in the day! His fatherinlaw was the famous Danny Thomas, singer, actor, and THE St. Judes Childrens Hospital Foundation, in Memphis, TN. DONAHUE wasnt a Rikki Lake, or a runofthemill personality.
Pretty sad that the way the host described Russia isn't too far off from reality even today.
After just finishing EJ's autobio book, I find it interesting that Donahue and Elton himself try and pretend Elton didn't do the usual druggie life of most music stars. At the time of this show (1980) he was HEAVILY into cocaine...probably snorted before this show. Also interesting that Lennon would be dead in only two months.
He appears to have circles under his eyes. I have that audio book on my libby app from the library. I renewed it about 5 times, for some reason no one else is putting a hold on it. I also have a hard copy though. It's actually hard to listen to some of the parts of it. Book was written in 2019 so it's nearly five years old. I also have Pete Townshend's book checked out and Bernie Taupin's audio book but that is a slog for me on audiobook, don't like the guy who reads it, it's not Bernie Taupin reading. Too much to absorb. I got into music bc politics is such a drag I couldn't stand reading about our upcoming elections anymore.
Question: where were all the orthodontist and dentist back in 1980?😬(audience) 😳
Society was not as evil and vain then .