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Billy Joel is setting the record straight on a rumour that has followed him for years — that he's had multiple DUIs. In his new HBO documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes, the legendary musician doesn't hold back.
"There's this rumour that I have all these DUIs. That never happened," Joel says in the film. "But people keep repeating the myth. I never had a DUI. So f--- you."
The speculation dates back to the early 2000s, when Joel was involved in three car crashes in 2002, 2003, and 2004. In one, he hit a tree; in another, he crashed into a house. But he's clear that alcohol was never the cause. "I never had a DUI in my life. That's another fallacy. Look at the police records," he told The New York Times Magazine in 2013.
He explained the real cause behind the accidents: "My mind wasn't right. I wasn't focused. I went into a deep, deep depression after 9/11... and then there was a breakup. It took me a while to get back on my feet."
Despite police confirming there was "no evidence of alcohol or drug involvement" at the time, the rumours stuck. "I didn't like the tabloid kind of press," Joel says. "The press can be mean. So having that much attention paid to you is not easy."
In a previous interview, Joel opened up about going to rehab in 2005 but not for what people assumed. "I had gone through a breakup and was really broken up about it. I decided, 'I'm drinking too much. I should go to rehab,'" he said. "But people made a connection like, 'Oh, he went there because he was in a car accident from drinking.' No."
The documentary dives deeper into Joel's personal struggles with depression, substance use, and fame. It also explores his family life with wife Alexis and their daughters. Although he was initially hesitant to participate, Joel ultimately agreed in order to clarify misconceptions and share his true story.
His longtime friend Steve Cohen added, "You make mistakes. He always said to me, 'You show up. You do the best you can. You admit when you're wrong and you let other people tell you how good you are.'"
Billy Joel: And So It Goes is now streaming on HBO Max.
