In an interview with So Film to promote his movie Welcome to New York, Gerard Depardieu claims that he’s no average alcoholic. No, his powers of alcoholism go far beyond mere mortals. “I can’t drink like a normal person. I can absorb 12, 13, 14 bottles…per day,” said the 65-year-old.
Depardieu says the secret is a 10-minute nap and more alcohol. “But I’m never totally drunk, just a little pissed. All you need is a 10-minute nap and voilà, a slurp of rosé wine and I feel as fresh as a daisy!”
FOX did the math and 14 bottles of wine is the equivalent of 350 ounces of liquid. Converting to a measurement people can understand, that’s about 2.8 gallons. He’s like some sort of wino camel.
Besides the whole alcoholism thing, he not-so-subtly mentions bashing an ashtray over a cop’s head because they wouldn’t drink the champagne he offered them.
“Cinema is not the only thing I do, luckily. I hang out with artists, I travel, I’m into cuisine, and wine, I go and visit dictators.” (Referring to his publicized “friendship” with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and spent time with Fidel Castro.)
“When you’re full of life, it can have a positive effect – like offering someone 1,000 roses. That can be good – or it can be bad, like bashing an ashtray on a cop’s head because he refuses to drink the champagne you’re offering him. But usually I’m never the one who starts the fight.”
“After undergoing bypass surgery (five times), and also because of cholesterol and stuff, I have to be careful. Anyway, I’m not going to die. Not now. I still have energy.”
I’m not sure “still having energy” is a good litmus test for not dying. Actually, I’m pretty sure that’s the exact thing unhealthy people say before keeling over and dying of a heart attack.