Tommy Lee Shocks Bill Maher After Revealing He Drank “Two Gallons Of Vodka A Day” During Height Of Motley Crue Fame

By Samantha Nungesser @samjnungesser
Published Oct. 17, 2023, 9:56 a.m. ET

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Tommy Lee‘s wild side has never been a secret. Despite frequently indulging in drugs and alcohol during his heyday — as it was depicted in the Netflix biopic The Dirt — the Motley Crue drummer just made the shocking revelation that he used to drink “two gallons of vodka a day” during his younger years.

While chatting on Bill Maher‘s Club Random podcast, Lee opened up about his alcohol abuse — and how he’s surprised to be as healthy as he is today.

“Alcohol’s such a fucking weird one too, because… fuck!” he said. “It’s easy to fall in love with the way it makes you feel, the way it makes you relax, and then all of a sudden you’re, like, ‘Fuck! I’m drinking two gallons of vodka a day?’ You’re trying to kill yourself now.”

He added, “Your liver is on crutches at that point; it’s just barely functioning”

Maher was left stunned and in slight disbelief by Lee’s “preposterous” confession. After he pushed for more clarification, the rockstar swore he was consuming “two gallons a day” of “the big handle.”

Motley Crue
Photo: Getty Images

Despite putting his body through the wringer during the height of his career, Lee, who is now sober, said he has not suffered any long-term health issues — much to his surprise.

“I pinch myself on a daily basis,” he said. “I just did the full body scan, where they do, head-to-toe everything, and I can’t believe — smoking, drinking, all the fucking dumb shit, or the fun shit that I’ve done.”

He continued, “Dude, the doctor was, like, ‘You’re good.’ And I was, like, ‘Are you sure you have the…? Let me see. Is that my name on there, or is there some Japanese guy in here that you have his results that you’re reading from?’ Because I find that fucking impossible. This is impossible.”

These days, Lee — whose turbulent marriage to Pamela Anderson was recently documented in Pamela, A Love Story — is living a nearly unrecognizable life, enjoying his collection of Bonsai trees and spending time with his wife, Brittany Furlan.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.