Former Mayor of New York city Rudy Giuliani insisted during a recent interview with NBC New York he does not have a problematic relationship with alcohol.
The personal lawyer and advisor to Donald Trump said:
"I'm not an alcoholic. I'm a functioning..."
Giuliani then changed track mid-sentence, and finished after a pause:
"I probably function more effectively than 90% of the population."
He further denied any of his more outrageous blunders on television were in any way related to alcohol consumption.
"I don't think I've ever done an interview drunk. I have, sometimes... I mean, I drink normally."
"I like Scotch, I drink Scotch."
Several people who have struggled with alcohol themselves, or had people close to them who do, said they saw parallels between Giuliani's answer and their own pasts.
If you know an alcoholic, you know this is an alcoholic answer.— Name cannot be blank (@Name cannot be blank) 1630094701
Very sad to see how far my now-disbarred, scotch-swilling, hair-dye-leaking former lawyer @RudyGiuliani has fallen! He can\u2019t even remember if he has ever given an interview drunk. He\u2019s a disgrace to the #AgingPervertClub. Sad!https://www.rawstory.com/rudy-giuliani-drunk-interview/\u00a0\u2026— Donald J. Drumpf (@Donald J. Drumpf) 1630206828
"So you do not believe you have a drinking problem," \n\n"I don't believe it -- I know I'm not, I mean, I -- no, I'm not an alcoholic. I'm a functioning -- I'm probably -- I probably function more effectively than 90% of the population," \n\n"Function" doing a lot of work here.— j howe (@j howe) 1630064579
Anyone who has a need to deny they have a drinking problem has a drinking problem.https://www.rawstory.com/rudy-giuliani-drunk-interview/\u00a0\u2026— Gordon McClendon\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a (@Gordon McClendon\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a\ud83c\udf0a) 1630113755
Rudy Giuliani channels Ron Burgundy: \u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever done an interview drunk. I have\u2026 sometimes\u2026 I mean, I drink normally. I like Scotch, I drink Scotch.\u201dhttps://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/politics/rudy-giuliani-says-u-s-has-gone-off-the-rails-denies-he-has-alcohol-problem/3243586/\u00a0\u2026— Sku (@Sku) 1630077911
" Im a functioning..." \n\nA "functioning" WHAT? \nSounds like Rudy almost slipped & called himself a\n"functioning alcoholic"...\n\nhttps://www.businessinsider.com/giuliani-says-not-alcoholic-functions-more-effectively-than-most-people-2021-8\u00a0\u2026\n\n"I don't think I've ever done an interview drunk," Giuliani told NBC New York, adding, "I drink normally."— RipplesOfHope (@RipplesOfHope) 1630247991
Rudolph says, I don't think I ever did an interview while drunk.\n\nYou "don't think"??\n\nI think I could tell you right now, I never taught my students while drunk.https://www.rawstory.com/rudy-giuliani-drunk-interview/\u00a0\u2026— Jim, #Resist/Rebuild Better. Vaxxed, pro-Science (@Jim, #Resist/Rebuild Better. Vaxxed, pro-Science) 1630060617
Rudy Giuliani says he's not an alcoholic & claims he functions 'more effectively than 90 percent of the population'. "I don't think I've ever done an interview drunk," he said, adding, "I drink normally 90% of population? Drinkin' when you said that Rudy?pic.twitter.com/HTmgfqQIRk— Sumner (@Sumner) 1630094263
Some questioned what "normal" scotch drinking means.
He doesn't have a drinking problem, then he goes on to tell us that he drinks Scotch "normally." What is "normal" drinking and what separates that from non-normal drinking?— Plainfield2 (@Plainfield2) 1630094736
'I drink normally': @RudyGiuliani tells @NBC New York 'I don't think I've ever done an interview drunk' https://www.rawstory.com/rudy-giuliani-drunk-interview/\u00a0\u2026. Reminds me of the saying\u2026I don\u2019t have a drinking problem. I drink, I get drunk, I fall down. No problem!— Michael Cohen (@Michael Cohen) 1630059634
Define \u201cnormally\u201d. Some normally have a couple beers/shots a week and some have a couple beers/shots an hour. And for some, a bottle of bourbon Is normal ..— Mike Phillips (@Mike Phillips) 1630082900
"I drink normally," Rudy Giuliani tells NBC New York./\nThis is like Paris Hilton saying she is very modest.— Margo Howard (@Margo Howard) 1630203238
This is far from the first time Giuliani's potential over-consumption of alcohol has been discussed in the media.
In 2019, several of former President Trump's allies suggested Giuliani be stopped from giving interviews about Trump because of his erratic behavior and suspected drinking, according to CNBC.
Joe Scarborough of MSNBC said in 2018 one of the reasons Giuliani was passed over for a cabinet position was he was "drinking too much," and "falling asleep five minutes into meetings."
Giuliani was outraged during a subsequent interview with Politico.
"None of that is true. I'm not sleeping now. I'm in Dallas. I'm wide awake."
In regards to the allegations of problematic drinking, Giuliani replied:
"I'm not drinking for lunch. I may have a drink for dinner. I like to drink with cigars."
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If you or someone close to you are struggling with substance use or mental health, help is available.
If you're in the US, you can call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) to reach the SAHMSA National Helpline for resources and referrals.
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