Watch George Harrison Talks About Commercials, Drug Use, and The Rock Star Lifestyle

In an honest interview that ran on The Dick Cavett Show on November 23, 1971, George Harrison talked about American TV, the drugs the Beatles used, and the problems that come with being famous.

American TV: A Commercial Overload

Harrison talked about how annoyed he was with how often commercials cut off American TV. He remarked, “I watch TV in America, to tell you the truth, it’s such a load of rubbish.” He found the constant commercials disruptive, saying, “You just get into something, and then—sorry, another word from—and another word from—and in the end, they’ve just put commercials on all the time.” Comparing it to British TV, he noted that in England, shows have a more structured format with fewer interruptions.

The Beatles and LSD: An Unexpected Introduction

Discussing the Beatles’ initial encounter with LSD, Harrison revealed that he and John Lennon were given the drug unknowingly by their dentist during a dinner. “We didn’t know we were having it,” he said. “He put it in our coffee and never told us.” This unintentional experience led to a profound and positive trip. Harrison believed that the lack of prior knowledge spared them from the paranoia often associated with the drug.

Later, when Paul McCartney admitted to taking LSD, it caused a media frenzy. Harrison recounted, “Paul said to the TV people, ‘Look, I’m not saying if I had the drug. If you’re gonna ask me if I’ve had it, I’m gonna say yes because I’ve had it. I’m not gonna lie.'” He emphasized that the responsibility lay with the media for broadcasting the admission, leading to widespread reactions.

The Press and Public Scrutiny

Harrison highlighted the constant surveillance the Beatles faced. “We always had to watch ourselves because if we weren’t watching ourselves, there was somebody else out there who was,” he said. Reporters often tried to catch them in compromising situations. He criticized the media’s tendency to sensationalize stories, mentioning a headline about the band Marmalade’s alleged misconduct, which he felt was exaggerated and hypocritical.

Drugs and the Rock Star Lifestyle

Harrison talked about the link between rock stars and drug use and said that many artists used drugs to deal with the stress of fame. He explained, “They either just want to get high… like people drink… musicians, you know, either drink a little bit or maybe they smoke a bit.” He believed that while some sought a temporary escape, others fell into deeper dependencies.

On the topic of heroin, Harrison admitted, “I’m really unqualified to talk about heroin because I’ve never taken it and I really don’t intend to.” He saw that it was both appealing and harmful, pointing out that it “gets them the highest the quickest, but it just happens to kill you faster as well.”

Harrison thought about the search for greater meaning and said, “They’re all looking for some deep love or something like that and they miss it.” He pushed for recovery and said that getting high naturally without drugs was more satisfying.