Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea has shared on good friend Woody Harrelson's podcast a candid and humorous anecdote about a verbal altercation the pair had with a skier after the musician almost collided her while snowboarding "out of control" on the slopes.
Speaking on a recent episode of Where Everybody Knows Your Name with Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson (Sometimes), Flea—known for his energetic stage presence and musical prowess—explained how he was racing the actor when he had the near-miss.
The bassist, real name Michael Balzary and a founding member of the Chili Peppers alongside singer Anthony Kiedis, recounted with characteristic wit how the incident led to a heated exchange between him, the woman and Harrelson.
"So we're racing and I'm out-of-control rocketing down this mountain and I nearly take a lady out. But I don't; I see her and I swerve out of her way and I miss her. All's good, we're racing and I can't remember who won, probably me. We get down there, we're getting ready to go on the lift and we're laughing and yelling at each other, and this lady comes up and she's infuriated."
"The skier?" asked Harrelson's former Cheers co-star Danson on the podcast.
"The skier, this middle-aged woman, and she's like, 'You nearly hit me, you're out of control.' said Flea. "I was like, 'Ma'am, you're absolutely right, I was out of control. I'm so glad that I didn't hit you and I'll be much more careful next time, please forgive me. I'm very sorry.' As you know, I'm neighborly, I'm polite, considerate."
"And you meant it?" asked Danson.
"Oh, I absolutely meant it because she probably got a little fright. But I didn't even touch her," Flea said.
Unfortunately, the musician explained, the skier was not happy with his attempts at being contrite.
"She was like, 'Well you're an a**hole.' I said, 'Ma'am, I'm very sorry,' retaining my composure. Then she takes her ski pole and sticks it in my face... And by this point I'm like, 'I'm f***ing sorry but get your f***ing pole out of my face,'" Flea said, eliciting laughter.
Flea then spotted his good friend Harrelson coming to the rescue—or so he thought.
"Woody comes up and he sees the pole in my face and he comes to my defense like a good friend, and she goes, 'Well, my husband's gonna come down here and he's gonna show you what for.'"
According to Flea, Harrelson said: "Bring the f***ing husband, I wanna see him."
However, the bassist recommended he and Harrelson leave.
"I'm just like, 'Let's get out of here, I can feel the situation escalating.' And you and I get on the lift but you're just itching for a brawl and you're like, 'I'll be waiting at the top of the lift. Nothing could make me happier.' And I realize there's like a joy you take in impending chaos," Flea said to his friend.
Thankfully for all concerned, the fight remained verbal and did not get physical. As the amusing tale wrapped up, Harrelson assured his friend that he is now a changed man.
Newsweek reached out to Flea through Warner Records via email on Wednesday for further comment.
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