Elton John is still as Prima John as he was in 1999, and we’re not mad about that.
The “Tiny Dancer” hitmaker, 78, appeared to have a seizure backstage at Saturday night’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony, a spy tells Page Six.
The Rocketman crooner reportedly yelled abuse at organizers backstage at the Peacock Theater after the show delayed a little too long before he appeared.
John was extremely furious and shouted things like, “What’s going on? No one knows what they’re doing!” A spy told Page Six:
Like many travelers caught up in long airport delays due to the government shutdown, John was likely concerned about travel issues.
However, Sir Elton’s concerns were a little different than most.
The 1994 Rock Hall Hall of Fame inductee is heard to have barked, “My plane is waiting!” He was on hand to pay a musical tribute to the late Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson.
John’s mild tantrum was reminiscent of the infamous time he allegedly exploded at none other than Tina Turner during rehearsals for VH1’s Divas Live ’99.
“I made a mistake when I had to teach him how to play ‘Proud Mary,'” Turner once explained in a 2000 interview with Mike Wallace on “60 Minutes.”
“My mistake was not teaching Elton John how to play the piano,” she further explained.
Turner also said that John “just exploded” over the alleged “Divas Live” incident.
“Oh, Lord… it really was like the past slapped me in the face in front of all those people. I was just trying to get a deal out of him and then he suddenly left and he was just furious,” she said. (John eventually apologized for his actions, Turner told Wallace).
At Saturday’s Hall of Fame performance, John took to the stage without his famous piano, and although there was “some scrambling and arguing in the hallway,” “he went on stage just fine,” another source told Page Six.
John paid tribute to the Beach Boys co-founder, who passed away in June at the age of 82, with a moving cover of ‘God Only Knows’.
He also described Wilson as an “idol.”
“He influenced me more than anyone else when it came to writing songs on the piano. It was a night I’ll never forget,” John told the audience of his first meeting with Wilson.
Page Six has reached out to John’s representatives for comment.
This article was featured on a recent episode of Page Six Radio, a daily morning show that brings you the hottest celebrity headlines, exclusive information and behind-the-scenes stories. Watch Danny, Evan, and Ian chat with celebrity guests on SiriusXM from 8am to 10am ET on Stars Ch. 109.
SiriusXM service required. See offer details.
