Elton John did the unthinkable during a 1991 interview with the feared and revered David Frost: He opened up about mental health, got candid about sobriety, and urged people to ask for help — dismissing the idea that doing so "was a sign of weakness."
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John was around 44 when he sat down for a candid conversation with Frost in 1991. But while many still feared Frost as an interviewer at the time, John leaned into his vulnerability even further.
"You've known me a long time. You've seen me when I've been happy. You've seen me when I've been troubled," John told Frost in the interview. "You've seen me when I've been oblivious, and on another planet, probably. But it's the first time I've had peace of mind. It shows, and I just know it. I feel it."
"Everybody feels it," Frost agreed. "I think you look 10 years younger. I sense you more at peace than I've ever seen you before too. More at peace."
Yeah," John added, "there's no inward battle going on anymore."
John and Frost's 1991 interview will be the focus of a new David Frost Vs episode airing this Sunday on MSNBC, featuring none other than the "Rocket Man" himself, in present day, adding commentary to the circumstances surrounding his life at the time.
"This is very early in my sobriety," John says in an exclusive clip of David Frost Vs seen below. "I've been sober now for 33 years, but this was… I look at my face, and I looked so happy. I'm so different to the person I was before."
He adds, "It wasn't hard for me to get sober. It was joyous."
As the clip traveled back to 1991, John discussed how his mindset on asking for help had evolved over time.
"We're all flawed. It's just that I realize what my flaws are now. I can do something about them," the legendary queer singer told Frost. "There are so many millions of people who have the same problems as me, and they don't communicate, because they don't think people want to be there for them."
John added, "If any of you are out there listening: It's OK to ask for help. I didn't think it was, because I thought it was a sign of weakness. In fact, it's a very spiritual thing to do, to ask another human being to help you."
"I'm very glad I did," John mused. "And now, as a result, my life has changed so much."TK
In the next episode of David Frost Vs, the series explores Elton John's struggles with mental health, the dark side of fame, and his queer identity. Tune in to David Frost Vs this Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on MSNBC.
