Billy Joel completely crashing out while performing in Moscow (1987)

Cocaine is a hell of a drug.

I believe he was upset that the crew kept lighting the audience, which caused the Russian kids to stop dancing.

Imagine watching the announcement of the new Pope, and recognizing a client’s face from your gym! That’s exactly what happened to Valerio Masella, a personal trainer in Rome. The discrete student he followed for two years, named “Robert,” was Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, the 267th successor of Saint Peter. “I trained the Pope!” Valerio revealed this to the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero: “When he appeared at the window in St. Peter’s Square, I recognized him immediately. I couldn’t believe it! I trained the new Pontiff. To me, he was just a client like any other.” Valerio, 26, says that no one at the gym or any of its members knew that Robert was a cardinal, much less that he could become Pope. Pope Leo XIV maintained a consistent training routine. He went to the gym two to three times a week, was always friendly, smiling, and very reserved. “He would come dressed modestly, arrive in the morning, do his exercises with dedication and never mention his ecclesiastical function,” the trainer said. The routine began with an aerobic warm-up on a treadmill or bike, followed by muscle-strengthening and postural exercises. The Pope also often played tennis overlooking Saint Peter's Basilica — a sport he said helped develop patience. Valerio praised the Pontiff's excellent physical shape, stating that, for his age, he stands out for his resistance and healthy body composition. “I thought he was a teacher or an academic, because he was reserved and intelligent. But Pope? I never imagined.” This occurrence reveals something touching and deeply human: the man who now guides 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide maintained a simple life, with normal habits and a healthy routine, without fanfare or privileges. Pope Leo XIV, an Augustinian, a former missionary in Peru, and a pastor of two homelands, is now a symbol of humility in small things—even in academia. May the Lord strengthen his body, soul, and mission. May Mary, Health of the Sick, always protect Pope Leo XIV!

This refers to a real moment during Billy Joel’s 1987 performance in the USSR, part of his “The Bridge Tour.” During one of the shows, he famously got frustrated with the stage lighting being used on the audience and yelled at his crew mid-song, slamming his piano and even knocking over a microphone stand. The incident became iconic as a symbol of Western rock energy clashing with Soviet expectations of order

How far time change….74-year-old Billy Joel performing “Piano Man” live at Madison Square Garden, New York.

Billy Joel with Brian Johnson performing "You Shook Me All Night Long" Live at Madison Square Garden, 2014.

In 1987, in Moscow, Billy Joel refused to stay silent as the audience was being suppressed. He stopped the concert and made it clear that music without freedom is just noise. It wasn’t an outburst — it was a brave stand to defend people's right to be themselves, even under the Iron Curtain. This man was truly worthy of that moment.

Is there any way this wasn't related to cocaine?

Poor guy. Withdrawals are rough.

Rammstein in Moscow, 2019