Woody Harrelson and Chili Peppers’ Flea Fight Over Skier: ‘It’s Out of Control’

Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea shared a candid and humorous anecdote on his good friend Woody Harrelson’s podcast about a verbal altercation the couple had with a female skier after the musician nearly crashed into her while snowboarding “out of control” on the slopes.

Speaking on a recent episode of Where Everyone 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 nearly missed.

The bassist, real name Michael Balzary and a founding member of the Chili Peppers alongside singer Anthony Kiedis, recounted with characteristic humor how the incident led to a heated exchange between him, the woman and Harrelson.

“We’re racing and I’m racing down this mountain and I almost hit a lady. But I don’t. I see her and I get out of her way and I miss her. It’s all good, we’re racing and I don’t remember who won, probably me. We’re going down, getting ready to get on the chairlift and we’re laughing and yelling at each other and a lady comes up and she’s furious.”

“The skier?” Harrelson’s ex asked. Cheers co-star Danson in the podcast.

“The skier, a middle-aged woman, said to me, ‘You almost hit me, you lost control,’” Flea said. “I said, ‘Ma’am, you’re absolutely right, I lost control. I’m so glad I didn’t hit you and I’ll be much more careful next time, forgive me. I’m really sorry.’ As you know, I’m a good neighbor, polite and considerate person.”

“And you really meant that?” Danson asked.

“Oh, I really meant it because she probably got a little scared. But I didn’t even touch her,” Flea said.

Unfortunately, the musician explained, the skier was not happy with his attempts at contrition.

“She said, ‘Well, you’re an asshole.’ I said, ‘Ma’am, I’m really sorry,’ and kept my cool. And then she took her ski pole and stuck it in my face… And at that point, I was like, ‘I’m sorry, but get your pole out of my face,'” Flea said, drawing laughter.

Flea then spotted his good friend Harrelson coming to the rescue – or so he thought.

“Woody comes over and sees the pole in my face and he comes to my defense like a good friend, and she says, ‘Well, my husband is going to come over here and he’s going to show you why.'”

According to Flea, Harrelson said, “Bring that fucking husband, I want to see him.”

However, the bassist recommended that he and Harrelson leave.

“I’m just like, ‘Let’s get out of here, I feel like this is getting worse.’ And you and I are getting in the elevator, but you feel like fighting and you’re like, ‘I’ll wait for you at the top of the elevator. Nothing could make me happier.’ And I realize that you’re taking some kind of joy in the impending chaos,” Flea told his friend.

Fortunately for all involved, the fight remained verbal and did not escalate into a fistfight. As the amusing story ended, Harrelson assured his friend that he was now a changed man.

Newsweek reached out to Flea via Warner Records via email on Wednesday for further comment.