What Billy Joel really thinks about his new HBO documentary
Share and Follow


Alexa Ray Joel says her famous dad, Bill Joel, is “bored” by his own documentary — because he “never buys in his own hype.”

The two-part documentary has been a sensation on HBO Max, but Alexa, 39, says of her dad, 76, “You know my father is really funny because he’s he’s like the most self-effacing person on the planet right? He jokes about this, and talked about this in his songs — that he’s almost like a masochist in the sense that he just doesn’t… he never buys in his own hype.”

She adds, “I’m like, ‘You should be so proud of yourself!’ He’s like, ‘Eh.’ He’s just not a typical, like narcissistic guy in the spotlight — he just does not buy into any of it — he’s a true artist. He so deeply introverted, he’s really actually a shy person.”

Alexa says of Joel’s reaction to the film, “He’s like, well you know I’m I’m kind of bored by it because it’s a lot about me and I get sick of me.”

The film details Joel’s life and career from his roots as a bullied kid growing up on Long Island and his days as a struggling cocktail lounge “Piano Man” in Hollywood, to becoming one of the world’s biggest pop stars who had four marriages and sold out Madison Square Garden over 100 straight times during a 10-year residency.

The film also details his career and personal highs and lows, punctuated by bouts of depression and alcohol abuse.

Adds Alexa — who watched the doc with her supermodel mother, Christie Brinkley — of her dad: “He’s happy for everybody else, but that can a part of what makes him a tortured genius right? He’s not like built like my mother… where she is like the most enthusiastic woman — and vivacious woman — and she just gets so excited.”

“He’s so introspective, you know, so I think it’ll hit him later,” she told us of this film. “I think maybe in a few months from now [he’ll] watch it and be like ‘oh that’s cool.’ But when everybody’s typing up things, he gets very introspective and like, ‘oh you know, I don’t know what a big deal [this] is,’ because he never buys his own stuff… like he’s never impressed.”

Alexa’s new single, “Riverside Way” is out this summer, from her new EP, “Tales From a Winding Tower.”

She’s also serving on Aug. 3 as the celebrity grand marshal for the Hope for Depression Research Foundation’s 10th annual Race of Hope to Defeat Depression in Southampton Village. Past grand marshals for founding chair Audrey Gruss’ event have also included Katie Couric and “Sex and the City” scribe Candace Bushnell.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

VPR’s Scheana Shay Explains The Reason Her Friendship With Lala Kent Ended

Though once both were stars of Vanderpump Rules, things have grown incredibly…

Why Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli Have ‘No Chance’ of Reconciling Despite Feeling ‘Devastated’

There’s no chance for Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli to get back…

Exploring Kelly Bensimon’s Downtown Manhattan Home: The Historic Former NYPD Headquarters

Kelly Killoren Bensimon’s sunny, loft-style apartment is nestled within The Police Building…

Kate Middleton’s Latest Move Appears To Be A Subtle Jab At Meghan & Harry—And It’s Turning Heads

Wpa Pool/Getty…

Hilaria Baldwin’s Response to ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Exit

It wasn’t quite a fairy-tale ending for Hilaria Baldwin on Dancing With…

Meghan Markle Dazzles in Black Suit for Uncommon Red Carpet Event with Prince Harry

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are back on American soil. A few…

Camille Rowe, Former Flame of Harry Styles, Expecting First Child with Billionaire Guinness Heir! Victoria’s Secret Model and Muse Behind “Cherry” Reveals Pregnancy

Harry Styles’ ex-girlfriend Camille Rowe is expecting her first child with a…

Paloma Faith Shares How She Detected Alan Carr’s Betrayal on Celebrity Traitors

Celebrity Traitors star Paloma Faith was left gobsmacked after  discovering her friend…