John Galliano Blaming Drugs for Anti-Semitic Tirade

Booted fashion whiz testifies today in Paris
By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 22, 2011 3:20 AM CDT
Updated Jun 22, 2011 4:46 AM CDT
John Galliano Blaming Drugs for Anti-Semitic Tirade
A man holds a placard reading "The king is gone," refering to British designer John Galliano .   (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Fashion whiz John Galliano will blame drugs and claim amnesia today at his Paris trial for an anti-Semitic tirade against a Jewish customer in a local bar. The axed Dior creative director had a "triple addiction to alcohol, Valium, and sleeping pills," his attorney told Reuters. “The combined effect of these drugs is a state of complete and utter abandon." Galliano, 50, was "baffled" when he saw video of himself last year praising Hitler and blasting invectives at a museum curator sitting next to him in the bar, said the lawyer.

"Every witness has said he was in an abnormal condition," he added. Galliano started popping pills "like candy" due to tremendous pressure from Dior to turn a profit while also managing his own fashion line, his lawyer claims. Galliano has apologized for his rant. If found guilty of hate-speech charges against him, he faces up to six months in prison and $32,000 in fines. (More antisemitism stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X