Funny how alcohol has the capacity to turn some people into ranting anti-semites.
It does seem an odd side-effect of imbibing a few too many bevvies - and not one that is recognised in any medical textbooks that I can access - but at least the Hollywood actor Mel Gibson and now the fashion designer John Galliano (pictured) can attest to the power of the product.
The latter was also caught on camera exclaiming his praise of Hitler, in itself an unusual stance for a gay man.
Galliano could remember little of the incident in Paris, he told a French court, because of a cocktail of alcohol, sleeping pills and valium which had induced this descent into racism.
In 2006, Gibson, a devout Christian, also blamed alcohol when he could no longer control his own inner anti-semite.
Whatever substance misuse problems this pair have or had, there is an awful lot of issues to be angry about other than the presence of Jews. Unless of course the abuser has a problem with particular groups of people that he or she has hitherto repressed.
Sorry, don't remember, says Galliano; a "despicable" outburst, said Gibson.
In vino veritas, say I.
Perhaps it is time to add a few words to the labels of alcohol bottles along the lines of "warning, this product may cause Nazi tendencies".
Or would that just give them an excuse?
Picture: Rex Features
