Back in October 1997, something wild happened on TV that people still talk about today. The Bee Gees—Barry, Maurice, and Robin Gibb—walked off a show called Clive Anderson All Talk after the host, Clive Anderson, made some jokes they didn’t like. It’s remembered as one of the most awkward TV moments of the 1990s!
Clive Anderson was the guy asking the questions. He says his style was to tease his guests a little to make the show fun and lively. He wanted them to say something new or funny. Most of the time, it worked great—but not this time. The Bee Gees were there to talk about their new album, Still Waters, and they thought Clive was a big fan who’d play their video. Instead, he poked fun at them.
At first, it seemed okay. Clive joked about their high voices, saying, “You’ve had some highs and lows—mostly highs in your case.” He also teased them about their songwriting and their old-fashioned 1970s clothes. Barry even laughed at first, like when Clive asked if they worked with Mickey Mouse to get their voices, and Barry said, “No, he got his voice from me!”
But things turned sour fast. Clive made a joke about their songs, saying they were “hit writers” but maybe missing a letter—hinting at a rude word. The audience laughed, but Barry didn’t. Then, when Barry mentioned an old band name, “Les Tosseurs,” Clive jumped in and said, “You’ll always be Les Tosseurs to me.” That’s when Barry got mad, called Clive a “tosser,” and said, “I might just leave.” And he did! Robin followed, and Maurice struggled to take off his microphone before leaving too.
Clive was shocked. He thought they were all having fun, like friends joking around. He didn’t realize they were upset until they walked off. Even Elvis Costello, another guest that night, tried to calm them down and get them to stay, but they wouldn’t listen.
The Bee Gees were super famous for songs like “Stayin’ Alive,” but in 1997, some people thought they were old news. Their big hair and disco style were easy to make fun of. Still, they were amazing songwriters who’d been making music for 30 years! A new movie, How Do You Mend a Broken Heart, shows how talented they really were.
After they left, newspapers called Clive right away to get the story. It was big news! The show aired on October 30, 1997, with nothing cut out, so everyone could see what happened. Clive felt bad—he didn’t mean to upset them. He says, “I accidentally annoyed three talented brothers. I wish it hadn’t happened, but now it’s the thing people remember most about my shows.”
The Bee Gees said they were sad too because they liked Clive before this. Barry later explained it wasn’t just one joke—it was all the little digs from the start. They didn’t like their songs being teased, since those songs were so special to them, like their own kids.
Looking back, some people think the Bee Gees couldn’t take a joke. Others think Clive was too mean. Either way, it’s a moment that’s stuck with us—a funny, messy clash between a jokester host and three music legends who weren’t in the mood to laugh.
