During a recent episode of Howie Mandel Does Stuff, Billy Corgan shared an exciting story about a possible connection with Bill Burr.
The wrestling promoter explained that about 10 years ago, at a birthday party for one of his brothers, his stepmother mentioned Bill Burr to him for the first time.
Highlights
- Billy Corgan shared a wild story about his father, William Corgan Sr., describing him as an eccentric figure who led a chaotic life.
- On Corgan’s 18th birthday, his father told him about a half-brother named Bill, who was born around the same time.
- Corgan’s stepmother added that there were possibly more half-siblings.
At that point, Corgan had no idea who Burr was—he didn’t know he was a comedian or anything about him.
His stepmother then showed him a picture of Burr, and it didn’t take long for Corgan that Burr bore a strong resemblance to his father, William Corgan Sr.
Corgan said Burr looked more like his father than he did himself, which caught people entirely off guard.
Billy Corgan Reflects on His Eccentric Father William Corgan Sr’s Wild Life and Their Complicated Relationship
Billy Corgan shared a wild story about his father, William Corgan Sr., describing him as an eccentric figure who led a chaotic life.
Corgan recalled growing up in a world full of strange and dangerous moments, like finding a sawed-off shotgun in his father’s guitar case or stumbling upon large amounts of drugs around the house.
His father had a history of being arrested and involved in risky situations, including being shot multiple times, though he was never hit.
Despite his father’s reckless lifestyle, Corgan looked up to him as a talented musician, even though his dad didn’t initially support his son’s musical ambitions.
Corgan said his father didn’t want him to play guitar and was dismissive about his early musical success.
However, as Corgan’s career took off, his father’s attitude shifted, becoming more supportive and oddly jealous.
Corgan also shared a story about his father, who promised to give him his prized guitar when he passed away, only to offer later to sell it on eBay.
Billy Corgan Reveals Shocking Family Secret: Comedian Bill Burr Could Be His Half-Brother
Once, Billy Corgan shared a surprising family revelation, saying that on his 18th birthday, his father told him about a half-brother named Bill, who was born around the same time.
At the time, Corgan didn’t realize that this “Bill” was the famous comedian Bill Burr.
Billy Corgan thinks there's a possibility he and Bill Burr are half-brothers since his father had 12 children out of wedlock → https://t.co/lXBOrczl14 pic.twitter.com/wJTYZyTrnm
— CONSEQUENCE (@consequence) November 26, 2024
He admitted that when his dad mentioned it, he had no clue who Bill Burr was—he just thought it could be some guy working at a local job in Chicago.
But the story took another twist when Corgan’s stepmother added that there were possibly more half-siblings.
She mentioned that there could be as many as 12 in total. Corgan jokingly pointed out that his father was a traveling musician, so it made sense that many other children could be out there.
Additionally, Billy Corgan recalled a surprising conversation with his mother, where she asked him if he noticed any resemblance between himself and comedian Bill Burr.
Corgan was confused, thinking she would mention their physical similarities, but that wasn’t the case.
Instead, his stepmother suggested that Bill Burr could be one of Corgan’s father’s illegitimate children from his days as a traveling musician.
Corgan emphasized that this was all true, not a joke, and that he had never shared this story publicly.
After looking at Bill Burr’s age, he noticed that they were about the same age, which made the idea seem even more plausible.
On the other hand, Bill Burr was born on June 10, 1968, in Canton, Massachusetts. His mother, Linda Ann, was a nurse, and his father, Robert Burr, was a dentist.
He has also mentioned that he is distantly related to Aaron Burr, the former vice president of the United States.
Additional Information
- Billy Corgan formed the Smashing Pumpkins in 1988 in Chicago, bringing together guitarist James Iha, bassist D’arcy Wretzky, and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin.
- After the group disbanded in 2000, Corgan and Chamberlin went on to form a new band called Zwan.
- When that project ended, Corgan released a poetry collection, Blinking with Fists (2004), followed by his first solo album, TheFutureEmbrace (2005).
