Marvel Star Mark Ruffalo Recounts Setting Someone’s Face On Fire

Mark Ruffalo is in a bit of limbo right now as Marvel Studios gets set to start their next phase. But, the star took some time to reflect on some of his previous work on The Graham Norton Show and the results were flammable. Once upon a time, the Hulk actor was a bartender and he almost ended up setting a patron’s face on fire. The story is, of course, hysterical as Ruffalo demonstrates that charm that makes audiences love him so much. It’s not that he was trying to do harm, but sometimes accidents happen. There was also a pretty funny anecdote about the Marvel star giving people generous pours because they kept complaining to him about their drinks. In his own words, the story is a whole lot funnier.

“I had the Markarita. A margarita, but I ended up having to start early and I had my Thursday night crowd. Partially because, and I’m sorry Sean Macpherson wherever you are, I gave away a lot of free drinks. It wasn’t a great quality in a bartender… I had to deal with a lot of drunk people, yes. Sometimes they were not very nice. There would be nights where I’d be up to my eyeballs in a-holes.”

Then, the conversation switched to one rather rowdy customer who wanted a sambuca. That is where things got a bit combustible.

“So, occasionally you would get someone who was so obnoxious and it was the end of the night,” he continued. “This guy came in and he was wasted and he was such an a-hole. He’s like, ‘I want a sambuca!’ I’m like, ‘Come on man, you’re doing okay.’ He repeats, ‘Give me a sambuca!’ So, I pour him a sambuca and then he yells, ‘Light it!’ I’m not gonna light your doing man. I don’t light drinks man, you want to light your drink, you light it yourself. ‘Light it!’ and I respond okay. I light the drink, he takes it and it goes all over his face, dripping down his face, blue flames everywhere. I’m trying not to laugh, and he beats the hell out of himself trying to get it out. Then, ‘Give me another!’ I reply, ‘Sure thing, want me to light it for you?’”

In a shocking twist, the customer actually wanted it lit again, and the same exact thing happened the second time. The Hulk actor called it one of the greatest nights. It’s absolutely hysterical to picture a pretty exasperated Ruffalo trying to appease this wildly drunk customer. Thank goodness he wasn’t seriously injured in that flaming drink fiasco. Whenever someone wonders why the Marvel actor can come off so measured and patient, this might be a story to think back to.