Mel Gibson Still Sucks, in Case You Were Wondering

My family moved around a lot when I was younger. Leaving someplace only felt hard once, to my recollection, and after that, I just kind of got used to it. It’s honestly made it a lot easier to move on in my life, and that’s come out in some similar ways. I’ve felt no real connection to my high school or the “college” I went to after I left. I only return to my hometown because my parents still live there. Hell, some people were very important in my life- actual relationships- who I have moved on from for one reason or another, and haven’t given it a second thought.

I’m not unique in that regard. Plenty of people are able to move on from certain relationships, be it to places, people, or things. I’m just always amazed at how people pick and choose which folks they stick by and why. Especially when it comes from celebrities, people will bend over backwards trying to explain why they still watch or support someone, even though that person has given them ample reason to move on. And these are celebrities that people don’t usually have a real relationship with.

You can probably think of many examples, but today we’re talking about Mel Gibson. I loved Gibson growing up. The Lethal Weapon films played regularly in my house, as did his episode of The Simpsons after I recorded it onto VHS. I’m even slightly embarrassed to say that eleven-year-old me saw The Patriot in theaters and watched it over and over again for years. But when Gibson was recorded saying some of the most reprehensible things I have ever heard in private moments, I moved on with a quickness.

Hollywood moved on too, for a little bit. There have been numerous attempts to reintroduce Gibson into the mainstream, through movies big and small, and nothing has worked (can’t imagine why!). He’s pivoting back to Jesus right now, because Catholics are easy marks, but he’s also still greeting paying fans at conventions who seem perfectly unbothered by him being a massive piece of garbage, even though it’s at such a convention that ole Mel found himself in some fresh hot water.

A video made the rounds of Gibson taking the stage at Fan Expo Canada and immediately mocking the movements of an ASL interpreter before taking his seat. The video has (rightfully) made enough people mad that Mel put out a classic non-apology, where he blames the lights and ends it by saying, “I certainly apologize to anyone who was upset by it.” Maybe apologize directly to the person you were making fun of, ya prick!

People like Mel Gibson are practically begging people not to like them, feeling protected by their body of work. The man is still threatening to make another Lethal Weapon, claiming the script he co-wrote is the best one yet and appealing to David Ellison directly to help get it made. Because the rights are all tied up, ya see. Not because it’s a terrible idea, but because the industry is just getting in the way. Hopefully, that continues.

But I’m just here to tell you, you don’t have to stick with a terrible celebrity just because they made something that was once meaningful to you. You can survive without listening to Thriller. There are plenty of other books besides the Harry Potter series. If you want some A+ 90s Joe Pesci, watch My Cousin Vinny instead of Lethal Weapon 2-4. You got options. Stop standing by these shitheels for nostalgia’s sake.