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Mel Gibson is a Class Act! U Da Man! All is Forgiven! B'hatzlacha! Jump Up My Ass and Suffocate!

By Dustin Rowles | TV | April 22, 2011 |

By Dustin Rowles | TV | April 22, 2011 |

I don’t want to write too much about this because it makes my head spin, my eyeballs float, and the seams holding my head to my neck burst. But Mel Gibson gave his first public interview since the racist, misogynistic, violent, victim battling and hateful ordeal with ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva back in July, the day after which we officially declared Mel Gibson’s career dead.

Apparently, we spoke to soon.

The interview was granted to Allison Hope Weiner, who handed it over to Deadline for publication. It is a very candid interview, where Gibson basically expresses a lot of self-pity, suggests that his ex-girlfriend betrayed him, claims that he never “treated anyone badly or in a discriminatory way based on their gender, race, religion or sexuality — period”; said that he doesn’t care if audiences hold the experience against him; stated that he doesn’t care if he never acts again; claimed the leaked tapes were “edited”; thanked Whoopi Goldberg for defending him; and discussed all of his future projects.

What I didn’t see in skimming through all the bullshit was an honest admission of guilt or a real apology. No matter. All is forgiven! At least, according to the comments underneath the interview, which were overwhelmingly forgiving. And if they are any indication of how the rest of the world will treat this interview, Mel Gibson may be back at the top of the box office within the next year. Because all it takes, apparently, is one slightly defensive, not particularly remorseful interview, and the world will forget you ever told your ex-girlfriend to give you a blowjob or you’d burn down her house. That’s the post-Charlie Sheen world we live in now. In fact, if Gibson really wanted to win the world’s affection back, all he’d need to do is go up on stage, play those phone recordings over load speakers and shout exclamatory 80’s catchphrases to the audience. How long before celebrities drag women on stage and beat them for encores? Is there nothing that can’t be forgiven if you’re famous?

Don’t believe me? Here are a few forgiving comments from the early half of the Deadline comment section. And these aren’t cherry-picked — they are typical of the majority of those comments.


  • We have all done stupid things. Mel is cool. Forgiveness.

  • Thank you, Mel, for opening up. Know there are many, many people who love you and pray for you. You may not know us personally, but we have your back. Lean on our strength.

    As a film student (who went to work in PBS) I find myself engaged in many conversations about the medium. There are few directors I consider artists. I could write them down on a single 3×5 card.

    You are on that list. In my opinion, you are one of the rare true artists currently working in Hollywood.

    I love you, Mel, and God loves you. Blessings.

  • Wow. Refreshingly candid.

  • yes that was a refreshing read… always have liked Mel and so glad to hear he is OK. He is a brilliant mind and he sounds like he really GETS IT. Bravo Mel … all the best to you.

  • Mel is still the man. We’ve all gone through something insane in our life. Mel’s was public (and crazy) but hey, it happens. Be cool and let the man do his business.

  • God bless you Mel!

    You have guts and talent and have made some real good pictures. I’ve appreciated your willingness to tell the truth as you see it, even though it has brought you a lot of flack.

    Here is hoping you have more years to do that in the future. Not all the good leading roles involve young men. We old guys have adventures too, and maybe more profound than when we were young.

  • Come on Mel give us another Braveheart (u da man)!!

  • Class act.

  • I am Jewish. Had a bar mitzvah and all. However, I have a deep respect and sympathy for Mel. Everyone says things they deeply regretted or acted in a manner they realized later was way out line. The difference is Mel had these acts recorded and widely publicized.

    I have respect for him because, unlike many stars cause in similar scandals, he took the brunt of the responsibilities for these actions. He did not hire a 10 person pr team to combat the bad press and, instead, acted in a humble manner (as demonstrated in this interview).

    If I never talked or respected anyone who had ever expressed an anti-semitic joke or statement that went a bit too far… I would be living a very isolated existence.

    Behatzlacha Mel.

  • Mel Gibson is one of the few real people in Hollywood. He will do more than just survive - he will continue his greatness because of his honesty.

  • The media is the ones who crucified Mel Gibson, then they took it upon themselves to tell us how we all feel about him. I never saw any outrage towards Mel Gibson from his fan base. It always seemed obvious to me and everyone I know that he was set up, and it was obvious that his girlfriend didn’t fear him at all. I think the media thinks we can’t think for ourselves. We can, and we never crucified Mel, they did.

  • Great interview, have always liked and respected Mel. The leaked tapes simply showed a man who was in pain….and in today’s day and age, who isn’t!?
    The interview was direct, honest and sincere.

  • I am actively going to support Mel’s future films just to stand on the other side of the line from those who would cast stones. Those execs who tried to blackball him should be retreating into shadows of shame. They know who they are. And so do we.