BREAKING NEWS: Mel Gibson Makes Statement

Statement from Mel Gibson re DUI arrest: Posted 1:02 PM, July 29, 2006

"After drinking alcohol on Thursday night, I did a number of things that were very wrong and for which I am ashamed. I drove a car when I should not have, and was stopped by the LA County Sheriffs. The arresting officer was just doing his job and I feel fortunate that I was apprehended before I caused injury to any other person. I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested, and said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable. I am deeply ashamed of everything I said, and I apologize to anyone who I have offended. Also, I take this opportunity to apologize to the deputies involved for my belligerent behavior. They have always been there for me in my community and indeed probably saved me from myself. I disgraced myself and my family with my behavior and for that I am truly sorry. I have battled with the disease of alcoholism for all of my adult life and profoundly regret my horrific relapse. I apologize for any behavior unbecoming of me in my inebriated state and have already taken necessary steps to ensure my return to health.”

ADD: Here's this afternoon's AP story.

Comments

[David]

It will be interesting (and probably depressing) to see what kind of hay will be made of this by Gibson's enemies, many of whom, in almost every other context, would instinctively take a theraputic rather than a moral view of a relapse like this. I hope they will surprise me rather than reacting true to form, but I'm not holding my breath.

(Mel's statement is obviously sincere and almost shockingly unguarded; not filtered through legal or managerial advice. But that, too, oddly, may tell against him; as further evidence that he is truly a different breed from most of his Hollywood peers.)

[Shine]

In Vino Veritas.

[dmac]

Takes a big man to admit when he's made a mistake.

Having said that, now I understand TPOTC a bit more. Alcohol shears away inhibitions; Gibson's statements are probably closer to his heart than he is (obviously) willing to admit.

[Zeno]

Wow, that booze is pretty potent stuff. Like Mel Gibson, I can say that some of my best friends are Jews. It's quite disturbing to think that I might denounce them with obscenities and blood-libel accusations if I drank too much alcohol.

Jeepers.

[Jason G]

I'm always amazed (and pleased) when someone makes a statement like this. It's so rare for someone to actually take responsibility and truly apologize. It certainly never happens from a certain segment of the population.

Glad to see Mel is of the other sort who can admit when he is wrong and not sugar-coat it. Nice job, Mel.

[Geo]

So, what despicable things did he say? I see an apology, but no quote that reveals exactly what exactly it was he said. that he now contends he "does not consider to be true."

Curious bit of jounalism - AP included - that makes no mention of the offending quote. What's getting covered up here?

[Spoons]

This is depressing. As a long-time defender of Gibson, I can hardly blame any of his detractors for making hay of this. I was disgusted enough to hear about the DUI at 40+ over the speed limit (crimes for which Mr. Gibson dearly needs to spend some time in jail), but to hear of his anti-semitic comments truly shocked me. I never believed he had an anti-semitic bone in his body. I was obviously wrong.

[T.H. Ung]

Just because you're quick with an apology, doesn't mean it's real. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he were hunkered down with a damage control PR specialist this morning and hatched this. What's the guy supposed to say or do? The jig is up about Mel, but if his next movie is good, it'll stand on it's own merits and not this microcosmic moment of clarity about human nature and history. He's entitled to his views, his demons and his muses.

[DaninVan]

I think this is what you're looking for:http://cdn.digitalcity.com/tmz_documents/gibson_wm_docs_072806.pdf
The police report of the incident. I'm assuming, from Gibson's apology, that it's the real deal.

[Crow T Robot]

Well said Geo. Gibson has always been an eccentric, and yet he broke through even that by having the courage of his own convictions. His great faith in his risky projects always seemed to pay off (another of which we'll see in just a few months). George Clooney, to his credit, seems to be following in that same maverick "Life's too short to just be a movie star" mold.

But this thing today is tragic... a heartbreaker for everyone who has defended him in the past. Personally I think he should carpet bomb the media with apologies... don't give this shit time to fester.

[Larry]

Bummer man, I really like Mel, but this was too much. He's a great actor and his movies are the best, very entertaining and intense, whether it be drama or comedy. He does his job very well and it shows that he enjoys doing it.
Everyone has demons, I'm an alcoholic too, his got the best of him this time. Doesn't excuse the anti-Semite remarks by a long shot though, as alcohol tends to loosen inhibitions that bare the soul and what you really feel. Too bad Mel, you just "fucked" yourself, and sadly, I wont ever spend another penny on your endeavors no matter what...

[billyjoe]

Mel's new movie, "Apocalypto," doesnt open until the holiday (apologies to all you Christian fundies) season.

Plenty of time for damage control, saturation TV ads, and the spokesperson wizardry of such well known and highly paid industry flacks like Lizzie Grubman, Elliot Mintz, Liz Rosenberg, and Peggy Siegel to set the course for huge opening weekend B.O. grosses.

Not to menton several columns by movie critic Michael Medved assuring the public that Mel's anti-semetic ranting was taken out of context.

[WRL]

The Devil and Mr. Gibson meet again, publicly this time.
What will be...
"The Passion of the Public?"

[Wm. R L]

This is amazing! What Satanic strategy!
Satan uses the same personality from "The Passion", God's Chosen Story, to further draw attention and poison the Jews, God's Chosen People.
Amazing!

[elaine]

To David and Shine:

Yeah: In vino veritas - in this case, tequila.

And yeah, My heart (and gut) tell me that he spoke his heart's greatest truths. That he didn't mean what he said is bullshit. Look at his family history, if not his movies and previous statements.

[Juan Oskar]

Mel was totally out of line making his drunken' rage comment "All the wars in the world are caused by Jews." How many times have we heard,

"All the wars in the world are caused by religion." Now that would insult, Jews, Christians, and Muslims and I've never heard an apology for that.

[Keyser Sose]

Ohh I came so late to the Mel train wreckage! What a shame. Was I working too hard ? Reading too much about Israel's just fight against radical crazy assholes? Oh where I was all this time !??

My main dish is still going to be Mel, Honey in portuguese, melodic as "meow", Mel the bitch. Oh Pel Mel: What a *blip* up man !!!

Was that a Mad Max stunt driving your Lexus at high speed on the perilous highways of Malibu? oh what a braveheart indeed! What a Passion you have for the law !!! Hey what about that forgotten law that says life is sacred? Remember that guy called Christ? He used to say that man. Mel, did you realize a Lexus can also be a Lethal Weapon in the hands of a drunken moron ?

Ah, what an endorsement for your antisemitic views of the world: alcoholism.

And what about the trash talk ? That was priceless ! Mel: the Jews did start all wars of the world man! Awesome and as true as your version of Christ's last days. Evidence is all over history: Jews attacked Pearl Harbour and of course invaded themselves in Poland. They exterminated Incas and Maias, they attacked Kuwait, set Iran and Iraq against each other too, sponsored the Taliban and don't forget the bunch os jews blowing away planes on 9/11. They self exterminated too and self pogrom'ed all over the 19th century. Those barbaric Jew Crusaders! Those bastard jewish samurais! I won't be suprised if mean aliens are jewish too.

Mel you are a genius man, a bit drunk and bitchy, but a genius nevertheless. Thanks for opening my eyes sugar !

[Chris]

Mel is kooky. Check him out! http://www.melhatesjews.com

[Debbie]

Mel has apologized. We should forgive him. How many times have we all said or done something that we shouldn't have while drunk. If we would all read the Bible we would all see that his movie, "The Passion" was true. He was not doing the movie to hurt Jews. We all caused His crucifixion by our sins.

[Sonya]

I find Mel Gibson's comments both shocking and disappointing. These kinds of incidents do not exactly make him " flavor of the month " in the Catholic world either. I am still looking for the news story where Mel Gibson apologizes to the JEWISH PEOPLE for his comments. He has apologized to everyone but the JEWISH PEOPLE. Mr. Gibson, as a Catholic, you should pay heed to the late Holy Father, Pope John Paul II and his public apology to the JEWISH PEOPLE for the Catholic church's silence during the Holocaust. What did his public apology to the JEWISH PEOPLE mean to you? Obviously nothing. Here's something you should think about: If apologizing to the JEWISH PEOPLE was good enough for the late Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, may his soul rest in peace, it should be good enough for you.

[Morrie]

Well its time to keep score and I don't know how to begin, Mel Gibson's only one man and now he's being hung out to dry for what..being human? Give me a break, but I've said things when I've had too many and I feel danm bad in the morning. Let the ones that haven't cast the first stone. If you never have been in this situation you have lead a boaring life my friend.

[Cathy]

I am curious to know if everyone arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct has their beligerent, sometimes in-coherent babble documented word for word, or if the arresting officers often dismisses everything they say as nonsense not worth repeating? Mel Gibson made a wrong choice by drinking again, and that is the issue to be dealt with. Spending all this time picking apart the dialog of a drunken man who is obviously out of his state of mind is a serious waist of everyones time.

[bird.lavonne]

Gibson's statements are probably closer to his heart than he is (obviously) willing to admit.

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bird.lavonne
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[adamgilcrist]

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[Rose]

Rose

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