Gibson Puts DUI Behind Him

While I was pleased that the LAT's Tim Rutten quoted from Friday's THR Mel Gibson piece, he was a tad rough on Gibson's motives for submitting to grilling from Good Morning America's Diane Sawyer. Of course he's trying to clear the air so that he can move on to sell his December release, Apocalypto. Nor does Gibson want the DUI controversy to be used to publicize the movie. His PR handler's mission is to help his client accomplish these things. It was up to Gibson to do a good job of it. (I loved the bit about splashing water on his face and hair to make his mug shot look good.) Clearly, it is easier for Gibson to cop to his alcoholism, which is a nasty disease to battle, than it is to dig into the root causes of his feelings about Jews. Yes, he was angry about how The Passion of the Christ was handled by the press, sight unseen, and he has issues with the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East. But he still hasn't untangled all the old tapes in his head. I'm a Yankee fan and a knee-jerk Democrat mainly because I was raised that way.

Comments

[T. H. Ung]

I don't find Rutten's piece rough at all; just real and honest. RE the tapes in Mel’s head, perhaps it’s time for Hutton Gibson to speak up on behalf of his son. The sight unseen criticism of POTC was based on, among other things, the leaked script. After the movie came out, criticism was far from over, even though dire predictions concerning a passion play on the order of POTC didn't come true. For the non-believers, the decision to see/not see POTC was based on its graphic content, which I think will be the deciding factor for most people with APOC.

[Melanie S. Mosshart]

Well, it appears easy for all of Hollywood, Dianne Sawyer and the world, in fact, to sit in judgement of Mel Gibson, such a successful and powerful actor, for one, albeit a big one, banana-peel slip-up. I haven't seen Joan Rivers or Rob Reiner walking on water lately, so I'll have to concur with Maya Angelou who spoke later in the GMA piece on forgiveness. Who hasn't sinned in Hollywood? Or for that matter, anywhere? Mr. Gibson has brought fun, excitement and passion to anyone who has seen his movies, so I for one stand behind him wholeheartedly and believe he is contrite. And really, who am I to forgive or judge, that's entirely up to SOMEONE else.

[Sergio]

As you allude to in your final comments, it's pretty clear to me that Gibson's nutcase father is the major reason for his own personal "issues". Until he can be totally honest and admit to that, he's not going to be making any real progress.

[mitkid]

Granted, I can count on one hand the number of times I've watched Good Morning America or its competitors, but after watching the Gibson interview Friday (missed Thursday) I was struck by two things about Mel Gibson. First, his attitude of being a victim, second his comments on the "Ramblings of a drunkard" as if that were different from his ramblings while drunk. He wasn't that drunk either (0.12 blood alcohol was just a good start in my drinking days).

I would hardly call Diane Sawyer's questions a grilling, if it were she would have followed up by asking Gibson if he repudiated his father’s abhorrent beliefs, yes or no.

[sam]

Mel Gibson, who infamously made ant-Semitic comments when he was arrested in Malibu on Friday on DUI charges. When he was arrested, he admitted that he had fought for the disease of alcoholism for all his entire life.
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Sam
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