Can Mel Gibson's Career Survive Latest Ugliness?
Mel Gibson is locked in a scandal that just keeps getting uglier.
He's been battling his ex-girlfriend, Russian singer Oksana Grigorieva, over custody of their 8-month-old daughter. The Los Angeles Police Department has confirmed he's under investigation for domestic violence. She claims he beat her up.
Mel Gibson Alleged Rant Audio Posted Online
Did Mel Gibson Beat Up His Ex?
And now, an audio tape that sounds a lot like Gibson has surfaced on celebrity website RadarOnline in which a man who sounds very much like the Academy Award-winner is heard in a racist and sexist rant against Grigorieva. The two were still together at the time. In it, the man says she looks like a "whore." He then uses the N-word.
He also lashes out at her about the way she was dressed, saying, "That green thing today was enough. That's provocative. OK? I'm telling you. I'm just telling you the truth. I don't like it. I don't want that woman! I don't want you! I don't believe you anymore. I don't trust you. I don't love you. I don't want you."
RadarOnline says Grigorieva made the recording.
Listen to clips of the recording:
First Clip
Second Clip
Third Clip
After the tapes were posted on RadarOnline, Gibson was dropped by his talent agency.
He alleges Grigorieva tried to extort money from him and that, if he didn't pay, she'd leak recordings of him to the press.
But Howard Bragman, chairman and CEO of Fifteen Minutes, a public relations firm, notes the apparent example of Gibson's hostility is only one of many, presenting Gibson with a serious challenge.
"Boy, this is gonna be like capping the oil spill, isn't it?" Bragman asked "Early Show on Saturday Morning" co-anchor Chris Wragge. "You know, the problem is not just this one tape. The problem is what's happened before and really, Mel has probably almost a two-decade history of angry outbursts.
"He's been homophobic, he's been racist, he's been misogynistic, he's been anti-Semitic. There's almost no group left that he hasn't offended.
"And down the road, more of these tapes are gonna get leaked. And I think we're gonna hear more vitriol and hatred. This is in no way over for him, and he's not ready to put it behind him. He's in the middle of it."
Bragman says the new tape didn't surprise him in the least. "Ever since his homophobic outbursts in the '90s, I've never been a big fan," Bragman points out. "This is just more of the same.
"This is a man who should really be counting his blessings in life, and he's just angry and full of hatred, and it's just really sad and, you know, this is a wonderful country where we have the power to say we don't like somebody, by not supporting their work, by not supporting their projects, and I personally made that decision and I think other people who are offended should make a similar decision."
In addition to starring in the popular "Lethal Weapon" and "Mad Max" movies, Gibson won two Academy Awards for directing and producing the 1995 film "Braveheart." His 2004 film "The Passion of the Christ" was also a major box office hit.
But, Wragge observed, Gibson's career has sputtered since a 2006 anti-Semitic outburst.
Bragman said it's not time to bring out the hankies.
"He's done his own projects. I mean, you know, reportedly, Mel Gibson's worth close to a billion dollars, so we shouldn't be holding a bake sale for him but … really, his career is derailed at this point. He's been fired by his talent agency, and I'm not seeing another talent agency rushing to pick him up.
"But, you know, it's Hollywood and there's a lot of money is at stake. Somebody will do something with him, and he's got a movie that's already been filmed. It'll be interesting to see how they release this project."
Bragman says Gibson is "on an island" at the moment. "Nobody wants to take the heat by being in business with Mel Gibson right now. He's offended everyone, everyone in Hollywood."
What would Bragman advise Gibson to do?
"I think right now that his potential legal problems far outweigh his p-r," Bragman replied, "and I think he's got a very fine publicist who I respect a great deal, who's doing exactly the right thing, which is shutting up. There's criminal investigations going on and that has to trump any p-r things right now.
"You know, in time, we do tend to forgive people, but we forgive them if we truly believe they apologize and are sincere. We'll see if he's got that in him, if that ever comes out of Mel at this point."
Copyright 2010 CBS. All rights reserved. He's been battling his ex-girlfriend, Russian singer Oksana Grigorieva, over custody of their 8-month-old daughter. The Los Angeles Police Department has confirmed he's under investigation for domestic violence. She claims he beat her up.
Mel Gibson Alleged Rant Audio Posted Online
Did Mel Gibson Beat Up His Ex?
And now, an audio tape that sounds a lot like Gibson has surfaced on celebrity website RadarOnline in which a man who sounds very much like the Academy Award-winner is heard in a racist and sexist rant against Grigorieva. The two were still together at the time. In it, the man says she looks like a "whore." He then uses the N-word.
He also lashes out at her about the way she was dressed, saying, "That green thing today was enough. That's provocative. OK? I'm telling you. I'm just telling you the truth. I don't like it. I don't want that woman! I don't want you! I don't believe you anymore. I don't trust you. I don't love you. I don't want you."
RadarOnline says Grigorieva made the recording.
Listen to clips of the recording:
First Clip
Second Clip
Third Clip
After the tapes were posted on RadarOnline, Gibson was dropped by his talent agency.
He alleges Grigorieva tried to extort money from him and that, if he didn't pay, she'd leak recordings of him to the press.
But Howard Bragman, chairman and CEO of Fifteen Minutes, a public relations firm, notes the apparent example of Gibson's hostility is only one of many, presenting Gibson with a serious challenge.
"Boy, this is gonna be like capping the oil spill, isn't it?" Bragman asked "Early Show on Saturday Morning" co-anchor Chris Wragge. "You know, the problem is not just this one tape. The problem is what's happened before and really, Mel has probably almost a two-decade history of angry outbursts.
"He's been homophobic, he's been racist, he's been misogynistic, he's been anti-Semitic. There's almost no group left that he hasn't offended.
"And down the road, more of these tapes are gonna get leaked. And I think we're gonna hear more vitriol and hatred. This is in no way over for him, and he's not ready to put it behind him. He's in the middle of it."
Bragman says the new tape didn't surprise him in the least. "Ever since his homophobic outbursts in the '90s, I've never been a big fan," Bragman points out. "This is just more of the same.
"This is a man who should really be counting his blessings in life, and he's just angry and full of hatred, and it's just really sad and, you know, this is a wonderful country where we have the power to say we don't like somebody, by not supporting their work, by not supporting their projects, and I personally made that decision and I think other people who are offended should make a similar decision."
In addition to starring in the popular "Lethal Weapon" and "Mad Max" movies, Gibson won two Academy Awards for directing and producing the 1995 film "Braveheart." His 2004 film "The Passion of the Christ" was also a major box office hit.
But, Wragge observed, Gibson's career has sputtered since a 2006 anti-Semitic outburst.
Bragman said it's not time to bring out the hankies.
"He's done his own projects. I mean, you know, reportedly, Mel Gibson's worth close to a billion dollars, so we shouldn't be holding a bake sale for him but … really, his career is derailed at this point. He's been fired by his talent agency, and I'm not seeing another talent agency rushing to pick him up.
"But, you know, it's Hollywood and there's a lot of money is at stake. Somebody will do something with him, and he's got a movie that's already been filmed. It'll be interesting to see how they release this project."
Bragman says Gibson is "on an island" at the moment. "Nobody wants to take the heat by being in business with Mel Gibson right now. He's offended everyone, everyone in Hollywood."
What would Bragman advise Gibson to do?
"I think right now that his potential legal problems far outweigh his p-r," Bragman replied, "and I think he's got a very fine publicist who I respect a great deal, who's doing exactly the right thing, which is shutting up. There's criminal investigations going on and that has to trump any p-r things right now.
"You know, in time, we do tend to forgive people, but we forgive them if we truly believe they apologize and are sincere. We'll see if he's got that in him, if that ever comes out of Mel at this point."
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Against the tenets of the Holy See he built his own Catholic church, staffed with his own ultra-conservative clergy.
He and his father don't believe the Jews were killed en masse during WWII.
He abhors what came out of Vatican II.
He's been off the rails for a good long time, guys, and I don't see him cleaning up his act any time soon. The guy's scum - and this from a former admirer.
Everyone has made racist statements in private or even in public at one time or another. But talk doesn't really hurt people as do the actions of discrimination. The media uses talk as the key to claiming racism when they should be using the actions of others as the defining characteristic. If they did they would be incriminating themselves.
As an example over-representation of any group generally has some discrimination as the root cause. That's what the EEO said and the reason behind their quotas. Yet I don't see the media ever pouncing on Hollywood, or Wall Street, or CNBC or government for its obvious use of discrimination in hiring or promoting or offering advantages to a special group.
Discrimination is about excluding others while showing favoritism to one's own group in business hiring, promoting, awarding contracts, and generally ensuring that the welfare of one's group or tribe is taken care of but excluding same consideration for others. Hollywood just like Wall Street, government, etc are notorious for this racism and special treatment for some, and now thanks to Obama and pressure we even have such a biased Supreme Court.
The same Hollywood people who are extremely critical of Mel Gibson were behind the child rapist Polanski being pardoned by the Swiss. But there is no racism from them...lol.
Crickets chirping
I know, I know, Mel was thinking the his little alcholic head instead of the one on his shoulders...she is really gross though... kinda like the John Edwards baby momma whomp. Yuck!
Now, with regard to what many here are saying about the content of his tirades and the words he has used (i.e., that we 'should get over it' because the N*** word is used in other media, and it is used by some black people when referring to other black people in song and in casual discourse)..Well, from a purely etymological viewpoint, the N** word has many connotations and uses--the meaning of which is predicated on who is using the word and how they intend for the word to be interpreted.
Gibson uses racist language, sexist language, and Anti-Semitic language in a hateful manner. He uses such words to demean and slander those who are not like him (non-male, non-white, non-Christian). That is the DEFINITION of bigotry.
Simply because certain members of certain groups use certain words among themselves, does not give out-groups license to use those terms also. Like it or not, that is just the way it is. To change this condition, we would have to eradicate historical bigotry and you cannot undo the past. We live with the remnants of our sexist, racist, misogynist and religiously intolerant history every day. We must all work hard to overcome it. Until that time, it will live with us in some very twisted ways.
Women, gays, black people, and even non-Christians have words they use as members of their 'in-group' to refer to oneanother that people who are not within that group cannot use because the words would then be used by the historical oppressor, and the meaning of those words will be different because of that situation (hate-speech, slander, slurs). Again, understand, it is this way because of historical bigotry. History dictates the current interpretation and meaning, and therefore limits the use of certain words by out-group members.
Intra-culturally, this is acceptable. Many people may not like it, but in-group acceptance rules the day in this instance. It is not the same for someone from outside particular racial/religious/socio-cultural groups to use those words because their intention is not the same.
Understand?
Ok...I'm NOT defending Mel's issues, he's obviously got them; however what I will say is this "rant" of his, during a domestic dispute with his girlfriend was PRIVATE. How many of us here on this board have said things in private we wouldn't want the public at large to hear????
So let me get this straight. When you are in private, you say racist, homophobic, anti-semitic comments?
You are either a racist, homophobe, etc., or you are not. If you are not, then this stuff should never come out of your mouth because you wouldn't even be thinking it!
As for him using the "N" word, come on!!! Can we please get over this??? It seems perfectly acceptable when a black person says that word, it's all over rap lyrics...you hear them say it in conversation on the streets, it's written into dialogue in movies (and no one says a word about it)...yet a white person uses that word and all hell breaks loose. It's either ok to use it...or not FOR EVERYONE, make up your minds.
As for his talent, he's one of the best directors out there. Now, perhaps he should stay behind the camera..although, I for one, do enjoy the movies he acts in...but I can watch the movie and see the character, NOT the actor with issues behind the character.
I don't know, but so much about this whole situation feels like a set-up of Mel to me. Can his career survive this??? I think so.
Ok...I'm NOT defending Mel's issues, he's obviously got them; however what I will say is this "rant" of his, during a domestic dispute with his girlfriend was PRIVATE. How many of us here on this board have said things in private we wouldn't want the public at large to hear????
So let me get this straight. When you are in private, you say racist, homophobic, anti-semitic comments?
You are either a racist, homophobe, etc., or you are not. If you are not, then this stuff should never come out of your mouth because you wouldn't even be thinking it!
I have a couple of Gibson movies -- "greatest actor on the face of the earth?" Please -- but I can no longer watch them, after his anti-Semitic, racist, alcoholic, sexist, bizarro behavior. Not a conscious thing, and they're the same movies, but now the lead character repulses me so much I can't enjoy them.