Mel Gibson’s drunk driving arrest and reported anti-Semitic jailhouse tirade this weekend got me thinking. There’s no way to categorize Gibson’s alleged remarks — see the bombshell police report obtained by TMZ.com here — as anything other than totally offensive and creepy. (The full report has not been made public, but the Los Angeles Times reported Sunday that it had independently verified its authenticity.)
And despite the fact that Gibson later issued a statement apologizing "to anyone who I have offended" and "to the deputies involved for my belligerent behavior," I can’t help but wonder: Don’t a lot of folks tend to express their truest feelings when they’re inebriated? (I mean, after a few glasses of wine, I typically slur ”I lurrrve you” to family and friends before launching into a rousing rendition of ”Me and Bobby McGee.” But I digress…)
Anyhow, here’s the question I’ve been asking myself, and I’m wondering how you’d answer it too: If Gibson’s anti-Semitic rant is confirmed to be true (according to TMZ, the entire arrest was captured on audio tape), would it stop you from seeing his movies ever again? And before you answer, consider these questions: What if a few years from now, Gibson’s got one of the frontrunners in the Oscar race? Or what if he filmed the movie adaptation of your favorite book, starring your favorite actor or actress? Would that affect your decision?
I guess what it boils down to is how much each one of us can separate a celebrity’s personal beliefs from his or her work. But as my sister said to me when we were discussing Gibson this weekend, "If the guy who owned my local coffee shop made anti-Semitic remarks like that in public, I wouldn’t give him my business. I’d go somewhere else. It’s as simple as that." Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, contends that Gibson’s response was "unremorseful and insufficient" and is hoping that the entire movie industry, not just consumers, gives Gibson the cold shoulder. "We would hope that Hollywood now would realize the bigot in their midst and that they will distance themselves from this anti-Semite," he told Reuters. (Hollywood execs appear split on the fate of Gibson’s career.)
As for myself, well, considering how many great books, movies, and TV shows I end up missing in a typical year, I’m thinking I’ll have plenty of alternatives to Apocalypto come this winter. Maybe I’ll use its Dec. 8 release date to finally watch my DVD of Dreamer, starring the delightful Dakota Fanning. And ponies! ‘Cause everyone loves ponies.
How about you, PopWatchers?
I never saw Passion of the Christ, and I won’t see Apocolypto. I think (hope) you’ll find that there are plenty of us who have been boycotting Mel Gibson’s work for years, due to his homophobic and anti-semetic statements. This is not a nice guy. Remember when he almost killed Diane Sawyer? Of course he meant what he said the other night when he was drunk. I hope more people are exposed to what a jerk he is.
Never saw PoC, don’t want to see Apocalypto. I haven’t liked Mel Gibson for a while, but I can’t see him completely disappearing from the Hollywood radar because of his comments. There are too many red state-conservative religious freaks cheering with joy over his comments for that to happen. Mel’s too big now to have his career terminated. If ppl had seen his true colors at the beginning of his career, they could have squashed him. And hey, the same could be said of Tom Cruise.
I don’t know if I’ll see Apocolypto, but I wasn’t so gung-ho about the movie anyway. I hate what Mel Gibson said, but I still love his work and will not boy-cot anything of his because of these remarks.
Mel Gibson as a person and Mel Gibson as an artist are different. And actually, Simeon- you’ll find that there are PLENTY of people who saw Mel’s latest work- Passion. Just look at the numbers. I saw it with a fully packed theater. Apocolypto wouldn’t have had that kind of pull anyway. You all say that he is a bad person for judging others and what he said, how about we stop doing that to him and let him live his life. Think he’s the first person to ever say things like this?
I won’t be seeing his films again, but I have not seen Passion of the Christ and do not plan on seeing his new film.
However, I do not think his career will be hurt at all. This type of “hate speak” against minority groups is happening all of the time in this country. The party in power (Republican) does not seem to upset about these types of remarks unless they are made against Christians or Evangelicals. Then, they get really mad. But if you put down or slander black people, gay people, Jewish people, Middle Eastern people, or even women, then they don’t really care much.
I don’t think it will turn many heads, unfortunately.
This recent incident merely confirms what has been apparent for a long time. Mel Gibson is a deeply disturbed man. He needs to stop making movies and just become a hermit recluse who takes his vile hate along with him. How sad that he completely misunderstands/ignores the compassion part of his own religion??
Will I boycott- Nope!
If it were true (and if it isn’t, what exactly was he saying “Sorry” for???) then I absolutely would boycott his movies. Hatred has no place in creativity, and I think that PotC is a prime example. Cartman from South Park was right–it’s a !@#$in’ snuff film!
I haven’t seen Passion either and won’t be seeing the new movie. I got turned off of Mel when Passion first started being talked about long before the movie even debutd. I’m not big on religious frenzy, so when celebs start acting out because of their particular beliefs it leaves me cold.
And you’re totally right Michael. Alcohol loosens the tongue and people tend to say a lot of things that they never would while sober. Mostly our true feelings or at least things we’ve always wanted to say.
I must say South Park seems to be rather insightful when it comes to the celebs it makes fun of. Their episodes on Tom and Mel, now seem spot on.
he is going down…I mean hello, does he not know by now who holds a lot of the power in Hollywood? and he hasn’t made a good movie in AWHILE…and Apocolypto (sp?)does not look like it will be an exception. so yeah, I will not be going to see his films from now on, and may get rid of his movies that I already have on DVD, of which I think the only one is Braveheart. That was a good movie, too.
Yeah, this is the final nail in Gibson’s career-coffin as far as I’m concerned. I’ve disliked him ever since I found out what a homophobe he was, and this, well, this is just inexcusable.
And did anyone else notice how much he looked like the Unabomber in some of the press footage associated with this story?
He’s a strange one, that Mel. And I’ll be glad to not see any of his movies ever again.
It was Stan who said that. Cartman loved the film, as it showed (in his words) “the filthiness and depravity of the common Jew.”
As to Apocalypto, if it’s even half as unwatchable as Passion, he wouldn’t need to badmouth G-d’s chosen to get me to stay away.
I have been boycotting his films for years and this only validates my stance.
NOpe, he doesn’t get any of my gay dollars.. ever!
If I made my movie-going decisions based solely on whether I am in agreement with an actor, director or movie studio’s beliefs/politics/actions, I would probably never see a movie again. Hollywood is full of a**holes.
I know some people who won’t see a movie by anyone who is a Scientologist. I can’t bring myself to do that because I’d be missing out on a lot of movies. Similarly, if I were to avoid movies by everyone that I disagreed or even disliked, I would be missing a lot. I think movies should be seen on their own strengths and I’m guessing there won’t be any anti-Semitism in Apocalypto.
But I will admit that because I dislike Howard Stern so much I will never see Private Parts now matter how many people say it’s good.
I saw the PoC becuase my husband is Catholic and wanted to see the movie. Although I can officially say now that I loathe Mr. Gibson, it saddens me because I believe that I noted on this exact blog site that Braveheart should be one of the top 100 movies to see before you die. Each day I continue to grow increasingly saddened by the lack of tolerance in this country, and he sigle-handedly gave us the perfect example!