Mel Gibson has broken his silence and given an extensive interview that covered his contentious breakup with Oksana Grigorieva, threatening phone calls, allegations of abuse, his 2006 DUI arrest and drunken rant and his tarnished reputation, Deadline.com reports.
The interview with Deadline’s Allison Hope Weiner precedes the May 6 release of Gibson’s new movie, “The Beaver,” directed by Jodie Foster, for which early reviews of Gibson’s performance have been positive.
Gibson defended himself against accusations that he’s a racist and a misogynist. “I’ve never treated anyone badly or in a discriminatory way based on their gender, race, religion, or sexuality–period,” he said. “I don’t blame some people for thinking that, though, from the garbage they heard on those leaked tapes, which have been edited. You have to put it all in the proper context of being in an irrationally heated discussion at the height of a breakdown, trying to get out of a really unhealthy relationship. It’s one terribly awful moment in time, said to one person, in the span of one day and doesn’t represent what I truly believe or how I’ve treated people my entire life.”
Audience reaction to his latest movie will go a long way toward determining whether Gibson’s acting career continues. On that topic, Gibson said: “I don’t care if I don’t act anymore. … I could easily not act again. It’s not a problem. I’m going to do something now because I want to do it and because it’s fun. I’ve already pulled another job and it’s going to be fun.” He said he will be working again with screenwriter Randy Wallace, with whom Gibson worked on “Braveheart.”
Gibson explained his recent plea in the court case stemming from accusations that he hit Grigorieva. “I was allowed to end the case and still maintain my innocence,” he said. “It’s called a West plea and it’s not something that prosecutors normally allow. But in my case, the prosecutors and the judge agreed that it was the right thing to do. I could have continued to fight this for years and it probably would have come out fine. But I ended it for my children and my family. This was going to be such a circus. You don’t drag other people in your life through this sewer needlessly, so I’ll take the hit and move on.”
As popular as it is to hammer Mel Gibson to the metaphorical cross, I tend to believe what he’s saying. It’s easy to take some incidents out of context, over scrutinize them and try to make that the book on a person. Fact is, Gibson’s got talent and he’ll go on, despite being easy joke material.
That was refreshing to read. Too bad the media’s too busy crushing the Beaver and How I spent my Summer Vacation to actually put it out there. Mel was angry and ridiculous and as a fan I was hurt. But the medias handling of it was transparent and truly obvious in it’s relentless attack.
I have said awful things I didn’t mean just to hurt people, and I regret it. But I moved on. I believe a lot of people have felt this. It comes with being passionate, and sometimes loosing sight of the bigger picture for a moment because you feel lost, sad, depressed, angry, volitile. You feel powerless, you fight dirty, you say things you don’t mean. Politically correct limitations on thoughts and feelings are trying to cut out the right to admit you can relate. Now, it is as if we are all supposed to say, “Ew, now YUCK! Look at me, I”m a shining example of a healthy, A-OK person!” But to do this just ostricizes people who have made mistakes, isolating them so that they become freaks while we shine our reflections in the puddles of their melt downs. This is not healthy either. In fact, as a growing trend, it’s a little scary. Are we all becoming like children, mercilessly teasing a fallen student when the teacher points and makes them wear the dunce hat. Or are we adults, who recognizes the flaws and even feels the ugliness, but reaches out a arm to say, “You are in our thoughts friend, I hope things get better. Let us help you along.”?