Scared Monkeys Discussion Forum

If you watch the news you all will know of Mel Gibsons troubles right now.

It goes without saying, that I find his remarks dispicable, but does it warrant people trashing him endlessly and will it make him absolete as far as Hollywood is concerned?

After all , this is a town that accepted Woody Allen after he for all purposes, married is adopted daughter.

I'm just curious to hear thoughts on this....

Jacquie, I had the same reaction this AM.  Mel Gibson, it seems, has two faces, but the trashing, as you mentioned has a ring of hypocrisy (sp?).  The police force, too, is looking at the barrel of the gun, with the report.  

I'm sure there are many in tinseltown, TV & stage that may not be what we think they are, but, they are no different from the rest of us, except that their image is more out there.  We only have to worry about our immediate surroundings, where they have a wider audience.  Again, it's the ratings, imo, and the one who sensationalizes the loudest is looking for the trophy.  They all follow suit.  Have not read any news articles to the contrary.  

Since he's got an alcohol problem, I can think of a few people who while drunk said things totally out of character.  Does that mean that the utterings while drunk were heartfelt?  Who the hell really knows?  In Gibson's case, he may, moving forward always be seen as anti-Semetic.  Perhaps his Obsessive Compulsion to do Passion of Christ had a lot to do with his drinking and/or his inner feelings.  I'm sure there will be PR attempts, but I personally think he'll have an up hill battle moving forward.

Fallen from grace, as it seems.

Well, I'm not one to cut Mel any slack.

Even drunk, he didn't dream up the things he said, they came from somewhere, most likely in his upbringing.

His dad is a known Holocost Denier.

I'm almost sorry I just ordered a couple of Mel's DVD's a just before I heard about the event. Course I watch a lot of folks in movies that I don't have much respect for anymore.

I have mix feelings about it.  I love Mel Gibson, I think he has done alot for the industry and is/was a good role model.  I didn't even know he had a drinking problem.  However, there is no excuse for his behavior and I am not condoning it.  But even after the LE tried to cover it up.  At least Mel was man enough to come out and admit it he said what he said and is willing to suffer the consequences.  Give  him that, he could have kept his mouth shut and hoped it just went away.  

Maybe it is part of his upbringing, but he is at least trying to make amends and I believe he is sincere about wanting help and even from the Jewish community.  It does sound hypocritical, but I find him to be sincere and hope he can be helped.  What better way for the Jewish community to come out and be the better people?  JMO

Jacqueline, it seems the movie industry is much more lenient regarding sex than bigotry (thus Woody Allen easily escaped). But Gibson will not escape. I always loved him but his career is over for the next five to ten years.

2NJSons_Mom, yes he admitted he has an alcohol problem and is going into rehab and he didn't know what he was saying when he was drunk.  Not likely.  Alcohol loosens the tongue and allows people to let down their guard and say what they really feel. Always.

Mel Gibson's father, Hutton was a Holocaust denier. He said it never happened. A child growing up under this influence would copy the father. Mel did well on all his movies prior to "The Passion of the Christ," which was controversial. I saw it on the first day of its release and it struck me as very anti "you know what." Additionally, to me it was violent and overly graphic to the point of sadism. Gratuitous violence and masochism to the max.  It was the most horrific and bloodiest movie I've ever seen. The Roman soldiers were shown whipping the Christ with a cat 'o nine tails with razor-like metal "hooks" on the end of each leather strip.  These hooks grasped the body and ripped the flesh in close ups with blood splattering and those blood spatters were shown in slo mo.

And from here on out, Mel Gibson will be known for what he said when he was drunk. What is also an incurable disease is racial prejudice that unfortunately is what he is also suffering from.


*****************
From my own point of view.
*****************

I don't agree at all with what Mel Gibson said.... but I am over hearing about it endlessly.....

problem with ppl like me.... I heard it, thought it was disgusting, he apologized, admitted to alcoholism, the Anti-Deframation League accepted the apology, some LA lawyer needed an independent study about the actions of the departement.... and here we go again...

 now for the problem with ppl like me (and remember I am part Jewish, btw) is the above was all the info I needed.... to me it's not news.

I just simply don't care about anything an actor has to say.... I just don't.  They don't really live real lives.... they live in a cocoon where everyone yeses them to death... and they start to believe they are above everything.....

I know that y'all will probably not agree with me... but I think there are so many other issues right now that this isn't one that really "rocked" my world....

Was I disappointed? yeah
 Do I like what he said? No
does it affect my life? Not really....

Well said Mrs Red, after visiting our local SSA office yesterday where blind citizens are expected to log-in at a kiosk with no braille keys, a man with a recent stroke can't complete reams of paperwork due to no memory but I had to assist him for no 'live' attendent in the citizen cattle holding pen, and three people in wheelchairs waited 4+ hours with no bathroom access <room too full to even walk in> and no water - I put some of this into perspective.

I also liked how the homeland security guard was rapping with the ladies on his cell phone the entire 4 hours too  :roll: so I helped a woman on crutches get safely into a chair.

It seems Mel has built a cage he will suffer in for a few days. I do agree with Louise about the Passion of the Christ, it was too graphic and too slanted. Very unfair yes, but unlike the citizens whose rights were ignored at SSA yesterday, at least Gibson's statements and behavior got large press.

Mel Gibson’s political, religious, or medical beliefs mean absolutely nothing to me.  In fact, I would like to hear less political rhetoric out of actors.  Nothing within their resumes qualify them as experts about anything beyond make-believe.

This need to ruin people due to their personal faux pas has exceeded certain boundaries.  This man is not running for a political office.  He is an actor/director/producer.  Is he good at his chosen profession?

To black list this man within his that profession, because he made a horrendous personal mistake only speaks to the weak minds of those complaining and not to the problem.

A list could be made of actors and actresses that made personal mistakes could be made that would fill this web site.  Let’s begin to put this situation into perspective, please.

I absolutely agree with you ~ and on another front, when I think of what Streisand, Baldwin boys, Cruise, Whoopee, Danson on and on and on have said.....please, make your millon dollar plus movies and close your mouths.  Sorry about ranting ~ and while I'm on a roll, I am soooo sick about that Angelips Jolie and her Pitt husband, it makes me gag.  Please, no one get after me.......I'm a 60s person who should have been in the 40s!

“Passion of the Christ”

I went with a group of friends to see the movie and we each had differing emotional reactions to the portrayal of Christ’s last days.  I walked out of the theater feeling extremely angry at my fellowman, because of the unusual cruelty perpetrated upon this man from Galilee.  Others in my group were weeping and overcome with sadness.  There were still those completely untouched by the brutal visual onslaught.

We each took a little something different away from the movie, but at least most of us felt touched in one way or another.

Wow, I just read my previous post!  I really need to quit looking away from the keyboard while I am typing! lol

Easy:

Your words illustrated my feelings on Mel and actors in gerneral to a "t".

I agree with you....

Humm, I have a concern for all public personas, be they posters, actors, politicians, or ball players.

All are in the public perview and influencing public opinion on topics I'm concerned about so I do have reason for concern.

I still consider what Mel Gibson did and his thoughts as dispicable and he should be publicly vilified.

Publicaly vilified.

Ouch.

I probably am one of the least actual church attending monkeys on the forum , I certainly do not make mass every week.

But somewhere in my teachings of CCD, or the way I was brought up, i was taught that everyone deserves a second chance and if Mel is taking the steps to get himself sober, and to address the issues of his remarks and where they stem from......I say Go with God Mel.

For me it has nothing to do with religion.

It has to do with what I consider to be predjudice and hypocracy.

I really don't think those things can be rectified with just 'apologies'.

I'm sure Mel Gibson is sorry he said what he did as well as being caught driving drunk, don't think he's said anything about how wrong the beliefs are.

Obviously I'm not much of a forgiving sort, I still consider Jane Fonda beneath contempt.

Well my point sort of was the same, in the respect that it is not a religious subject.

But we do part ways when it comes to forgiveness.

I've probably forgiving to a fault.

Heh, Heh, 'forgiving your enemy' is just such an alien concept to me.

Keep you friends close...
But your enemies closer....

Hey, I never said it was easy to do or that I suceeded everytime either!  :wink:

Jaq... and Car....

I love y'all!

And we love you too!

Bunches, baby! :lol:

A lot has been said about celebrities talking about their political beliefs and that they shouldn't do it. Dixie Chicks are a good example.

On the other hand, we have Bono who took US Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill, through four sub-Saharan countries—Ghana, South Africa, Uganda, and Ethiopia—visiting AIDS clinics, startup enterprises, and schools. He coaxed public and private lending institutions of the world's industrialized nations to forgive $350 billion in functionally uncollectible loans owed by more than 50 developing nations, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa.  Bono wound up on the cover of Time Magazine's "person of the year" along with the philanthropist Bill Gates.

Not to mention that Angelina Jolie is a Goodwill Ambassador for the United States.

We have heard that sports figures regarded as role models are setting a very bad example for easily influenced young people. Think Kobe and OJ and Bonds.

I agree celebrities often make a faux pas and they are eventually forgiven. But I cannot recall anyone making a such a serious faux pas about religion. Remember, Gibson's father Hutton, was a holocaust denier. In other words, he said the holocaust never happened. That viewpoint is considered extremely radical. And Mel grew up under the influence of his father. Children Learn What They Live. It is absolutely unforgivable for Mel to have said what he did, considering all the controversy that surrounded his religious beliefs after making the Passion. Especially at the same time a war is being waged in the Middle East by people who have stately clearly that Israel should be wiped off the face of the earth.

It is not very important or interesting that a Hollywood star has substance abuse problems. But the sentiment expressed by Mel Gibson to the police who arrested him, as follows, is worth some comment:

Once inside the car, a source directly connected with the case says Gibson began banging himself against the seat. The report says Gibson told the deputy, "You mother f****r. I'm going to f*** you." The report also says Gibson almost continually [sic] threatened me saying he 'owns Malibu' and will spend all of his money to 'get even' with me. The report says Gibson then launched into a barrage of anti-Semitic statements: "F*****g Jews... The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world." Gibson then asked the deputy, "Are you a Jew?"

Such words do not casually fall out of someone's mouth when they are drunk.  He revealed what he really thinks in a highly belligerent manner. Why did he publicly call a press conference before the incident was reported to the world? Because he knew he was in trouble.

Making such remarks in Hollywood is a boundary that cannot be crossed by anyone who wants to continue working making movies in Hollywood. He put the kiss of death on his career. Smoochies, Mel. Your career is over.

Children Learn What They Live. By Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.
If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

More thoughts on Mel.

If he had made his comments one month ago, he might have been able to escape the holocaust he is experiencing now. BUT with Iran saying for several months that Israel should be wiped off the face of the earth and that there was no holocaust, and with Hamas kidnapping a soldier, than Hezbollah kidnapping two soldiers and with a war to the death currently being waged in Israel, how in the world could Mel say "F*****g Jews... The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world." That is not forgivable.

Interesting discussion here on Mel Gibson-some varying ideas and opinions.  I just wanted to add that just because Mel's Dad was a Holocaust Denier, doesn't mean Mel would be.  Please.  Think about this.  I can understand that sometimes children emulate their parents because of upbringing.  But there are some people, (myself included) that don't hold the same beliefs as my parents.  Far from it.  I am old enough to have my own thoughts and feelings and come to my own conclusions and I should be held accountable for my actions just as Mel should be.  And Mel has had an education, he has traveled and he has been around many different people and had opportunities to learn about others.  He is responsible for his own behavior at the age he is now.  Just because his Dad was a certain way doesn't mean Mel has to be, IMO.

Yeah, I can go along with that.

Mel is definitely responsible for the anti-semitic remarks himself.

Don't know for sure where they came from.