Mad Mel

Good afternoon,

I always liked Mel Gibson's public image persona, he always came across as a cool guy, someone who would be fun to hang out with talking about stuff. His public image allowed both men and women to like his movie characters who ranged from the heroic, to stoic, to cocky, philosophical, or just teetering on the brink of madness while making up some combination of the previously named types. Mel never came across as a guy who thought he was cooler than the average guy, "down to Earth" some might say. His movies were entertaining, so he was doing his job, and people liked him so he was doing his job off the set as well. But was it all just careful guarding a public image either he or someone else had so masterfully crafted? Maybe, but who would have been asking that question until a few nights ago?

Reality came crashing through like a dam burst, when Mel was pulled over by a deputy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, for driving at near twice the legal speed (87 mph in a 45 mph zone). Mel spoke with the deputy, something brought on the question of Mel being under the influence of alcohol or some other substance. If only that were the whole story, I wouldn't be writing about the incident, but ohhh there was so much more....

As it became apparent to Mel that an arrest for DUI (driving under the influence of an intoxicating substance) was quickly on it's way to taking place, he flew into an emotional tirade. "I own this county" or something to that effect was said, "I'm gonna make you pay", or something to that effect was said to the deputy as well. Such words I like to describe as the "mating call of the spoiled big-name actor" who believes their money can buy their way out of anything or can use their position of recognition to intimidate, oh how pathetic it is. If it had been just that which was said, this latest blog entry might be ending right now, but once again.... ohhh there was so much more....

Perhaps noticing the deputy's last name or accent in his speech or something, Mel flew off the deep end right into a barrage of anti-semitic comments, a hate filled barrage of statements against Jews. Mel blamed the Jews for starting every war, and what not, I say "what not" because I have no idea what goes on in the mind of a drunk actor who believes he owns the world one county at a time. Did Mel stop there? Ohhh nooo.... he also saw it fit to ask the deputy "are you a Jew?", which he was.

Some might say, "whatta schmuck!" (not the officer, I mean Mel) *LOL

Now you might be wondering, did the rant and bad behavior end there? Nope, not even close.

When Mel was hauled into the station, he continued his tirade, attempting to intimidate a female deputy while apparently getting angry at a phone and throwing it across a room (perhaps in his best effort to keep up with Russell Crowe in phone tossing). Umm... somehow that just didn't sound right... but oh well. *LOL

You see what I mean about a public persona or movie persona that is heaped upon these flawed human beings? It is we, the movie-going public, who empower these people to become the wealthiest of monsters, with the sad fact that being that power WE GAVE THEM is what they so often take for granted, yet they still use it to get themselves out of trouble.

So, I ask, "why not give them a reminder of what the real world feels like?" Surely they all knew the real world once, perhaps a refresher course is needed from time-to-time? C'mon now, someone who says they "own the county" is in desperate need for reminding how the regular people, who finance their over-the-top lifestyles, are living. Get that man a job at the local supermarket or car wash quickly!

That being said, do I feel the need to forgive Mel for his anti-semitic comments? Nope, I really don't. Of course I know he's only human, with flaws just like anyone else out there. But hey, hate is hate, whether spewed forth while drunk or not drunk, flaw or no flaw, I believe that if ol' Mel hates one group so much, it would probably be relatively easy for him to hate another group (or groups) of people. So, I've decided to step into the shoes of a group of people he most likely hates, and say he's welcome to go ahead and hate. I won't hate him back, but he shouldn't expect any sympathy nor support. Now that the whining has started, and his down on his knees mea culpa has begun, complete with the oft tried "I need help" mantra, I do hope Mel gets the help he needs, and I hope he's a better man for it. However, did anyone think it was a bit much for him to call upon leaders of the Jewish faith to have a conference with him to iron out the situation? Umm... ego check please, why would they need to talk to Mel? It's obvious that he is trying his hardest to make amends, if not just for the sole reason of saving his career opportunities, or just maybe so he can still claim to "own the county". I find it all too obvious, a bit pathetic, and a little too late.

Will this be the end of Mel in Hollywood? Will Mel learn his lesson? Sadly I say, no, I don't think so (and this is in answer to both questions). Already on some of the so-called "news" shows, the ultra-religious right wing is rallying behind Mel (which is where I got the ideas for all of the "flawed human being" references). Still, I wonder how much they would stick by the "flawed human being" defense if Mel had spoken out against them? They're basically a religious group, so what if he had lumped them all into a tight ball, and cast blame on them for all that has gone wrong in the world? Then I believe flaw or no flaw, Mel would have been toast, those ever so "compassionately conservative" (heh) people would have been fast on the attack. I can hear it now, "Hollywood liberal this, Hollywood liberal that", they love to say those two words together. All-in-all, this ugly incident will most likely hurt Mel in the pocketbook for a while, but a few thousand dollars thrown this way and that, finding it's way to a particular palm here and there, and Mel will be back in his self proclaimed throne as the "king of his very own county". Give him time though, for at this pace, Mel is just a few beers or shots of hard liquor away from offending someone else, I wonder who it will be? Could it be you or me?

Come to think of it, nah, Mel doesn't have time for taking on the "little people" of the world one at a time, he's taking on entire races. I guess he figures why waste time? When someone is an aging leading man in Hollywood with a drinking problem and a big mouth, I figure there's probably only so much time they have before people stop listening.

Yep, the Hollywood machine that we all feed so very often and so much, will continue to chug ever forward, with a new monster being made even at this very moment, coming to a theater near you. We can all cheer now, booo, or throw popcorn, they're still gonna get paid.