As another poster said, if it weren't for FR, I wouldn't have heard of that conference.
It's quite clear regarding Gibson's opinions on US foreign policy that he doesn't pay much attention to events either.
And, as my post made quite clear, that excuse doesn't wash for a "professional" entertainer/movie producer ostensibly trying to promote his business. No matter what else you think it to be, the movie business IS a business, and failure to do the extremely simple things that help maximize your success, such as doing a little basic prep and giving a little forethought to issues and questions that you should know ARE going to be raised by interviewers, is both unprofessional AND foolish. It denotes a dangerous detachment from reality. I'm not trying to bash Gibson - I'm pointing-out these things in the spirit of trying to help him.