I am dubious if he claims not to have heard about that conference. It was on front page of most newspapers in the last few days. People in the movie biz do get tunnel vision, especially when they are in the thick of a campaign, but still, I'm dubious.
I have a very good friend who is a world-recognized expert on Aztec, Mayan cultures etc. Has written several books on the topic. But so appalled he was by The Passion (no - he's not Jewish) he won't see Mel's movie until it's on cable. I'll be interested in his take on the film.
The phrase "it beggars belief" is apropos.
Mel Gibson is not some everyday, anonymous Joe. He's a world-famous celebrity who has screwed-up royally by showing his anti-Semitism in a drunken rage, and who has then, in an effort to undo some of that damage and salvage his career (to paraphrase Bill Clinton - to 'maintain his Hollywood viability'), promised to seek counseling, meet with "Jewish leaders" to gain understanding, and "reach out" to the Jewish community for forgiveness, etc. ad nauseum.
That any celebrity who has messed-up that badly and then publicly made those types of promises to "the Jewish community" would not make the minimal effort of keeping himself, or at least having someone on his staff keep him updated with a list of potentially embarrassing talking-points from the headlines of the day related to his "problem" is simply stupid. It puts the lie to all his promises.