Mel Gibson's Meltdown

Slate ^ | 07-31-06 | Christopher Hitchens

[veronica]

I was just in the middle of writing a long and tedious essay, about how to tell a real anti-Semite from a person who too-loudly rejects the charge of anti-Semitism, when a near-perfect real-life example came to hand. That bad actor and worse director Mel Gibson, pulled over for the alleged offense of speeding and the further alleged offense of speeding under the influence, decided that he needed to demand of the arresting officer whether he was or was not Jewish and that he furthermore needed to impart the information that all the world's wars are begun by those of Semitic extraction.

Call me thin-skinned if you must, but I think that this qualifies. I also think that the difference between the blood-alcohol levels—and indeed the speed limits—that occasioned the booking are insufficient to explain the expletives (as Gibson has since claimed in a typically self-pitying and verbose statement put out by his publicist). One does not abruptly decide, between the first and second vodka, or the ticks of the indicator of velocity, that the Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion are valid after all.

There's a lot to dislike about Gibson. He is given to furious tirades against homosexuals of the sort that make one wonder if he has some kind of subliminal or "unaddressed" problem. His vulgar and nasty movies, which also feature this prejudice, are additionally replete with the cheapest caricatures of the English.

[EricT.]

A drunk man says what a sober man won't.

I used to know a sailor that would claim to be a CIA agent whenever he got drunk. He wasn't CIA, just a stupid drunk.

[veronica]

Do you have a link to the article?

[EricT.]

How many of us here have never uttered a slur and harassed a cop while dressed in nothing but latex driving drunk on the PCH with a trunk filled with dead hookers?

Do latex gloves count?

[durasell]

Sure, as long as you were wearing a Veronica Lake wig...

[saradippity]

It sounds to me,though....that Mel just come from an argument with or about some jewish people. Why else would he have it on his mind??

Presuming everything we have read is true,I bet your statement is as close to the truth as we may ever get.

Since much of Hollywood business is conducted at parties, schmoozing with big-wigs and since Mel has two productions that may cause viewers to question the Hollywood created American zeitgeist,he was probably trying to work some deals regards distribution of the movie in one case and/or presenting on TV in the other. He may have met great resistance that started gnowing at him.

Maybe he learned that there was another attempt (think,The Passion) to prevent one or the other,or both,from reaching the viewing audiences and he was just downright mad and blamed the moguls who rule Hollywood for blocking it,fell off the wagon,got behind the wheel,got pulled over and just blew up.

Ooh,I hope we get more facts on this whole thing and thank you Fawn for clearly and concisely bringing that possibility to the table.

[joylyn]

For Hitchens' views on Mother Teresa see the online archive of Slate. The article -- "Mommie Dearest" appeared on Oct. 20, 2003. It calls Mother Teresa a fanatic who condemns third world women to poverty by denying them reproductive freedom -- translation: she is pro-life and devoted herself to rescuing babies rather than arranging abortions. Also accuses her of being a fraud, a friend of Baby Doc Duvalier and other misc. offenses.

[presently no screen name]

Really? Why haven't they sued TNYT? A few years back they had a picture of a bloodied Israeli boy (hurt by the Palestinians) - but they said the boy was a Palestinian - after all, who would know, their readers believe them. The friend of the mother pulled her ads but no Jewish group sued.

As we can see, the Jewish groups decide 'who' offends them.

[Continental Soldier]

What everybody needs to remember about Mel Gibson is that he is an ACTOR, and, thus, is a total jerk and incapable of intelligent decisions about politics or anything else!

[JCEccles]

"Are you serious? He attacked Mother Teresa?

You ought to read what Hitchens has written about Ronald Reagan. In one typical attack he said Reagan was reptilian.

[veronica]

Removed editorial comment from poster at beginning of article.

For the record - the editorial comment I supposedly added was the subtitle of the article.

Mel Gibson's Meltdown

He is sick to his empty core with Jew-hatred.

By Christopher Hitchens

Further, the article is a long one..COMPLETE ARTICLE

[akorahil]

Juliej, No I did not see that interview.
ketelone, Call me a cynic, but I can't help but think this is the (if not a good part of the) reason for this. Meh, I could be wrong, but...

[TXnMA]

That bad actor and worse director Mel Gibson, pulled over for the alleged offense of speeding and the further alleged offense of speeding under the influence, decided that he needed to demand of the arresting officer whether he was or was not Jewish and that he furthermore needed to impart the information that all the world's wars are begun by those of Semitic extraction.

Hey, GHitchens: where is your "further alleged" re the hearsay evidence re Gibson's statements?

[veronica]

I was just interviewed for ABC channel 7 here in Los Angeles as I was near a local supermarket. I told the interviewer that there was an old saying, "When the alchohol goes in, the truth comes out".

Good one! :)

[Siena Dreaming]

I had a friend who went to Chuck Mangione's dressing room after a concert and claimed she was Polly Mangione, his long-lost cousin.

Vino veritas ("wine in, truth out)? I think that's a crock.

[Siena Dreaming]

Really? Why haven't they sued TNYT?

I'm sure some of them do. The NYT is in constant lawsuit litigation with all kinds of groups.

[marajade]

Maybe because his quotes during his arrest are all over the internet.

[presently no screen name]

I wasn't aware. Just want to keep it fair and balanced!

[nopardons]

bttt

[nopardons]

But both filled with revisionist history and mostly pure, unadulterated FICTION. You'd have to look long and hard, to find any historically factual elements in both of them.

[Peach]

I don't know if you were watching MSNBC at the top of the hour, but it was quite illuminating.

A reporter in CA said that nearly all of Gibson's slurs were captured on tape. He said this isn't the first time Gibson has been pulled over for drunk driving. And two reporters said that there have been allegations swirling around Hollywood for years about Gibson be an anti-semite and this just cemented it.