Why is the US media after Mel?

[dot.hawkes]

GMTV are being very apt I think by being tongue-in-cheek about the efforts of some US reporters to obtain the video and audio tapes of Mel's arrest, what i find refreshing is that the two young women who accidentally found themselves in the same venue as Mel 10 minutes before his arrest, have not rushed to condemn him and take a fat cheque from the press, but they both say he was drinking water, chatty and friendly and they seem to be the most pleasant women he could have bumped into. Apart from the police account, is there anyone who can prove Mel's alleged comments and behavior?

[sp1814]

Only the people who were there...and that's the police.

Oh, and one other person - Mel Gibson himself. Here's the full text of his statement:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/52361 24.stm

You wouldn't issue a statement like that, unless you'd said some pretty nasty stuff.

[AB Editor]

I think Mel realised he messed up Big Time - Jews built Hollywood. Maybe his (until recently) private beliefs had caused some uncomfortable twitterings behind the scenes but now that he's been outed - so to speak - people are more than willing to exploit this negative publicity for all its worth.

[Playbill]

If he was 'drinking water, chatty and friendly' soon after his arrest, it brings doubts on the claims that he was so drunk he did not know what he was saying.

[dot.hawkes]

no he was drinking water, chatty and friendly 10 minutes before his arrest

[dot.hawkes]

I have read quite alot about this including his statement but it still is odd that there is this leak from the police, why has that happened? There could have been distortion and I would have thought Mel was the type of person to take responsibility for his actions whether those actions were proved right or wrong, i consider him a bigger man for putting the blame on himself and not immediately saying that the police officer made it all up.
Jews may well have built Hollywood Abed i don't profess to know the money background to it's history only the talent, but why would money not respect money, that sounds more Hollywood than the moguls having a cheap dig at a fellow professional and multi millionaire, it's not like the early days when they could ruin a star, like fatty Arbuckle I think it was.

[The Big Gill]

He's been charged with drink-driving, and has issued an apology '...specifically to everyone in the Jewish community for the vitriolic and harmful words...'

What's been distorted?

[dot.hawkes]

As yet gill no one other than Mel and the Police officer have said anything was distorted, but I said Mel has taken responsibility and whether or not the words he is supposed to have used are a fact, he has made sure it is known he is not protesting any innocence nor trying to say the officer made it up, whether the officer has made it up only they know. That is what is the interesting aspect, other stars may have protested their innocence and appeared less wise.

[The Big Gill]

Not sure I understood the first sentence of your last post, dot. I haven't been following the story since it broke, but I wasn't aware that there was any dispute over the arresting officer's version of events or what MG's supposed to have said to him. I'd be surprised if there were, given MG's decision to accept and apologise.

It might seem strange that MG's words to the officer appeared in the news (actually, I'm not sure where they appeared). What might that mean? You could argue that someone has taken the opportunity to tweak up MG's words, knowing that he's in a bad position to defend...or possibly that MG has been known for this sort of thing inside the industry, but has had the protection of his star clout - until this opportunity to blow his cover has fallen to someone...or someone in the police has made a quick buck. All conjecture, but I can't think of a version of this plot which shows MG in a good light.

[The Big Gill]

...apart from the apology and atonement (if he's sincere), I should add.

[AB Editor]

understand your argument dot, but like littering, smoking and refusing to recycle - blatant anti semitism is not well received in California or indeed America. Mel made himself a very easy target. And he was right to apologise. I don't know the legalities, but police blotters are usually published - at least the name, date and circumstance of arrest. I don't know if this applies to conversations that took place at the time of arrest tho.

[jno]

as far as I know, the whole thing took place when he was being arrested, so it was quite likely only him and the police there. It would be their word against his, but he seems to have accepted that their version was not wrong. Whether he truly believes the things he said, who knows? Some say that you speak the truth when you're drunk; others say you talk nonsense that you don't believe at all.

[dot.hawkes]

Also some say jno, that people can tell u how you behaved and you would believe it, cos often if u are that drunk you have no memory of it, or at best confuzzled

I don't see the link with littering, smoking and refusing to recycle here Abed, or are they all just trendy issues at the moment?

[AB Editor]

nah dot, just things that are "not done".

[Dolly1308]

Mel Gibsons' father is known to be anti-Semitic and I believe has been heard to remark the Holocaust never took place . I didn't like the way MG portrayed the English in Braveheart or in The Patriot .I think he's a man with a chip on his shoulder ,I feel sorry for his wife .

[lomond]

It would appera that MG is a perfectly balanced person....
He has a chip on both shoulders...

[dot.hawkes]

I have seenThe patriot many many times and studied the historical aspect too and disagree with ctitics of the screenwriters depiction of The British in that film, I know less about William Wallace but i have also read many historical works on those struggles and Hollywood chose what to include.
there was a huge 20 wheel bandwagon which all the non historians seemed to have a reserved seat on.

Mel's father left the US for a better life in Australia, there must have been some aspect of his family there he was not happy with and if that has been a part of Mel's upbringing then they are like many many other close families.

[drestie]

Just FYI, in many of the police traffic stops in the US, the entire event is recorded with cameras and microphones. This transcript is probably on tape, so it would be very hard to contest.

Mel Gibson has made many anti-semitic remarks in the past as well. Unfortunately, this is not new :(
I feel the apology only happened because he was 'outed' so obviously. He had no other choice but to apologise to try to save his image.

[twinkle2]

Did nobody else notice that on the photo of the 2 girls and Mel Gibson on GMTV the other day, Mel Gibson had a bottle of beer in his right hand!! As the photo was on the screen the 2 girls were talking saying at no point was he drinking alcohol (or that they saw) I couldnt believe they didnt pick up on it while interviewing them!
x

[dot.hawkes]

it was a bottle of perriere

[The Big Gill]

http://www.tmz.com/2006/07/28/gibsons-anti-sem itic-tirade-alleged-cover-up/