I've always sort of liked Mel Gibson. The Lethal Weapons were fun, Braveheart was fantastic and even movies like Ransom, Payback and Signs were pretty good. Then, Mel went all Passion of the Christ on me and I crept away frightened and worried.
On Friday, Gibson was arrested by Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies in Malibu. He allegedly flew into an anti-Semetic tirade, making the following statements. Remember, these words in the blue are quotes attributed to Mel and bear no resemblance to my personal opinions.
My life is fucked... You mother fucker. I'm going to fuck you... Fucking Jews... The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world. Are you a Jew?
Whoa. When "The Passion of the Christ" was released, I remember hearing about the underlying anti-Semetic tone and how Gibson's father denied the Holocaust. After Friday's outburst, can Mel ever again be that universally beloved actor who brings in the box office while appealing to both male and female fans? This wasn't an implosion, it was career suicide.
Of course, Tom Cruise is nuts and he's still opening movies. With tearful public apologies and references to his battle with alcohol addiction, there may be hope for Mel yet. Look for him to cry on Oprah in early September.
