Gibson and anti-Semitism
What is it with actor-director Mel Gibson and charges of anti-Semitism? He can't seem to shake them. His father is a denier of the Holocaust. Gibson says his father is entitled to his view, but it is not one he shares. His "The Passion of the Christ'' was criticized in some quarters as blaming Jews for the Crucifixion. Now, he's apologizing for anti-Semitic remarks to Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies who stopped him on suspicion of drunken driving last week.
Some celebrities believe any publicity is good publicity. That may not be so in this case. It may not be too long before people ask, "Whatever happened to Mel Gibson?'' His quick apology for acting "like a person completely out of control'' indicates that he was, in fact, completely out of control. And his regret that he said things "that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable'' verifies that he did, in fact, say them.
Does the truth really come out when a person is out of control and alcohol impaired? As the folks at Fox News are so proud of saying: We report, you decide!
Some celebrities believe any publicity is good publicity. That may not be so in this case. It may not be too long before people ask, "Whatever happened to Mel Gibson?'' His quick apology for acting "like a person completely out of control'' indicates that he was, in fact, completely out of control. And his regret that he said things "that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable'' verifies that he did, in fact, say them.
Does the truth really come out when a person is out of control and alcohol impaired? As the folks at Fox News are so proud of saying: We report, you decide!
posted by Larry Benjamin at 12:07 PM
3 Comments:
We should adopt a rule in regard to movie stars: "Ignore them and maybe they'll go away." A fair number of them are airy egotists without a significant thought in their heads. And others are like Mel Gibson -- mean-spirited drunks.
Mel Gibson is 50 years old. Why, Mr. Benjamin, would you mention his father's views when discussing what Gibson said last week?
Does it matter? We should examine our attitudes toward the non-artistic (inartful?) opinions of entertainers. Does it matter what your plumber thinks about global warming? Is it a question of degree: Mel the Democrat is OK but Mel the (potential) anti-semite is not? Is it a question of whether the evil opinions influence a specific film: D.W Griffith gets a pass for Intolerance but not for Birth of a Nation?
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