Mel Gibson's Long, Hateful History

By Ben Widdicombe Posted Jul 11th 2010 01:00PM

Mel Gibson has had more comebacks than Jesus.

While the critics are probably right in saying he's going to have a hard time restoring the public's affection after his most recent tirade -- RadarOnline.com's shocking recordings of verbal and implied physical abuse against his girlfriend -- he's been in similar situations before, many times.

A look at his public record isn't pretty.

As websites such as Gawker.com have pointed out, his trail of ugly rhetoric stretches back to 1991, when he angered the gay community with remarks made to the Spanish newspaper El Pais and reported in the US by columnist Liz Smith.

"They take it up the a**; this is only for taking a s***," he told the newspaper. "With this look, who's going to think I'm gay? I don't lend myself to that type of confusion. Do I look like a homosexual? Do I talk like them? Do I move like them?"

When asked about the comments by Good Morning America, he replied: "I don't think there's an apology necessary, and I'm certainly not giving one. [Those remarks were a response] to a direct question. If someone wants my opinion, I'll give it. What, am I supposed to lie to them?"

When asked about the incident again by Playboy in 1995, he responded: "I'll apologize when hell freezes over. They can f*** off." (He later agreed to peace talks with the gay group GLAAD, brokered by its then-media director, Chaz Bono.)

After that, Mel stayed quiet until his infamous 2006 DUI bust in Malibu. At that time, he was moved to observe to the officer who pulled him over: "F***ing Jews ... the Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world ... are you a Jew?"

At this point, you might think that show business is an odd career choice for someone who doesn't like Jews or homosexuals. But as TMZ reported shortly afterward, he also found time to insult women, remarking to a female officer on the scene: "What do you think you're looking at, sugar tits?"

Mel laid low after that debacle, but was buoyed by the positive reaction to his 2006 film 'Apocalypto.' Entering rehab for alcohol and his image as a deeply-religious family man also helped cushion the blow.

But that family image took a fatal blow when he divorced the mother of his seven children in 2009 and took up with Oksana Grigorieva, with whom he had a baby (out of wedlock) later that year. By April of 2010, that relationship had ended.

It was that ugly breakup which seems to have prompted Mel's worst tirade of all, in which he goes out of his way to use unconnected racial slurs to insult his Russian ex, in a phone call obtained by RadarOnline.com.

"You look like a f***ing pig in heat, and if you get raped by a pack of n*****s, it will be your fault," he says on one recording. Speaking separately about a female employee, he says: "I will report her to the f****ng people that take f***ing money from the wetbacks."

About her appearance, he says: "Look what you are ... look what every part of you is ... f***ing fake ... you are the most synthetic person ... who the f*** are you?"

In perhaps the most shocking portion of the tape, Grigorieva demands to know "what kind of man" would hit a woman in the face, while she was holding their baby. His response was: "You know what? You f***ing deserved it."

Gibson himself thinks he's indestructible, telling the London Telegraph (about his earlier troubles, before the Grigorieva tapes were made public): "I am one tough m*****f****r and you can't bother me anymore. You ask anybody what their number one fear is and it's public humiliation. Multiply that on a global scale and that's what I've been through. It changes you and makes you one tough m*****f*****. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

But after almost 20 years of practice, it seems that Mel may finally have launched the tirade that ends his career.

Tags: mel gibson

Comments

(231)

Monday 12 July

By godblshu

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Yes, Mel Gibson has done some stupid and improper things, but the real reason this article was written, is that the writer and the elitists in general hate Christianity (which Mel Gibson represents, though not as well as he should).

By karlo5

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

No...........just the phony ones. Which are usually ALL of the born-agains and ALL of the christian zionists.

By Tracy

If he's a representative of christian values, we are in really big trouble.

By Craig

So it's all a plot to bring down Christianity? As a Christian, I'm deeply offended by this homophobic, racist, sexist bigot. He doesn't represent me, God, Jesus, or anything else good and holy in this world. Are you INSANE. You want to be represented by this lunatic? What part of his life could you possibly admire?

Can you imagine Jesus saying any of the things he's been recorded as saying? There is your answer. Dump this idiot. Embrace him at your own peril to your credibility. You've got to be kidding me.

By delacourte

Hmmm,let'see...does Christianity say that a man should physically and verbally abuse women? Does it say that people should use racial slurs against others that happen to be different than they are? Does it say that it's okay to characterize certain people as "war mongers" or "rapists" or call women "c*nts?" I was raised a Christian,and believe me,none of this is part of what it means to be a Christian. Mel Gibson is a lot of things,but Christian isn't one of them!

By earthlingdave

How on God's green earth, does Mel Gibson represent Christianity? Merely SAYING you're Christian, does not make it so. His actions could not be further from Christian values, and certainly Catholic ones. It is shameful that you try to defend him. Move on.

Friday 16 July

By What the Holy Heck

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Yes, I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that he confessed to domestic abuse, or that he referred to African-Americans as rapists (bonus points: using a term - pack - better suited to animals than human beings).

By Grant Devereaux

If Mel Gibson represents Christianity to you, then you worship a totally different version of Christ than is presented in the Bible.

By R Lemlin

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

"not as well as he should"

What does it take for Chritians to criticize one of your own and hold them accountable?

Bigotry? No!

Child molesting? No!

Forced child marriages? NO!

Gay sex? No! ( not that I have a problem with it, it's your issue)

(Long former christian)

By Bailey59

If Mel Gibson represents being a Christian in your mind, you need some help.

By BMM

Is that you, Stephen Baldwin?

Tuesday 13 July

By mat

Are you serious? If you are a Christian and think this hate filled person represents those values in any way then I have to wonder what kind of Christian you are. He was with this girlfriend in an adulterous relationship for 3 years. This was not his first affair. This one hit the fan because a photo of the 2 lovers was published. Shortly thereafter his wife filed for divorce. Add that to that his arrogant, obnoxious, bigoted statements. Just because he made a religious film and built a church does not buy his way into heaven. He is too narcissitic to admit his sins.

Thursday 15 July

By Miss Pink

How does Mel Gibson embody a representation of Christianity? Adultery, hate, misogyny?

Sunday 11 July

By jess

I don`t see why the press has such a need to bring Mel down.Mel is like alot of people when they get mad, except we all don`t have some psycho girlfriend that tapes private arguments and sells them to the press.Oksana is only in this for the money.GO MEL !!!

By caramelos dos

Mel is a pig, with no respect for his wives, his children, or the
people he works with. He is a raging alcoholic and should be institutionalized until he heals. The man is very sick and surely does not need to be humanized by idiots like you.

By CountNomis

Very simple. The media has it in for Mel because he's not Politically Correct.

By M.

Unfortunately, you are correct. Australians dislike anyone outside of their homogenetic white club. Too bad Oksana didn't do more research on her own about them before she took the plunge with ole rich Mel. Mels prejudicial leanings are nothing new. We were all forewarned. This is- old news.

By greg

Mel has always had the low self-esteem of a juvenile. Even in his movies, he is usually portrayed as a tragic hero with a childish disposition. Hwever, he is dead wrong in believing what doesnt kill you, only makes you stronger. In truth, what doesnt kill you, only makes you weirder.

By walt

I have to agree. The only reason the media is on Mel this hard and fast is that he is a Conservative. If he was a member of the usual-suspect-hollywood-lib-bunch, the media would circle the wagons and protect him from the rest....what a bunch of hypcrites..

By bdyftns

jess.....the media has gone so far down this last decade, they look for this kind of garbage to write about. Headlines about Britney Spears, et.al. has turned the media into the National Enquirer. So much garbage. Tiger Woods slept around on his wife? So did John Kennedy, but you never read about it back then. The media loves this stuff....and I hate the media.

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