Whoopi Goldberg: 'Mel Gibson Is Not a Racist'

By PopEater Staff Posted Jul 13th 2010 08:47AM

Mel Gibson's tape-recorded rants at baby mama Oksana Grigorieva are horrifying, but they're not racist, according to Whoopi Goldberg, a friend of the actor.

"I know Mel, and I know he's not a racist," Whoopi said on 'The View' on Monday, seeming both earnest and cautious to weigh in. "I have had a long friendship with Mel. You can say he's being a bonehead, but I can't sit and say that he's a racist having spent time with him in my house with my kids. I don't like what he's done, make no mistake."

The tapes, of which RadarOnline.com has released two parts thus far, feature an enraged Gibson bellowing at the mother of his 8-month-old daughter, relentlessly employing C-words, F-bombs and, sadly and disturbingly, racial slurs including the N-word.

When Joy Behar asked if Goldberg considered Gibson anti-Semitic after his 2006 tirade against a Jewish police officer in LA , Goldberg began calling him "an ass" before stifling herself. Whoopi then pinpointed alcohol as the culprit. "Drunks say stupid stuff to people all the time -- because they're drunk, they're out of control, they are not thinking, they are idiotic. I can't say anything about people like that because I know what they're like when they're drunk. This rant? I don't think he's drunk on this rant."

Whoopi concluded: "I'm not defending Mel. I'm simply saying I don't see him as [a racist] because that's not been my experience with him."

See the clip:

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http://www.popeater.com/mm_track/popeater/movies/?s_channel=us.moviespop&s_account=aolpopeater,aolsvc&omni=1&ke=1

http://cdn.channel.aol.com/cs_feed_v1_6/csfeedwrapper.swf

Mel Gibson Snapshots

Mel Gibson laughs between takes while shooting a scene from the upcoming movie "How I Spent My Summer Vacation" on Wednesday June 9, 2010 in Brownsville, Texas.

THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

Mel Gibson Snapshots

©BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM Oksana Grigorieva has a meeting with her lawyer. A nasty tape recording containing a tirade of abuse, allegedly from Mel Gibson, was leaked to the press causing an even bigger feud between the ex-couple EXCLUSIVE July 1st, 2010 Job: 100701NC1 Century City, California www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com

Mel Gibson Snapshots

Tags: Mel Gibson, The View, Whoopi Goldberg

Comments

(147)

Tuesday 13 July

By Jax & Tyson

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

I agree with her 100%. He just was pissed at his girlfriend and venting at her. The tape should have never been heard by others.

He still is on of my favorite actors. His personal life is NONE of my business. and by the way.... I am female.

By Nico Toscani

Another perfect story for AOL (Aryans On Line) to cover. I guess Michael Richards is off the hook now for sure.

By Diane Barris

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

What Mel said has nothing to do with what kind of an actor he is. Those tapes were private between husband and wife and should have never been extorted. I still love him as an actor.

By Leon Mann, Jr.

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

Whoppi Golberg apparently wouldn't recognize a racist if one slap her in the face. Perhaps she was laid by him and her judgment has been clouded by that. Racist white men have been sleeping with black women since blacks got off the boat. I'm convinced Whoopi sees herself as a celebrity, and because of that she believes her opinion carries a certain amount of weight, but her saying that Mel Gibson is not a racist demonstrates her ignorance. Not only is he a racist, he's a misogynist.

By walt

I thought one needed a court order or at least all party's consent to tape record a private conversation. If this is true, Mel should sue to crap out of everyone involved. The media needs stories like this to destroy a person with conservative views and the sweep aside the al gorey allegations.

Thursday 22 July

By greatgrammy1

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I'm with Whoopi on this one. No one knows what brought this rage on. A lot of people use profanity and say bad things they don't mean when that are enraged and furious. Hitting a woman is wrong but hitting anyone is wrong in my book. Crikey, hitting an animal is wrong. Mel is still a very handsome man and excellent actor and I hope he gets the help he needs to control his temper. People that are on the look out for fame, popularity and instant wealth, should be careful who they hook up with.

By Cate

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

I will never understand how ppl can defend this behavior. So, it's ok if he knocks someone's teeth out as long as nobody knows about it? He's a famous actor, so it's ok? Have you listened to his ranting and raving? I hope you never find yourself in an abusive situation. You should be ashamed to defend this.

By acm

Amen to that!! I also agree with Whoopi. Mel just needs to chill before going off. Watch yourself Mel.

By Laura

He may still be your favorite actor, but he's a criminal! He's an abuser, and that IS our business. As a female I honestly can't believe you think he's just 'ranting' at his girlfriend. He's not ranting, he's abusing.

By BECKY

I AGREE 100%

By Spikepine

I am glad the tapes were heard. This man abuses women and should be jailed for his abusive behavior.

By Sofonda Peters

She is in denial as much as Mel, truly disapointing from Whoopie,

By jb

I agree!

By metrorun3

OKAY.EVERYONE LIGHTENING UP. EVERYBODY HAS SAID THINGS IN THE HEAT OF A MOMENT. MEL NEEDS HEAVY DUTY ALCOHOL AND DRUG INTERVENTION. HE WAS NEVER EVER LIKE THIS UNTIL HE STARTED TO SPIRAL DOWNHILL. HE LOOKS UGLY NOW, BUT GIVE THE MAN A CHANCE. IF WHOOPIE GOLDBERG SAYS HE IS COOL THEN HE IS COOL. THE MEDIA NEEDS TO STAY OUT OF THIS. IF HE REALLY DID SMACK THIS BROAD THAT WAS NOT COOL. LOOK AT HER PAST, SHE IS A USER. SHE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT SHE WAS DOING AND TRYING TO GET. SHE IS A WASTE REGARDLESS.
MEL, GET YOURSELF THE NEEDED HELP. AS FOR THE REST OF US, KEEP THE MOUTHS SHUT. HE WAS COOL BEFORE ALL OF THIS. DRUNKS AND DRUGGIES SAY THINGS THAT THEY DON'T MEAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE.

By mel

oh well, if whoopi says he's cool..............seriously

By thd

I agree with you.

There is nothing cool about a man beating on a woman.

Wednesday 14 July

By Luis Boki

Sorry MR. CAPS, I don't go there, slightly inebriated or not.

By Howard

I agree it's unfathomable how anyone can defend this behaviour. When I was listening to the second tape, it was the voice of a madman plain and simple. I doubt seriously that Whoopi would have said the same thing had SHE been the target of his violent outbursts. The man is an animal and booze NOT the cause. When you're that drunk, it removes your inhibitions to say what's really on your mind. What's on his mind is violence pure and simple. Personally, I don't give a damn how talented he is as an actor. THAT is no excuse!

By burplace

I can't believe what you have said here. True, Oksana is a user. And she definitely is not a good person. But no woman I don't care what she has done needs to be beat and belittled like this. Truely, Mel is a misogynist, a racist and several other isms, just an all around deplorable individua. And yes, the public needs to know about lack of caliber of this person. This is not the ranting of a drunk, this goes far beyond drunkenness.

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