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Last updated on March 6th, 2018 at 12:31 am
0nal Institute of Dramatic Art director John Clark defends “honest, outspoken” Mel Gibson:
He’s an Aussie larrikin. He’s very generous and very honest and outspoken and not frightened to express his own views. Anyone who does that in the entertainment industry is fair game and anyone that comes out with unpopular views in the United States is likely to be crucified.
Unfortunate analogy, that. Do continue, Mr. Clark:
If Mel has made an anti-Semitic comment then suddenly he’s being pushed to one side and people are refusing to show his television series and if Disney goes ahead and does the same thing with his new movie, it seems to be a repetition of what was happening in the 1950s in the McCarthy era.
Unbelievable. More on Mel from Mark Steyn.
UPDATE. McCarthyites attack the very honest views of an outspoken Seattle resident.
UPDATE II. Nick Cohen feels sorry for Mel:
If only he had joined the Muslim Brotherhood or Hezbollah rather than an ultra-reactionary Catholic sect, his views on a world Jewish conspiracy would have done him no harm. Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah declared that it if Jews ‘all gather in Israel, it will save us the trouble of going after them worldwide,’ yet Channel 4 News bends over backwards to make excuses for him. Hamas, the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, has a constitution which might have been written by Adolph Hitler, yet the Foreign Office gives the Brotherhood public money and the allegedly “left-wing” Ken Livingstone hugs its spiritual leader.
You picked the wrong type of fascism, Mel. If only you’d been cannier, there would be pieces in the Independent denouncing your critics as Islamophobes.
UPDATE III. Andrea Harris in comments: “By the way, does this John Clark person know that Gibson has apologized and described as ‘despicable’ his ‘honest, outspoken’ views? It sure doesn’t sound like it.”
- Well, okay, I mean, if you all want the larrikin back that badly, we’ll go along…Posted by richard mcenroe on 2006 08 04 at 12:31 AM • permalink
- The John Clark Endowment? Big. Considering he’s just made a total cock of himself.Posted by Infidel Tiger on 2006 08 04 at 12:40 AM • permalink
- “Mel Gibson arrested on terrorism charges”
http://www.bbclosangeles.com/BBCNEWS_Mel_Gibson_Arrested_On_Terrorism.htm
This has gotta be a practical joke…..
This has gotta be a practical joke…..
I suspect it is. The writing doesn’t sound quite “right” – not at all polished or “newsy” sounding, if you know what I mean.
And Tex, are you still blogging? I’ve been dying to hear your thoughts on Val Rossi, Dani Pedrosa (the future of MotoGP, methinks), Nicky Hayden, and the rather surprising Kenny Roberts, Jr.
- If it ain’t a joke, Tex, pass me the nails…Posted by MentalFloss on 2006 08 04 at 01:11 AM • permalink
- And Tex, are you still blogging? I’ve been dying to hear your thoughts on Val Rossi, Dani Pedrosa (the future of MotoGP, methinks), Nicky Hayden, and the rather surprising Kenny Roberts, Jr.
Rossi: the most overrated competitor in the history of motorsport.
Pedrosa: the future of MotoGP (and incidentally, a much better record than the so-called ‘greatest of all time’).
Hayden: I’d love you see him win this year. You can just imagine the collective hissy-fit from the Rossi’s Retards crowd.
- Geez…
Might it have something to do with:
Gibson’s $1,000,000donation to NIDA?
The possibility of more readies from Gibson both personally, and as Patron of the American Friends of NIDA Foundation?
Posted by Paul Wright on 2006 08 04 at 01:28 AM • permalink
- I nominate Mel for father of the year. His views could potentially produce more David Hicks-style terrorists
Oh. and Cat stevens approves Terry Hicks’ nomination as Daddy of the Year
- NIDrug Abuse or NIDramatic Arts?Posted by MentalFloss on 2006 08 04 at 01:31 AM • permalink
- Oh, Paul, I see now…John Clark is on NIDA Board of Directors!
if the foo shits…
Posted by MentalFloss on 2006 08 04 at 01:35 AM • permalink
- I think why Clark and a few lefties are prepared to give Mel a pass on this one, and condemn McCarthy (even though he did take it a bit far) was that its roughly ok in their world to be a commie or an anti-semite and there’s free speech and shouldn’t be any thought police etc, etc…
Now if he had made some blanket statement about women being responsible for all the r@pes in the world (just as perposterous) or something against african americans or gays or something, Clark and Co would probably be amongst the first ready to drum poor Mel out of Hollywood and no defences would have been mounted about the prevailing mood being anti-free speech and McCarthyistic….
I think it kinda depends on the group being insulted or having false accusations leveled against them as to whether its a big deal or not…
- Why do we care what celebrities say or think? I hope Mel Gibson can stop drinking (and consequently berating the Jews) one day. I’m sure he’ll be a better man for it, but he’ll still just be a Hollywood actor. Mark Steyn has it right when he says he doesn’t put much stock in the sanity of celebrities.
Pat Robertson is another story. He probably doesn’t drink so can’t use that excuse. Perhaps he just speaks without much thought, or even sometimes doesn’t think very clearly at all, especially now that he’s getting older. It may be an ego problem – he has his own little kingdom. But whatever it is, it’s embarrassing and frustrating for other Christians who don’t want to be associated with some of the things he says.
Oh well, at least he’s not anti-semitic.
- Tex – remove the story extension and you are taken to the ‘Bullshit Broadcasting Corporation’ for a nanosecond before an instant redirect to the real BBC’s web site.
The story is a spoof.
— Nora
PS Don’t tell Terry Lane – he needs something to write about on Sunday…
Posted by The Thin Man Returns on 2006 08 04 at 02:26 AM • permalink
- “Tex – remove the story extension and you are taken to the ‘Bullshit Broadcasting Corporation’ for a nanosecond before an instant redirect to the real BBC’s web site.
The story is a spoof. “
Heh. Cool. The USENET freaks will be upset to hear that. They’re already on a “gibson crcified by neocons” riff
- An aussie larrikin with an American accent and permanent residence in the Hollywood Hills…a larrikan who only visits Australia once every 10-15 years.
These staunchly proud & independent (i.e. from the “Great American satan”) arty-farty NIDA types sure do love their aussie larrikans…that’s why they keep pushing for more Australian content in film & television…like Tony Collette – another proud Aussie larrikan).
- I wasn’t fooled by that story about Mel, not for a second. *cough*Posted by Daniel San on 2006 08 04 at 02:46 AM • permalink
- Last December Australian actors Claudia Karvan, Cate Blanchett, and Bryan Brown, singer Jimmy Barnes, and former singer/now federal politician Peter Garrett urged Sydney beach-goers to cultivate inter-racial understanding and tolerance.
Blanchett said at the time: “Violence and racism are bad. Whenever they occur they are to be condemned (and) we should not turn a blind eye to them.”
Well, dear Cate, are you going to publicly condemn Mel Gibson’s racist ravings? If so, when?
Well, dear Claudia, Bryan, Jimmy and Peter – would you care to offer any comments on how do you tolerate, or otherwise, your fellow actor’s displays of anti-Semitism, please?
- tmciolek
They could all go one better and head to Iran to give that nasty Jew-baiter madinadinnerjacket a good talking to!!!
Posted by thefrollickingmole on 2006 08 04 at 03:24 AM • permalink
If Mel has made an anti-Semitic comment then suddenly he’s being pushed to one side and people are refusing to show his television series and if Disney goes ahead and does the same thing with his new movie, it seems to be a repetition of what was happening in the 1950s in the McCarthy era.
As an American, I really don’t know anything about this Clark guy, so I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong. That said, let’s just, for shits and giggles, imagine that Mel had made the same remarks about another ethnic or religious group, like blacks or Muslims. Why do I doubt Mr. Clark would be rushing to defend Mel and making the McCarthyism charge if that were, indeed, the case?
- #30 How dare you suppress his right to free expression and grammar! McCarthyist!Posted by Infidel Tiger on 2006 08 04 at 04:11 AM • permalink
- #28 BenK
An excellent point. I’ve known a few people who changed drastically for the worse when thay were intoxicated. In fact, I’ve been told I occasionally behaved pretty badly myself if I consumed way too much alcohol in the old days, although I don’t get drunk any more these days; so I’d better not be too quick to throw stones at Mel. Still it would be a very good move on his part if he were able to quit drinking. (And making stupid remarks about Jews.)
- What gives dickhead actors and actresses the right to think they occupy the moral high ground? Since when were Blanchett, Karvan and all the others – the Sarandon’s and Clooney’s already – more moral than you or I?
These idiots would be first to complain about Israel using force “not proportional” to the provocation. I’ll tell you what isn’t proportional. George F***ing Clooney getting $20 million for three months goofing around making a movie. That’s what isn’t proportional!
- #29, 30 Sean M.
And, in addition to comma abuse, there’s a little problem with the use of “if . . . then” in the quotation:If Mel has made an anti-Semitic comment
then suddenly he’s being pushed to one side and people are refusing to show his television series
and
if Disney goes ahead and does the same thing with his new movie,
[then] it seems to be a repetition of what was happening in the 1950s in the McCarthy era.
Prime obfuscation technique.
- Actually, I happen to agree with Nick Cohen, at least that one paragraph you quoted. If Gibson had been a well-known Muslim, instead of a well-known Christian, and had spouted off about Jews while stone cold sober instead of drunk and crazy, the news media would be falling all over themselves to excuse away his ravings in one fashion or another.
By the way, does this John Clark person know that Gibson has apologized and described as “despicable” his “honest, outspoken” views? It sure doesn’t sound like it.
Posted by Andrea Harris, Administrator on 2006 08 04 at 06:43 AM • permalink
- I’ve just thought of something else: there might be some good to come out of this after all. I wonder if we’ll hear less spouting off about bad, mean old Israel from stupid celebrities. After all, this might get them compared to Mel Gibson, which is one of the things the average Hollywood celebrity fears the most…Posted by Andrea Harris, Administrator on 2006 08 04 at 06:51 AM • permalink
- #28 Ben K,
” Don’t some alcoholics get weird paranoid when they drink?”.
I know I do.Posted by Daniel San on 2006 08 04 at 08:59 AM • permalink
- Gotta agree with a point Malkin hinted at on this one. It’s kinda strange that a “lone nut” can barge into a Jewish center, screaming that he’s offended by Israel, shoot five people, killing one, but that ends up beneath the fold in the newspapers. In fact, there’s been barely a peep about it in the news since. But the BIG story, the one with the legs, is stupid Mel Gibson and his drunken rants against the Jews.
Now his Hollywood comrades—the same ones whose rather bizarre politics have them sympatizing with folks who would happily put the world under Sharia law and lay waste to all of Israel (just as long as they can take a shot at Bush, while they’re at it!)—are lining up to place trade paper ads and writing condemning editorials and such, letting the world know they break with thee, Mel Gibson!
How brave. Guess there are no worries of any real repercussions from them taking that courageous stand.
Yeah, the man’s an idiot. A drunken idiot, to boot. Though I would imagine his driving around in that drunken state had the potential to kill a lot more people than his hateful, sozzled, diatribe ever did.
If Mel Gibson wants to hate, that’s his business. If he wants to rant and spew, he has the free speech to do it (at least for the moment). If he ruins his career in the process, that’s his problem. It’s the proportion of importance his stupidity has gained, in the face of everything else that is occuring around us, that I find fascinating.
They can’t quite seem to grasp the subtleties of Iran’s leader threatening to wipe Israel off the map and denying the Holocaust ever happened. But hey, if some in Hollywood have their way, at least the world will be safe from Mel Gibson. LOL!
Guess the “Gotcha!” factor involved is just too good for them to resist.
- BethB — Lining up to scorn Mel Gibson won’t get them killed, and they know it. Lining up to criticize Islam stands a statistically better than fair chance of killing them, and they know it.
Strike a pose.
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2006 08 04 at 10:34 AM • permalink
- Steyn understates it very well:
For one thing, I don’t put much stock in the sanity of celebrities.
If “some power brokers” are calling for a boycott of Mel Gibson, I can assure you it has nothing to do with Mel’s preceived anti-Semitism.
Posted by Kyda Sylvester on 2006 08 04 at 11:59 AM • permalink
- This whole Mel Gibson “crisis” is a fart in the wind. The MSM love to see the mighty brought low, so they hover lovingly over the story, and it saves them from having to research real news. Gibson might be an anti-Semite, but I suspect he was just ranting drunkenly at the Jewish cop who arrested him. Who really cares what he thinks about anyone?
I didn’t see The Passion of the Christ, because (a) I’m not interested in the subject matter, and (b) I don’t care to watch prolonged and too realistic-looking torture. If I have anything against Mel Gibson, it’s that he apparently does love portraying that kind of thing, which makes him more than a little creepy in my book.
If I feel sorry for him at all, it’s because I can sympathize with that spine-chilling, gut-dropping moment when he woke up the next morning and realized what he’d done to his career.
- And another thing: this “the Jews killed Christ” thing. No doubt there were Jewish leaders who wanted the Romans to eliminate what they saw as a political threat. So what? If God sent Jesus to earth to sacrifice himself for mankind, weren’t the Jews, God’s chosen people, then doing what they were supposed to do?
- I guess NIDA’s John Clark wasn’t a Navy Seal.Posted by Some0Seppo on 2006 08 04 at 02:10 PM • permalink
- Why is the media concentrating on Gibson’s anti-Semitic ravings, yet ignoring the fact that the guy is a serial drunk driver? I believe he has been arrested for DIU before this occasion?
And why are the ‘feminists’ not up in arms about his ‘sugar-tits’ comment – degrading to all femalekind, surely? But I would have given $50 to be there …
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