The Good News About Mel Gibson - Frank Rich NYT's

["Mad" Miles]

There were several very good editorials in yesterday's NYT's and PD. Kristof (on visible glacier loss in the Himalayas due to MMGW), Krugman (on Republican leaders showing what they really stand for regarding deficit reduction) ...

But this one from Frank Rich was particularly eye-opening for me. I'd forgotten the details of the debates over "Passion Of The Christ" at the time it came out.

This is an excellent reminder of the issues involved, and their parallels to today. And if you buy his argument, it's actually good news and provides reasons for hope!




The Good News About Mel Gibson
By FRANK RICH

Published: July 16, 2010



FOR Fourth of July weekend fireworks, even Macy’s couldn’t top the spittle-spangled eruptions of Mel Gibson. The clandestine recordings of his serial audio assaults on his gal pal were instant Web and cable-TV sensations — at once a worthy rival to Hollywood’s official holiday releases and a compelling sequel to his fabled anti- Semitic rant of 2006. A true showman, Gibson offered vitriol for nearly all tastes, aiming his profane fusillade at women, blacks and Latinos alike. The invective was tied together by a domestic violence subplot worthy of “Lethal Weapon.” There was even a surprise comic coda, courtesy of Whoopi Goldberg, who, alone among Gibson’s showbiz peers, used her television platform on “The View” to defend her buddy’s good character ...

(Snip. Click on the hyperlink in the headline for this article, to go to the rest.)

[decterlove]

Well, it's interesting. After all, Mel Gibson basically made his debut with Mad Max and perhaps it was Road Warrior that really hurled him into stardom. And in both those films he plays a total loner/survivor/quintessential Western Man out for only the survival of the Apparent Self against All Odds, Forces of Nature and Newcomers.

And of course Lethal Weapon starts off with him being suicidal, massively depressed and wounded, his only refuge total absolute recklessness and and indifference to further injury. Uber-Post/Modern-Western-20th Century Hominid.

So to live by the Sword is to Die by the Sword. Any interesting alt versions of that poetic instruction?

What's interesting is that I don't really think he's a racist....might be a misogynist though although even that bone chilling accusation to the Yang Gender is getting more and more slippery to behold....

But when further wounded/inspite of his Christian Values/or perhaps more aptly put/Massively Irritated by the raging currents of his SuperStar Existiance.....

He Strikes Out..............
Perhaps fatally to his Marketability..........
But probably not to his Economic Viability....

Of course...it usually doesn't happen to a SuperStar....once they attained True SuperStar Status....

But it happened to Michael Richards, my fave all time physical comedic character beside Harpo Marx..........and perhaps rightfully so.............
So it will be interesting to see if Mel maintains his Immunity....

Perhaps God will Intervene...
Lettuce Pray....

[Sara S]

Two days before this one, Mark Morford had this to say:

===== Mark Morford's Notes & Errata =====
SFGate.com - Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Mel Gibson's 10 tips for sexist monsters
By Mark Morford

---------------------------------

Many have asked, how does Mel do it? What does it take to become such a gargantuan, sexist, possibly racist, potentially violent monster, or at least give a very convincing appearance of same? Can I do it, too?

Herein, some tips for those looking to hone their own personal ranty hatemongering sexist jerkface skillset: ...

(click here to read the rest)

(Full URL: Mel Gibson's 10 tips for sexist monsters)

[2Bwacco]

During a brief listening to Gibson's recorded rant it struck me how gasping, out of breath, coughing, struggling for air his voice was.

Never having been a fan of maximum madness or road warriors (we have enough in real_life don't we?) Gibson embellished his tyrantial failures morphing his massive ego to produce Jesus. That was enough for me to edit him from observations.

Gibson is hopelessly addicted to nicotine (probably taking massive doses daily). This affects his brain and his thinking. His health is so badly damaged at this point, I don't think he has long to live (and he is very much still a "young man.")

I find Russell Crowe, an actor with substance and character range (not insanity) behind his acting, much more palatable over Gibson.

["Mad" Miles]

I have enjoyed Mr. Gibson's acting work over the years, especially in the second two "Mad Max" films, but also his other stuff.

(And no "Mad Max" wasn't any part of the inspiration for my nom de keyboard, "Mad" Miles, except peripherally. That came from an email exchange, that I've already explained several times here.)

He has pretty much certified himself as a racist, homophobic, extreme right-wing religious ranting nutcase. Doesn't mean he isn't an adequate actor and a talented director. These things are not mutually exclusive.

I found Rich's discussion of the debates around "The Passion of The Christ" to be the most interesting part of the editorial I forwarded. The issues transcend who Gibson is as an individual.

[2Bwacco]

went looking on line for info on Gibson and found a site that posted pictures of actors suffering from bipolar disorder / manic depression.

Gibson was pictured, along with many well-known actors and actresses; some current, some from the 1930s-1940s.

Previously did not know this about Gibson, but he is bipolar. To me, that explains a lot.

["Mad" Miles]

My father is bipolar. He sometimes hurt his children and his wife, mostly through depressive passivity. Not so much when he was manic.

I use the past tense, since, while he's still alive, he's in his final life stage and has devolved into an inactive and withdrawn old man. He does have a diagnosis of early stage alzheimers, which also accounts for the withdrawal and passivity.

He gets great and attentive care in his own home, so don't concern yourself with his well being. He's got it as good as can be expected, given his condition.

But he never, while manic, started ranting in foul terms about other races, women, homosexuals, etc.

Of course the behavior of one bipolar person is not going to match that of another. I'm not a psychologist or psychiatrist who has treated numerous bipolar patients. And I'm not trying to make a general claim based on a single anecdote.

What we know about Mel's political and religious views, as expressed in his drunken rants, but less objectionably by his associations and interviews on shows like "Alex Jones", supports the view that he is a right-wing, xenophobic, racist (with special emphasis on Anti-Semitism) crank.

Just because he hasn't written a treatise claiming these things, and doesn't run around in public articulating these views, doesn't mean there isn't significant proof that he holds them. (Re-read the details in Frank Rich's column.) He's smart enough to know that his views in question here are not socially acceptable and so he doesn't trumpet them in public. Until he loses control, then he does.

Conclude what you will. But I think he's probably going to have to finance his own future projects. And he's going to have trouble getting other big name stars to work with him.

I don't think that's a tragedy, except for him and his family.

It's more like karma in the form of social justice.

I will resist any temptation here to complain that nobody is discussing the theme of Rich's piece. That views indicative of right-wing derangement, that were acceptable and mainstream in 2004, are no longer au courant today.

That's progress. That's a reason for hope, in spite of all the economic, environmental and foreign policy bad news that we must face each and every day.

There's still hope!

At least in the arena of social justice for some.

[Zeno Swijtink]

What we know about Mel's political and religious views, as expressed in his drunken rants, but less objectionably by his associations and interviews on shows like "Alex Jones", supports the view that he is a right-wing, zenophobic, racist (with special emphasis on Anti-Semitism) crank.

Whooops, Miles.

I trust you meant xenophobic, not zenophobic.

- Zeno, aka as Zenoongenos, Offspring of Zeus, not to be confused with Xenoongenos, Turd of a Stranger

["Mad" Miles]

Whooops, Miles.

I trust you meant xenophobic, not zenophobic.

- Zeno, aka as Zenoongenos, Offspring of Zeus, not to be confused with Xenoongenos, Turd of a Stranger

Thanks Zeno,

I sit corrected. It's a common spelling error of mine, one of many. Usually I catch most of them in the editing process,checking with Dictionary.com, including this one recently, but not last night.

And given your name, I can understand if you have a special sensitivity to the error! Also I can find no grounds for "Zeno"-phobia, as I have never seen you do anything, at least here in our online virtual community, that would justify anger or fear of you.

Zeno's Paradox! One of my favorites.

Parakalo for the Greek lesson. I'm always open to new ways to insult someone that are not readily accessable to English speakers. (Sic.)