Mel Gibson was on The Tonight Show on Friday to talk about his latest caught-on-tape rant, this time against a screenwriter he’d hired to write a script about an historical Jewish hero. We covered this story when it broke a couple of weeks ago, and you can read the background here. Basically, Mel invited a bunch of writers to visit him at his estate in Costa Rica, including the screenwriter, Joel Eszterhas, and his family. Mel screamed, ranted and raved at Eszterhas in front of his family, other guests and the help. Mel’s rant, which Eszterhas leaked online, was allegedly about the fact that a script had not yet been delivered. It was really hard to understand what Mel was screaming about, and it seemed wildly inappropriate to say the least. Eszterhas’ 15 year-old son taped the episode on his iPod, and his Eszterhas said his son was so terrified after Mel’s breakdown that he slept with a butcher knife under his pillow.
According to what Mel claimed on The Tonight Show, he was just responding to a frustrating situation and his rant never should have been made public. Here’s more, thanks to E! Online:
Following yet another one of his raging rants-caught-on-tape, the Get the Gringo star hit The Tonight Show and commented for the first time about his now infamous tirade against Showgirls screenwriter Joe Eszterhas.
“Maybe you don’t know this about me, but I’ve got a little bit of a temper,” Gibson quipped of the profanity-filled rant, which Eszterhas taped unbeknownst to him while they were together in Costa Rica in December.
Eszterhas was originally hired to write the first draft of Gibson’s now-in-limbo passion project, The Maccabees, but the flick hit a snag when the screenwriter reportedly failed to produce an acceptable script.
Then, to make matters worse, The Wrap obtained a nine-page letter from the writer in which he accused Gibson of using anti-Semitic remarks throughout his writing process, among other things.
Gibson denied those claims, replying in a letter to Eszterhas, “I was very frustrated that when you arrived at my home at the expense of both Warner Brothers and myself you hadn’t written a single word of a script or even an outline after 15 months of research, meetings, discussions and the outpouring of my heartfelt vision for this story.”
And that frustration was still evident as the 56-year-old thesp continued to share his side of the script fiasco with Jay Leno.
“The guy writes a nine-page letter…if he put half as much time and effort and creativity and imagination into a screenplay, which he was supposed to write, as he did into that letter…we wouldn’t be having this conversation,” Gibson said on the show. “It’s kind of like you build a house, you hire a guy to put a roof on it. He comes over and talks about the roof and then you get rained on all night.”
Needless to say, Gibson wasn’t game for an on-air apology.
Saying he felt justified in the rant, Gibson explained, “A guy tapes you in your own home…when did it come to the place where you can’t blow off steam in your own home?”
[From E! online]
There’s a difference between being a grumpy bastard and blowing off steam occasionally vs. going on an extended scary rant that leaves your guests fearing for their safety. This wasn’t just Mel and this guy in a room during a business meeting, during which this tirade would have also been completely unacceptable, it was Mel screaming and going off in front of a bunch of people, including children. According to Ezterhas, even the staff sent their children away from the main house after Mel’s rant. I get that Eszterhas had a product that he should have delivered, but when is a tantrum ever an ok response to anything? Three year-old children get disciplined for what Mel did, and yet he still thinks it’s justifiable.
Mel also made a reference to all his scary threatening phone calls to Oksana Grigorieva. (at 3:00 in the video above) “I just had a business idea. We should find a fledgling tabloid website, give them my phone number and they record me. But don’t do it to anybody else, though, because you’ll get in trouble because it might be illegal. I’m special.”
He added “it’s been kind of weird the past couple of years. It’s like living in a bad B movie.” Then he mimicked someone calling in a threatening kidnapping in a deep voice. “We have the girl.” He’s a scary guy, even when he’s trying to be funny.
He’s mentally ill. I remember when he was attractive. Sad to see
I never found him attractive. My sister and I would have the most vicious arguments over both him and Tom Cruise, who I never liked either. Looks like I won – on both counts!
*must remember to ring sis and gloat some more*
Can someone turn mental illness off and on? He don’t scream like that during on air interviews. Says to me he’s got control over his “mental illness.”
Saw some pics of him back in the day. Eh. Tom Cruise looked good back then. Mel not so much. Maybe it’s cause I’m looking at him without knowing him then, and with knowing all the crazy.
Yeah, but mental illness doesn’t work that way. Just because someone isn’t exhibiting symptoms (such as Mel-style ravings) 24/7 doesn’t mean they’ve conquered the illness. These things have peaks and valleys. This is particularly true — and in fact, characteristic — when speaking of bipolar disorder, which many people have speculated Mel is suffering from.
Two more factors: did he stop taking his meds for any period of time, and was he drinking (manic episodes and alcohol do not mix well)?
I miss the Lethal Weapon days….still love the movies, but his craziness keeps trying to slide into my head and ruin the movies for me 🙁 I mean, I know he’s nuts now, but I’d like to believe he was just a nice guy while making those movies.
He’s a scary guy, even when he’s trying to be funny.
WORD!
You could tape my phonecalls for years and come up with nothing even close to one of the recorded Gibson rants…
That just shows the power of PR, that his monster was able to maintain a nice-guy image for SO long
Totally!
It just shows that stars may “seem” charming, but who they really are is hidden from view. If it wasn’t for Oksana’s tapes, most people would still think he was a nice guy.
X2 to both of you.
I disagree only with the statement about Oksana’s tapes…they just made it clearer what kind of monster he was. But I already knew he was a horrible, horrible person back when he released The Passion of the Christ — his subsequent reaction to people’s criticism of his movie showed who he was and what he believed in.
Eve: I never found Passion to be anti-semitic. Infact I’ve always wondered whether the people who say so are aware that Christ was himself a jew. As were all the people weeping around him.
I do however agree that the evidence against Mel had been piling up since the 1980s. Starting will calling women who work outside of the home, c*nts and his many homophobic statements.
Oops, I forgot about some of his earlier incidents, like the Malibu arrest. And I believe he had explained it as being drunk? As for The Passion of the Christ, most knew he was an extreme religious conservative with some questionable views… but, even so, many people were still willing to watch his movies. Not so much anymore…
My point is that I think the Oksana tapes were undeniable evidence of CRAZY. Who can forget the “bury you in the rose garden” moment? That still chills me…
Bipolar
He needs constant therapy and anger management.
It doesn’t matter which way it’s cut, what Eszterhas and his son did was wrong. While we’re at it, let’s record everyone in their homes during a ‘moment’ and put it online.
It would be not only unethical, but completely illogical.
At the end of the day Eszterhas is just pissed because his script was rejected by Warner Bros.
Aud said: “At the end of the day Eszterhas is just pissed because his script was rejected by Warner Bros”.
Joe Eszterhas gave an interview to New York Times in January, published on FEBRUARY 2nd, afew months before the script was rejected, in which he said some very interesting stuff about Mel. He also said that he had seen Mel rant at his guests. He said Mel should be on medication. He said he understands why Mels ex would be fearful. Remember, this was in Feb. The interview is here:http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/05/magazine/joe-eszterhas-sure-cleaned-up.html
Also, given that Mel is both director & exec producer of this project, it wouldnt surprise me if the script was rejected purely because Mel didnt like the NYT interview. Or being challenged on his assertion that Jews conducted a mass sacrificial slaughter of christian babies. Or anything else that may have dented his massive ego.
Hes just a horrible and hateful man.
if they were that scared why did they stay in his house? Makes no sense. If I was sleeping somewhere and my child felt the need to put a knife under the pillow I would leave.
What Eszterhas and his son did was wrong. and their story doesn’t add up.
And Mel G is right. He has the right to rant and yell in his own house. We don’t have to like it. Hell we shouldn’t even know about it.
Because Esterhoooose was supposed to be working with him?
No. Nobody’s got a right to be an ugly bastard like that, even at home.
And I think kid had every right to tape Mel’s ugly bastard rant. Cause he was scared. And cause believe it or not some people still wouldn’t believe that Mel does this crap. So Mel can’t call anyone a liar again. Like he did to Oksana.
Can’t stand the guy.
Apology to CB and readers for my language. Mel sets me off, gonna just leave this one alone.
Relax. After having the (unfortunate) opportunity to listen to Gibson’s rants, I can tell you that nothing — really NOTHING — that you could possibly say will sound worse than what has come out of Gibson’s own mouth already.
Um sorry, Cant agree with you at all. I think its pretty clear this writer had a clear cut agenda all along and the New York Times article proves it.
He knew who he was working for and yet he showed up at Costa Rica, with his son in tow no less with no work done. In my opinion Mel has a perfect right to be totally pissed and a total right to be pissed in his own house. If you arent grown up enough to deal with temper tantrums dont work fr mel Gibson. Its that simple. What a loser with an agenda. Get real.
They couldnt leave because the house is in a very isolated part of Costa Rica. The only way out is via helicopter apparently. They were literally trapped there, which I can imagine would excerbate the fear.
I do hope to God that Mel doesnot have a gun license from any jurisdiction. Surely, the world can agree on this one thing – that Mel Gibson should not be allowed anywhere near a gun. UN Security Council please pass appropriate resolution.
Eszterhas’ family left the next morning.
There’s a difference between being a grumpy bastard and blowing off steam occasionally vs. going on an extended scary rant that leaves your guests fearing for their safety.
This X a million.
Especially when a kid’s there. No wonder his wife lived a continent or twelve away all those years.
Most people in Hollywood behave this way.
These people are 2year olds with money and power.
You get used to it, find coping methods until you are in a position of power then you start behaving exactly like the people ahead of you.
or you quit and do something else.
Every time someone cracks and writes a tell-all, the general public accuse them of telling lies or embellishing the truth simply because the general public both don’t behave this way or have recourse to legal ways to ensure that they are not treated this way.
Eszterhas let his son sleep with a butcher knife under his PILLOW?
Ummmm……..that is more dangerous than Mel’s rant.
Would any parent here let their kid sleep with a sharp knife in their bed?
Something is wrong with him. He is completely unstable. He was more than just screaming – he could barely breathe he was yelling so loudly. No normal person acts this way, even one with a “temper”. He sounded like a complete lunatic. He’s either off his meds or needs meds.
He’s an alcoholic. Had mad crush on him long time ago after mad max and mrs. Soffel
I’ll always love his movies..but he has some major issues! I’m not sure if its substance abuse or what, But I hope one day he can get the help he needs. And get back to a more healthy frame of mind. I mainly hope that for himself and his family and not his career (It’s already the stuff of legends) even if he is kinda crazy now.
Mental illness (in this case, bipolar disorder), and/or alcohol abuse/addiction, cannot be blamed for racist and misogynist beliefs. Even if he gets help he will still be ugly inside.
Maybe its a coincidence but Ive known several people with BP disorder and ALL of them had very offensive non-politically correct viewpoints and ALL shared their viewpoints loudly, and frequently alienating people, losing friends and making enemys quickly. Just as an FYI.
Damn…Mel is still tryin’ to ruin Braveheart for me…
*hugging you from behind*
If you have the time, the will or the spirit to watch a movie (and forget about everything else for 2:20 hours), go see The Avengers when it opens in the US (I already saw it — and plan to see it again, at least two more times).
You’ll become a child again and enjoy a super hero movie like you’ve never done it before.
P.S.: Sorry, dear. That sounded insensitive — I actually meant that you may not forget about everything else, but I can guarantee you that it’s a great form of escapism.
I talked to my Hubby about watching it with his son.I’m not ready to leave my little baby yet,lol.The Hubby is a big fan of comic book movies.And yes,he liked Captain America.It was fun jumpin’ in with you Ladies today.Double hug from behind!!
I can’t judge something like this out of context. As an aside I thought that third photo of Mel was a wax dummy.
He looks and behaves awful. Really hideous monkey who deserves boycott.
Wow!
Your own home, your car, your shower, your bathroom. Doesn’t matter. Hatred is hatred.
Seems his wife of many years helped hold him together.