Mel Gibson debuted his latest film, Hacksaw Ridge, to rapturous reviews and a 10-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival. Critics say the film could and should have a major Oscar push. Mel made his way through the trade papers, giving lengthy interviews about the current state of the film industry and expressing bewilderment of the superhero-franchise takeover. Reporters began declaring that Steroid Santa had been “forgiven” and that it was time to move on from his abusive, rage-y, alcoholic, anti-Semitic past. But the good times only last so long! The Daily Beast has a curious and almost funny story about how Steroid Santa is still the same old Mel.
Is Mel Gibson up to his old anti-Semitic tricks? If multimedia entrepreneur Glenn Beck is accurately recalling a recent conversation he says he had with the perpetually embattled Gibson, it could not come at a worse moment for the 60-year-old movie star and Oscar-winning director, who is busy promoting his World War II epic, Hacksaw Ridge, and hardly needs a public revival of his distasteful past.
On his radio show last Friday, and in a news story posted on GlennBeck.com, Beck claimed The Passion of the Christ director was still blaming Jews for his troubles during a 90-minute heart-to-heart, after Beck attended a late August screening of Gibson’s widely praised new movie, which reportedly received a 10-minute standing ovation this week at the Venice Film Festival. According to Beck, Gibson claimed to him that “Jewish people” had stolen a copy of his Jesus movie more than a dozen years ago and used it to attack him and make his life hell before the film’s release.
“I expected Hollywood to not like it, but I lost my friends,” Gibson said, according to Beck. “People wouldn’t even speak to me because I made this movie… All of a sudden I’m a pariah.” Recalling Gibson’s comments, Beck continued: “And then some Jewish people—I guess some rabbis or something, I didn’t get into it—somebody stole a copy of the movie before it was shown to anybody… And then they did a deal in The New York Times with all these rabbis trashing him as an anti-Semite. And he said, ‘I couldn’t believe it… Nobody was really upset that these guys stole the movie…’
“And he said, ‘Glenn, they were stopping me on the streets and spitting on me—people from all walks of life stopping and they would spit on me on the streets.’ He said, ‘I would be out some place nice, dressed up, and they would just tear me apart and [say] that I’m an anti-Semite.’”
Reached by The Daily Beast, Gibson’s publicist said he is unaware of such a conversation between the controversial radio host and the tarnished actor. Beck’s spokesman, likewise, could shed no light on the alleged encounter. Strangely, the GlennBeck.com story about Beck’s chat with Gibson and a 6-minute video snippet of Beck’s narrative were removed from Beck’s website Friday evening, a few hours after they were initially posted.
“Editor’s note: This post has been removed because it inadvertently revealed details of an off the record conversation. We regret the error,” said a notice on the page where the post had initially appeared—leading some to conclude that somebody from Team Gibson had complained about the potentially detrimental impact of Beck’s reminiscence about his chat with Gibson. The Daily Beast, however, was able to retrieve the original post using Google Cache.
So Glenn Beck (of all people!!!) claims that Mel was bitching about how “Jewish people” stole from him. And the conversation between Beck and Gibson allegedly happened in August. Hm… while I don’t doubt that Mel is the same petty, anti-Semitic pseudo-martyr that he’s ever been, I do question the validity of using Glenn Beck as a source for anything. Did Glenn Beck really have this conversation with Mel Gibson? Is Beck accurately quoting Gibson? Or was all of this some kind of fever-dream cooked up by Beck? I have no idea.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
I believe it, but not because Glenn Beck says so.
I believe it too, because if Glenn Beck said that water was wet and Kardashian’s are thirsty, I would also have to agree.
Even a broken clock is right twice a day, despite how much you might hate the clock.
Anyone who would doubt this should look up that clip where he demands to know if the journalist interviewing him is Jewish because he doesnt like the questions. I’m sure he tried get that tape deleted too.
He will always be a POS.
Glenn Beck is a creepy lying scumbag but I can believe Gibson said these things to him.
Wasn’t this an episode of the Simpsons?
“‘I would be out some place nice, dressed up, and they would just tear me apart and [say] that I’m an anti-Semite.’”
well, because you ARE an anti-semite, you misogynistic abusive pr*ck.
Two known-to-be insane people having a conversation that is bigoted. I believe it.
The only thing I like about Beck is he despises Trump and continually goes off on him, which infuriates the Trumplicans and sets them off.
So off the record Gibson is a anti-Semite?! This is not new news…..I do want to see a Gibson & Beck fight so I’m all in for this! May no man survive!
People do this to aging actresses all the time, so I see an opportunity for retribution here: Mel used to be SO freaking hot. He has lost all appeal…but man, in Galipoli? Now he looks like the dog’s breakfast.
His outside looks now reflect his his side.
Indeed, it is like Dorian Gray, but in reverse.
I actually find him scary looking now. His pics freak me out
I agree…for me, it’s his eyes. they SCREAM “psycho!”.
I agree. He looks like a psycho and therefore i believe this happened. What is funny is that he expresed his surprised that people would call him out for being an anti-semite rather that just saying that he is not. Very telling. Very. Like poor Mel he is being called out by regulars on the street that must be much more painful that being on the receiving end of his anti-semitic rants
Because the best way to convince people you’re not an anti-Semite is to hang with Glenn Beck.
I cannot stand Glenn Beck.
But I believe that Mel Gibson said this. He is a man filled with self-hatred, but thinks that Jewish people are causing his problems.
I don’t trust a man who you can only see his bottom teeth when he opens his mouth, makes me feel like he’s about to lunge and start tearing into human flesh while blaming it all on the Jews.
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Mel Gibson used to be so hot. I’m dating myself, but I loved the Lethal Weapon movies and I can’t believe that this is the same Mel Gibson. Personality and looks-wise.
On the record, off the record, let’s reflect upon just how insane you have to be to make these statements to a media figure. And also…for the media figure to them share these statements later. And then retract them as off-the-record. Mel Gibson is nuts, but in many ways he seems untouchable. Sure, he suffered some consequences from his DUI/anti-Semitic rants, but the guy is still making movies that get wide release; he is cast in Jodie Foster films! And it certainly didn’t hurt his game; he got a new gold digger baby mama to whom he is abusive, followed by a ridiculously young girlfriend. It’s laughable. He’s despicable, but so are all of the people who play ball with him. Think about this: It takes A LOT of people to make a movie. And Mel Gibson just made another one.
EDIT: Also? People act like Taylor Swift is the antichrist, but Mel Gibson largely gets a pass. The girl gets dragged for everything from her WASP-y look to her WASP-y squad, but someone who actually comes out and makes anti-Semitic statements REPEATEDLY just keeps chugging along. SMH.
Are you really making this a poor little Taylor speech.
Let be real what has actually happened to Taylor? Did she lose any sponsors, did people refuse to work with her, did she lose any job…… Or is she just chugging along.
So much YUCK, seriously. RIDICULOUS
One of the weirdest thing about anti-semitic conspiratards is their self-obsession. ‘The Jews’ would take their time from ruling the world through banks and stuff so that they can steal Gibson’s script! Of course! Makes sense (not)!
That’s an unfair reading what Glenn Beck claimed Mel Gibson told him. “And then some Jewish people—I guess some rabbis or something, I didn’t get into it.” Glenn Beck may not have been interested in who they were, but Mel Gibson knows who first obtained the stolen script. Read the 2003 profile in The New Yorker if you are interested in the players involved.
Mel just can’t help himself, it is always the Jews’ fault, for every ill in life.
I am quite surprised that he hasn’t blamed them for his affairs, addictions, divorce, his hatred of other races, gender orientations, and the death of Christ. Oh wait, he does blame them for that last one.
His father is an infamous Holocaust denier, and the poison apple, never falls far from racist, fetid tree.
He plays victim almost as well as Taylor Swift. Rinse and repeat, next.
The crazy on the inside is written all over this man’s face. Believe it.
Does everyone have collective amnesia about the huge media firestorm surrounding The Passion, starting a full year before it was released? Or Abe Foxman’s press releases based upon a script of unstated provenance?
Even without considering that Glenn Beck is an unreliable narrator and that The Daily Beast is trying to gin up controversy, I don’t see why this is a big deal. Mel Gibson already told Diane Sawyer that one of the reasons for his anti-Semitic rant was lingering resentment/anger with certain Jewish individuals over what happened with The Passion.
Do people think Mel Gibson is lying about having lost friendships because of The Passion? Or about his office being broken into and the script stolen? This is old news. I don’t see anything here to suggest that Mel is trying to use this to justify or excuse what he said to the cop. Glenn Beck himself left the conversation with an improved opinion of Mel Gibson, regardless of how inartfully he recounted what Mel said.
Mel has made anti-Semitic comments over the years – often when he’s drunk. His father is a famous anti-Semite.
I doubt very sincerely that the script was stolen from anywhere. It was never a secret. It went through the development process for years, so different, albeit similar versions of it would have been available to many people. If Foxman and other Jewish leaders were disturbed about the script and final film, it was because Gibson was comfortable portraying Jews in the film as stereotypes and Jesus murderers, (perpetuating the lie that the Jews killed Jesus).
Also, I can see him being angry at individuals if any version of the script was actually stolen (which it likely wasn’t) but to paint an entire religion with the same brush because he’s been wronged by one? – He’s an anti-Semite.
You are entitled to your own opinions, but not your own facts. The Passion was in development for two years, at most. If you have evidence that Gibson or Icon passed out copies of the script, then supply that evidence. The unanswered question is “who gave the script to Rabbi Yehiel Poupko of Chicago, who then gave it to a USCCB/ADL committee”? The head of the committee, Dr. Eugene Fisher, conceded to Icon that the script was stolen and he apologized. When threatened with a lawsuit, the USCCB formally apologized. The ADL did not. Foxman only amplified his media campaign against the project, even without seeing the film.
Obviously what Gibson said during his DUI arrest was anti-Semitic. Even if you think Gibson’s film is anti-Semitic, that doesn’t justify twisting his (reported) words into something they are not. Even if you think he is an anti-Semite, that doesn’t justify lying about him.