Mel Gibson has twin sons who turn 26 this year, Edward and Christian, who both have stints in rehab. Ed was out of rehab late last year for an alcohol and cocaine addiction, and Christian got a DUI in 2006 and checked into rehab in late January of this year. Mel, who has also has a well publicized DUI under his belt, has recently befriended pop singer Britney Spears, 26. Britney has spent time at Mel’s estate in Costa Rica and has been seen out to dinner with him and his family.

While some speculated that Mel wanted to help Britney with her personal problems, and others wondered if he was trying to convert her to his unique brand of Catholicism, Mel may have had another motivation for spending time with Britney. The National Enquirer reports that Mel tried to set Britney up with the less messed-up twin her age, Edward, but that Britney wasn’t having that. Mel’s son Edward is working his recovery program and the Enquirer says Mel believed he would be a good influence on her.

[Mel Gibson] believed his son Edward - who was in rehab last year for cocaine and alcohol addition - had turned his life around and could help Britney do the same, an insider told The Enquirer.

“Mel felt Ed would be a great influence on Brit, and if the relationship turned to romance, all the better,” said the insider.

So Gibson arranged a meeting between the pair at Britney’s home in the Hollywood Hills last March, said the source.

“He sincerely believed that his son could help Britney stay on the straight and narrow and that they might hit it off as a couple as well,” the insider explained.

But Britney, 26, gave the cold shoulder to Mel and Edward…

“She hid from them most of the night,” revealed the insider. “Mel and his son spent most of the evening talking to her bodyguards.”

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, July 7, 2008]

There must have been no hard feelings between Britney and Mel after she tried to avoid the set up with one of his sons. She was seen at his Costa Rican getaway in mid-May. Britney also brought along a man with whom she’s been romantically linked in the past, agent Jason Trawick. Maybe Britney and Jason were already dating at that point and she wasn’t open to meeting Mel’s son or maybe she just wasn’t interested in the guy. Can you imagine thinking it’s a good idea to set up Britney Spears with a member of your family, though? At that point it had only been two months since she had that big melt down and was hospitalized.

In related news, OK! Magazine reports that Britney and Kevin had a “secret meeting” with their lawyers over the custody of their two boys. It is thought they are working to avoid having to go to trial to hash out custody issues. The talks were said to be unsuccessful, though, with neither of them willing to compromise. Britney went back home and then had a massage at the Ritz Carlton.

Britney is shown shopping at Fred Segal with her bodyguards on Tuesday, 6/24, thanks to WENN.

Designers, hairstylists, A-listers, dancers, musicians, supermodels and just about everyone has publicly professed to wanting to help Britney Spears in her time of need. For some reason she chose to accept Mel Gibson’s help instead of taking an offer from any of those other eminently more qualified famous people and I find that baffling. Maybe the last DVD she rented featuring Gibson was Lethal Weapon and his bare ass was just so cute that she completely ignored the anti-semitic drunken violent film-making years.

Everyone was scratching their head when the news came out that Britney had dinner with Mel the other night, and now there’s news that she’s been seeing him secretly for some time. Supposedly Mel and his wife wanted to help Britney and thought they could be of service, even though they don’t have the best track record with their own kids, considering that one of their 25 year-old twins was in rehab late last year and the other one chalked up his first DUI in 2005. Then there’s Mel’s fragile sobriety which he doesn’t exactly look like he’s been maintaining.

As random as this story sounds, Britney and Mel were neighbors back in Malibu, which may give him an edge over all those other people who could potentially help her without trying to get her to join a cult:

The pair and their families have met a number of times since Spears checked out from her second hospitalization last month, a source tells PEOPLE.

“Mel and his wife Robin clearly saw a woman in crisis and wanted to extend themselves in any way possible,” the source says.

“There’s just a handful of people in the world who understand the kind of intense attention that Britney goes through, and how to raise a family with some semblance of privacy and how to keep one’s family intact and out of the limelight,” the source adds.

“There are no expectations, there is no agenda. It’s simply an act of human kindness – one neighbor reaching out to the other.”

Gibson and Spears used to be neighbors when the singer previously lived in Malibu.

[From People.com]

What bothers me about this story is that Mel Gibson is a freak who probably hasn’t conquered or even subdued his demons, and he’s also a religious zealot who follows a fringe group of Catholicism that even staunch Catholics consider strange. Unlike other stars that need not be pointed and laughed at again, Gibson hasn’t really proselytized to the press, except to release that torture porn film about how Jesus died and the Jews were responsible for it. Maybe he doesn’t try to convert his friends, and will share whatever non-religious tactics worked for him to get his life back on track. I would assume that involves the art of living well on the interest from millions and millions of dollars.

At least Britney and her family are talking to someone who can, uh, help them. And if you just consider his early body of work he’s a fine choice.

Here’s Gibson’s butt from Lethal Weapon, thanks to Yes But Not Yes.

It must really suck to be Mel Gibson some days. Today being one of them. The other days would probably be when he was pulled over for DUI and went into an anti-semitic rant, and when he freaked out at a Mayan scholar who asked him if he realized how racist and inaccurate Apocalypto was. Now he’s been sued by hi co-screenwriter on The Passion of the Christ.

Benedict Fitzgerald says that Mel conspired to keep more money for himself, and is suing for $5 million.

In the 21-page complaint filed Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Benedict Fitzgerald accuses Gibson of fraud, breach of contract and unfair business practices.

“Gibson preyed monetarily on Ben, taking advantage of his unbridled enthusiasm for the project and with full cognizance of Ben’s fundamental personal and spiritual beliefs,” the lawsuit says.

Fitzgerald claims Gibson, who also takes a screenwriting credit on the 2004 film, engaged in a “chronic and conspiratorial pattern of deceit,” telling Fitzgerald he’d be working on a small, $4 million to $7 million project that would yield little money for Fitzgerald and none for Gibson.

Although by some accounts the film grossed over $600 million worldwide, Fitzgerald complains he was paid $75,000 and that he had to borrow $200,000 from Gibson for expenses.

People

A lawyer for Mel says that Fitzgerad was compensated ‘handsomely’, and that the charger are ‘utterly baseless’.

I am sure that Mel did say the film was only going to be a small budget - after all, $7 million is a lot to invest, and another movie about the life of Christ is hardly the most obvious of box office fodder. Particularly when it is R-rated. If Mel wants to fund a movie that is such a huge risk, I think he should be allowed to reap the rewards. Particularly if you consider how easy it is for costs to blow out on a film’s budget. It doesn’t matter how much money he already had, or had as a result of the film.

However, Mel should definitely have paid a handsome bonus to the man who helped him to do it, or at least gifted him the $200,000 loan rather than expecting Fitzgerald to repay it. I suspect that he was paid a reasonable wage, but not much on the scale of what the film earned. The gentlemanly thing to do might have been to give him a large cash bonus, but I doubt that Mel is legally obliged to pay it. Which is probably why Benedict Fitzgerald is asking for a trial by jury to decide the damages, not a judge alone.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Here’s Mel Gibson not looking drunk or anything at the premiere of American Gangster on 10/29/07, thanks to PRPhotos.

The most important people in Heath Ledger’s life have come out to speak about him - his family in Western Australia. I assume that they are heading to the US to be with their son, whether he will be buried in the US or Australia, and hopefully they will be able to move around with minimum harassment from media.

Here is their statement, delivered from outside of Heath’s mother’s house.

Ledger’s father Kim Ledger, mother Sally Ledger-Bell and sister Katie Ledger appeared outside Ledger’s mother’s house in Applecross at 10.50am, when Mr Ledger read a short statement to the media.

“We, Heath’s family, confirm the very tragic, untimely and accidental passing of our dearly loved son, brother and doting father of Matilda, who was found in a peaceful sleep in his New York apartment by his housekeeper at 3.30pm (New York Time),” he said.

“We would like to thank our friends and everyone around the world for their kind wishes at this time.

“Heath has touched so many people on so many different levels during his short life, but few had the pleasure to truly know him.

“He was a down-to-earth, generous, kind-hearted, life-loving and unselfish individual who was an extreme inspiration to many.

“Please now respect our family’s need to grieve and come to terms with our loss privately.”

News.com.au

Heath also has two half sisters, Olivia and Ashleigh. he and his sister Kate are named after the characters from Wuthering Heights.

Another person to come out and express sadness at Heath’s death is the Prime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd.

“It was with great sadness that I have learned of the passing of Heath Ledger,” he said.

“It is tragic that we have lost one of our nation’s finest actors in the prime of his life. Heath Ledger’s diverse and challenging roles will be remembered as some of the great performances by an Australian actor.”

Mr Rudd said the nation’s thoughts were with Ledger’s family and close friends, especially his two-year-old daughter Matilda.

news.com.au

Being from Australia originally, my phone and emails have been flooding in all day with people from home asking me if it’s true, like I’m the New York Police Department or something. Right up until his family and the Prime Minister made their statements about his death I had been wondering if it was a prank pulled to promote a film. Which admittedly would be a pretty cruel prank.

Heath’s family are also adamant that he has not committed suicide, and that they had been advised by police that his death was accidental.

I can think of nothing worse than having all of Australia’s entertainment reporters on your front door step - and they’ll ALL be there, there’s not much else to focus on in a small country -while you are trying to cope with a time difference and a foreign legal system. I hope that they have lots of support.

Other prominent Australians who have spoken out about the death include Nicole Kidman, Mel Gibson and Cate Blanchett. Unfortunately for Blanchett she was celebrating her Academy Award nominations for I’m Not There, the Bob Dylan biopic that Heath Ledger also plays Bob in, when she heard the news.

Note by Celebitchy: Here’s the video of Heath’s family’s public statement. In accordance with their wishes, and with common decency, we will post no photos of any of Heath friends and family grieving nor will we publish pictures of the scene or funeral. We may put up photos of average people paying tribute to Heath with flowers and notes.

And here are two photo tributes to Heath, thanks to Darule16:

And libertyangel:

I keep thinking Mel Gibson is going to make a big comeback. No matter how many DUI fines he might have paid, I don’t think he needs to work for the money. He’s got six kids, probably busy with them, and his wife. Actually, he seems to have a pretty good life, maybe he’ll just go on living it and be happy.

But while he’s cheerfully on holiday, his offices in Sydney are closing. Without having produced a single film.

Six years ago, the Hollywood star and his producing partner, Bruce Davey, announced they were forming a production company with the leading talent agency Shanahan Management, which represents such A-listers as Nicole Kidman, Toni Collette and Geoffrey Rush.

Icon Shanahan Productions was launched at the same time as a new distribution operation, and there were high hopes that it could produce a new generation of Australian films for international audiences.

But the company has now closed its Sydney office - and its creative director, Sally Chesher, has departed - without a single Icon Shanahan film being made.

The closest it came was the part-financing of the drama The Black Balloon, by Icon’s distribution and sales agency arms.

Sydney Morning Herald

And I thought with his recent thumbs up from the Los Angeles judicial system he might be getting ready for big things. Even at 51, he still knows how to play the cool kids games. While on holiday this week, he stopped off and did his bit for rainforests. Petra Group was signing an agreement for sponsorship to conserve rainforests. Environmentalism is in right now.

Gibson, who last directed Apocalypto, which was set in an ancient Mayan jungle settlement, is on a two-week vacation in Malaysia. He was at the ceremony to lend his support to Petra Group’s participation in the research programme on how to conserve the rainforest.

Malaysia Star

This is why I think Mel Gibson’s life must be pretty good. Even when offices that he worked at establishing are closing down, and public attention has again be drawn to that embarrassing incident, he’s still able to go on holiday. I’d be sitting at home in a bathrobe crying, and not washing my hair.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Header image is from Mel Gibson’s freakout in March during a talk at Cal State when a Mayan scholar asked him if he realized how racist and inaccurate Apocalypto was. Thanks to TMZ.

Months after your DUI arrest, can you turn your back on it, and get on with your career? Well, probably, although it’s harder if you make anti-Semitic remarks whilst driving under the influence.

Oscar-winning actor and director Mel Gibson has met the conditions set by a court as punishment for his drink-driving arrest last year, his attorney has told a judge.

Gibson, 51, famously made anti-Semitic slurs when arrested in Malibu, California, in July 2006. He has since apologised publicly.

He pleaded no contest to drink-driving charges, was ordered to serve three years probation, pay $US1,400 ($1,700) in fines and attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

Gibson’s attorney Blair Berk appeared at the hearing in Malibu and presented a judge with documents showing the actor paid his fines, attended AA meetings and complied with his probation.

The judge told Mr Berk that Gibson must be present for his next hearing, which is scheduled for February 15, 2008.

abc.net.au

For those of you bored of the DUI scandals around Lindsay, Paris and Nicole, get used to this kind of report. Somehow I can’t see them doing what Mel Gibson did, going home and keeping his mouth shut.

Of course, many are saying Mel’s career is over. Maybe it is, but I’m not sure about the career’s of Paris/Lindsay/Nicole? Is Mel’s career over because of his anti-Semitic comments, or his drunkeness?

The recent run of DUI’s has led to a potential law change in California.

The proposed legislation — which was requested by controversial Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, whose staff dealt with Gibson and Hilton — has outraged the Californian media.

California Newspaper Publishers Association lawyer Tom Newton said the measure would whittle away press freedoms for the convenience of celebrities.

“It’s the Paris Hilton and Mel Gibson Protection Act,” he told The Los Angeles Times.

“Fundamentally, it attempts to regulate news gathering and criminalise it.”

But proponents say outlawing celebrity leaks and punishing public employees who take cash from the media is a necessary move to restore faith in the state’s justice system after allegations of law enforcement officials providing prohibited information for cash.

Californian politician Julia Brownley, who introduced the Bill at Sheriff Baca’s request, said the digital media age and obsession with celebrity news made the law a necessity.

news.com.au

Maybe you could just factor in an ‘embarassment factor’ to their sentence? Or ‘cost of career earnings’ factor? Then again, everyone has these factors in their court appearances. Also, when an exclusive interview is given about the incident, do celebrities get paid for it? I imagine that would take away some of the pain.

Did Janet Jackson and Jermaine Dupri get married?

The 41-year-old is thought to have wed the music producer in front of friends and family on Saturday afternoon.

A source had earlier told MediaTakeOut.com: “Janet wants very much to keep the event private. So don’t expect anything over the top. It will be small - only have close friends and family - and definitely no one from the media will be invited.”

The couple have been dating since 2001 and Dupri, 34, worked with Jackson on two of her albums.

Digital Spy

Jermaine Dupri is denying he secretly married janet Jackson in a ceremony Saturday – which he would, wouldn’t he? It’s meant to be a secret.

But Dupri says, “When Janet and I get married, everybody will know. It’s not something I want to keep a secret. I’m going to promote it like a party.”

San Francisco Chronicle

Aw, that’s sweet.

Janet Jackson has married twice before in secret, to James DeBarge and Rene Elizondo Jr, so I don’t believe a word of Dupri’s denials. Actually, one of Janet’s previous marriages was annulled, so she got married once and the second time, er, had a faux ceremony? Anyway, two secret wedding things.

Her breast exposure at the Superbowl also topped a list of celebrity scandals compiled by Entertainment Weekly.

JANET JACKSON’s infamous breast-baring wardrobe malfunction at the 2004 Super Bowl has topped a list of celebrity scandals. The singer was performing a duet with Justin Timberlake during half-time at the American football final when she accidentally flashed a breast. Second on the list, compiled by editors at American magazine Entertainment Weekly, is Mel Gibson’s anti-Semitic outburst during his July 2006 drink-driving arrest. At three is the 1992 U.S. TV appearance by Irish singer Sinead O’Connor, who infamously tore up a picture of the late Pope John Paul II during a performance on Saturday Night Live. The top five is rounded out by Hugh Grant’s 1995 arrest for engaging in “lewd conduct” with prostitute Divine Brown in Los Angeles, and Michael Jackson dangling his son Prince Michael II over a hotel balcony in Berlin, Germany in 2002.

Contact Music

You know what’s missing from the scandal list? Madonna. Wasn’t she scandal queen? Remember before she had children, and just got in hot water over their controversial fathering/adopting, she released two albums titled Erotica and Bedtime Stories (no sign of the three little pigs here, which is really about getting eaten by a wolf and not children’s fare at all…).

Anyway, she also released the Sex book, made a music video featuring S&M, masturbated on stage with an Puerto Ricon flag (much ruder than a nipple slip, I think) and fellated a vodka bottle on her Truth or Dare film.

Get in line Janet Jackson. Actually, somewhere ahead of you, wouldn’t there be you brother Michael’s child molestation charges? Much more controversial than a bit of nipple.

Britney Spears and Paris Hilton have been voted the Worst Celebrity Role Models of 2006 in a joint poll between Associated Press and AOL.

Brit got a heaping 29% of the vote for the “Worst” role model, while Paris received 18% and the anti-Semitic ranting Mel Gibson got 17%. Way to go Brit! Your commando pics and party hopping have really paid off!

Other names on the “Worst Role Model” list include: Tom Cruise, Michael Richards, K-Fed, Nicole Ritchie, Lindsay Lohan and Angelina Jolie.

I know I’m white trash but I disagree that Angelina should be on this list. The woman gives zillions to the poor and adopts orphans. Sure, she broke up Brad and Jen’s marriage but why lump her with tramps girls like Brit and Paris?

Mel Gibson might have sought treatment in an inpatient facility and checked out, he might be getting some sort of addiction therapy as his publicist claims, or maybe he’s just laying low and hoping this whole mess will blow over. Whatever Mel is doing, he’s not in rehab:

Mel doesn’t care. Maybe he didn’t go to rehab because the philosophy of recovery contradicted his freaky cult religion. It could be possible that he figures his career is over anyway and just doesn’t give a shit.

Have you seen the best Mel Gibson political cartoons we posted? They’re priceless. I hope one of the artists now tackles Mel’s lack of commitment to rehab.

Here are some of the pictures from Mel’s famous night out that you’ve already seen.