It feels like Gerard Butler has spent all of 2011 in the ocean, learning how to “surf”. That isn’t a bad way to spend a year at all, it’s just that… I keep hoping for more from Gerard. Machine Gun Preacher didn’t make waves and Coriolanus was well-received but barely seen. It felt like this was Gerry’s make-or-break year, his chance to show people that he really should be considered A-list, and he’s just…not. He spent a year surfing and a quick second boning Jessica Biel, allegedly, and other than that… nothing.

Anyway, Gerry was learning how to surf because he’s playing some surfer in a film called Of Men and Mavericks, which sounds like a gay pr0n about John McCain. I used to cover photos from the set, but I stopped after I became too depressed by the lack of wetsuit bulge. On Sunday, Gerry busted his ass (amongst other things) when he was pulled underwater by some major waves.

Gerard Butler was pulled underwater and dragged over a rocky reef Sunday by a large set of waves while he was filming the surfing movie Of Men and Mavericks in Northern California.

The actor, 42, was taken to Stanford Medical Center dazed but not seriously injured, after being rescued by a safety patrolman, according to ESPN.com. He was released soon after.

“Butler was held down for a solid two waves and took four or five more waves on the head,” surfer Frank Quirarte writes on his ESPN blog. “He was then washed through the rocks on the inside before he was finally able to be plucked out. He had that 100-yard stare that surfers get after a two-wave hold-down or near-death experience.”

Surfer Zach Wormhoudt, who was filming with Butler, told ESPN their group was caught off guard by a set of waves that appeared to come out of nowhere. In March, professional surfer Sion Milosky drowned at the same spot.

Butler is expected to make a full recovery. “He’s fine. Very scary,” Butler’s rep tells ET. “For precaution, we all wanted him checked out after it all happened. Came out with flying colors.”

[From Us Weekly and People Magazine]

I’m struggling to find a comedic angle here, but I just can’t. Maybe something about the waves having a nice ass and that’s why Gerard couldn’t come up for air? Something something trolling for mermaid strange? Really, I just hope Gerard is doing better and that he’s safe and healthy. I haven’t been thinking about him very much lately, I’ve been so focused on Michael Fassbender and Jeremy Renner. These crushes are cyclical – as soon as Gerard comes out wearing a nice suit and leering at me through the camera, I’ll be his again.

By the way, here are some photos from last week’s Golden Globes nominations announcement. Gerry looked like crap.

Photos courtesy of Fame & WENN.