Australian actor Mel Gibson is shown on January 15,
2005. (Jim Ruymen JR/FA/Reuters)
A top film industry agent asked his colleagues on Monday to boycott working
with Mel Gibson as Hollywood debated whether the "Lethal Weapon" superstar's
career will suffer from anti-Semitic remarks he reportedly made when arrested
for suspected drunk driving.
But his comments surprised few in Hollywood, which two years ago wondered
whether Gibson "would ever eat lunch in this town again" for making "The Passion
of the Christ," a film that triggered debate over whether it was anti-Jewish
before it opened.
Once in theaters, "Passion" became a runaway hit and Gibson was back at the
top of Hollywood filmmakers.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said on Monday that it sent its
full file on Gibson's arrest to the District Attorney to decide if the
50-year-old actor should be charged with drunk driving. At the same time, the
department denied allegations it covered up Gibson's remarks, which were
revealed by the celebrity Web site TMZ.com.
Gibson, whose personal views are far to the right of traditional liberal
Hollywood, was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving early on Friday and was
reported to have launched into a tirade against Jews, asking the arresting
officer if he was a Jew and blaming the Jews for starting all wars.
The actor, who holds strong conservative Catholic religious and political
views and whose father is a Holocaust denier, apologized on Saturday, saying, "I
acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested, and said
things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable. I am deeply
ashamed of everything said."
He added he had battled alcoholism "for all of my life" and was taking action
to prevent another relapse.
A spokesman for Gibson, who won an Oscar for directing "Braveheart," said the
actor had entered "an ongoing program of recovery," but declined to give
specifics.
HOLLYWOOD RANKLED
Meanwhile, top film industry agent Ari Emanuel issued a statement on
HuffingtonPost.com in which he called on Hollywood to stop working with Gibson.
"At a time of escalating tensions in the world, the entertainment industry
cannot idly stand by and allow Mel Gibson to get away with such tragically
inflammatory statements," he said, adding:
"People in the entertainment community, whether Jew or Gentile, need to
demonstrate that they understand how much is at stake in this by professionally
shunning Mel Gibson and refusing to work with him, even if it means a sacrifice
to their bottom line."
Rabbi Marvin Heir, dean and founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish
human rights group, called on ABC to reconsider its plans to air a mini-series
being made by Gibson about a pair of lovers trapped in the Holocaust.
"If I were ABC I would not have Mel Gibson do a film about the Holocaust. It
would be embarrassing," Heir said.
An ABC spokeswoman said the project was at such an early stage that the
studio has not even received a first script.
Many in Hollywood debated whether the incident would indeed have an ill
effect on Gibson's career, with some saying that they doubted it would because
the actor was a money maker for the studios.
"The rule is forgive and forget when you can bring in a film that makes $100
million," one movie insider said.
Film historian David Thomson said Gibson has "been stepping over the line for
several years. But the key thing is that he makes money for people and he will
not only continue to eat lunch in this town but he will buy lunch."