Gibson Appeals To Jews For Help In Healing
Actor-Filmmaker Says He Accepts Responsibilty For Remarks
Posted: 11:05 am EDT August 1, 2006Updated: 4:51 pm EDT August 1, 2006
LOS ANGELES -- Five days after his arrest on suspicion of drunken driving, actor-filmmaker Mel Gibson Tuesday released a statement to the media regarding his reported anti-Semitic remarks made in the presence of a Los Angeles police deputy."There is no excuse, nor should there be any tolerance, for anyone who thinks or expresses any kind of anti-Semitic remark," Gibson said in the statement. "I want to apologize specifically to everyone in the Jewish community for the vitriolic and harmful words that I said to a law enforcement officer the night I was arrested on a DUI charge."Read The Full Statement here.Gibson said that he realizes that he's a public person, and that he knows that any words "blurted out in a moment of insanity" will "carry weight in the public arena.""As a result, I must assume personal responsibility for my words and apologize directly to those who have been hurt and offended by those words," Gibson said.
Mel Gibson An Anti-Semite?
Following the arrest that was first reported on TMZ.com, the Web site that broke the story, the arresting officer said that Gibson launched into a barrage of anti-Semitic statements, saying such things as "F-----g Jews" and that "The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world."According to the report, Gibson then asked the deputy, James Mee, who happens to be Jewish, "Are you a Jew?"But in the statement, Gibson claimed he was not "a bigot." "The tenets of what I profess to believe necessitate that I exercise charity and tolerance as a way of life. Every human being is God's child, and if I wish to honor my God , I have to honor his children," Gibson said. "But please know from my heart that I am not an anti-Semite. I am not a bigot. Hatred of any kind goes against my faith."Gibson also said in the statement that he is "not just asking for forgiveness.""I would like to take it one step further and meet with leaders in the Jewish community, with whom I can have a one-on-one discussion to discern the appropriate path for healing," Gibson said.Meanwhile, the Anti-Defamation League has accepted Gibson's second apology, saying it "sounds sincere."Admitting that he made anti-Semitic remarks during the arrest is something that didn't make in his first apology after the arrest.ADL national director Abraham Foxman said this is the apology the group had hoped for the first time.Foxman complained that Gibson's film "The Passion of the Christ" had anti-Semitic overtones, calls Gibson's apology for Friday's incident "insufficient."Gibson is blaming his bad behavior on being drunk. Gibson released a statement Saturday that said, "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."He said he's battled alcoholism all his adult life and he profoundly regrets his "horrific relapse." He said he's taking "necessary steps" to return to health. It's unclear if that means he's going into rehab.Foxman said once Gibson finishes "his rehabilitation for alcohol abuse," the ADL will "help him with his second rehabilitation to combat this disease of prejudice."In an investigative development into Gibson's case, the attorney in charge of a civilian panel responsible for oversight of allegations of wrongdoing by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Tuesday said a preliminary review found nothing wrong with the handling of Gibson's arrest. "In this case the information reviewed to date indicates that LASD did ensure that the arrest of Mr. Gibson was handled in accord with its policies and practices," said Michael Gennaco, head of the county Office of Independent Review.ABC Cancels Gibson Company's Holocaust Miniseries
Disney-owned ABC said it has canceled a planned miniseries about the Holocaust that it was developing with Mel Gibson's Icon Productions.In a statement, ABC said, "Given that it has been nearly two years and we have yet to see the first draft of a script, we have decided to no longer pursue this project with Icon."Spokesman Kevin Brockman wouldn't comment on whether the decision was motivated by Gibson's arrest last week on suspicion of drunken driving or the controversy surrounding the actor.Disney Studios will be releasing Gibson's latest film, the historical drama "Apocalypto," in Decemeber.The actor-filmmaker's publicist told The Associated Press that the star is involved in a program to deal with his drinking.Gibson previously apologized, and admitted saying "despicable" things during his arrest, but made no mention of anti-Semitic remarks.Jewish groups were initially fuming over Gibson's alleged remarks. Rabbi Marvin Hier of the Simon Wiesenthal Center said, "If that's what he said, even under intoxication, it clearly shows that Mel Gibson has a problem with Jews."In 2004, Gibson defended himself against accusations of anti-Semitism after some Jewish leaders said "Passion" cast Jews as the killers of Christ."To be anti-Semitic is a sin," Gibson, a Catholic, told ABC's Diane Sawyer. "It's been condemned by one Papal Council after another. To be anti-Semitic is to be un-Christian, and I'm not." The anti-Semitic controversy swirling around Gibson two years ago was partly due to a remark his father, Hutton Gibson, had made that the Holocaust was mostly "fiction." The younger Gibson has said that he will not speak against his father.Arresting Deputy Reacts To Remarks
The sheriff's deputy who arrested Mel Gibson happens to be Jewish. But, he tells The AP that he doesn't take Gibson's reported anti-Semitic remarks seriously."That stuff is the booze talking," James Mee said.
An official sheriff's report on Mel Gibson's drunken driving arrest said Gibson made anti-Semitic remarks and threatened a deputy.It also said that a tequila bottle was found in Gibson's car when he was pulled over.The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department has sent its case against Gibson to prosecutors. It's now up to prosecutors to decide if charges will be brought and exactly what those charges would be.Sept. 28 has been penciled in for Gibson's arraignment.Questions were raised about whether deputies were covering up Gibson's remarks partly because Gibson has a relationship with the Los Angeles County Sheriff, Lee Baca.Late Night Comics Have Fun With Tirade
Jay Leno isn't very optimistic about a Mideast cease-fire: He said we can't even get Gibson to stop attacking Israel.Leno opened his monologue Monday night with a host of jokes about Gibson's alleged drunken driving arrest and Gibson's reported anti-Semitic tirade. Leno says at least we know Gibson wasn't drinking Manischewitz.Leno added that the sad part was the person Gibson had in the car with him -- Britney Spears' baby.Craig Ferguson has some advice for Gibson. Ferguson said when police say you have the right to remain silent, "shut your racist pie hole."Ferguson said Gibson probably fell off the wagon because someone told him Jesus was Jewish.Gibson Did PSA For LA Sheriff's Dept.
In a public service announcement from three years ago for a sheriff's charity, Gibson is dressed in a sheriff's uniform as he pulls over Scott Baio to talk about the charity.The PSA was dug up by TMZ.com, the same Web site that broke the story about Gibson's arrest.That little vignette might show that Gibson is close to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.Gibson has also donated money to the charity.Gibson Story Huge For Upstart Web Site
The Mel Gibson arrest story that broke in cyberspace is the biggest yet for the upstart entertainment Web site TMZ.It's a partnership between Time Warner's AOL and Telepictures Productions. It has a staff of 25, headed by attorney Harvey Levin. He's worked as a journalist for 30 years.Levin spoke to more than 40 news groups Monday about how TMZ got the story.He said that "every single word is fact-checked" and reviewed by lawyers.Still, he said that he had a knot in his stomach when he sent it into cyberspace after tips of the arrest and anti-Semitic statements were confirmed.TMZ stands for Thirty Mile Zone. It's a film industry term referring to the immediate area around Los Angeles where filming can occur without added out-of-town labor costs.
Mel Gibson An Anti-Semite?
Following the arrest that was first reported on TMZ.com, the Web site that broke the story, the arresting officer said that Gibson launched into a barrage of anti-Semitic statements, saying such things as "F-----g Jews" and that "The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world."According to the report, Gibson then asked the deputy, James Mee, who happens to be Jewish, "Are you a Jew?"But in the statement, Gibson claimed he was not "a bigot." "The tenets of what I profess to believe necessitate that I exercise charity and tolerance as a way of life. Every human being is God's child, and if I wish to honor my God , I have to honor his children," Gibson said. "But please know from my heart that I am not an anti-Semite. I am not a bigot. Hatred of any kind goes against my faith."Gibson also said in the statement that he is "not just asking for forgiveness.""I would like to take it one step further and meet with leaders in the Jewish community, with whom I can have a one-on-one discussion to discern the appropriate path for healing," Gibson said.Meanwhile, the Anti-Defamation League has accepted Gibson's second apology, saying it "sounds sincere."Admitting that he made anti-Semitic remarks during the arrest is something that didn't make in his first apology after the arrest.ADL national director Abraham Foxman said this is the apology the group had hoped for the first time.Foxman complained that Gibson's film "The Passion of the Christ" had anti-Semitic overtones, calls Gibson's apology for Friday's incident "insufficient."Gibson is blaming his bad behavior on being drunk. Gibson released a statement Saturday that said, "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."He said he's battled alcoholism all his adult life and he profoundly regrets his "horrific relapse." He said he's taking "necessary steps" to return to health. It's unclear if that means he's going into rehab.Foxman said once Gibson finishes "his rehabilitation for alcohol abuse," the ADL will "help him with his second rehabilitation to combat this disease of prejudice."In an investigative development into Gibson's case, the attorney in charge of a civilian panel responsible for oversight of allegations of wrongdoing by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Tuesday said a preliminary review found nothing wrong with the handling of Gibson's arrest. "In this case the information reviewed to date indicates that LASD did ensure that the arrest of Mr. Gibson was handled in accord with its policies and practices," said Michael Gennaco, head of the county Office of Independent Review.ABC Cancels Gibson Company's Holocaust Miniseries
Disney-owned ABC said it has canceled a planned miniseries about the Holocaust that it was developing with Mel Gibson's Icon Productions.In a statement, ABC said, "Given that it has been nearly two years and we have yet to see the first draft of a script, we have decided to no longer pursue this project with Icon."Spokesman Kevin Brockman wouldn't comment on whether the decision was motivated by Gibson's arrest last week on suspicion of drunken driving or the controversy surrounding the actor.Disney Studios will be releasing Gibson's latest film, the historical drama "Apocalypto," in Decemeber.The actor-filmmaker's publicist told The Associated Press that the star is involved in a program to deal with his drinking.Gibson previously apologized, and admitted saying "despicable" things during his arrest, but made no mention of anti-Semitic remarks.Jewish groups were initially fuming over Gibson's alleged remarks. Rabbi Marvin Hier of the Simon Wiesenthal Center said, "If that's what he said, even under intoxication, it clearly shows that Mel Gibson has a problem with Jews."In 2004, Gibson defended himself against accusations of anti-Semitism after some Jewish leaders said "Passion" cast Jews as the killers of Christ."To be anti-Semitic is a sin," Gibson, a Catholic, told ABC's Diane Sawyer. "It's been condemned by one Papal Council after another. To be anti-Semitic is to be un-Christian, and I'm not." The anti-Semitic controversy swirling around Gibson two years ago was partly due to a remark his father, Hutton Gibson, had made that the Holocaust was mostly "fiction." The younger Gibson has said that he will not speak against his father.Arresting Deputy Reacts To Remarks
The sheriff's deputy who arrested Mel Gibson happens to be Jewish. But, he tells The AP that he doesn't take Gibson's reported anti-Semitic remarks seriously."That stuff is the booze talking," James Mee said.
- Read Full Text: Alleged Comments
An official sheriff's report on Mel Gibson's drunken driving arrest said Gibson made anti-Semitic remarks and threatened a deputy.It also said that a tequila bottle was found in Gibson's car when he was pulled over.The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department has sent its case against Gibson to prosecutors. It's now up to prosecutors to decide if charges will be brought and exactly what those charges would be.Sept. 28 has been penciled in for Gibson's arraignment.Questions were raised about whether deputies were covering up Gibson's remarks partly because Gibson has a relationship with the Los Angeles County Sheriff, Lee Baca.Late Night Comics Have Fun With Tirade
Jay Leno isn't very optimistic about a Mideast cease-fire: He said we can't even get Gibson to stop attacking Israel.Leno opened his monologue Monday night with a host of jokes about Gibson's alleged drunken driving arrest and Gibson's reported anti-Semitic tirade. Leno says at least we know Gibson wasn't drinking Manischewitz.Leno added that the sad part was the person Gibson had in the car with him -- Britney Spears' baby.Craig Ferguson has some advice for Gibson. Ferguson said when police say you have the right to remain silent, "shut your racist pie hole."Ferguson said Gibson probably fell off the wagon because someone told him Jesus was Jewish.Gibson Did PSA For LA Sheriff's Dept.
In a public service announcement from three years ago for a sheriff's charity, Gibson is dressed in a sheriff's uniform as he pulls over Scott Baio to talk about the charity.The PSA was dug up by TMZ.com, the same Web site that broke the story about Gibson's arrest.That little vignette might show that Gibson is close to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.Gibson has also donated money to the charity.Gibson Story Huge For Upstart Web Site
The Mel Gibson arrest story that broke in cyberspace is the biggest yet for the upstart entertainment Web site TMZ.It's a partnership between Time Warner's AOL and Telepictures Productions. It has a staff of 25, headed by attorney Harvey Levin. He's worked as a journalist for 30 years.Levin spoke to more than 40 news groups Monday about how TMZ got the story.He said that "every single word is fact-checked" and reviewed by lawyers.Still, he said that he had a knot in his stomach when he sent it into cyberspace after tips of the arrest and anti-Semitic statements were confirmed.TMZ stands for Thirty Mile Zone. It's a film industry term referring to the immediate area around Los Angeles where filming can occur without added out-of-town labor costs.
Previous Stories:
- July 31, 2006: Deputy Didn't Want To 'Defame' Gibson
- July 30, 2006: Report: Gibson Critical Of Jews During DUI Arrest
- July 28, 2006: Mel Gibson Arrested On Suspicion Of DUI
- July 28, 2006: Report: Mel Gibson Arrested On Suspicion Of DUI
Distributed by Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
















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