I don't find what I've heard about Mel Gibson very nice, but honestly, I have no idea what he is like in person. I'll take the story of his swearing and raging at his wife as signs of an abusive and troubled guy.
But, to cancel him, against his popularity and fairly good movies, I'd need to see more. Something substantial that he has done, like actually do something to work against Jews, if the issue is anti-Semitism - like contributing to the Nazi Party or the like.
It's vexing to think about these questions, because there is the question of restricting someone's trade and what do you base that on, or allowing virtual criminals to continue what is basically criminality. So far we seem to be OK with people just not being too criminal. That is not a good status quo. Something has to change.
Has Mel been a changed man, or does he just make it up to the Jews by hiring Harvey Weinstein's Mossad Ninjas to watch over him and his public image?
I draw the line in that I won't pay actual money to see him in movies, i.e. the theater, or pay to rent his movies. I will take a look at them if they are free to stream.
He has talent no doubt.
As far as misogyny, it is terrible in our culture, and you can see it all over MC here ... with no repercussions. These issues are economic in my opinion. Women attach themselves to men with money and power because they do not have the opportunity to get there themselves. Just because they do that does not mean they consent to exploitation and abuse - which seems to be the thesis of the misogynist set.
As far as racism ... I wonder what Danny Glover has to say about Mel and Lethal Weapon.
I think we all see segments of any group that are bad, and often when we criticize them clumsily it can look like racism, but that doesn't mean it is.
I've complained on occasion that where I live there are almost exclusively Mexicans/Latin Americans as waiters, cooks, cashiers, etc, and I've sometimes been discriminated against as a white customer. That doesn't mean I hate of think Latins are bad, inferior, bad hombres or whatever. But there is no denying that segments of any group can smear the rest of the group.
Like the white "Karens".
I think Mel is allowed because he has his PR in control, or he has modified his behavior a bit.
What would you suggest happen?
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sslssg (34211)
3 years ago
I agree with a lot of what you said. I also found this a little interesting
https://variety.com/2020/film/news/mel-gibson-controversies-career-1234696080/
The last few paragraphs about Mel being really good to work with and then
“If you’re Mel Gibson, you’re a bad boy,” Bragman says. “Now, if Tom Hanks said one of those things, it would be astounding. But with Mel Gibson, we’re kind of used to it. You get numb to Mel Gibson because he’s that guy.”
“Some people can get away with things, and some people can’t,” Bragman adds. “It may be because they make a lot of money for people or it may be because they’re likable. Everyone in Hollywood has a different DNA, and there is not a set of rules. Two people may do the exact same thing and one may lose their career and one may go on and be just fine.”
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brux (14724)
3 years ago
I don't think Mel got away with anything. People know who he is,
and he is probably rich enough to run things his own way on his own dime,
and people will still pay him at the end of the day, because he does good work.
Well, most of the time. ;-)
A lot of people lose it and resort to thing they hear or lived when they were
young, or their culture. I've heard people who were not the least bit racist
get mad and abusive or offensive people who were minorities and just to be
as hurtful as possible pull out racial epithets. It's just not something I would
do because I was raised to not do stuff like that, but I can understand where
it came from.
Because someone loses their temper does not mean they are racist and devote
time and energy in their lives to promoting their race and taking down others.
The main problem is that people do not have much interaction with others from
different races and cultures. We ought to get used to it though.
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