Ten years after Mel Gibson spewed anti-Semitic hate speech while being arrested for drunk driving, Gibson is frustrated that people still care. Speaking on Variety’s “Playback” podcast, Gibson called the incident distant history as far as he’s concerned, labeling continued fixation on the controversy “annoying.” “I’m feeling good. I’m sober, all of that kind of stuff, and for me it’s a dim thing in the past. But others bring it up, which kind of I find annoying, because I don’t understand why after 10 years it’s any kind of issue,” Gibson said. He went on to call any lasting damage to his career and reputation “unfair,” arguing that he hasn’t been caught behaving in an anti-Semitic or discriminatory manner since the 2006 incident.
Surely if I was really what they say I was, some kind of hater, there’d be evidence of actions somewhere. There never has been. I’ve never discriminated against anyone or done anything that sort of supports that reputation. And for one episode in the back of a police car on eight double tequilas to sort of dictate all the work, life’s work and beliefs and everything else that I have and maintain for my life is really unfair.
Despite the fact that Gibson has been accused of further anti-Semitic behavior within the past decade, he’s clearly forgiven himself and is ready for you to do the same.
