Sorry, Robert Downey, Jr--Can't do it

Credit: Eric Charbonneau/WireImage

Robert Downey Jr asked Hollywood to forgive Mel Gibson this week when Downey received an award  from some self-congratulatory organization or another (there are a LOT of acting awards out here--like every other day someone is being recognized by some organization or another).  While I appreciate what  he's saying I just can't do it. I love Robert Downey, Jr, and I realize that I hold absolutely no power, but Gibson kind of deserves to feel some consequences for his actions.


Everyone has a right to speak what's on their mind, but the First Amendment doesn't mean you're exempt from consequences from your speech. You can spew crazy about Jews, but don't expect to be invited to Temple and hugged. And considering the melting pot that Hollywood is, the only safe group of people to make fun of seem to be Republicans.


Downey Jr. compared his stints in rehab with what Gibson is going through saying that alcoholism is powerful. And I appreciate that. I also appreciate that Gibson gave Downey Jr another chance, but that doesn't mean that I have to give Gibson another a chance. There's no pay it forward for second chances. Besides, as I stated above, I hold no power. The only power I have are my dollars and my voice. My voice will always tell people to make decisions for themselves. And my dollars didn't really ever support Mel Gibson in the first place.


Here's my problem: Gibson made "The Passion of the Christ" and there were complaints that it depicted Jews excessively wrong and offensively. Gibson's defense was: "For me, it goes against the tenets of my faith, to be racist in any form. To be anti-Semitic is a sin. It's been condemned by one Papal Council after another. There's encyclicals on it, which is, you know -- to be anti-Semitic is to be unchristian, and I'm not."


That was about two years before he was pulled over and went on the giant anti-semitic tirade. Isn't alcohol supposed to be a truth serum? Which are we supposed to believe? Honestly, it's easier to believe the drunken tirade, because (and I say this as a PR person), it hasn't been passed through media training and a publicist. Which is why I also like to think that Mel Gibson calls every women "Sugar Tits' in his head. I also like to think that he would call me "sugar tits" if I met him. But that's just wishful thinking. 


Also wishful thinking? That everyone can forget 5 years of crazy after less than a year. People don't like feeling lied to and while they root for a comeback, it takes more than Robert Downey Jr to make it happen.

South Park Was Right Again

A few years ago, South Park did a spoof on Mel Gibson during an episode entitled "The Passion of the Jew." There's a whole story line where Kenny and Stan track down Mel Gibson to get their money back after having to sit through what they called a religious snuff film. Here's the part where South Park is right: They depict Mel Gibson as being bat-shit crazy. This was long before any "sugar tits" comments or any leaked phone conversation.

At the time it did what it was supposed to do: made us laugh. Mel Gibson was depicted in his blue Braveheart face, running around naked and saying crazy stuff. I wondered how mad Mel Gibson would be about it. But looking back it just proved that they were more insightful than I ever gave them credit for.

Seriously. How holier than thou do you have to be to think you can talk about women, races, religions and be so incredibly insulting and not face any public backlash? Everyone has the right to say whatever they want to say. It's a great freedom that we share. But with most freedoms there are unintended consequences. One of which is knowing that you may have the right to say anything you want, but it's not the best idea to always do so.