Robert Downey Jr. asks Hollywood to forgive Mel Gibson

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Remember guys, in Hollywood image is everything.

I think if actors had less to drink they'd have less to "blurt out" at the most inopportune time.
 
Mel Gibson is a stud.

Put a camera on any of us in our worst moments and we would be appalled by ourselves.

He is one of the finest actors of our generation and a phenomenal filmmaker.

I never forgave Gibson only by fiat of never needing to.

Get over it and get off your soap boxes.
 
I don't think that anyone has suggested that Gibson is lacking in the skills-and-talent department.

Neither do I think that people who find his racism problematic have anything to 'get over.' If it doesn't bother you, that's fine. It does bother some people. Which is also fine.
 
No, it's merely informing some people's decisions as to whether or not they care to work with Gibson. Hardly the same thing, at all.
 
The guy is (was?) battling substance abuse issues and God knows what else. I don't think he was (is?) of sound mind and I would take that into consideration when judging him. He appears to be a sick man.

I'm not "forgiving" the dude, I'm fairly indifferent to the whole thing. I just think people should be thankful they don't have his problems and move on.

Put a camera on any of us in our worst moments and we would be appalled by ourselves.
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Hell of a good point.
 
Michael Traven said:
I've never listened to the tapes and I never will. When I look at Mel, I see a broken man like the rest of this goddamn race we call men, and I don't need to see any more than that to feel empathy. Forgiveness isn't about accepting or condoning the actions of the guilty, but showing grace regardless.

It's easy to show a hard heart, to say "This man crossed a line I've drawn in the sand, and therefore should be hated." But to what end? Grace is worthless, absolutely f..king worthless, if only shown to those to whom it's easy to show.

The people who need grace never deserve it, that's why it's such an amazing thing to give.
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I had to quote this post because it's very well said.

I think no human has the gift of unconditional grace, however. I forgive Mel Gibson, but I don't have it in my heart to forgive a true monster like Ted Bundy or Adolf Hitler.

Mel Gibson is very, very flawed and has done some very bad things. Just like most of us, except most of us do those things in a smaller scale and away from the public eye.
 
I'm more than slightly puzzled as to how it's even possible to forgive someone when they have not done anything to you.
 
I think so many people are quick to cast judgement, to look on another putting one's self as the superior. But it seems to me that we all wear black hats at one point or other in this western. Grace, forgiveness, repentance and redemption are the truest and most powerful moments we can muster, and I for one will applaud and encourage them whenever and wherever they may flourish.
 
Basically this is his punishment for "The Passion of the Christ". Basically, if you hear the phone conversation you know this was a set up. She knew what she was doing. If you listen to some conversations with me and my ex you'd probably think I'm a bad person too. I don't think many of the things Gibson said are right, but at the same time the person casting the most stones is probably guilty of worse. There's no way you'll convince me all of Hollywood are nice folks. A lot of them are sleeze bags, but it's not caught on tape.

And yes I've heard the tapes. And yes I believe it was a set up. I'm quite tired of jumping to women's defense the moment they cry or pout without asking what part they played in the situation especially when there is something to be gained. I agree with the person who said how can I forgive someone whose done nothing to me. If Gibson hurt or offended someone let them forgive him, but acting like he's harmed us all in some kind of way is BS. As for those Hollywood folk who are the ones so quick to hold him up to the spotlight, let's see all the coke you've snorted, the hookers you've screwed (and/or killed), wives/husbands you've cheated on (yea I went there) and then talk.

And no this isn't a defense of Gibson, it's an "I don't give a damn". If Gibson hadn't made "The Passion" and was the current Hollywood hunk we wouldn't even still be talking about it and certainly not if he were female. Maybe Gibson just needs a sex tape. Works for Paris Hilton, whose also used the N word, and was caught driving drunk several time and doing drugs, yet somehow she only became more famous. Interesting.

-Nate
 
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Why would anyone want to punish Gibson for 'Passion?' I mean, I do not subscribe to Christian beliefs (relevant only to the degree that the film actually reflects them) and in fact take a very dim view of organized religions in general, and am an admitted non-fan of Gibson's on a couple of levels, but even from that perspective 'Passion' was a very, very well-done work.
 
Sad Max said:
Why would anyone want to punish Gibson for 'Passion?' I mean, I do not subscribe to Christian beliefs (relevant only to the degree that the film actually reflects them) and in fact take a very dim view of organized religions in general, and am an admitted non-fan of Gibson's on a couple of levels, but even from that perspective 'Passion' was a very, very well-done work.
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You're right, but Hollywood is about politics and you don't step outside their structure or they come after you in some way. Once everyone turned that film away it was there way of saying "no". When he went ahead and made the film then made $400,000,000 I believe they set out to get him then.

When we were advertising "Wages of Sin" the cable companies wouldn't even let us show the ad in Hollywood. The ad company said that had never happened before. But mine was the first indy film they'd worked with and they simply weren't having it. I was an unknown, a nobody and they would be sure my film didn't get any play there. The reason they gave was "content". My trailer was like any other trailer you see on TV and no one else refused it. It even ran in Burbank. The question is how much did we hear about Gibson before "The Passion"? Nada. Very little. After the film's success suddenly he's the worst person in the world. There's more to it and anyone thinks. Unless you know someone or you get real lucky you play by their rules or they take you down. End of story.

-Nate
 
Nathyn said:
When he went ahead and made the film then made $400,000,000 I believe they set out to get him then.

The question is how much did we hear about Gibson before "The Passion"? Nada. Very little. After the film's success suddenly he's the worst person in the world. There's more to it and anyone thinks. Unless you know someone or you get real lucky you play by their rules or they take you down. End of story.
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Before then, he'd been in a stable marriage for decades. Various questions arose though about his father's anti-Semitism back in the '80's. He made his own bed with the statements and the pseudo-apologies that followed... no external force in the world could have done that without his active participation.
 
Nathyn said:
The question is how much did we hear about Gibson before "The Passion"? Nada. Very little.
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I don't know about his reputation outside the entertainment industry, but Gibson's eccentricities were very well and widely-known within it before Passion. The fact that he generously provided audio tape for the general public's edification after the film had been out is hardly a Hollywood conspiracy.
 
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