Mel Gibson

sam10100 wrote:Joel
What do you think the standard should be for calling somebody Australian? Do they have to be born there or live at least X amount of years there? What about Olivia Newton John? Would she count?


I know in Texas we make the distinction whether you are a Native born Texan or not.

After reading back over my earlier response I probably didn't articulate that in the way I had hoped. I was getting more at the fact that local identity comes down to national geography and culture. In the case of Russell Crowe, he may have been born in New Zealand but his contributions and identity within the Australian community has been instrumental toward the global recognition in film we have today.

The perception seems to be that as long as you live here and contribute toward our eclectic culture, then you're Australian. Personally, I think that's a very healthy attitude to have.

All I got to say about Mel Gibson is Lethal Weapon 5!

Chelsee does have her own vidphone number it just didn't make the cut. I'm pretty sure its including in one of my hacked Pandora saved game files that was uploaded a while back. Everyone was actually included in the vidphone directory, including the Garden House landlady, but of those who didn't make the cut only Chelsee, Gus, and Nilo had their unique ring tones.

I personally liked Danny Glover better. That scene in LW2 when he's in the South African Embassy was hilarious. "But you're black."

I never said Gibson was better either. Haven't really thought about it.

So. let me ask this: What if he stars in another movie and the critics say its 4 or 5 stars? And, what if the movie looks like something YOU would like to see? Would you? If so, why so? If not, why not?

Personally, I would go and here is the reason why. Movies are for our entertainment and it takes more, much more, than one person to make the movie a success. Example: Tom Cruise is NOT everyone;s fav and part of the reason is the way he dumped Nicole Kidman. Still, I thought War of the Worlds was a very good movie and we also enjoyed Knight and Day - a lot! I don't care what they do in their personal lives; simply put it is their business and not mine. I hate the paparazzi as well as their efforts to destroy and/or make public the private lives of public figures. I mean, it's not the same as priests and ministers having immoral sex with prostitutes or children which I find totally loathsome. Or, it's not like politicians who should be setting proper examples of citizenry and are acting like religious leaders and Navy personnel on leave in a foreign port.

Do I feel they (actors/actresses) should have a free hand in breaking the law, that they are beyond prosecution? Of course not! I would never condone the way Gibson treated his ex. Sometimes money relates to a false sense of power or unapproach-ableness and/or allows one to be exempt from the law. That's what many rich people think and that is an (as the Mafia would put it) infamnia. So what's the difference between the two? Actors are doing just that - acting and it is for our benefit. If it was a one man/woman show and the person was Gibson or Lindsay Lohan, well, I probably would not go see it. Does any of the above make sense?

Jim, it makes sense...kind of. Actors are crazy people. They jump on couches. They hit bellhops with phones. They make speeches so absurdly racist it's a wonder how they get along with other actors. A lot of time is spent making exceptions for their personal lives, both by audiences and by fellow actors. Just because Michael Richards is an asshole doesn't mean I'm incapable of going back to Seinfeld and finding Kramer hilarious. Mel Gibson might be inside, a little of which probably helped him portray characters such as Martin Riggs.

A bigger jump would be to talk about Roman Polanski, of whom pleaded guilty to sex with a minor back in 1977 and then fled to Europe. Having a U.S. warrant for his arrest and then an international warrant for his arrest in 2005 didn't stop him from making movies. He was arrested in Switzerland in 2009, and then released this year, the Swiss dismissing U.S. calls for extradition and declared him a free man.

One thing to remember, though, is that actors won't get hired as long as people aren't paying to see them on screen. Sure you might choose to ignore their personal issues, but you're also helping them get paid.

Though I'd still watch a Lethal Weapon 5.

For me I usually don't care too much about the actor's personal life. I'm rather picky about what movies I see anyway. I'm not much for action movies or chick flicks. I really only go see comedies.

I do think some actors do have a problem when they start to think too much of themselves. It's not true for all of them but people like Gibson and Lohan do make the other sane actors look bad.

I don't see why everyone doesn't think that they are Real People... Just because they are Celebrities, does that mean they aren't allowed to have problems in their life??? The fact that the Media people have NO Lives and feel the need to exploit every problem they have kind of pisses me off, to be honest...

If I were to become a Celebrity, I would end up in jail for killing reporters and paparazzi... I just can't stand people sticking their nose in my life...

Haha. I think if I were a celebrity, I'd have a big house with a moat around it with alligators. That should keep the paparazzi out of my business. Or maybe a really cool lair like J. Saint Gideon.

Ah so if I want to know your security code, just look at your pool balls.

No as Fred would probably guess, it would be some cool math puzzle. Not that I don't like playing pool, but I'm not that good.

Just punch in PI.

That's a triple pun. See what a clever wordplayer I am?

-Fred

Ok PI as in Private Investigator. And PI as in 3.14. But I can't find the third one.

Say it out loud Might help you!

-Fred