Gibson in hot water for swearing at prof

[ABlairican Pie]

MSNBC.com


Gibson in hot water for swearing at prof

Woman challenged director's ‘Apocalypto’ at campus screening

The Associated Press
Updated: 3:46 p.m. PT March 23, 2007

LOS ANGELES - Mel Gibson exchanged angry words with a university professor who challenged the accuracy of his film “Apocalypto” at an on-campus screening.

Gibson was answering questions from the crowd at California State University, Northridge, Thursday night when Alicia Estrada, an assistant professor of Central American studies, accused the actor-director of misrepresenting the Mayan culture in the movie.

Gibson directed an expletive at the woman, who was removed from the crowd.

“In no way was my question aggressive in the way that he responded to it,” Estrada said. “These are questions that my peers, my colleagues, ask me every time I make a presentation. These are questions I pose to my students in the classroom.”

Gibson’s publicist, Alan Nierob, characterized the professor as “a heckler.”

“The woman ... was rude and disruptive inasmuch as the event organizers had to escort her out,” Nierob said.

Lauren Robeson, editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper, the Daily Sundial, said Gibson denounced Estrada as a troublemaker.

“It was a brief disruption to an otherwise interesting, stimulating event from our students’ perspectives,” said university spokesman John Chandler. “The students were very appreciative of Mr. Gibson being there. He spent a lot of time answering questions about moviemaking.”

Before the 3½-hour program ended, Gibson “expressed regret that things had gotten out of hand,” Chandler said.

‘Discredits a people’
Estrada is demanding an apology, “not only to me but to the Central American program at CSUN, to the university and most importantly to the Mayan people and Mayan community.”

About 130 students attended the screening, part of a series sponsored by the school’s Cinema and Television Arts Department. The interruption occurred about 20 minutes into Thursday’s program, when two audience members refused to relinquish the microphone after asking their questions, Chandler said. They were escorted out by campus security, he said, and Gibson continued answering questions for another 40 minutes.

“Apocalypto” was released in December, less than six months after Gibson’s drunken driving arrest and subsequent anti-Semitic ramblings made international headlines. The R-rated epic about the decline of Mayan civilization shows Mayan rulers slitting throats and beheading and ripping the beating hearts from the chests of their enemies.

Human sacrifice among the Mayans has been well-documented in recent years and is accepted as fact by most anthropologists, knocking down a previous theory that the culture did not take part in such bloody rituals.

However, there are some scholars and Indian activists who still believe the human sacrifice accounts are false or overblown, and an attempt by racist scientists to paint the culture as violent.

“This isn’t the Mayan culture,” Juan Tiney, leader of the National Indian and Farmer Committee, Guatemala’s biggest Mayan organization, told the AP. “Although it might be part of it, there was also culture, economics, astronomical wealth and language. ... It discredits a people to present them in this manner.”

Gibson “did his homework and consulted with world authorities on this matter,” Nierob said.

“Apocalypto” has grossed more than $100 million worldwide, and it earned three Academy Award nominations.

© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

[Cactus Jack]

Brad, if you truly are a little Mel, I hope you dont act like this much of an ******* as big Mel does at times.

[Brad Russ]

Originally Posted by Cactus Jack

Brad, if you truly are a little Mel, I hope you dont act like this much of an ******* as big Mel does at times.

I don't know the whole story. For all we know this woman could have been heckling him, which apparantely is what happened, since she was taken away. I have a temper myself, and if someone was heckiling me, I'd probably react similarly to that. I have to know more about this before I can blame Mel, or this woman. I think it's unfair to jump to conclusions without knowing the actual story. Hopefully a video will come out soon, and then maybe I'll have more of an opinion.

Btw, just for the record, Little Mel was a nickname given to me by a friend of mine, incase anyone's wondering. I use that username as a tribute to one of my dearest friends.

[Brad Russ]

Another thing, I think most people who really know me, know I'm not an assh*ole.

[comedyfreak]

If she was rude and disruptive, then I don't blame him.

[ABlairican Pie]

In light of the drunk driving and anti-Semitic rants incident last year, this is one more time where Gibson slipped up in the civility department. He has been known to make some very hostile remarks to many people in public and in the press, things which undermine his credibility as a Christian. He has to remember that he's in the limelight and that people haven't forgotten his comments and slurs last year. She might have been heckling, who knows, but he should have conducted himself in a more tactful manner.

[TJL]

Mel should sign on to do that long proposed "Mad Max" sequel that's in the talking stages right now, then head to Australia and work on that for a year.
He still has to lay low, IMO.

[Brian Damage]

Originally Posted by Little Mel

Another thing, I think most people who really know me, know I'm not an assh*ole.

Absolutely, you are one of the nicest people I know.

[Cactus Jack]

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

Absolutely, you are one of the nicest people I know.

Yeah, much nicer than Mel Gibson

[coffield3]

Mel Gibsons a sad drunk obsessed with god lol.