Saturday night we're at the movie theatre in Calabasas settled in to see "The Prestige." This is a popular theatre with its stadium seating, located in "The Commons" where there's upscale shopping and nice restaurants. I had dinner with my husband at Marmalade and sat at a table next to Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights) and his family. We're always seeing Hollywood people there. Anyhow, previews come on, mostly ones we've seen before, no reaction from the audience. Then... here comes a preview of "Mel Gibson's Apocalypto." It plays all the way through. I don't understand it, there's no dialogue, no recognizable faces, but I know which movie it is right away. The last screen shot is the title - it comes up full screen: "Mel Gibson's Apocalypto" - and something happened I have NEVER experienced before in a movie theatre. The audience BOOED! They actually booed... not just one, but several people, it was bad. And then they started throwing out comments. Negative comments. About Mel and the movie. And I heard one woman say: "He was drunk when he made it!"
Wow. Overnight Mel Gibson went from being one of the most beloved leading men in Hollywood, Mr. Family Man, "Sexiest Man Alive," to being the butt of jokes, disrespected, and disliked... even hated.
I have to stay neutral on this. I think what Mel did was stupid, and the way he handled the aftermath was even worse. But I can't discount all the good work he's done up to this point. I wouldn't boo his movie! I probably won't go see it, but I hadn't planned on seeing it anyway, it's just a little too "out there" for my taste.
If I were advising Mel I'd say apologize, again and again, and put your money where your mouth is - contribute to some great causes. And then apologize again - and be humble, not goofy on TV like you were with Diane Sawyer strangling a toaster. That's just not flattering. And lay low for awhile. It is possible to change people's opinions. It's happened many times. But you can't come off all cocky and arrogant, you have to be sincere. And remember that actions speak louder than words.
Just trying to help! :-)
