Army Archerd and Larry Gelbart on Mel Gibson
Army Archerd and Larry Gelbart on Mel Gibson
#0Army Archerd and Larry Gelbart on Mel Gibson
Posted: 8/2/06 at 11:13pm
An open letter from Larry Gelbart to Mel Gibson in Army Archerd's column in Variety today:
===
Message to Mel from Larry
Larry Gelbart sent this message to me for Mel:
"Icon Productions, indeed.
You managed to con everyone, sir. Including those of your own faith.
The Jewish people, who managed to survive Goebbels, will survive one more Mel-content, one who already has a cocktail named after him.
The leaders of this community, with rare exception, have contracted a case of laryngitis in this matter, largely choosing not to speak out against a man who so stokes the bonfires of bigotry.
When the people who feel exactly the same way that Mel Gibson feels come to take us and families to the ovens, they make absolutely no distinction between those who spoke out and those who chose to play it safe."
P.S. Larry also told me: "The reason ABC canceled Mel Gibson's new version of the holocaust -- in his version, the Jews killed six million Nazis."
Congrats Larry. And to those who had been reading my column all these years, you learned Mel's feelings beyond question. So much so that two years ago, Mel's longtime agent Ed Limato politely disinvited me from his annual Oscar party fearing my presence might embarrass his guest and client, Mel Gibson.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Message to Mel from Larry
#1re: Army Archerd and Larry Gelbart on Mel Gibson
Posted: 8/2/06 at 11:22pm
The reason ABC canceled Mel Gibson's new version of the holocaust -- in his version, the Jews killed six million Nazis."
There are no words.
#2re: Army Archerd and Larry Gelbart on Mel Gibson
Posted: 8/2/06 at 11:49pmThe phrase "Now THAT'S funny" comes to mind, as does "Brilliant."
#3re: Army Archerd and Larry Gelbart on Mel Gibson
Posted: 8/2/06 at 11:50pmOh, PJ, I honestly did not realize it was a joke. I believed it - and why wouldn't I?
#4re: Army Archerd and Larry Gelbart on Mel Gibson
Posted: 8/3/06 at 8:14amLarry Gelbart is one of the creators of M*A*S*H and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.
#5re: Army Archerd and Larry Gelbart on Mel Gibson
Posted: 8/3/06 at 9:01amAnd the brilliant book to City of Angels
#6re: Army Archerd and Larry Gelbart on Mel Gibson
Posted: 8/3/06 at 9:57am
Larry Gelbart is my new hero!!!
What a talent!
#7re: Army Archerd and Larry Gelbart on Mel Gibson
Posted: 8/3/06 at 10:54am
The only thing I winced at was his "Gibson" cocktail comment. Very clever, but no real need to go after Mel "the alcoholic" when there's so MUCH to skewer already with Mel "the bigot."
I prefer to separate the two, since I believe his alcoholism has NOTHING to do with his bigotry.
Other than that... bravo, Larry. And I don't blame you for being royally pissed, either.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#8re: Army Archerd and Larry Gelbart on Mel Gibson
Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:12am
I read in the paper that Mel's concerned over his statements and is going to figure out what would possess him to make such a comment. (paraphrasing)
Um. Hello? Parents? Father? Could the way you were raised have any influence. You don't need a psych degree. His father has been vocal before when Passion of the Christ was in the news.
His agent is also telling the media that Mel has a death wish - why else would he be drunk and doing 90 on the highway.
Death wish? Riiiiiiight. How about the fact that alcohol impairs judgement, yadda yadda
#9re: Army Archerd and Larry Gelbart on Mel Gibson
Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:14am
If Mel has a death wish, he should be very happy.
He just killed his career.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#10re: Army Archerd and Larry Gelbart on Mel Gibson
Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:23amI only pray that the man has killed his career. However in this country and in this day I doubt he has. Rush still being on the radio and TV after his racist comments about Donovan McNabb should serve as an example that too many people forget, not forgive, but forget. In the country where the media moves at 500 miles a second this will hardly be a speed bump. Of course I could be wrong, I hope I am. But Mel will just make a movie about a Man who goes to rehab and meets a kindly jewish rehab roomie who is there to kick a prozac habit. The roomie teaches him how to play the dreidle game. They hug, we hear an inspirational song from U2 or REM. And Mel is forgiven and I vomit in my mouth.
FindingNamo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
#11re: Army Archerd and Larry Gelbart on Mel Gibson
Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:26am
I never thought I'd find myself typing these words, but:
Ya gotta love Reader's Digest
#12re: Army Archerd and Larry Gelbart on Mel Gibson
Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:39amanyone else Tom Cruise is overjoyed at this new development, taking some of the focus away from his "celebrity" and the downward spiral that it is taking?
#13re: Army Archerd and Larry Gelbart on Mel Gibson
Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:46am
Yes, but Rush and the other racist right-wingers don't call the shots in Mel's Hollywood.
Guess who does, to this day, for the vast majority of the Hollywood film community. You know... the ones who INVENTED the Hollywood studio system... the dream factory... the glamour, the magic... the moguls...
...dare I say it?
the JEWS.
As that wise old phrase goes (which he has chosen to ignore, or never learned)... Don't sh*t where you eat, Mel.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#14re: Army Archerd and Larry Gelbart on Mel Gibson
Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:50amThat's great, Namo--and did you notice that was ultra-conservative Peggy Noonan telling him he had to confront his father's statements?
FindingNamo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
#15re: Army Archerd and Larry Gelbart on Mel Gibson
Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:54amI know. And there is the larger uncomfortable question of why the conservative Reader's Digest left that segment out at the time of publication. At least now it's another nice example of Conservatives Eating Their Own.
#16re: Army Archerd and Larry Gelbart on Mel Gibson
Posted: 8/3/06 at 11:55amPeggy Noonan does much better in the Q&A format. If I ever become a professor of journalism, her columns would be the perfect example of overwriting.
Videos