Mel Gibson: Torrid Tuesday, what was he doing prior to the bust?

By M&C News Aug 1, 2006, 4:24 GMT

Mel Gibson "up close" EPA/M. Guzman

In Touch magazine has published photos of Mel Gibson from earlier in his fated evening.  Many are wondering what the devout Catholic father of seven was doing out alone in the evening so late and so intoxicated.
 
Gibson, who has "battling alcoholism all my life," was seen at Malibu’s Moonshadows restaurant drinking wine at a dinner party, and chatting with fellow patrons on the patio at restaurant. "Mel had bloodshot eyes," Todd Hausberger of Phoenix tells In Touch. "He was slurring his words."

In Touch reports that eyewitnesses allege by closing time 2 a.m. - Mel was heading home, and hitting the road.

"We all offered him rides and he shrugged it off," stated Kimberly Lesak of Louisville, Ky.

Sheriff’s deputy Mee arrested Gibson a half hour later for speeding on the PCH, his blood-alcohol level recorded at 0.12, above California's 0.08 legal limit.   Mee has come under media scrutiny, with the deputy going on record with the AP saying “he feels bad” and he hopes that Gibson seeks help. 

The LA County Sheriffs have come out strongly in a press conference denying any “cover-up”, and TMZ.com and Harvey Levin are sticking to their guns, insisting there is indeed, something being concealed.

Alan Nierob, Gibson’s publicist, has confirmed Gibson is in rehab.

Hollywood studio moguls and chieftains are surprisingly silent during the maelstrom of Mad Mel mania.  It could have to do with the fact Disney has a lot riding on the December 2006 release of Mel’s new film, Apocalypto.

Agent Ari Emanuel, who many insiders, bloggers and websites cite as the real life inspiration for Ari Gold from HBO’s Entourage, went on Arianna Huffington’s blog to air his admonitions and calls for action.

Huffington herself has now posted her opinion.  “I know this is, at its heart, a very cautious town -- a place that always likes to keep one eye on the bottom line -- but this is no time to play it safe or to put dollars ahead of doing the unquestionably right thing.”

Huffington further calls on ICM Agent Ed Limato to drop Gibson like a hot Kishka, and not just for the obvious reasons. “This isn't a matter of Jews sticking together or non-Jews showing solidarity. It's about choosing sides in the real battle being fought all across the globe -- the fight between extremism and rationality, between hatred and common decency.” Stated Huffington.

She even calls on Über Mouse Macher Bob Iger “to pull the plug on two Gibson projects that are in the works. The company (Disney) is slated to distribute Gibson's latest directorial project, Apocalypto, opening on December 8. They should refuse to do so. And ABC, which is owned by Disney, should, without delay, scrap its head-scratching plan to develop a miniseries about the Holocaust with Gibson's (production) company.

In a released statement, ABC has nixed the holocaust series. "Given that it has been nearly two years and we have yet to see the first draft of a script, we have decided to no longer pursue this project with Icon." 

Icon Productions is Gibson’s production company.

ABC Spokesman Kevin Brockman did not comment on whether the decision was motivated by Gibson's arrest or the controversy surrounding the incident.