Robert Downey Jr. Asks Hollywood to "Forgive" Mel Gibson
Credit: Eric Charbonneau/WireImage
Mel Gibson has a real friend in Robert Downey Jr.
Friday night Downey, 46, accepted an American Cinematheque Award in Beverly Hills, and the actor used his time on stage to ask Hollywood to forgive Gibson, 55.
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"Unless you are without sin -- and if you are, you are in the wrong f**king industry -- you should forgive him and let him work," the Iron Man star said.
Downey, who famously struggled with substance abuse himself in the past, costarred with Gibson in the 1990 film Air America. "He taught my many things, and I will use the 'C' word -- courage," Downey said. "There's nothing so much wrong with him. Of course you have to worry about the guy making the judgment here. He's a good dude with a good heart.
Gibson has been open about his battle with alcoholism; throughout the years he has been repeatedly taped making offensive, anti-Semitic remarks, including a drunken rant during a 2006 arrest in Malibu. In March, he pled no contest for one misdemeanor count of spousal battery, related to a Jan. 6, 2010 incident with his ex Oksana Grigorieva. During the pair's custody case for their 23-month-old daughter Lucia, Gibson admitted, "I slapped Oksana with an open hand in an attempt to bring her back to reality."
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But Downey, who is proudly clean and sober today, isn't about to judge Gibson. "Mel and I have the same lawyer, same publicist, and same shrink. I couldn't get hired and he cast me," Downey said. "He said if I accepted responsibility -- he called it hugging the cactus -- long enough, my life would take meaning. And if he helped me, I would help the next guy. But it was not reasonable to expect the next guy would be him."
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56I think Mel Gibson is a freakin' idiot! He outta be in jail for what he did for abusing his girlfriend!
AND TO THE MOTHER F WHO POSTED THAT MEL GIBSON IS SEEKING MEDIA ATENTION,SCUSE ME BUT THE GUY CANT FART WITHOUT GETTING FRONT PAGE HE DO NOTHING BUT HIDDING FORM PAPARAZZI! SO GET A REALITY CHECK AND LEARN TO SHUT UP OR TO GET PROPERLY INFORMED!
MEL GIBSON MYSOGYN? GIVE ME A BREAK! AND YOU KNOW THAT FROM WHOM? A RUSSIAN GYPSY GOLDIGGER WHO WIL SAY ANTYTHING TO GET MEDIA ATTENTION?
AND YOU WANT HIM TO APOLOGISE TO YOU WHO MADE HIS LIFE A MISERY FOR SO LONG BASED ON RUMORS???? YOU PEOPLE CANT FOUND YOUR ASS WITH BOTH HANFDS SO DUMB AND JUDGEMENTAL YOU ARE! YOU DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TLAKIG ABOUT! YOU MAKE IT LEGAL TO BE EXTORTED, ABUSED AND FOR THE MEDIA TO DEFAME A PERFECTLY HONORABLE PERSON!
MEL GIBSON NEVER HURTED ANYBODY WTF ARER OYU TALKING ABOUT?? WHO DID HE HURTED? WHAT ARE THOSE GOSSIPS ACCUSING HIM OF THINGS WITH NO PROVES AT ALL! HE WAS FALSELY ACCUSED OF DV AND IT WAS PROVEN TO BE FAULSE! WHAT HE DID WAS GETTING DIVORCED AND BEING SCREW BY A GOLDDIGER WITH A CHILD THAT HE DIDNT EVEN FATHERED AND SEVERAL MONHTS OF EXOTRION WITH DIGITAL RECORDING OF PHONE CONVERSATIONS, MADDEILEGALY AND TAMPERED AND EDITED REALISED TO THE MEDIA FOR MONEY AND WHO COULD NEVER BE USED IN COURT BECAUSE THEIR COMNTAINS WAS MADE UP!
AND TMZ WAS UNKNOWN AND HASD NEVER MADE A SCOOP BEFORER, AND WAS ABOUT TO CLOSE DOORS.. WHICH MAKE IT SUSPICIOUS. AND HARVEY LEVI HAS CONFESSED THAT HE MADE THE SOTRY OF A ANTISEMITIC SLUR UP TO GET MONEY!!
MEL GIBSON NEVER ADMITED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WHAT KIND OF BUL SH.T IS THAT? HE WAS NOT EVEN CHARGED WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE! LEARN TO GET INFORMATIONS IDIOTS! WHAT ANTISEMITISME? MOST YOF THE IDIOTS HERE DONT EVEN KNOW HOW TO SPELLIT! HE HAS NEVER SAID NOR DOEN ANYTHING ANTISEMITIC ALL YOU HAVE ARE RUMORS FORM TMZ IN 2006 WHO WERE UNVERIFIRED AND UNPROVEN!!
Just next to this news we see - Ashton Kutcher cheating on Demi and so on and so forth....... A lot of people outrightly do stuff which s wrong yet do not even care to regret. But when a man is surrounded, yet lays down his weapons, seeks forgiveness, we have people finding fault and not willing to forgive as if they were perfect . I do not believe in attacking any communities myself, yet I feel one should forgive some1 if he genuinely regrets. Also we ourselves are not perfect to judge, we also fall and make the same mistakes again and again. Is it right if some1 judges us? Are you God to find fault? RDJ is a good friend. Hope and pray Mel Gibson once again does well and is able to correct all mistakes he has made and win everybody's hearts once again. Bcoz he is very very talented! He deserves a come back!
He's obnoxious, he hurt others deeply, and did it again, and then again, and didn't stop, which means his apologies were not sincere. I like RDJ, and as said before what he did was harmful to himself.
Perhaps Mel Gibson should be seeking MEDICAL attention rather than MEDIA attention! If he has had a breakdown that is what he needs to do. His misogynistic, bigoted and harmful comments should not be easily forgiven. After he has gone though the proper treatment, he should advocate for Mental illness and help remove the stigma.
Unfortunately, he took abuse toward people as a general as well as showing little regard for women, this is not acceptable & when we view actors on screen, too much knowledge of their personal views distorts what we see on the screen. He had his 15minutes of fame & now its over. You Robert Downey Jr. had demons within yourself - it was not a hatred for others, just your own demons. You care, but we as fans do not. As a woman & as many minorities, he stepped over the line. We as the people have spoken.
No. I like RDJ and admire how he has straightened his life out. His loyalty is commendable but, I must disagree with him. What RDJ did was against HIMSELF. he was on a SELF distructive path whereas, Gibson, especially for his age, hurt OTHERS. Gibson should be ashamed of himself and haters should take note that anti-sematism or any other hate for others will not be tolerated. I shall keep Mr. Gibson on my blacklist, thank you very much, it may just be little ole me with my green buck but, others that as feel strongly as I do well.... our little green bucks add up... Oh, yes they do!!
If you can point the finger at yourself and you are perfect...then go ahead and still be mad at Mel...Doubt one of you can. :)
Everyone has the right to their opinion..what is the difference anyway, between a judgment and an opinion. None.,If someone says I like Mel, that is an opinion, but if someone says I don't like Mel, that is a judgment. Gimme a break.
I LOVE Mel Gibson and Robert Downey, Jr. And Robert's right, you who are without sin, cast the first stone. Mel Gibson has a good heart and sometimes makes mistakes....wait, isn't that most of us? Forgiveness is not for the other people, it is for us because Mel has already been forgiven by the One who counts, Jesus Christ. Therefore, unless you put yourself above Jeus, you have no choice. Love you Robert, love you Mel...you two will always been 2 of my favorites. But Mel, you have my heart!!!!
Did he ever practice any hate towards Jews, or just express his opinions about them? I don't know. Never followed Mel.
Mel Gibson spoke and don't deny that a lot of stars etc. would but won't and keep their comments to themselves if they want their jobs. It happens and that can't be denied. I like Mel and his movies are great. Forgive and move on.
I love Robert. He's such a lovely guy with a great heart!
I support mel gibson! hes right about alot of things about hollywood. YES! the jews control and run hollywood. I didnt know that tellin the truth gets you in alot of trouble?. Mel has always been my hero and I will support him..
I don't care if he makes a movie or not, I won't see it, but people have a right to stick up for their opinions.