As general wisdom proclaims, it is never a good thing to know who your heroes really is. More often than not, they will disappoint you.
With the high wire world of the internet, its social network platforms, and a 24/7 media with its tentacles in every crevice of the entertainment beat, getting close to your favourite actor, actress, director, sports star, or socialite/porn star has become that much easier.
Yet just like staring into the sun, the actions of many of these idols have had us wincing in discomfort, and force us to look away.
Such was the case with this past week’s revelations of Mel Gibson’s private life, brought on by two leaked audio recordings, featuring an unstable Gibson lashing out at ex-girlfriend and mother to 1 of his 8 children, Oksana Grigorieva, along with an alleged domestic violence claim which is now under investigation by the L.A.P.D.
Gibson’s use of a racial slur in said recordings doesn’t help matters.
The reason why Grigorieva leaked the audio tapes is suspect, yet not relevant here. Likewise, how Gibson’s career will cope is not known.
Yet the effect on his fans, those loyal and forgiving enough to look past Gibson’s past transgressions and pay good money to see his films, is devastating in the concept of the fan/celebrity relationship.
I should know, because I am a Mel Gibson tragic.
After all, it was his Passion of the Christ which proved to be the tipping point in my return to Catholicism, and reinvigorate the faith of many other Christians.
Trust me, as a member of the RC club it is not easy having the world’s most popular Catholic outside of the Pope acting in such a manner.
Nor is it easy for us Gibsonites who followed his career trajectory from Mad Max, to Lethal Weapon, to Braveheart, to watch such a gifted actor and director piss his career down the toilet in such brutal fashion.
How sad it is, that from now on every discussion regarding his work will inevitably be followed with “yeah, but what an asshole!”
Gibson has now joined the likes of Roman Polanski, Woody Allen, and Michael Jackson. Gifted talents one and all, yet now branded with a big asterisk next to their list of accomplishments.
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