Mad Mel: Nightcap

 

"You don't need to leave your drink here, I'll put you to sleep another way, son of a bitch."

- Mel Gibson to Ricky Gervais

When we got home from our day Downtown, the 73rd Golden Globes were well underway with returning host, Ricky Gervais. The smug and bearded comedian ruffled feathers in the past by basically calling the audience and Hollywood a bunch of marginally talented phonies. But organizing body the Hollywood Foreign Press Association keeps asking him to come back. While I'm not an awards guy, The GG's have always been scrutinized for their iffy nominations and general, we just want to throw a star studded party, vibe. That was evidenced by Ridley Scott's The Martian being nominated for Best Picture - Comedy and Matt Damon for Best Actor - Comedy. But hey, the film did contain a lot of smarmy Damon talking directly to camera about poop, science'ing the sh!t out of stuff and quipping "in your face, Neil Armstrong" so it's not exactly Love in the Time of Cholera either. Plus it won, so they shouldn't complain too much.

Mel Gibson made an appearance to introduce Best Picture nominee Mad Max: Fury Road but Gervais made it awkward by putting him in a class with Bill Cosby and not someone he wanted to hang with. Gibson took it in stride and even returned fire a few times, commenting that seeing Ricky was nice because it reminded him to get a colonoscopy. Gervais then returned to the stage to ask Gibson, who put his arm around the host, what "sugar tits" even meant, referring back to the star's much publicized 2006 drunk driving arrest, anti-Semitic remarks and seemingly black listing from Hollywood. Gibson's image has suffered greatly following his arrest and remarks made public by a money seeking future ex but the likes of Jodie Foster and Robert Downey, Jr. have stayed by his side. After appearing in Machete 2 and The Expendables III, Gibson has starring vehicle Blood Father as well as directing effort Hacksaw Ridge starring Andrew Garfield and Vince Vaughn coming up. A talent in front and behind the camera, Gibson built an empire on his rugged good looks and might be insane screen persona leading to $25 million paychecks and guiding force behind mega-hit The Passion of the Christ. While no one from that era is still on top (Harrison Ford looks like it though thanks to Star Wars), I hope Gibson continues to be a presence in a very forgiving yet hypocritical town. Heck, expand that to the country where the leading candidate for President condemned an entire nation yet still shows up on Saturday Night Live and every news program around the world. Mel might be mad but he does Damme good work and is much more interesting to watch than Gervais. Plus, name me another term or quote from 2006. That's right, you can't! See ya, sugar tits!