Tag: Mel Gibson

Watching A Friend On TV

Howard found my first job for me. He was best man when Helaine and I got married. He is a significant presence in my life.

I just watched my friend Howard Lapides on TV. He was a panelist with Joy Behar on CNN Headline News (or it’s current name which I don’t remember). Yeah, it’s pretty cool to see someone you know on nationally&#185.

I met Howard as a fellow incoming freshman at Emerson. I won’t say when just in case one of us is lying about his age. We’ve been friends ever since.

He found my first job for me. He was best man when Helaine and I got married. He is a significant presence in my life.

Nowadays Howard is a manager and a TV/film producer. Together with my secretive pal from the San Fernando Valley we have a friendship that’s lasted a very long time.

He was on TV to discuss Mel Gibson.

Here’s what I learned: I’ve already heard enough! The whole thing’s disgusting, but it’s a done deal. He’s, as they say, dead to me. If Howard wasn’t on the show I wouldn’t have stayed ten seconds.

He did a nice job. He had something to say and made Joy laugh three times.

You are judged by the laughs you produce.

&#185 – Knowing the current state of media Joy Behar is probably seen elsewhere around the world too.

Mel Gibson

I am very troubled by what I am reading of Mel Gibson’s drunk driving arrest. The web pages I’ve read, quoting police reports, say he was abusively anti-Semitic.

I’ll let you find the exact text elsewhere. Even in the proper context, I don’t want it on my blog.

Gibson later issued an apology, including this:

“I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested, and said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable. I am deeply ashamed of everything I said.

Saying, “I didn’t mean to step on your foot,” is one thing. Saying I didn’t mean to say a very specific accusation against Jews is another. And, it would have been just as wrong if leveled against African-Americans, Hispanics, Catholics… any religious or ethnic group.

As I understand it, being drunk&#185 can remove inhibitions. Was this something Gibson always felt, but was usually smart enough to keep to himself? That, of course, is my fear.

I’m not sure how one rehabilitates one’s self from something like this. Maybe you just can’t. Maybe Mel Gibson is done. He’s certainly done to me.

&#185 – Though I know this moves me out of America’s mainstream, I have never been drunk. In a ‘good’ year, I’ll have Bailey’s four or five times. That’s the extent of my imbibing.

Dwight Yoakam

Dwight Yoakam was on with Jon Stewart tonight&#185. I know nothing about Dwight Yoakam except for the fact that he’s a country music star. There are country songs I like, but I certainly don’t gravitate there.

I don’t know any Dwight Yoakam songs. I could not pick Dwight Yoakam out of a police lineup.

This may all change. He’s nuts – in a very good way.

Stewart said something about Ringo Starr (last night’s guest) and Yoakam was off to the races, making the strangest connections. He was loaded with little nuggets… facts about the Beatles, Monkees and Mel Gibson.

He’s really bright. The connections were unexpected and to the point. You could hear the gears meshing as he thought it all through… and he was probably slowing it down to let the rest of us keep up.

Impressed? Yes, very much. Now, if I only knew what his music sounded like.

&#185 – I’ve never mentioned here what a huge Jon Stewart fan I am and how his show is recorded and watched by me every night. Now it’s been mentioned.