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(Video Credit: Fox News)
Fox News host Jesse Watters sat down on Friday with legendary actor, director, and producer Mel Gibson to discuss his upcoming movie “Father Stu” and wound up abruptly having the segment cut by his handler after asking him about actor Will Smith slapping comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars.
The question that got the interview terminated was when Watters asked if the “Passion of the Christ” director thought he would be treated the same way that Smith was after slapping Rock over a joke about the bald appearance of his wife, actress Jada Pinkett Smith.
Following the assault, Smith was allowed to stay for the rest of the ceremony and then attend a party afterward. On Friday, he officially resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences over the incident. Whether he keeps his Oscar or not is still in question.
“You understand it probably better than a lot of people, with your career,” Watters began. “I was wondering if you had been the one that jumped up out of his seat and slapped Chris Rock if you would’ve been treated the same way, Mel,” he asked as Gibson nervously laughed, pointed, and waved his hand at the host in an apparent gesture that he would not answer the question.
The question evidently came as a surprise to the “Lethal Weapon” actor.
Mel has no business wading into this conjecture territory. That was him indicating to his publicist that he wanted out and she got him out. Simple.
— Actor with a Chip (@ActorwithaChip) April 2, 2022
An answer from Gibson never came as a woman interrupted the interview to cut it off.
“Hello, Jessie?” the woman said. “Thank you. That’s our time.”
“Have you ever thought about that?” Watters continued.
“Um thank you, Jessie,” the woman interjected. “That is our time.”
“Well, Mel, thank you very much for joining ‘Jesse Watters Primetime.’ We really appreciate it,” the Fox News host stated.
Watters then gave a plug for the movie that Gibson stars in with actor Mark Wahlberg. It is based on the true story of Stuart Long, a boxer who became a Catholic priest.
Gibson replied, “Thank you.”
Having watched the entire interview, I didn’t notice any peculiar mannerisms prior to this clip. I honestly think Mel didn’t want to touch the Will Smith topic with a ten foot pole and he was just signaling to his publicist that the interview was over.
— Fiat Lux (@twonytwo) April 2, 2022
Watters joked about the incident later in his show reading a text from a viewer who asked, “Do you think Mel Gibson had any idea who you are?”
“If I was a betting man, I’d say no,” Watters replied. “But I’d like to hope he had an inkling of who he was talking to.”
Wahlberg, who is Catholic, has reportedly been wanting to tell the story of the Rev. Stuart Long for years and will star in the movie, according to Religion News Service. Gibson will play Long’s father.
Mel Gibson and @MarkWahlberg attend a promotional event for @FatherStumovie in West Hollywood, CA.
(Photo: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)#MelGibson #MarkWahlberg #FatherStu #entertainment #celebrity pic.twitter.com/o4N1RMB5rR— On The Red Carpet (@OnTheRedCarpet) April 1, 2022
“Everyone’s got a boulder, man,” Gibson stated during the interview regarding the theme of the movie. “Something’s going to come and knock you down at some point in your life. Now. Later. And how do you stand up from that, you know? How do you not only stand up but how do you find a purpose in that? There’s a purpose for all of this. So it’s looking for that purpose.”
He also noted that “it’s never too late to fix stuff.”
The film, which is distributed by Sony Pictures, premiers on April 13.
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12 thoughts on “Mel Gibson’s handler awkwardly stops interview with Jesse Watters after question on Will Smith slap”
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Gibson has had enough self induced problems- he does not need to answer a hypothetical question about whether an old white guy – would be treated the same as a popular black star. I think we know the answer to that question
I agree who cares about Hollywood. It is getting more attention then how many children have disappeared in America. They have lost touch as to what is important other then themselves. Next they will say it was Trumps fault.
No good could come from answering that question. I think his “handler” did the right thing for Mr. Gibson.
Hey Mel, when going gets tough, you don’t have to standup, just walk away. What hypocrisy! He could just say, I rather not weight in on this, and move on with the interview.
Hypothetical Questions are improper for that setting. He wasn’t their to create dissension, he was there to discuss his upcoming movie, a true story. That was typical sleazy gotcha reported crap. I’m suprised Waters went so low I generally like him.
Jessie’s show is more a human interest show, not “hard” news, questions like that would be expected, unless Jessie was told that question was off the table.
Gibson sure had trouble looking into the camera. And that from an actor who makes his living in front of a camera.
Bravo, Mel, good for you and your manager or whoever that woman is. Great to see you and hear you talk about real and important things. Watters, shame on you for that last stupid question. Finally there’s a film I’m going to go and see! Thanks.
I’m absolutely SURE that Mr. Gibson would have been APPREHENDED IMMEDIATELY if not SHOT by one of the Security Persons!! So this will be my final GAS moment for any articles or comments concerning a PRETEND PERSON like Will Smith! And if you want ANY info on what Will has gone through with his “enlightened” wife – look it up! She is one “WOKE” woman who had quite a “Granny”!!
Who cares about these people? Hollywood’s gone so far off the decency and American meter that they should be left to the Obamas and discussions on The View…and nowhere else.
That’s funny because I’ve been posting that “what if it had been Mel Gibson” question all week. If it had been Gibson, Rock would not have been btchslapped, Rock would have been laid out cold.
Truly would have enjoyed that .
Smith really reminds me of Jusse smellalot. Real Prick.