'Meating' Mel Gibson (the promotion of Rob Reiner)

Babbling, (and busted) Beards - Rob Reiner, Mel Gibson - Image Credit: Associated Press

'Meating' Mel Gibson (the promotion of Rob Reiner)

Rob Reiner just can not help himself. When a man is down you just don't kick him ... or do you?

Yesterday, Rob "First 5" Reiner, who is down because of the blistering defeat his pre-school initiative, Proposition 82, received back in June, took off after Mel Gibson who is suffering a personal defeat of his own.

This from TV's NBC 10 (Philadelphia) -

Reiner: Gibson Phone Apologies For Rant Not Enough
Filmmaker Says Gibson Needs To Understand Anti-Semitism
POSTED: 10:32 am EDT August 25, 2006

LOS ANGELES -- Mel Gibson is making phone calls to Jews in the entertainment industry to apologize for his anti-Semitic tirade -- but filmmaker Rob Reiner said he doesn't think he's going far enough.

According to TMZ.com -- the celebrity news Web site that broke the story of the actor-filmmaker's rant after an arrest -- Gibson is calling industry Jews who he worked with in the past to make the apologies.

But Reiner, who is Jewish, said, "It goes a lot deeper than that."

Reiner, who hasn't worked with Gibson and hasn't gotten a call, said, "It's not a matter of just apologizing for some words you said. It's to really understand why it is you are anti-Semitic and where those feelings came from."

Reiner said Gibson "is going to have to do some major soul-searching on that one."

Gibson was arrested last month in Malibu, Calif., on suspicion of driving under the influence.

According to TMZ.com, the arresting officer, James Mee, said that Gibson launched into a barrage of anti-Semitic statements, saying such things as "F-----g Jews" and that "The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world."

According to the report, Gibson then asked Mee, who happens to be Jewish, "Are you a Jew?"

Gibson initially issued an apology that did not reference the tirade. Five days after the arrest, he released a second apology seeking forgiveness from the Jewish community.

Read the full statement here.

The actor-filmmaker pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor drunken driving charge last week and was sentenced to three years probation.

He volunteered to do public service announcements on the hazards of drinking and driving, and to immediately enter rehabilitation.
Link Here>>

But "Meathead" wasn't content with this statement, he went on to be interviewed by Associated Press where he decided to take on Mel Gibson at more of a professional level.

This from the Associated Press via The Jerusalem Post -

Rob Reiner: Gibson's 'Passion' was anti-Semitic
By ASSOCIATED PRESS - Aug. 26, 2006 4:21

Mel Gibson's apology for making drunken anti-Semitic remarks is not enough to redeem him, actor-producer Rob Reiner said.

The actor also must acknowledge that "his work reflects anti-Semitism," particularly the 2004 hit movie "The Passion of the Christ," Reiner told Associated Press Radio.

"When he comes to the understanding that he has done that, and can come out and say, you know, `My views have been reflected in my work and I feel bad that I've done that,' then that will be the beginning of some reconciliation for him," Reiner said.

Some critics attacked Gibson's movie as portraying Jews as evil. Supporters said the movie was merely being faithful to Gospel accounts of Jesus' arrest and crucifixion.
Link Here>>

But we all know that, now film-director, Rob has troubles of his own. There is still that little matter of the gross misuse of public monies from the commission he use to head up before Governor Arnold woke up and removed him when things were getting a little hot in Sacramento during the lead up to the June elections.

This from the San Diego Union-Tribune -

Reiner/First 5: Still 'under review'
Posted by Chris Reed San Diego Union - August 21, 2006 05:35 PM

I got an e-mail late Friday afternoon from Sacramento assistant DA Lana Wyatt regarding the Sacramento DA's investigation -- if it's really an actual investigation, not a cursory pretense of one -- into the First 5/Rob Reiner mess and the agency's use of $23 million to help promote Reiner's latest initiative. "The matter is still under review in this office," Wyatt wrote.

I hope the book is thrown at Reiner and his accomplices. It's pretty clear there was a seamless transition -- of consultants as well as talking points -- from the taxpayer-funded part of the preschool for all "educational campaign" to the political campaign for the preschool for all initiative.

But I'm not optimistic -- even though I'm told by people who know her that Sacramento DA Jan Scully is tough as nails and not scared to take on supposed good guy Reiner. Why? As a Sacramento insider told me, people see the issue as "dead/boring" because Reiner's initiative, Prop. 82, was rejected. How many news stories have been written about the long wait for Scully to finish her investigation? As far as Nexis can determine, not a single one. This bears out the "dead/boring" thesis.

The story that so inflamed the L.A. Times and the Sacramento Bee the first three months of this year has been forgotten. I find this inexplicable. This is a scandal involving the grotesque misuse of public money for political purposes -- and now the media don't care if it just fades away?

Boo, hiss. Bring me the head of Michael Stivic.
Link Here>>

I would like to think that when, and if, Rob Reiner is taken down for his handling of public monies for political purposes , that we won't be hearing from a sober Mel Gibson "Grinding Meathead" as ol' Director Rob is grinding Mel now.

Maybe this is more about publicity than disgust ... after all, doesn't Director Rob have a movie coming out soon? Do you think it will make as much as "The Passion of the Christ"?

OUCH!

UPDATE:

A connection has been found as to WHY Meathead would pop-off about ... anything ... at this particular timing (Mel Gibson just happens to be the biggest and most convenient target). Promotion and attention is the key - always "follow the money" when it concerns Rob Reiner.

It doesn't hurt the conspiracy that the film company is buying an operation that not only has Rob Reiner connected to its most valuable asset, but also has an Australian operation.

This from Animation Magazine -

Liberty Closes First Stage of IDT Buy
By: Ryan Ball - Friday, August 25, 2006

Liberty Media Corp. has officially taken control of all of the U.S. and certain international operations of IDT Corp.’s entertainment division during the initial stage of its acquisition plan. The move comes as IDT Ent. gears up for the release of its first theatrical CG feature, Everyone’s Hero, which arrives on the big screen on Sept. 15.

IDT's entertainment division will be combined with Liberty subsidiary Starz Entertainment Group and will be attributed to the Liberty Capital Group. The transition will be complete once the sale of the Canadian and Australian operations is complete, which is expected to happen in the next several weeks.
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Everyone’s Hero, previously known as Yankee Irving, is the story of a young boy who teams up with a talking baseball to return Babe Ruth’s stolen bat in order to save the World Series. Featuring a voice cast led by Rob Reiner, Whoopi Goldberg and William H. Macy, the movie was being directed by actor/director Christopher Reeve at the time of his death. Animation was produced at IDT Entertainment Animation's studio and distribution will be handled through IDT’s multi-picture deal with Twentieth Century Fox.
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