Gibson explains TV interview expletive

STAFF REPORT

Mel Gibson doesn't deny that he uttered an expletive under his breath at the end of an interview with Chicago entertainment reporter Dean Richards, but he says it wasn't directed at Richards.

On Wednesday, Gibson sent a text message to KTLA's Sam Rubin, explaining that the insult was intended for his publicist, who he says was "making faces" at him off-camera during the TV interview.

Gibson said he didn't realize he was still on camera.

During an appearance Wednesday on French TV show Le Grand Journal, Gibson smiled when a reporter asked if he came prepared with "French curse words for French journalists."

"No," he replied jovially. "It usually comes out in English if I'm angry. I have a short fuse. I'm trying to work on it."

Gibson, who is promoting "The Edge of Darkness," let the expletive slip while he was still wearing a microphone and appearing on camera for a segment on WGN-TV with Richards.

Richards asked Gibson if he felt like he was "a different person, a better person," than he was four or five years ago, noting that the actor has "had a lot of ups and downs" since then.

In 2006, Gibson was arrested for driving while under the influence, and allegedly made anti-Semitic remarks to his arresting officers.

During the interview with Richards, Gibson responded that the past few years have been "a real roller coaster ride," but said he thinks he's the same person he always was.

Richards then asked Gibson if he felt the public would receive him differently, at which point Gibson became visibly agitated.

"That's been almost four years, dude," he told Richards. "I've moved on. But I guess you haven't." Richards said he just wondered whether Gibson thought the public had moved on, to which Gibson replied, "Well, I certainly hope so. That was a while back, and I've done all the necessary mea culpas, so ... let's move on, dude."

As Richards wrapped up the interview, Gibson gave the reporter a thumbs-up before uttering a loud-and-clear "a--hole" into his mic before the satellite feed was cut.

On Richards' blog, the reporter shared his side of the story.

The interview "was pleasant enough for the first half but as my questions became more challenging, his tone and even physical demeanor changed," Richards wrote.

"I didn't brow beat him. I didn't make a judgment on him," the blog read. "Apparently, he thought I'd back off. We don't roll like that in Chicago. ... A star of his caliber, presumably with good PR people, should have been prepared with a simple response."

Richards said he was shocked to hear Gibson use the expletive "when he thought he was off camera."

In Richards' observation, "famous person or not, the true measure of a person is how they act when they think no one is looking."