View the Gallery / 16 Photos »

Stop calling the kettle an asshole, pot.

I knew he was going to crack.  At the premiere of Edge of Darkness in LA last month (his Madrid premiere from Monday pictured here) Mel Gibson was already getting tense when reporters lobbed him softball questions about his past. But last night Gibson finally had enough.  Dean Richards, an entertainment reporter for Chicago’s WGN-TV, interviewed the once-upon-a-time star and a cup of Starbucks via satellite. After Richards sufficiently stroked his ego by referring to him as an Oscar nominee and “an old friend”, he asked a legitimate question, “Do you think the public will perceive you any differently after all that’s been in the news about you?”

Well, Gibson answered that question by acting like the defensive, angry asshole the public perceives him as, and tersely said “That’s almost four years ago, dude. I’ve done all the necessary mea culpas. Let’s move on.” 

And we will move on, because now we can talk about the fact that the burnt out actor signaled the interview was over by sticking his head back in his coffee and giving a thumbs up, then when he thought the feed was over out he muttered “asshole” under his breath. Actually, we can’t prove that he cares if the microphone was still on.

The best part is they shoot back to the main desk of all the anchors and after an awkward beat one of them goes “Ah, lovely!”