The Passion Of The Drunk

Well, look who was driving 87 mph down the Pacific Coast Highway at 2:36 am this morning, blowing a 0.12 on the old Breathalyzer. (Click on the title.)

You can bet your ass if I was caught doing that, they wouldn't call it "suspicion" of DUI. It would be plain old DUI.

What makes this news postworthy is that Gibson usually goes out of his way to make people aware of two things.

1. He used to drink. A lot. (Check out his old interviews.) If you want to believe Hollywood lore, he lost a few roles over his drinking.

2. He gave up drinking because he matured and wanted to be a family man.

Why people feel the need to tell you they used to drink a lot is beyond me. Are we supposed to think they were cool? And that they some ascended to a higher plane of being by not drinking anymore?

Which avenue to redemption will Mel chose? Will it be the "I made a one-time mistake and will never do it again. And by the way I love my wife and kids"? Or the Betty Ford Clinic?

Try not to be too shocked that a quasi-religious public figure doesn't walk it like he talks it.