Actor Mel Gibson Facing Entertainment PR Crisis Following Movie Promotion

Reporters are talking about the outbursts rather than the movie, reminding the public of the troubled past Gibson had hoped to put behind him... an entertainment publicist nightmare.

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Mel Gibson lashing out at reporters becomes the focus, rather than his new movie thrilller.

(PRNewsChannel) / February 05, 2010 / Los Angeles, Calif. / It was billed as Mel Gibson's comeback movie. But because of outbursts during two interviews, Gibson has managed to stir up those past "issues" that got him into trouble in the first place, says an entertainment PR crisis management expert.

Hollywood superstar Mel Gibson has admitted that he did use an expletive against a reporter during an interview saying that he has a "short fuse."

He says the word was directed toward his publicist who was making faces at him off-camera.

"I have a hard time believing that explanation based on watching the video," says Glenn Selig, a crisis management publicist who represents high profile clients and high profile cases. "It is very clear that the comment is directed toward the reporter. Gibson is clearly not ready to be doing these interviews with respect to talking about the past which has he never really confronted publicly."

Selig says he prepares his clients for what might be asked in interviews. In a situation like this, Selig says it would seem predictable that Gibson would face questions like this from entertainment reporters. In other words, he says there was no reason to believe that all the interviews would be "fluff."

"I would expect that his representatives properly prepared him for that likelihood and warned him to be ready and keep his emotions in check," says Selig. "Based on his reaction he either does not take advice from people or was not ready for the questions. He should've had a response in the ready to address this and then move on. It's a legit question for reporters to ask."

"No PR expert can predict or control what an interviewer may ask. I can try but I can't guarantee it," says Selig. "But clients can control what they say and how they respond. Gibson needed to be prepared for any question and be able answer it so it did not blow up the way it did."

The 54-year-old Gibson became a public pariah in July 2006 after making obscene and anti-Semitic remarks during an arrest in Malibu, Calif. He was accused of speeding and driving under the influence.

"He can't expect the public to put that incident behind them unless it is clear to the public that he has," says Selig. "And unfortunately his behavior indicates that time may have passed but Gibson himself is still haunted by it. Whether that is true or not is immaterial. That is the impression he has given the public."

Gibson's new movie "Edge of Darkness," a thriller about a police detective seeking revenge for the killing of his daughter, is in theatres now.

For more information about Glenn Selig and his crisis management PR firm, please visit http://www.thepublicityagency.com.

Source: thepublicityagency.com

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