Brad Pitt Rips Mel Gibson for his 2006 Los Angeles DUI

In July 2006, actor Mel Gibson was arrested for a Los Angeles DUI. His subsequent rant at a Malibu police station sparked outrage from many quarters due to its sexist, anti-Semitic, and generally ridiculous nature. On Saturday, May 30th, actor Brad Pitt revived those bad memories for Gibson at Spike TV’s Guys Choice Awards, while accepting a “Guys Hall of Fame” award for his 1999 movie, Fight Club. Had Gibson hired a top notch Los Angeles DUI defense attorney, he might not have been convicted of his Southern California driving under the influence charge.

As Pitt received his award from Gibson, he grinned at his counterpart and said “thanks, sugar t**s!” — a clear reference to a widely publicized sexist remark Gibson made to a female sergeant at the Malibu police station, where he was remanded following his drunk driving escapade.

Slip of the Tongue?

For weeks following Gibson’s rant, his “sugar t**s” remark served as fodder for blogs and talk shows. On top of the actor’s harassing comments, he also allegedly made drunken remarks claiming that Jews had been responsible for all the world’s major wars. The anti-Semitic comment earned him ire from Jewish groups like the Anti-Defamation League. At the time, speculation abounded about whether Gibson’s drunkenness could have explained his paranoid comments about Jews and saucy remarks to the sergeant.

While research has shown that people arrested for drunk driving in Southern California can behave abnormally and defensively; behavioral psychologists have disputed Gibson’s defense that his perverse comments were “caused” by alcohol alone.

In any event, Pitt’s playful decision to reopen the can of worms that was Gibson’s Southern California DUI may or may not have sat well with the actor/director responsible for films like Braveheart, The Passion of the Christ, and Apocalypto. But it certainly entertained the Spike crowd and kept the tabloids busy.

The more serious lesson here is that getting arrested for driving under the influence in Los Angeles can lead to long-term problems, particularly if the defendant does not handle himself or herself with grace and care.

If you have been arrested for a DUI in Los Angeles or you are under investigation for driving under the influence in Southern California, please contact Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Michael Kraut for 24/7 assistance by phone at (323) 464-6453 or toll free at (888) 334-6344 or online.