A growing number of celebrities are being vocal about their political affiliations, with stars like Taylor Swift, Eminem, and Beyoncé endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris. Meanwhile, others are firmly backing former president Donald Trump, including actor Mel Gibson, a well-known supporter of Trump’s policies.
During an encounter with a TMZ reporter at LAX airport on Oct. 24, Gibson was asked by a reporter who he was supporting in the upcoming election. His answer wasn’t much of a surprise.
“I don’t think it’s going to surprise anyone who I’m voting for,” he said.
When pressed by the reporter, who guessed it was Trump, Gibson confirmed, “I think it’s a pretty good guess.”
The exchange took a sharp turn when the reporter asked what a second Trump term would look like. Gibson took the opportunity to criticize Kamala Harris, saying, “I know what it would be like if we let her in… and that ain’t good. Miserable track record… No policy. And she has the IQ of a fence post.”
Unsurprisingly, the comment sparked outrage on social media.
One user rhetorically asked, “Donald’s is higher ????” while another quipped, “If that’s the case then Trump has the IQ of the dirt the fence post goes into.”
Another person flatly called him out, tweeting, “Oh bro full on racist,” as another added, “Racist stick together…”
Oh bro full on racist
— THATS HIM! GODS FAVORITE (@MIKEFRMQNZ) October 24, 2024
For those defending Harris’ academic and political career, one user highlighted her qualifications: “Lawyer, DA and Senator.”
Harris’ education spans from Vanier College in Montreal to Howard University, where she majored in political science and economics, becoming a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
She then went on to the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, before becoming San Francisco’s first female district attorney, and later the first African-American and South Asian woman to serve as California’s attorney general.
After the being elected to both positions, she was elected as a U.S. senator before becoming the 49th vice president of the United States in 2021.
The “Braveheart” actor’s candidate held no political office before entering into politics, but was a real estate developer, failed university founder and a reality star.
Gibson’s history of controversial remarks, including anti-Semitic and racist outbursts, has led many to question his motivations.
During a 2006 DUI arrest, he made a vicious anti-Semitic rant, where he claimed, “Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world,” according to ABC News.
This was then followed up in 2010, when he made a tirade against his ex-partner Oksana Grigorieva contained sexist and racist slurs, further fueling criticism.
“If you get raped by a pack of n—gers, it will be your fault,” Gibson reportedly said to Grigorieva, who, according to RadarOnline, allegedly recorded him saying this when their relationship was falling apart.
In addition to making anti-Semitic and racist remarks, he has also made many chauvinistic remarks about women and their place in the world, lending to his belief that the overqualified Harris should not be in the highest office in the nation.
After his 2006 DUI arrest, Mel Gibson allegedly made a crude remark to a female sergeant, saying, “What are you looking at, sugar t—s?” Although this comment never appeared in the arrest report, Gibson later denied making the remark during a 2009 appearance on the “Jimmy Kimmel Show.”
Gibson’s views on gender have sparked further controversy. In a 1995 interview with Playboy, he expressed opposition to women serving as priests, stating, “Men and women are just different. They’re not equal.”
Despite this, he claimed, “I have tremendous respect for women. I love them. Women in my family are the center of things.”
However, Gibson’s respect didn’t seem to extend to professional settings. He reportedly referred to a female business partner, with whom things didn’t work out, as a “c—t.”
He also made his disdain for feminists clear, saying, “Feminists don’t like me, and I don’t like them.” He added, “I don’t get their point. I don’t know why feminists have it out for me, but that’s their problem, not mine.”
Many see Gibson’s political views as an extension of his deeply ingrained biases, and his continued alignment with Trump’s base raises questions about how far his support will go.
The question remains whether other celebrities will follow Gibson’s path of denigration or rise above it and move with “joy,” like the Harris-Walz ticket has suggested.