{"id":358540,"date":"2026-09-01T18:41:26","date_gmt":"2026-09-01T23:41:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/mel-gibson-apologizes-after-mimicking-asl-interpreter-on-stage-thoughtless-idiocy"},"modified":"2026-09-01T18:41:32","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T23:41:32","slug":"mel-gibson-apologizes-after-mimicking-asl-interpreter-on-stage-thoughtless-idiocy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/mel-gibson-apologizes-after-mimicking-asl-interpreter-on-stage-thoughtless-idiocy","title":{"rendered":"Mel Gibson Apologizes After Mimicking ASL Interpreter on Stage: \u2018Inconsiderate Idiocy\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\n<p>Mel Gibson has apologized after video from FanExpo Canada showed him making exaggerated hand movements behind an American Sign Language interpreter as he walked onto the stage for a Q&amp;A.<\/p>\n<p>The incident happened August 29 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Gibson briefly stopped behind the interpreter, moved his hands while facing the audience and then continued toward moderator Liam Crowley.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSometimes when you get pushed out on a stage in a spotlight your mind is all over the place, and sometimes spontaneous thoughtless idiocy is displayed,\u201d Gibson said in a statement shared with <a href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2026\/film\/news\/mel-gibson-mocks-asl-interpreter-fan-expo-apologizes-1236847278\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Variety<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere was no intended maliciousness attached, and I certainly apologize to anyone who was upset by it,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<h2>Video Shows Gibson Making Hand Gestures Behind the Interpreter<\/h2>\n<p><noscript><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Mel Gibson Panel at Fan Expo Toronto 2026!\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lnjN1dqM6Ko?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p>Gibson was appearing in a 12:15 p.m. session titled \u201cFrom Braveheart to Mad Max: A Q&amp;A With Mel Gibson.\u201d FanExpo\u2019s official schedule also listed him for paid autograph and photo opportunities that afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>The interpreter was signing as Gibson entered from backstage. Footage shows him approach from behind, make several quick hand movements and then walk across the stage to greet Crowley.<\/p>\n<p>The clip drew criticism after spreading online. One ASL user wrote that it was \u201calways disappointing to see my language mocked\u201d and said people work hard for the language to be recognized and taken seriously.<\/p>\n<h2>Gibson Called the Moment \u2018Spontaneous Thoughtless Idiocy\u2019<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1394858\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1394858\" style=\"width: 1270px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Alan Ritchson\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1394858 size-full\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\" alt=\"Mel Gibson\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" data-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/wealthofgeeks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Nenaslovljeni-dizajn-2026-09-01T185545.728.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/wealthofgeeks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Nenaslovljeni-dizajn-2026-09-01T185545.728-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wealthofgeeks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Nenaslovljeni-dizajn-2026-09-01T185545.728-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wealthofgeeks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Nenaslovljeni-dizajn-2026-09-01T185545.728-768x432.jpg 768w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/wealthofgeeks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Nenaslovljeni-dizajn-2026-09-01T185545.728.jpg\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1394858 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/wealthofgeeks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Nenaslovljeni-dizajn-2026-09-01T185545.728.jpg\" alt=\"Mel Gibson\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wealthofgeeks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Nenaslovljeni-dizajn-2026-09-01T185545.728.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/wealthofgeeks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Nenaslovljeni-dizajn-2026-09-01T185545.728-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wealthofgeeks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Nenaslovljeni-dizajn-2026-09-01T185545.728-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wealthofgeeks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Nenaslovljeni-dizajn-2026-09-01T185545.728-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1394858\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image Credit: Denis Makarenko \/ Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Gibson did not claim that the video had been altered or that he had been performing ASL. His statement described his actions as thoughtless and apologized to people who were upset.<\/p>\n<p>He gave the same explanation to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/entertainment\/mel-gibson-apologizes-mocking-asl-interpreter-blames-spontaneous-thoughtless-idiocy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fox News Digital<\/a>, which reported that representatives for FanExpo Canada had not immediately responded to its request for comment.<\/p>\n<p>Variety also sought comment from the convention after the video began circulating.<\/p>\n<h2>Alan Ritchson\u2019s Separate FanExpo Clip Was Shared Alongside Gibson\u2019s<\/h2>\n<p>Another video from FanExpo Canada became part of the online response. The separate clip showed <em>Reacher<\/em> star Alan Ritchson stopping to acknowledge an ASL interpreter and shaking the interpreter\u2019s hand after his own Q&amp;A.<\/p>\n<p>Ritchson was also appearing at the Toronto convention that weekend. The two moments happened during separate sessions, but videos of them were circulated together as criticism of Gibson grew.<\/p>\n<h2>Gibson Says He Is Editing \u2018The Resurrection of the Christ\u2019 in Toronto<\/h2>\n<p>Gibson\u2019s FanExpo appearance also included an update on his follow-up to 2004\u2019s <em>The Passion of the Christ<\/em>. He told Fox News Digital that he was in Toronto editing and working on post-production for the two-part <em>The Resurrection of the Christ<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Production wrapped earlier this year after 134 days of filming across Italy. <em>The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One<\/em> is scheduled for May 6, 2027, followed by <em>Part Two<\/em> on May 25, 2028.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/wealthofgeeks.com\/mel-gibson-apologizes-after-mimicking-asl-interpreter-on-stage-thoughtless-idiocy\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mel Gibson has apologized after video from FanExpo Canada showed him making exaggerated hand movements behind an American Sign Language interpreter as he walked onto [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":358543,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4557],"tags":[23891,7537,34444,34446,3329,34447,4737,34448,34445,221,6097],"class_list":["post-358540","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-marketing","tag-alan-ritchson","tag-asl","tag-denis-makarenko","tag-fanexpo-canada","tag-fox-news","tag-gibson-s","tag-interpreter","tag-liam-crowley","tag-mel-gibson","tag-shutterstock","tag-toronto"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/358540","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=358540"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/358540\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":358542,"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/358540\/revisions\/358542"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/358543"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=358540"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=358540"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.etrafficlane.com\/60dollarmiracle\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=358540"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}