THE NY TIMES VS. MEL GIBSON

Pete Bart of Variety writes of the vicious pursuit and hounding of Mr. Gibson by the "paper of record."

The distinction between discussing and deploying may seem pained, but the Times has found its entire experience with Mel Gibson to be a painful one. Prior to its release (and prior to anyone on the paper seeing it), the Times declared "The Passion" an outrage and threat to social harmony. After its release, the Times quoted the predictions of unnamed power brokers in Hollywood that Gibson would be blackballed by the film community, his career ruined.