Mel Gibson Piles Onto Gavin Newsom Over California Wildfires

Actor Mel Gibson denounced California Governor Gavin Newsom over the continuing Los Angeles space wildfires whereas showing on a Thursday episode of The Joe Rogan Expertise podcast.

Why It Issues

Newsom, a Democrat, has been dealing with heavy criticism from Republicans together with President-elect Donald Trump since a number of main fires erupted and rapidly unfold uncontrolled in Southern California earlier this week.

Gibson, 69, finest identified for his roles in motion pictures such because the Deadly Weapon cop motion collection and Oscar wins for finest director and film for 1995’s Braveheart, additionally has a historical past of controversy, having been repeatedly accused of sexism, racism, antisemitism, homophobia and home violence. His standing as a Hollywood A-lister took a nosedive within the 2000s after he was recorded on video saying that “the Jews are answerable for all of the wars on this planet” throughout a 2006 drunken driving arrest in Malibu, California.

The actor can be an outspoken Republican who endorsed Trump’s presidential run final yr, and advised that Newsom was by some means guilty for the fires through the interview with Rogan, who additionally endorsed Trump.

What To Know

Gibson, who lives in Malibu, mentioned the “inferno” engulfing his neighborhood and different areas in and round Los Angeles earlier than the dialogue with Rogan rapidly turned to politics.

“The wildfire scenario … How loopy it’s that they spent $24 billion final yr on the homeless, and what did they spend on stopping these wildfires? Zip,” Rogan stated.

Gibson then interjected by immediately accusing Newsom of failing to “handle the forest,” whereas jokingly suggesting that the governor was spending all of California’s “tax {dollars}” on his “hair gel.”

“In 2019, I feel Newsom stated, ‘You already know, I’ll handle the forest and preserve the forest, all of that sort of stuff,'” stated Gibson. “He did not do something … After which I feel all our tax {dollars} in all probability went for Gavin’s hair gel … It is unhappy. It is like, the place is simply on fireplace.”

Rogan went on to say that Newsom had “ruined the state personally” and that it was “simply insane” for the governor to continuously name California “the perfect state.”

Gibson agreed, arguing that Newsom was answerable for San Francisco supposedly changing into “apocalyptic” and “a multitude” as a result of homeless individuals stay there earlier than suggesting that civilization itself would possibly quickly “collapse and collapse.”

“The Governor is concentrated on defending individuals, not taking part in politics, and ensuring firefighters have all of the sources they want,” stated Izzy Gardon, Newsom’s director of communications, in a press release emailed to Newsweek in response to Gibson’s remarks.

The podcast was taped in Texas and launched on-line Thursday. Gibson confirmed throughout a NewsNation interview afterward Thursday that his dwelling had been destroyed by fireplace, saying that the home was “utterly toasted” and “in cinders” when he returned from taping Rogan’s podcast.

Gibson’s publicist declined Newsweek’s request for remark.

What Folks Are Saying

Trump, in a publish to Fact Social on Wednesday: “Among the best and most lovely elements of the US of America is burning right down to the bottom. It is ashes, and Gavin Newscum ought to resign. That is all his fault!!!”

Newsom, responding to Trump’s rhetoric in a publish to X, previously Twitter: “Persons are actually fleeing. Youngsters have misplaced their colleges. Communities have misplaced their church buildings. Households have misplaced their houses. Some have even misplaced their lives. And the President-Elect’s response is to politicize it. We’ll proceed to deal with what issues: saving lives and placing out these unprecedented fires.”

What Occurs Subsequent

Southern California firefighters had been persevering with to battle the blazes on Thursday night, whereas native and federal emergency staff and companies had been helping with evacuations and the aftermath of the destruction.

Newsom stated on Thursday afternoon that he had “simply activated lots of of extra California Nationwide Guard members to assist battle blazes and preserve our Southern California communities secure.”