Jesse Watters tried pulling one over Mel Gibson during a Fox News interview. Watters was asking Mel Gibson about the Will Smith/Chris Rock Oscars scandal.
But it quickly became apparent Gibson had no interest in discussing the matter — and Fox News and Watters had been told as much beforehand.
“You understand it probably better than a lot of people, with your career,” Watters led in with, transitioning from the topic of Gibson’s latest movie, “Father Stu,”The two had spoken for close to five minutes. (See the full interview below). “And I was wondering if, you know, you had been the one that jumped up out of his seat and slapped Chris Rock, if you would have been treated the same way, Mel?”
Gibson smiles, points his finger at the camera, and then spreads his hand to shake his palm. “No, don’t do that,”Before an off camera voice cuts things off
“Hello, Jesse? Uhm, Thank you. That’s our time,”Off-camera, a female voice speaks.
Gibson smiles onward, looking off-camera, then down at Watters, where he continues to gaze until Watters thanks Gibson. Gibson then waves a wave and looks up.
Watters persists.
“Have you ever thought about that?”Watters questions.
“Uhm, I’m — thank you, Jesse. Uh, we — that is our time,”The off-camera voice responds.
Sony Pictures, distributor and producer of “Father Stu”The interview’s coordinator, didn’t immediately respond to a request by. Fox News declined to comment.
The interview aired about an hour after Will Smith resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, saying he will accept any further consequences the Academy’s board deems appropriate over his slapping Chris Rock on stage at Sunday’s Oscars ceremony.
The Academy met on Wednesday in an emergency board meeting of its governors to begin its formal review process, and Smith could’ve potentially faced expulsion or suspension from the Academy, as well as potentially becoming ineligible for award consideration.
The Academy’s board will again meet on April 15 to determine additional consequences as part of the formal review process.
This report was co-authored by Umberto Gonzales, Sharon Knolle, and Brian Welk.