Patrick Swayze Defends Mel Gibson

Despite the public backlash over the anti-Semitic remarks made during his DUI arrest, Mel Gibson has been receiving some public support as well. Most recently, Patrick Swayze has backed the embattled Mad Max star, publicly offering his support through this tough time.

Patrick Swayze was interviewed by London's GMTV over the weekend, in which he described Mel Gibson as "a wonderful human being". The interview, which will go to air tonight, adds Swayze's voice to a list of Gibson supporters which also includes Jodie Foster and producer Dean Devlin.

ITV quoted most of Swayze's interview, in which he said "I feel really bad for Mel, he's a good guy, we have been in each other's lives for a long time, he's a wonderful human being. He is not anti-Semitic. People say stupid things when they happen to have a few and especially if you don't drink any more, or have limited your drinking for a long time and all of a sudden you decide to have one too many with the boys - you are stupid."

Swayze, who has battled alcohol problems of his own in the past, went on to say "I really feel for him right now because for one moment in time ... everybody else gets to be allowed to have a stupid moment and nobody knows about it or cares the next day. So it makes it difficult when your life is under the microscope."

As well as downplaying the magnitude of the arrest, and of the anti-Semitic remarks, Swayze talked about how the arrest could affect Mel's career. When asked if this arrest could end Mel Gibson's career, Patrick Swayze said "No way - are you kidding me? A man that talented? You don't put somebody down like that, you can try - they've tried in my world. When you are a pitbull and you love what you do and you are going to continue to grow, that talent will find its way out one or the other."

"If anybody dares try to pull this cr*p of messing with Mel's career - it's wrong, it's unfair, it's not right. Talent deserves to be honoured, hands deserve to be slapped if you do something stupid as well, but don't take it too far."

Mel Gibson was pulled over and arrested on the Pacific Coast Highway on Friday, July 28. During his arrest, Gibson was quoted as saying "The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world," before asking the arresting deputy if he was a Jew. While more remarks were made, and unconfirmed comments cast an even larger shadow over Gibson, the tape of the arrest will not be made public.

Patrick Swayze has been a veteran actor in Hollywood, appearing in dozens of films. As well as being an actor, who has appeared in movies such as The Outsiders, Youngblood, Dirty Dancing, Road House, Ghost, Point Break, To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar and Donnie Darko, Swayze is now on stage in London's West End, portraying Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls.

As for Mel Gibson, the embattled director of Braveheart, The Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto, as well as the star of The Patriot, Lethal Weapon, Mad Max and many other films, is set to appear in court to face DUI charges on September 28th.

[Additional Sources: ITV]