Los Angeles News

LOS ANGELES (CBS) ― Mel Gibson's apology following allegations he made anti-Jewish remarks while being arrested on suspicion of DUI was insufficient, according to the national director of the Anti-Defamation League.

"Mel Gibson's apology is unremorseful and insufficient," Abraham H. Foxman said. "It's not a proper apology because it does not go to the essence of his bigotry and anti-Semitism.

"His tirade finally reveals his true self and shows that his protestations during the debate over this film `The Passion of The Christ' that he is such a tolerant, loving person, were a sham. It may well be that the bigotry has been passed from the father to the son. It is unfortunate that it took an excess of booze and an encounter with a traffic cop to reveal what was really in his heart and mind.

"We would hope that Hollywood would now realize the bigot in their midst and that they will distance themselves from this anti-Semite."

Gibson's alleged comments also drew criticism from the dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

"Something that is on the tongue of an intoxicated person, you can safely say was in his conscience," Rabbi Marvin Hier said, citing a Yiddish expression.

Gibson denied anti-Semitism prior to the 2004 release of the film about the events leading to the crucifixion of Jesus, "The Passion of the Christ," criticized by some Jewish groups.

Hutton, Gibson's 87-year-old father, was quoted in a 2004 interview saying the Holocaust was mostly "fiction." The younger Gibson said he will not contrast his father.

According to the entertainment news web site TMZ.com, Gibson went into an anti-Semitic rant.

"F-----g Jews ... The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world," Gibson allegedly said before asking Mee, "Are you a Jew?"

Gibson also allegedly turned to a female sergeant. "What do think you're looking at, sugar t-ts?" the actor said, according to TMZ.

Sheriff's deputies acknowledged the arrest after TMZ.com broke the story, but officials declined to confirm the details.

But Gibson apologized for his "despicable" behavior in a statement issued Sunday.

"After drinking alcohol on Thursday night, I did a number of things that were very wrong and for which I am ashamed," he said. "I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested, and said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable. I am deeply ashamed of everything I said."

He added that he has "battled with the disease of alcoholism for all of my adult life and profoundly regret my horrific relapse. I apologize for any behavior unbecoming of me in my inebriated state and have already taken necessary steps to ensure my return to health."

Gibson was allegedly driving 87 mph on Pacific Coast Highway when deputies stopped him about 2:35 a.m. Friday, reportedly with a bottle of tequila in his car. The filmmaker took a field sobriety test and allegedly registered a .12 percent blood-alcohol level, far above California's driving limit of .08.

The sheriff's department initially reported that Gibson -- who has been active in a charity started by Sheriff Lee Baca and who has done public service ads for the department -- was arrested "without incident."

Sheriff's Department Spokesman Steve Whitmore Monday morning defended the sheriff's department's position that the arrest was made "without incident."

"'Without incident' means 'without force, without a significant use of force,' and so that's what ... was meant by that statement, was that there was no force used -- he wasn't surrounded, he didn't try to get into his car and run away, he wasn't tackled," Whitmore said. "That's what that meant."

Whitmore restated his position that all the facts would come out and that nothing about Gibson's arrest will be sanitized.

"This case is gonna go to the district attorney," Whitmore said. "In that case file will be his statement, will be our report, will be everything pertinent, his blood-alcohol level," Whitmore said.

"We have done our job, and we hope we've done it with not only professionalism and intelligence, but held to the highest standard of legal and moral imperative," Whitmore said.

But TMZ.Com, the celebrity-news Web site that first reported on the controversial aspects of Gibson's pre-dawn arrest in Malibu Friday, reported Monday that Gibson had been stopped for suspected reckless driving twice before in Malibu and was allowed to leave without being arrested or cited.

The first time was about three years ago; the second, about a year ago, according to TMZ.

Gibson was booked about 4 a.m., put into a cell handcuffed and held until about 9:45 a.m. the same day, when he posted a $5,000 bond.

Gibson's upcoming projects include "Apocalypto," which is slated to be distributed by Disney. His production company also has a development deal with the Disney-owned ABC television network to a miniseries about the Holocaust, but that project is reported to be in its infant stages.

Jewish leaders complained that Gibson's last major work, "Passion," was essentially anti-semitic, a charge Gibson denied and that, at the time, was contested by conservative film critic Michael Medved, who is Jewish.

(© 2006 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)