Rich Nails It

Frank Rich strikes back at actor Mel Gibson and his defenders in today's Times. My favorite quote:

One [of the conservatives invited to screen Mel's movie] is Michael Medved, who is fond of describing himself in his published "Passion" encomiums as a "former synagogue president" � betting that most of his readers will not know that this is a secular rank falling somewhere between co-op board president and aspiring Y.M.H.A. camp counselor.

I certainly was willing to give Mad Mel the benefit of the doubt -- it's not his fault his father is a raving bigot. But the more I learn the less savory Mel gets. As Rich points out, Mel is simultaneously self-righteous, self-pitying and paranoid. And his alliance with loons like Bill O'Reilly and Nooners does him no credit.