Gogolfest Returns with La Fura dels Baus

This year Gogolfest will host a performance from the cutting edge Spanish theatre company

We covered the story when Mel Gibson got together with Oksana Grigorieva, the Russian-born-Ukrainian-raised pianist and songwriter, and we commented then that having previously been married to a Russian businessman, a wealthy British artist, and actor Timothy Dalton (with whom she had a child) it was probably safe to use the words gold digger to describe her.

And it seems like we were right. Last week recordings of phone calls between the two, who have now separated and are going through a bitter custody battle over their child, appeared on the internet. And guess what? Surprise, surprise!

Grigorieva had secretly recorded their conversations (which if we were to call heated would be the understatement of the year) in what we have to assume is a cynical attempt to strengthen her case.

In fact, she is using the tapes as evidence in the bringing of charges against Mel Gibson for domestic violence.

It has to be said, that Gibson is beyond rage during most of their recorded conversations, reigning down abuse on her and using the worst expletives imaginable. But if one is to read between the lines here, it is fairly obvious to see that he has been baited and goaded to extreme levels of rage by Grigorieva (who remains unbelievably calm throughout) in order that he sound like a monster. In fact, many of the recordings start with Gibson saying something along the lines of, don’t hang up on me again, showing that probably numerous conversations in which she has riled him have preceded the recorded one.

However, her scheming may well have backfired as Gibson has now countered with charges against her for extortion, claiming she tried to blackmail him with the recordings. It also turns out that as the recordings were made without his knowledge, which is illegal in the US, they will probably be inadmissible in court and therefore of no help to her at all. 

Despite his rage-fuelled rants and his often abhorrent statements, one can’t help but feel sorry for the Hollywood star as it is clear he is a broken man, and the anger comes from deep hurt and frustration. On the other hand, Grigorieva remains coldly clam throughout, throwing in comments that are quite obviously designed to fuel his rage.

Of course, domestic violence cannot be tolerated under any circumstances, and if Gibson has shown violence towards the woman then he should be charged and convicted.

However, the fact that she has made these recordings and made them public indicates that there could possibly be an ulterior motive. One thing’s for sure, we’re 100 percent certain Gibson’s anger must have reached biblical levels when he first found out the whole world could listen to them online.

His life is of course one where he is idolised, and he is probably not at all used to people disagreeing with him, never mind crossing him. This is probably all very unusual for him, and that could also be a factor in his rage.

But, despite some of the atrocious comments that leave his mouth throughout the recordings, one can’t help but feel he has been played.

Let this be a lesson to all foreigners in Kyiv who look to the gorgeous and provocatively dressed woman who frequent the likes of Decadence and Dante as potential marriage material. There is the possibility they might be after more than your affection.