It was announced that Mel Gibson would be honored with setting his hands and feet in cement at the famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre on August 23, 1993.
I looked for a picture of Gibson and the one I found to suit my needs most was the cover for the movie, "Forever Young."
I painted the shot on the cover of that movie and wasn't too happy with what I had done, but by that time, the day was fast approaching and there was no time to to try to start and complete another painting. I've always referred to this portrait as Mel Gibstone, seeing how much it resembled a Flintstone's version of Mel Gibson. I was a little embarrassed but I had to just grin and bare it... and go with what I had.
August 23 came and I was down there early in the morning, knowing that this crowd was going to be even bigger than the usual crowd at a Walk of Fame event because the Chinese Theatre footprint ceremony takes place a lot less often and it's usually reserved for the biggest stars. This was at the heyday of Gibson's career, long before his controversial arrest with the his drunken Anti-Semite display and subsequent domestic situation with his former girlfriend.
Being there early always puts me in the front of the crowd and as close to the actual event as I can possibly be. I learn things as I go and what I found out this day is that Mel Gibson has close ties with Warner Bros. In fact his production company, ICON Productions in on the Warner Bros. lot .All the security guards there that day were all wearing Warner Bros. pins on the lapels of their well tailored blazers. A couple hours before the event, all nerves are still at a low and the security was nice and friendly with the crowd, making conversation with the people that happened to be near by their positions that they were assigned to guard. One of the guards asked me what I was going to do with my portrait and I told him that I want Mel Gibson to autograph it. He just laughed at me and said "That will never happen, Mr Gibson won't get anywhere near you." I thanked him for his insight but told him that I was still going to try regardless and he wished me luck.. but still laughed that same laugh.
Mel Gibson arrived a short time later and he was really working his fans into a frenzy. He strategically walked out to the crowds that were yelling and cheering for him and he kind of urged them on to get the them to scream even louder. I was leaning over the rail that separated the crowd from Gibson as far as I could lean. I had my painting in one outstretched hand and my paint pen in the other. I couldn't believe it, he was coming right toward me. I kept thinking about that security and how wrong he was.. hahahahaha. Mel Gibson was coming right at me with his hand reaching out and he was going to sign my portrait right there in front of everyone. He was smiling as he was walking right toward me and I was holding my painting and pen out for him to grab. He kept walking toward me, closing the gap and had only about 2 feet to go when he suddenly turned sharply to the left and walked away from me. "AAAAAAGGGHHH!!
Oh no, that security was right after all.
The celebration took place and he put his hands and feet in the already drying cement under the hot August sun. He made his speech, cracked a few jokes and then he disappeared into the back of the theatre courtyard, no longer to be seen.
Oh well, you win some, you lose some. He was gone and I didn't get this one signed. I was in no hurry to go anywhere and I just kept going over the events of the day in my mind, wondering if there was something I could have done different. As I was waiting, another WB security guard holding a large, empty trash bag was ready to make an announcement. Standing just a few feet away from me, he yelled out to the crowd, If there's anyone that has any gifts they brought for Mr. Gibson, give them to me and I'll be sure that he gets them!!!" Another golden opportunity just found it's way to me. I asked him what he was talking about. He explained to me that some women had flowers for him and some girls have teddy bears as gifts and that he told these girls earlier that he would collect the gifts from them and deliver them to Gibson. I told him that I wanted him to get my painting to him. He asked me if I wanted to give it to Gibson and I said no, I want it autographed but I just need him to deliver it for me. He said there's no way he could say that it would be signed and I told him not to worry about that, I would be totally responsible to retrieve it but I just need him to deliver it. He kind of had that same kind of laugh as that earlier security guard and he asked me again just to make sure, "Oh, it's going to be YOUR responsibility to get it back??" and I said yes, as long as you can get it to him, that's all I ask. He said that he would and I handed him the painting , shook his hand and introduced myself. He didn't offer his name so I asked. Still shaking hands, he said his name was Ed. I said "Thank you very much Ed,.. and what's your last name?" He paused for just a second. That kind of pause that's only for a split second but long enough to wonder.. "Hmmm, why did he pause like that?" "Carlos, he said" I shook his hand again and said "Thank you very much Ed Carlos, I really appreciate it, Have a great day."
I handed Ed Carlos my painting and left Hollywood to return home to my VCR to get ready to record all the entertainment news programs and to see if this painting ended up on TV. I got home, turned the TV on and the VCR and began recording. I got on the phone and called Warner Bros. Studios to see about getting my painting signed. I asked to speak with Ed Carlos and was put on hold. The receptionist came back and told me that there was no Ed Carlos working there. I told her that wasn't possible and that I had just met him an hour earlier. He was wearing a WB security jacket and he knew all the other guards there and he was definitely working the Gibson event. She told me that she'd connect with Mr. Gibson's office at ICON Productions and possibly they'd be able to help me. I got a little worked up when she said there was no one there by that name but when she connected with me ICON, that gladly diffused me. ICON answered their phone and with a little less patience this time, I asked for Ed Carlos. She said that she doesn't know anyone by that name and I proceeded to tell her the whole story, from the very beginning. She sympathized with me but again told me the same thing again but she also said that she would connect me with the WB security office.
A little more hot after telling that story for the second time now and a little less diffused when she connected me with security.. but here goes again. "Can I speak to Ed Carlos please?" "We have no one here by that name".. Oh nooooo, somebody working for Warner Bros. stole my painting from me. He gave me a fake name so I couldn't track him down. And he knew that I wouldn't even be able to describe him. He was wearing a WB jacket. They all wear WB jackets. He was a big guy. They are all big guys. He was in his late 20's and he was about 6'1" and weighed about 220 lbs. OK that only describes about 50 of them. I could hear it all now. I was furious!!! But he didn't really steal it, did he?? No, I gave it to him and told him to take it. How could I be so stupid, I didn't even ask him for his card. I didn't know where to turn next. While these phone calls were taking place, I was flipping around the TV, recording all the news programs with footage from the event on the news. I couldn't believe it, there was my painting, right on the news, it was quick but it was there. That made me happy.. for a bit.
I kept recording the other news programs as the evening went on, hoping to catch my painting on TV again.. and guess who I saw.. plain as day... it was quick but there he was.. ED CARLOS... the guard that stole my painting. Now I was even more irate but at least I have some firepower now. My first thought was to take my tape to WB tomorrow and show them their so called security force and how this WB employee stole my painting from me. No, what if they wouldn't hear from me? What if they say there's nothing they can do about it. Hmmm, what else can I do. I kept thinking all kinds of crazy thoughts and knew I'd just better calm down, get some sleep and go at it again tomorrow.
I woke up the next day, still all charged up, like not a second had gone by, still just as hot as I was the day before. I called up ICON productions again and started to tell her my story again. Before I could get my blood to a full boil, she interrupted and asked if she had talked to me yesterday about this painting and I told her I was that same guy. She said she has the painting right there in her office next to her.
I didn't know what to say. I knew I had to go from irate.... to "thank you very much'' in the same sentence. I immediately calmed down and asked her how I could get my painting back.. and this lovely woman asked.. "Well don't you want Mr. Gibson to sign it for you?" WOW, who is this angel on the phone??? "Yes," I said, "I would love that" She said that he would do that but he's out of the country filming a movie. He just flew yesterday to do receive the honor at the Chinese Theatre. I told her I'd love to wait and thanked her again. She told me her name and I told her I'd call her back in a few months.
A few months past and I didn't call her back. I didn't want to hear some excuse of why he hasn't signed it and I probably didn't call his office back for close to a year. I finally called his office back and asked to speak with the same woman. She got to the phone and I started in again about my painting.. this time she had no recollection of what I was talking about.. Here we go again. I started to recall all the gory details of that August 23 an 24 conversation with her on the phone and I could feel myself starting to get all worked up again. She asked me to hold the line for a minute and she put me on hold. She came back about a minute later and she said found the painting and that it was behind a desk, leaning up against the wall in another office. Whew once again. I asked her again how I can get it back and she said that Mr. Gibson would sign it for me today and I can pick it up at his office tomorrow. She gave me an 11:00 appointment and gave me directions to their office. I arrived at the guard's gate at 10:50 and he had no record of my name in his paperwork that would have me allowed onto the property. I told him my story and he called ICON productions, they confirmed my story and he gave me directions to the office once he let me in the gate.
Now nervous as can be, I was on my way to possibly meet Mel Gibson. What would I say after creating such a fuss to his staff?? How could I apologize and where would I find the right words? I followed the guard's directions as I thought of possible things to say. I pulled up to his office which had a little patio in the front, as if you were walking up to someone's house. I stepped up to the door and found my painting in a bag, leaning up against the door. Hmm? Should I knock and say thank you? No. They left it out here intentionally. They obviously meant for me to get my painting without bothering them.. and so that's exactly what I did. I still wish I could have thanked them personally but I know that they know how truly grateful I really am.
Thank you Mel Gibson, Ed "Carlos," ICON Productions staff and WB Security.
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