Hollywood star Mel Gibson got home from talking to Joe Rogan about his anger at the Los Angeles wildfires to find his own Malibu home among those “completely toasted.”
“I was kind of ill at ease while we were talking because I knew my neighborhood was on fire, so I thought, ‘I wonder if my place is still there,’” the actor, 69, told NewsNation’s “Elizabeth Vargas Reports” late Thursday.
“But when I got home, sure enough, it wasn’t there.”
“The Patriot” actor, who blasted California Gov. Gavin Newsom over his handling of the crisis during his interview with the mega-popular podcaster, said his Malibu property was in “cinders” by the time he returned.
“I have never seen a place so perfectly burnt,” he said.
“There was a dozen places or so that were just non-existent. I mean, nothing but a chimney and a few roof tiles, and you dare not walk around for the nails and the whole deal. The vehicles were gone, everything,” Gibson added.
“It was a real, it was completely toasted. I’ve never seen such a complete burn. It’s like someone did it on purpose to really destroy every aspect of it.”
The “Braveheart” star, who had lived in the home for 15 years, said several neighbors also lost their homes — including fellow actor Ed Harris.
“My place looked like Dresden,” he said. “It’s emotional. You know, I lived there for about 14, 15 years, so it was home to me, and I had a lot of personal things there that, you know, I can’t get back. All kinds of stuff. Everything from photographs to files to, you know, just personal things that I had from over the years, and clothing, and you know, cool stuff.”
He added: “But you know, hey, and that can all be replaced, these are only things, and the good news is that those in my family and those I love are all well and we’re all happy and healthy and out of harm’s way.”
The revelation came just hours after Gibson and Rogan ripped into the California governor on “The Joe Rogan Experience” for being unprepared to handle the wildfires destroying the Los Angeles area.
Gibson, in part, blasted Newsom for not following through on things he said he would do to help prevent wildfires when he first took office.
“In 2019, I think Newsom said, you know, ‘I’m going to take care of the forest and maintain the forest’ and do all that kind of stuff,” the actor said. “He didn’t do anything.”
“I think all our tax dollars probably went for Gavin’s hair gel,” Gibson later quipped. “It’s sad. The place is just on fire.”
