I stand with you 100% in this regard, Hildy. There is never an excuse for ugly statements that are hateful and painful and blame an entire group of people for the problems of the world. There is no excuse.
And what's the saying - In wine there is truth.
His remarks were ugly, bigoted and ignorant. I say they reveal a dark side, but not necessarily his "truest" impulses.
I, and I think everyone, struggles with dark impulses of one kind or another. It's part of life. The battle is to reject them, and to try to nourish our better impulses. Mel has lost a battle with himself, apparently. I certainly don't condemn him absoultely, exactly because his previous artistic works have great merit.
I condemn his sentiments expressed in this incident. I'm glad he ronounced them himself and says he's ashamed.
Even though alcohol isn't a truth serum, bigoted statements like MG made just don't come from a vacuum.
"Being drunk" is no excuse for that crap.