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26 July 2005 at 16:41

mel gibson and me

The heading is a shameless ploy to grab a higher ranking on Google. But Mel Gibson and I do have a lot in common. We both emigrated to Australia, and both had our greatest conflicts in Scotland.

And we're separated by six degrees, actually less than that. My old Glasgow friend Allan scored a good part in Braveheart, until an RAF jet flew low over the set on the first day of shooting. It not only ruined the take (historical note - Wallace's army operated without air cover), it panicked Allan's horse, which threw him and broke his pelvis. You can read the details at Allan's site.

The poor man spent months immobilised in hospital. As a courtesy, Mel still put his name on the credits (you can leave your jokes about "being in a cast" in the comments section).

I would have enjoyed this preposterous film more if Allan had actually appeared in it. Baronage says that "the crowning absurdity to this movie is the idea that the hero fathered the future Kings of England".

Of course, better than being two degrees from Mel is being one degree from the delightful and preposterously over-talented Allan Tall (actor, composer, singer, guitarist, saxophonist, fiddler, painter, poet, writer, raconteur, comedian, web-programmer, the list goes on and it's so unfair).

Blogger Hotboy said...

I contacted Allan Tall with my play, |Jock Tamson't Half Hearted Tranformation. Is his theatre company still on the go? The www and email is great for pestering folk you don't even know. Hotboy  

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Blogger Heather said...

Well at least it was Braveheart and not that other Mel movie. You know, the one with all that violence...and the son of God...  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

I don't remember putting in that comment, Adolf! Anyway, I couldn't watch Braveheart at first because of all the biffing going on! When I finally did, I loved it. It's nothing to do with Scottish history of course, but a fantatic advert for chilly Jockoland. Spoke to a guy in Darjeeling. He seen it. He said you Scots are just like us!  

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Blogger Jess said...

is everyone really seperated by 6 degrees? that's wierd!  

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Blogger onan the bavarian said...

My other claim to near-fame is that I once shook hands with Muhammad Ali. It was when I was about 10, do you think he'll remember me now?  

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Blogger Hotboy said...

My brother spoke to his pal recently who'd sparred with him as a young man on his way to winning a bronze at the Rome Olympics. Didn't remember that my brother had been back from Birmingham for twenty years. Getting punched in the head doesn't do you much good. Didn't do my any harm of course! Apart from the twitch and the stutter! Hotboy  

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