Mel Gibson skipped his big “Beaver” premiere at the South by Southwest festival on Wednesday night for a trip to the pokey instead. El Segundo police booked Gibson, taking his fingerprints and a new mug shot, as part of probation for his misdemeanor battery conviction. Last Friday, Gibson pleaded no contest to the criminal charges for alleged abuse of his ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva. Meanwhile, in Austin, Texas, Jodie Foster and “The Beaver” cast touted the new film starring Gibson as a troubled husband and executive who turns to a puppet as his sole means of communication. Click for more SXSW Film Festival coverage. (AFP / Getty Images)
Bands and their fans descended on Austin this week to take part in South by Southwest’s music festival (the fest also includes film and interactive). Free shows by big names like The Strokes (above), keynote speakers like Bob Geldof and indie psycho-rock shows made up the eclectic mix of gigs. (Joey Maloney / For The Times)
Gilbert Gottfried spent years quacking for Aflac insurance, but the comedian was axed after he spent the weekend making fun of earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan via Twitter. Whats next? Maybe Gottfried will open for Charlie Sheens “My Violent Torpedo of Truth Tour” stop in New York. The comedian wrote on his Twitter page, I would do it in a second. (Charles Sykes / Associated Press)
Jake Gyllenhaal thought he was entering a photo-free zone when he popped into a theater bathroom at SXSW to relieve himself, but he got snapped anyway. The actor, who was at the festival promoting his new action flick “Source Code,” got into a heated argument with the fan, who eventually deleted the photo. Gyllenhaal laughed it off, telling Entertainment Weekly, “Thats true. I think its an appropriate space to keep privacy. I hope that people wouldnt disagree with me on that.” (Jack Plunkett / Associated Press)
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He might be in his 60s now, but Alice Cooper (a.k.a. Vincent Furnier) still aims to shock. This week it was putting the rock and roll in the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony with a little fake blood, heavy eyeliner and a giant boa constrictor. The Alice Cooper band was canonized this year along with performers Neil Diamond, Tom Waits, Dr. John and Darlene Love. (Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images)
It turns out reality star Richard Hatch never paid the taxes and penalties he owed for his Survivor winnings. Sound familiar? Thats because he already spent three years in prison serving time for those very same taxes. Hatch, who appears in the current season of Celebrity Apprentice, says he can’t submit an amended return until he determines exactly how much he owes. The prosecution claims the bill is up to $2 million. Yikes! (Stew Milne / Associated Press)