PATRICK SWAYZE - SWAYZE DEFENDS GIBSON

Hollywood star PATRICK SWAYZE is the latest celebrity to defend MEL GIBSON, following his controversial drink driving arrest last month (28JUL06). The LETHAL WEAPON star issued a apology last week (ends04AUG06) after it was revealed he had made anti-Semetic comments in a drunken tirade on a Malibu, California highway. While some Hollywood producers and agents have stepped forward to condemn Gibson's drunken slurs, the actor's pals - producer DEAN DEVLIN and actress JODIE FOSTER have offered their support to the troubled star. Swayze says, "Mel is a wonderful human being. He is not anti-Semetic. "People say stupid things when they happen to have a few (drinks), and especially if you don't drink any more, or have limited your drinking for a long time and all of a sudden you decide to have one too many with the boys - you are stupid." The DIRTY DANCING star is confident the incident will not affect Gibson's career, adding, "When you are a pit bull, and you love what you do and you are going to continue to grow, that talent will find its way out. "Talent deserves to be honoured. Hands deserve to be slapped if you do something stupid as well, but don't take it too far."