Mel Gibson Says His House Was ‘Completely Toasted’ in Wildfire While He Was on Joe Rogan’s Show: ‘When I Got Home… It Wasn’t There’

VARGAS: “Mel joins me by phone right now. Mel, I am so sorry to be talking to you under these circumstances. I’m looking at video of the ruins of what was once you’re home. I gotta ask you, how you’re doing?”
GIBSON: “I’m going good. You know, it’s just a thing. But it is obviously — it’s kind of devastating, it’s emotional. You know, you live there for a long time and you had all your stuff. Do you remember George Carlin talk about your stuff? I had my stuff there and it’s all, like — I’ve been relieved from the burden of much stuff, because it’s all in cinders. (Laughs)”
VARGAS: “Yeah. Where were you, Mel, when the fire broke out?”
GIBSON: “I was in Austin, I was doing — I was doing the Rogan podcast, you know. And I wasn’t — I was kind of ill at ease while we were talking because I knew my neighborhood was on fire, so I thought, ‘I’m wondering if my place is still there.’ But when I got home, sure enough, it wasn’t there. I went home and I said to myself, well, at least I haven’t got any of those pesky plumbing problems anymore.”
VARGAS: “When did you — did you drive out? Did you take this video that we’re looking at?”
GIBSON: “Yeah, I was taking some of it, you know, Rose took some. And the chickens survived. It was amazing.”
VARGAS: “That it is.”
GIBSON: “The chickens were in the coup and they were fine, so we gave the some grain and some water and they’re happy and laying eggs and stuff, so there you go. They weren’t roast chickens.”
VARGAS: “And where was Rose during all of this? Was she with you in Austin or...?”
GIBSON: “No, no, we — we evacuated. See, I left on a plane and the wings were picking up and I went to Austin. Of course, while I was gone — whenever I leave town, a fire breaks out. It was the same last month, I mean, it was the same thing, the flames were like 200 yards away from my house, but this time they came from the other direction and really nailed it. And I have never seen a place so perfectly burned. It is like — it’s kind of — you could put it in an urn, you know?”
VARGAS: “Yeah, there is nothing there. What about the rest of the neighborhood, Mel? Your neighbors, the people you used to live next to for quite some time, how did they fare?”
GIBSON: “Yeah, some of the neighbors really got it hard. I know Ed Harris, the actor, lived down the street, I think his place is gone, and many of my friends up and down the street. And it was kind of random. It wasn’t every place, but it was quite a few places. 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 the whole deal. The vehicles were gone, everything. It was are real — 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.”
VARGAS: “And when you hear that this fire is zero percent contained, they have still not contained this, they’re calling it the worst fire in L.A. history?”
GIBSON: “Well, those winds were somebody else. I mean, when did we have wings like that? I mean, that’s crazy. And I guess there was — the water wasn’t doing what it should, you know, the forests weren’t cleared like they should have been, so, you know, I don’t know. It’s a perfect confluence, the perfect storm of — the perfect firestorm. I mean, my place looked like Dresden:”
VARGAS: “Yeah, it does look like Dresden. What are you going to do now? Are you going to try and rebuild there?”
GIBSON: “I don’t know. I mean, I’ll clean it up because it’s toxic. And, of course, the land is beautiful. It’s a beautiful ocean view. Hey, anybody want to buy some land. Five acres up here. (Laughs)”
VARGAS: “Yeah, get it cheap. Ha-ha. I don’t think so.”
GIBSON: “You know, we will go through the usual motions, I guess, some kind of insurance maybe. I can’t even tell you anymore. But, you know, it’s emotional. And I lived there for about 14, 15 years, so it was home to me. I had a lot of personal things there that, you know, I can’t get back and — “
VARGAS: “Like what?”
GIBSON: “Oh, 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, pretty cool stuff, you know, but — you know, 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. That’s all I care about.” put another r