The marketing of Passion of Christ coffee mugs, fake nail replicas and
all the other trash type stuff that are now available. . . . . A talk
radio host, Schnitt of "The Snchnitt Show" said, "Mel Gibson had to
approve all of the merchandising for the movie.  I saw him say that in
an interview."
IS THIS TRUE????
I have gone to the Internet trying to find out information on this
interview but even more, Is Mel Gibson responsible for and does he
financially gain from the Passion of Christ coffee mugs, fake nail
replicas and all the other junk that is being marketed to "make money"
off a hot event?  If so, I will be so sad and feel that, once again,
it is all about money, because this certainly puts in doubt his
personal motivation for making this movie if he allows it to be
cheapened by the sale of authorized trash to grab the quick bucks from
those who need the message of this movie the most.
I have searched the Internet but have not been able to find anything. 
Can you point me to the text of the interview where Mel Gibson said
that he approved all merchandising for junk that is being sold?  Can
you help me find out whether he profits from the sale of this junk?

Hello again, Carolyn!

The incredibly cheesy merchandise attached to this film is being
produced by Bob Siemon Designs, and the stuff is not being produced on
the sly: it is officially licensed by Gibson. This kind of licensure
generally specifies that a certain percentage from each sale reverts
to the licensing agent (in this case, Gibson and his company, Icon
Productions.)

From an article in the New York Post:

"Replicas of the nails used to hang Jesus on the cross have become the
red-hot official merchandise linked to Mel Gibson's controversial new
movie, 'The Passion of the Christ.' Pendants made from the pewter, 2
1/2-inch nails - selling for $16.99 - all but flew out of the
Christian Publications Bookstore on West 43rd Street as soon as they
were put on display... Hundreds of stores across the country will be
selling licensed items tied to the movie, a graphically violent
depiction of the last 12 hours of Christ's life, which opens next week
on Ash Wednesday. The souvenirs include a book, pins, key chains,
coffee mugs and T-shirts. But the most unusual collectibles are the
nails, each of which hangs on a leather cord... A California company
is manufacturing the pendants and other merchandise under a licensing
agreement with Gibson. Neither Gibson nor the manufacturer returned
calls yesterday."

New York Post: Jesus Nail Sale
http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/18338.htm

"Bob Siemon Designs is an officially licensed manufacturer and
distributor of jewelry and gifts products related to 'The Passion of
Christ'. As the leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of
inspirational jewelry and gift products Bob Siemon Designs has been
producing high quality designs from its factory and corporate
headquarters since 1970. The company is most notably known for its
sterling silver 'Jesus Saves' ring, WWJD? products and Guardian Angel
lapel pins."

PR Web: Bob Siemon Designs Helps Share Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ" 
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/1/prweb99529.php

Wait till you see the website. Not only nail jewelry, but coffee mugs
with Aramaic text:

Share the Passion of The Christ
http://www.sharethepassionofthechrist.com/

Here are some more articles about the "Passion" merchandise:

Reuters: Christians Show Passion for 'Passion' Products 
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=industryNews&storyID=4406361

The Australian: See the Movie, Then Buy the Nail
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,8770808%255E16947,00.html

Sign On San Diego: The faithful get a sneak peek at Gibson's Jesus
epic, while merchandise sells
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/20040220-2245-passionpreviews.html

The only explanation I can think of for this incredible lapse of taste
on the part of the sincerely devout Mel Gibson is that, as a Catholic,
he may be comfortable with the Church's long tradition of allowing the
merchandising of relics such as saints' bones and alleged portions of
the "true cross." While the peddling of imitation nails strikes my
Protestant soul with revulsion, it is obvious that many people feel
otherwise; the things are selling like the proverbial hotcakes, and I
imagine that most of the purchasers are believers who find nothing
offensive in these products.

There are genuine disagreements over the appropriateness of many
religious symbols. I was once approached in public by a man who
lambasted me for wearing a small gold cross pendant. This man's
outrage was heartfelt: to him, displaying the cross in this fashion
(as jewelry) was disrespectful and blasphemous. To me, it was an
emblem of my faith, a reminder to myself and to others of my
allegiance to the Lord.

Google Web Search: "mel gibson" + "approved" +  "merchandising" +
"passion of the christ"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22mel+gibson%22+approved+merchandising+%22passion+of+the+christ%22

Google News Search: "mel gibson" + "nail pendants" + "passion of the christ"
http://news.google.com/news?q=+%22mel+gibson%22+%22nail+pendants%22+%22passion+of+the+christ%22&num=100&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&safe=off&sa=N&tab=nn

Thanks for asking about this. It was a subject of some personal
interest to me, and the research was a pleasure.

Best always,
pinkfreud

---

Request for Answer Clarification by schmooz-ga on 23 Feb 2004 16:36 PST

Pink - no need to answer this.  If you are interested, I just heard
the promo for MSNBC Debra Norvel - tonight, Monday 23rd. is doing
something on the marketing/merchandising of The Passion of the Christ.
 I understand the agenda and the perspective that may be involved.  I
do wish that there was some place for many of us to email/tell Mel
Gibson what he has done by licensing these "cheesey items."  He should
have trusted that the message of his movie would return to him in
abundance.  If you ever find a site/email that you think would reach
him or his representatives, please let me know. . . but don't go to
any added work.  Thanx C

---

Clarification of Answer by pinkfreud-ga on 23 Feb 2004 16:59 PST

Thanks for the info about the upcoming MSNBC coverage of this issue.
The Deborah Norville show starts tonight (February 23rd) at 9 pm
(Eastern):

"Is Mel Gibson's 'Passion' the greatest story ever sold? Deborah shows
you why the merchandising may be more controversial than the movie."

MSNBC
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3910275/

Here is contact info for Mel Gibson's "Icon Productions":

Icon Productions
http://www.icon-online.com

Telephone and fax
Tel:  310 434 7300 
Fax:  310 434 7377 

Address
808 Wilshire Blvd
4th Floor
Santa Monica, California 90401
USA

KFTV
http://www.kftv.com/company-5380418.html

~Pink

---

Request for Answer Clarification by schmooz-ga on 26 Feb 2004 18:12 PST

Thanks for your thoughtful response.  I don't want to push your
generosity but is there a site or sites that present the claims of
Christ in a thoughtful, careful way?

---

Clarification of Answer by pinkfreud-ga on 26 Feb 2004 18:32 PST

Regarding a website which presents the claims of Christ, this is a good one:

http://home.christianity.com/local/jesus/

Although books and films and online evangelism may plant some seeds,
it is my belief that there is nothing quite like one-on-one personal
contact. No medium of communication is ever likely to be as powerful
as a friend looking you in the eye.

I was hoping for a different answer but as always, your research tells
it like it is.  I appreciate your comments and I will try not to let
this affect me when I go to see the movie. . .but I am afraid it
might.

Many thanks for the five stars and the five dollar tip! 

Despite my dismay over the merchandising, I have very high
expectations for the movie. I do wish Mel Gibson had used more
restraint in licensing these gewgaws, but if this results in more
people being exposed to the Gospel, I can set aside my personal
feelings.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them who love
God." (Romans 8:28, KJV)

~Pink

A friend of mine read this question and my answer, and she noted that
Christians often wear crosses as symbols of our faith, but it might be
more appropriate for us to wear a little empty tomb.

Here's an excerpt from an article in "Forbes" about the financial
aspects of "The Passion":

"The early box office numbers suggest that Passion could rake in $350
million in the U.S. and Canada, and possibly another $300 million
internationally, depending upon the kind of distribution it gets
overseas. Assuming Gibson has typical arrangements with theaters and
his distributor, Newmarket Films, he should personally pocket 40% to
50% of that $650 million gross.

Gibson also gets a cut of the sales of Passion merchandise, including
mugs and nail pendants, which could really add up: The Christian
retail market is worth an estimated $4.2 billion. Licensing deals vary
widely, but studios--in this case Gibson's company--generally get
between 9% and 15% of the products' wholesale values. Critics have
questioned how tasteful it is to peddle replicas of the nails used to
affix Christ to the cross. But Motive Entertainment President Paul
Lauer, who headed up the movie's marketing efforts, says he's teamed
up with Christian retailing veterans.

Next is the film's release on DVD and video, expected sometime this
summer, by Fox Entertainment (nyse: FOX - news - people ). On the
basis of box office sales thus far, Alexander & Associates media
research outfit principle Bob Alexander estimates that at least 8
million copies of the film will be sold. Translation: roughly another
$75 million for Mel."

Forbes: What Mel's Passion Will Earn Him 
http://www.forbes.com/2004/03/03/cx_pp_0303mel_print.html

Hey Pink - are you feeling ok?  I want you to know that you are in my
prayers for your healing, comfort and peace.  Isn't it wonderful that
God gave us Psalm 139 for our problems?  Carolyn

Carolyn,

Thank you for inquiring about me. I have been feeling under the
weather lately. The prayers are very much appreciated.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 means a great deal to me:

To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great
revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of
Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it
away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for
my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the
more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ?s power may rest on
me. That is why, for Christ?s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in
insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am
weak, then I am strong.

~Pink