Gibson explained to Jay Leno on “The Tonight Show” … that Eszterhas turned in a script for “The Maccabees” to Warner Bros. that was rejected and so Gibson felt his actions were “justified.” 

As for the 9-page letter Eszterhas wrote to Gibson, Mel joked, “If he put half as much time and effort and creativity and imagination into a screenplay, which he was supposed to write, as he did into that letter … we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

Finally, talking about the infamous tape, Mel joked, “Maybe you don’t know this about me, but I’ve got a little bit of a temper.” 

Yes, Mel … we know.