Mel Gibson apparently threatened to wrap a bat around his ex-girlfriend’s head — and admits to having punched her twice — in the latest audio recording to hit the Internet yesterday. During an eight-minute rant, the 54-year-old actor screams into the phone with anger as he issues a string of threats to Oksana Grigorieva.

“You need a (expletive) bat on the side of the head. How about that? I’ll put you in a (expletive) rose garden, you (expletive),” he yells while panting with rage. The new recording, which was leaked to US website Radar Online, could be important evidence in the LA County Sheriff’s investigation of Mel Gibson for domestic violence.

After launching an extraordinary verbal attack on the mother of his eight-month-old baby daughter Lucia, the Mad Max star seems to admit assaulting her. “You were hitting a woman when she’s holding a child in her hands, breaking her teeth twice in the face. What kind of man is that?” 40-year-old Grigorieva asks. “Oh you’re all angry now,” Gibson mocks before he tellingly adds: “You know what? You (expletive) deserved it.”

Astonishingly Gibson also allegedly tells Grigorieva that he has treated her with ‘kindness’ and gone out of his way to help her.

To add to Gibson’s woes, Hollywood appears to be closing its doors to him.

One source told The Hollywood Reporter: “No one will touch him with a 10-foot pole.” This backlash puts Gibson’s latest projects in jeopardy. His current film, The Beaver, which reportedly cost $20 million to make is now in post -production but currently has no release date. Shooting was scheduled to begin in September.

–Daily Mail

Twilight’s Taylor Lautner is a macho motorcycle man in new film Abduction

Taylor Lautner swapped his shirtless werewolf alter ego that made him famous for a new character while filming Abduction in Pittsburgh on Monday. The Twilight beefcake is filming the new action thriller in the US and stars as a young man who sets out to uncover the truth about his life after finding his baby photo on a missing persons’ website.

Lautner, 18, seemed to enjoy the new role as he got to cruise around on a bright orange Aprilia motorcycle for most of the day. To get into character, the tanned actor drove around the set in mirrored aviator sunglasses, jeans and a black jacket. When he took a break from filming in Pennsylvania, the actor, who plays Jacob Black in the Twilight Saga, took time out to sign autographs for fans. His new film also stars Sigourney Weaver and is directed by John Singleton, who has worked on 2 Fast 2 Furious and Boyz n the Hood.

He recently told press of the film: ‘I love action, but the most important is the story. And the story behind this action thriller (Abduction) is amazing.’ Lautner’s career seems to be moving from strength to strength after the success of The Twilight Saga, and Eclipse has had a total of 17 nominations for the Teen Choice Awards – 11 of which go to Taylor.

The awards, which take place on August 9, are being hosted by Katy Perry.

–Daily Mail

A Public Engagement: Guitarist Carlos Santana Proposes Onstage

Carlos Santana is smooth: The guitar god has gotten engaged after proposing onstage to his girlfriend, drummer Cindy Blackman. The proposal came during a tour stop on Friday in Tinley Park, Illinois outside Chicago. His representatives say he popped the question four songs into the concert after a Blackman drum solo. She said yes, and they sealed it with a kiss, which was met with cheers from the crowd.

The multi-platinum-selling Grammy winner ended a 34-year marriage to Deborah Santana in 2007. Blackman is a top drummer who has worked with the likes of Lenny Kravitz and Cassandra Wilson. Santana says that he and Blackman are blessed to have found each other and says being in love ”is a gift from the universe”.