Is Mad Mel Gibson's Career Finished?

July 12, 2010— -- If he were playing the part of an incensed, maniacal, foul-mouthed boyfriend onscreen, Mel Gibson's latest tirade might have won him an Oscar. Instead, with an admission that he hit the mother of his child, it could prove to be crucial evidence in a domestic violence case brewing against him.

In a new audio recording obtained by RadarOnline.com, the actor berates Oksana Grigorieva, the mother of his 8-month-old daughter, Lucia, hurling curses and derogatory slurs at her over the span of eight minutes.

Grigorieva remains oddly calm through most of the recording, suggesting that Gibson get medication and insisting she doesn't want his money. But toward the end, she brings up the January fight in which Gibson allegedly broke her teeth, which was the impetus for her filing a restraining order against him last month.

"You were hitting a woman with a child in her hands," she said. "What kind of man is that? Breaking her teeth, twice ... what kind of man is that?"

In response, Gibson tells Grigorieva "you deserved it," and implied that he was capable of killing her.

"I'll put you in a f **kin' rose garden you c**t!," he screamed. "You understand that? Because I'm capable of it. You understand that?"

The phone call makes their relationship sound like hell. Hoarse and at points, panting, Gibson tells Grigorieva, "You need a f**king bat in the side of the head," "You need a f**king soul," and "You don't have any f**king friends except me."

At one point, he growls at her, "You get it now? You get what mean is?"

Gibson survived his last public relations nightmare four years ago, but this latest meltdown could prove too toxic even for Hollywood.

When Gibson's last scandal involving an anti-Semitic rant made headlines, his film "Apocalypto," which he directed, was scheduled for release. This time, Gibson has another film waiting in the wings. Only this time, he's the star.

In "The Beaver," Gibson plays a loner who talks to a beaver puppet on his hand. It's a quirky independent film that has long been a "passion project" for many in Hollywood, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Jodie Foster, who directed and co-stars in the project, brought her friend Gibson on board. "Twilight" producer Summit Entertainment, which signed on as distributor, planned to release it later this year, rolling it out for the fall festival circuit.

Now, it's unclear what will happen to the film, notwithstanding the potential awkwardness of publicizing a film with "Beaver" in the title and Gibson as its star.

PR guru Howard Bragman told "Good Morning America" that Summit is "stuck with this film, and I don't think they know what to do with this thing."

But Bragman doesn't believe anyone should feel sorry for Gibson.

"Let's not feel really bad for Mel Gibson," he said. "He's reportedly worth more than a billion dollars."

Even so, he'll have to find another agent to represent him. Since Gibson's agent Ed Limato, who also repped Kevin Kostner and Denzel Washington died, he's been dropped by Ari Emanuel's William Morris Endeavor Entertainment.

"It's hardly surprising," Bragman said. "First of all, Ari Emanuel was one of the first people to criticize after his anti-Semitic remark in 2006. There was no love lost there to begin with."

"I don't think they were happy to have him on board," Bragman added. "I think it's good riddance to bad rubbish is what they're feeling."

But Gibson may have bigger problems than his career. Bragman believes the actor-director should be more worried about "possibly going to jail" than his reputation.

""I think a lot of this is going to leak out," he said. "I don't think this is over for Mel. Being quiet is probably the smartest PR strategy that he can do."

Mel Gibson's Legal Troubles

Last week, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department announced it was investigating Gibson for a possible domestic violence incident involving his ex-girlfriend.

According to a department press release, Malibu detectives have opened a preliminary inquiry into the alleged attack, which took place Jan. 6, naming the Oscar-winning actor and director as a potential suspect and his former girlfriend, Russian singer Grigorieva, as a possible victim.

Mel Gibson's attorney, Stephen Kolodny, declined to comment, and his rep did not return phone calls immediately.

Gibson, 54, and Grigorieva, 40, are battling in court over their 8-month-old daughter, Lucia. The couple split up in April after they'd dated for more than a year. Two weeks ago, she filed for a restraining order against Gibson, claiming that he hit her at his Malibu home in January while arguing in front of their daughter. Sources close to the Russian-born singer claim that Gibson punched her in the face and broke her teeth.

According to RadarOnline, Grigorieva has photos that show her bloodied and bruised after the alleged confrontation with Gibson. In published transcript excerpts from a tape recording of the incident, the website said it obtained, Radaronline claims a teary Grigorieva asked Gibson: "What kind of a man is that who would hit a woman when she is holding a child in her hands, hitting her twice in the face?"

On the tape, Gibson reportedly responds: "You know what -- you f**king deserved it."

RadarOnline said Gibson's lawyer emphatically denied that he was violent toward Grigorieva.

A day after Grigorieva filed for the restraining order, Gibson filed for his own restraining order. A judge upheld their recent custody agreement, which gives him overnight and unrestricted visitation rights.

"Oksana's deceitful conduct in trying to terminate Mel's access to his daughter continues," Gibson's lawyer told TMZ.com last week. "Making sensational allegations is not the way to resolve this."

Last week, Gibson came under fire for reportedly using a racial slur during an argument with his former girlfriend.

Last Thursday, RadarOnline.com published transcript excerpts the site said came from an audiotape of Gibson telling his ex, Oksana Grigorieva, with whom he's battling in court over custody of their infant daughter, that the way she is dressed made her look like a "pig in heat.

"If you get raped by a pack of n***ers, it will be your fault," Gibson reportedly shouted at Grigorieva.

Radar claims to have heard the tape, which it said Grigorieva recorded when her relationship with Gibson was unraveling. The tape reportedly also includes Gibson calling Grigorieva a whore, and other profane names offensive to women, and threatening to burn down her house.

Grigorieva's attorney Marci Levine told ABCNews.com that it was not her client's "desire that the tape be released." She declined to comment further, citing the legal proceedings as confidential.