It's common knowledge that those in the acting profession have a leaning towards the temperamental, right? I mean, they have to be dramatic for a living. And a fair amount of them have to be the centre of attention. And with power and influence on a film come more and more demands, like a trailer for your dog and a nanny for each of your kids or someone to hold the straw of your Coke while you take a sip. Sorry, Diet Coke. What on earth was I thinking?

But for every prickly loudmouth like Russell Crowe, there's a Christian Bale. A quiet, unassuming Welshman who shuns publicity, loves his craft, his wife, his kid, and is well liked by all who work with him.

Or so you would have thought.

In July, the same month as Christian was arrested for alleged assault on his mother, Jenny, and sister, Sharon, he was at work in the US on the latest instalment of James Cameron's gargantuan Terminator franchise. The fourth flick, helmed by Charlie's Angels director McG, is called Terminator: Salvation and sees Bale play an adult John Connor leading a human resistance in the future.

In the course of production, the film's Director of Photography attempted to adjust the lighting while Bale was filming a scene. And did Christian care for that? No siree Bob. While the cameras cut, the sound man kept running and caught this lengthy and explicit tirade of abuse that Bale unleashed on the unsuspecting crew member.

You can listen to it here, but put your headphones on. His Welsh potty mouth is SO NSFW.

Thanks TMZ for the link! 

For four or five minutes Bale abuses the man, who can do nothing but offer shaky apologies like a meek little lamb. He rants. He raves. He threatens to quit if the guy isn't fired. He calls him almost every name under the sun, and then turns his attentions to director McG when he tries to defuse the situation. Lamely, I might add.

If he's known around town as one of Hollywood's nice guys, what do the a-holes treat people like?

Dude. Chill the f**k out.

Yes, actors have to work long hours. Yes, there is pressure on them to perform. Yes, everyone has a bad day. But so do doctors and taxi drivers and account managers and consultants and, er, gossip columnists, and we don't get to cuss co-workers out like that. Sure, maybe we would like to. But we don't. We have to keep some semblance of manners. At least until we knock off for the day.

And we better not get offered up that ‘in the zone' or ‘feeling the moment' shite either.

Good on the sound guy for keeping the tape rolling. Angrypants obviously has some issues, and is one little workplace misdemeanour worth of five minutes of unrelenting abuse? This suddenly makes July's assault allegations, denied by Bale and later dropped by English police, a whole lot more plausible.

Christian Bale just made my douche list. It's getting longer by the day.

Ricky Gervais Equals Awesome

In this era of change, Ricky Gervais thought it apt to take to his blog and pen an open letter to the new President of the United States, Barack Obama. And what did the rotund comedian have to relay to the newly elected Prez?

Extreme matters of trans-Atlantic importance, that's what.

"As I'm sure you are aware, one of your flock has strayed. A Miss Paris Hilton who is, I believe, a resident of Beverly Hills, is in England doing a reality game show for ITV2 called Paris Hilton's British Best Friend. Fine. I have no problem with that. I don't have to watch. But now it has come to my attention that she has bought a house in North London a few miles from me, and is out and about ingratiating herself with the Great British public.

"Mr President. We are not stupid. This is clearly a retaliatory strike for Posh Spice moving to LA. I know it, and you know it, so let's cut the "it's a free country" nonsense and come to some agreement.

"I propose an exchange."

Click here for the entire blog.

Love Ricky Gervais! Love, love, love, many times over. Why can't he host the Oscars instead of Hugh Jackman? His cameo on The Simpsons was soooo good, and he's working on a sketch for Sesame Street, where he gets to serenade Elmo!

The man is a legend.

And how do you think Victoria Beckham feels being compared to skanky heirhead Paris Hilton? Victoria may weigh as much as Paris, but she is no Paris. And the Americans got Becks as part of the deal as well! What did Paris bring with her for the English? An STD?

Things start to get nasty in the race for Oscar

The annual Oscar Nominees luncheon was held in Los Angeles yesterday, with almost all in the race for awards glory looking demure, sophisticated, and trying their hardest to give off that worth-of-public-acclaim vibe. Except Mickey Rourke, who wore a pimp suit with his ever-present shades.

Mickey, ditch the shades. If you're trying to protect the delicate skin around your eyes I think that boat has well and truly sailed - what with your face looking like it's been hacked up by the guy from Halloween and then stitched back together by the three blind mice.

The Oscars are just under three weeks away and competition is hotting up. Slumdog Millionaire which is released here on February 5th (Thursday!) and is nominated for 10 Oscars has been steamrolling over awards season, devouring everything in its path. Just like some media outlets would like you to think how Jessica Simpson behaves in the pantry.

Naturally, the hot favourite has to be cut down to size, and allegations of mudslinging have been flying around Tinseltown. Are rival movie companies trying to besmirch Slumdog's good name? It's been called unrealistic and a ‘white man's view of India.' It's been called cheesy and out of touch. Film makers have been accused of diddling the Indian children who acted in the movie out of decent money.

The people behind movies which haven't won anything are downplaying the importance of the awards Slumdog has won. Which you would, of course, when you hadn't won them.

Whatever. It's a movie. Go see it and make up your own mind.

Apparently at this stage The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Milk are its main competitors. I want to see Milk. Will you be going? But Benjamin Button moved at the pace of a tortoise afflicted with several days' worth of constipation. I'm sorry. I just can't get over the fact that it's been nominated for Best Editing.

Not everyone's a fan of David Fincher's lengthy flick, which sees Brad Pitt age in reverse, from a wrinkly old manbaby to a buff octogenarian. One guy, in fact, disliked it so much that he's dedicated a blog to the flick.

Check it out here

It's called the O.A.B.B.C - or the Official Anti-Benjamin Button Club. You can pledge your support, and amuse yourself reading posts like Proof Benjamin Button Is A Shameless Rip-off of Forrest Gump , and Reason #975847403838 I hate Benjamin Button.

Not a Brad Pitt fan then?

Spotted

Madonna out with 22-year-old Brazilian model Jesus Luz in New York City...Rachel McAdams on the set of Guy Ritchie's new Sherlock Holmes movie in Brooklyn, NY...Scary Spice Mel B ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange...Penelope Cruz claiming a prize at the Goyas, the Spanish version of the Oscars, in Madrid...Faith Hill and the Kardashian sisters in Tampa, Florida, for Super Bowl XLIII...Lily Allen throwing snowballs outside the MTV studios in London...Peter Andre, Jordan and kids Harvey, Junior and Princess landing at LAX...