The Phone Call That Could End Russell Crowe's Career

Posted on June 8, 2005

Russell Crowe's infamous telephone-throwing tirade at the Mercer Hotel in New York earlier this week landed him in jail, and facing assault charges in Manhattan's Criminal Courts.

The hapless hotel clerk who ended up on the receiving end of a flying telephone when he couldn't or wouldn't help the lonely Oscar-winner call his wife in Australia from his $3900 a night hotel suite, ended up with a few cuts on his face.

Now Crowe is apologizing and pouring his heart out to Australia's The Daily Telegraph. Crowe told the newspaper, "I'm at the bottom of a well. I can't communicate how dark my life is right now. I'm in a lot of trouble. I'll do my best to solve the situation in an honourable way. I'm very sorry for my actions."

He also said, "One thing that I don't want to do is imply that I'm trying to make out it's somebody else's fault. It's not, I know it's my fault, I've got to face up to it and deal with it."

So apparently Crowe could end up a) rotting in a jail cell for seven years; b) have his visa revoked; and /or c) never be allowed work in the U.S. again -- all because of a temper tantrum. And it's all up to 28 year old Mr. Estrada. Crowe says he didn't throw the phone at the clerk, but was aiming at the wall.

You know, we love Russell Crowe as an actor. But this anger thing has got to stop. He was so sweet and nice when he was on Oprah last year, telling Oprah about his favorite author (Studs Terkel), giving Oprah some of his favorite books, and showing home movies of his wedding to Danielle Spencer. Then we see him pushing his mod new stroller with baby boy tucked inside, like a proud papa. But the calm didn't last long.

On the bright side, we think that Mr. Estrada is about to become a very wealthy man.