Tom Cruise Denied Book Ban Claims
The Complex, by “a former high ranking member” of the British branch of the Church, describes a “dramatic escape” from its “elite para-military group” - the Sea Organization. Five days after the book was published, on October 31, Cruise is said to have dropped into Amazon’s headquarters in Seattle to host a sneak peak at his new movie Valkyrie. Days later Amazon’s UK website stopped selling the book, claiming that someone mentioned in the book had alleged it defamed

News Bites: Tom Cruise Laughs Off Amazon Bully Claims
-Tom Cruise denies he pressured Amazon to stop selling copies of The Complex, the tell-all written by self-described "former high-ranking member" of Scientology John Duignan. Amazon claims the Irish-published tome made "false claims" and U.K. law forbids the sale. 5 days after the book went online for sale, Tom showed up at the Amazon headquarters in Seattle to host a sneak peek of his new film Valkyrie. Hmm...

Cruise Gets Anti-Scientology Book Yanked from Amazon
Tom Cruise is denying claims that he strong-armed Amazon into pulling an anti-Scientology book from its virtual store shelves last month. The book in question is John Duignan’s “The Complex,” in which the former high-ranking member details his escape from Scientology’s elite “Sea Organization” (sounds gay). According to the NY Daily News On Oct. 31, Irish publisher Merlin released “The Complex.” Five days later, Cruise dropped by Amazon’s headquarters to glad-

Tom Cruise vs. anti-Scientology book
On Oct. 31, Irish publisher Merlin released "The Complex," in which John Duignan, identified as "a former high-ranking member" of the church in Britain, describes his "dramatic escape" from its "elite para-military group," the Sea Organization. Five days later, Cruise dropped by Amazon's Seattle headquarters to glad-hand staffers and host a sneak peek at his new movie, "Valkyrie." A few days later, Amazon's British Web site stopped selling "The Complex," explaining to customers that someone mentioned in

Heil Cruise!
Over at the blog of my senior colleague, Lou has the word on how derisive laughter is greeting “Valkyrie” and Tom Cruise when he takes a stab at doing a Nazi salute. Lou also points out that only “friendly” critics have been allowed to see the movie, which is being released at the end of December but won’t be eligible for, say, the New York Film Critics Circle awards to be handed out next week because most of us are not being allowed to see it.

Is Tom Cruise Going to “Merge” His Family with the Beckhams?
The ‘Valkyrie’ actor will hold the bizarre service – during which the families vow to be brothers and sisters and exchange heartfelt speeches - at his wife Katie Holmes’ New York town house. The gesture serves as a Thanksgiving present from Tom - who has two adopted teenage children, Isabella and Connor, with ex-wife Nicole Kidman and a two-year-old daughter, Suri, with Katie - to the showbiz couple. A source said: “Tom and David have been friends for years and they and their families spend a lo

Mark Wahlberg’s God Can Beat Up Tom Cruise’s
Does Baby Suri count as the baby Jesus of Scientology… or no?

Shia LaBeouf Goes to Yale Law School for John Grisham
It looks like Shia LaBeouf is one step closer to becoming the next Tom Cruise, but hopefully without all that pesky Scientology/alien baby baggage. The young star has just signed on to Paramount's upcoming adaptation of John Grisham's latest novel, The Associate, which hits stores just in time for the last weekend in January. (Note to Doubleday: release John Grisham books for the holidays, so people will buy them as gifts.) Anyway! The Associate follows a young Yale Law School graduate (to be played by Mr.

‘Valkyrie’ to ‘Heil Razzies’?
Now check out the far left column of their website and follow the link to Courtney Hazlett’s “‘Scoop” column at MSNBC.com. She gives her tattle report on a screening of “Valkyrie,” which notes, “A scene where Cruise’s character, Claus Von Stauffenberg, is forced to give the infamous ‘Heil Hitler’ salute. ‘It’s an unsettling scene but you almost start to laugh,’ a source says. ‘His character is resisting it but you never forg

Will Smith’s New School: “Textbook” Scientology
It looks like Tom Cruise has truly captured Will Smith into Xenu land. Will is bankrolling a new “progressive” school in California, the “New Village Academy”. The school’s director is Smith’s former personal assistant, and is “Director of Philanthropy and Vice President of Smith Holding Group”. She’s also a keen Scientologist. Will is not directly mentioned on the New Village website, but the National Enquirer has tied him to the school, and the press is reporting his connection and f

Scientology faces French trial for fraud, prescribing drugs: source (AFP)
AFP - The Church of Scientology is to be tried for fraud, and seven of its members for illegally prescribing drugs, legal sources said Monday, in the latest clash between French officials and the controversial religion. The charges stem from a case taken by a woman who said she paid the church more than 20,000 euros (28,000 dollars) for lessons, books, drugs and an "electrometer," a device which the church says can measure a person's mental state. She allegedly made t

Should “Free Katie” Mean Free Her of Scientology or Free Her of Rolled Up Jeans?
The rolled-up jeans effort of Katie Holmes, day in and out, as she rehearsed ad nauseum for All My Sons — the anti-Scientologists didn’t notice. Like at all. So, those “Free Katie” signs that they were holding up last night, the night of Katie’s preview opening — wasn’t about the jeans. Naturally, they alluded to Tom Cruise’s purported captivity of Katie, and his, uh, forced influence of L. Ron Hubbard and his teachings. Outside of the Gerald Schoenfeld Thea

Cruise asks all Scientologists to watch ‘not so good’ Valkyrie!
Washington, Nov 30 (ANI): After getting ‘not-so-good’ reviews for his new movie ‘Valkyrie’, Tom Cruise has now asked fellow scientologists to go and watch the film. According to reports, the movie has been getting less than par reviews, and Tom’s performance has been called laughable, reports Hollyscoop. However, keeping in mind that the flick doesn’t go down in sales, the ‘Top Gun’ star has called on all Scientologists to see the movie when it opens on Dec 26

Pink Scientologist: Pink “Beginning Stages Of Scientology”
Oh dear, Tom and Katie have gotten to Pink. Star Magazine spywitnessess say the Grammy Award-winning singer has turned to the controversial Church of Scientology to help in her cope with her pending divorce from hubby Carey Hart. Pals Kirstie Alley, Lisa Marie Presley, and Juliette Lewis, all of whom are devout Ron L. Hubbard fanatics, have been instrumental in Pink’s recent affiliation with the faith, insiders say. “Pink is still in the beginning stages of checking out the religion,” a friend

pink - a scientologist?!?
† oh no! it sounds like scientology can soon claim pink as a lover of L. Ron Hubbard yeeeah! † pam anderson had an awkward talk w/ her kids about that sex tape webster's is my bitch † Ali Lohan might be moving in with her big sister lindsay & Samantha Ronson celebslam &dagger...Full Article @ popbytes Comment Share Email Post Your Comment say something interesting

The Life of Polyamorous Pagan Rocket Scientist Jack Parsons -- In Pictures [Jack Parsons]
Sure I'll take any excuse to use "polyamorous" and "rocket scientist" in the same headline, but in this case there's a good reason. Over at BoingBoing, David Pescovitz has unearthed an online comic book biography about Jack Parsons, the man who founded the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and shared a wife with L. Ron Hubbard in the pre-Scientology days. Called The Marvel: Sex, Magic, and Rocket Science, the book was written by Richard Carbonneau, with art by Robin Simon. Parsons is one of the most fascinating fig

Is ‘Valkyrie’ Giving Up on Awards Season?
Typically, when a studio releases a Nazi-related film in the final weeks of December, Oscars are at least a small consideration (especially since Holocaust movies practically never make any money) — but with Tom Cruise's forthcoming WWII send-up, Valkyrie, due on December 26, awards are the furthest thing from anyone's mind! And now, MGM has decided not to hold an official critics' screening for the film until December 12, a move that makes it ineligible for prizes from the New York Film Critics Circl

Tom Cruise requests all Scientologists go see “Valkyrie”
With early reviews in the crapper and big budget epics like 'Australia' bombing at the box office, Tom Cruise is turning to fellow followers of the controversial Church of Scientology to ensure that his World War II-themed drama Valkyrie is a hit on the big screen this holiday season. The eccentric actor is asking the world’s 8 million Scientologists to see Valkyrie on opening weekend. “Scientologists always go in droves to watch Tom’s movies-only this time it’s on an international level,” a Sci

How L. Ron Hubbard And Jack Parsons Created California, Plus The Worlds Cleanest Zombies [Cult Scifi Worship]
This week, we've got stills from a new movie, from the brilliant mind of indie director Craig Baldwin. Mock Up On Mu is cut from actual historical footage of Jack Parsons, L. Ron Hubbard and Marjorie Cameron creating the California that we know today with mind control, secret societies and science. Also a squeaky-clean zombie movie is getting a sequel, and there's a new trailer for 20th Century Boys. Mock Up On Mu: Splicing together archival footage to tell the secret tale of California based on ro

What Happens to Science Fiction Writers After They Die [Literary Endings]
The question of what happens after we die is unanswerable outside of Fringe, but the question of where and what will represent our death looms large. Some of our finest genre writers have had themselves cremated: H.G. Wells, L. Ron Hubbard, and Robert Heinlein to name a few. But others have had their memory preserved in stone. We take a look at some of the most intriguing SF memorials. Although Isaac Asimov let his body be cremated after he passed in 1992 from complications from HIV, other giants

MGM Swats Rogue Critic in Latest Round of 'Valkyrie' Backlash [Valkyrie]
It's been far too long since MGM was on the defensive over Valkyrie, the campaign for which uncomfortably started in its own office lobby but has since found decent enough traction in theaters and on TV. So! Right on cue, and apparently just for old time's sake, a high-ranking New York film critic has found something new to whine about. Star-Ledger writer Stephen Whitty, the chair of the NY Film Critics Circle, suggested last week that MGM still wasn't serious about pushing Valkyrie for awards season

‘The Complex’ author John Duignan cites Tom Cruise control
On Oct. 31, Irish publisher Merlin released “The Complex,” in which John Duignan, identified as “a former high-ranking member” of the church in Britain, describes his “dramatic escape” from its “elite para-military group,” the Sea Organization. Five days later, Cruise dropped by Amazon’s Seattle headquarters to glad-hand staffers and host a sneak peek at his new movie, “Valkyrie.” A few days later, Amazon’s British Web site stopped selling “The Complex,” explaining to customers

free katie holmes - keep tom cruise
...that was the message delivered to scientology loud and clear earlier tonight in NYC by a bunch of anti-scientology protesters held up near the schoenfeld theatre where Katie Holmes was just hours away from making her broadway debut in arthur miller's classic play all my sons...people are calling for Katie to be freed from the grip of her hubby Tom Cruise who has come under major fire over the past few years for his heavy involvement with the wacky & secretive cult 'religion' first formed by sci-fi writer

free katie holmes - keep tom cruise
...that was the message delivered to scientology loud and clear earlier tonight in NYC by a bunch of anti-scientology protesters held up near the schoenfeld theatre where Katie Holmes was just hours away from making her broadway debut in arthur miller's classic play all my sons...people are calling for Katie to be freed from the grip of her hubby Tom Cruise who has come under major fire over the past few years for his heavy involvement with the wacky & secretive cult 'religion' first formed by sci-fi wr

The Greatest Concept Album Adaptations of Classic Scifi Tales [Triviagasm]
Musicians have been inspired by science fiction for as long as the concept has been around. Composers have based entire operas around plots by Doris Lessing and Philip K. Dick. And, from the Beatles to Billy Idol, The Flaming Lips to Jefferson Starship, performers have drawn on ideas from sci-fi stories and even created album-length plots of their own. But today, we turn our ear to concept albums based on specific works of science fiction, including reimagined tributes, ambient soundtracks, and rock opera a