Video: The obligatory “Tom Cruise/it’s come to this” post
posted at 1:15 pm on January 15, 2008 by Allahpundit
To answer the eternal question of whether he really is “that guy” he always plays in movies: Yep. Sure is.
Also an “authority on the mind,” don’tcha know.
Viewing this as an atheist and knowing that he might have an easier time with the electorate as a candidate than Hitchens would is, needless to say, bittersweet. Click the image to watch.
Update: If you’re pressed for time, at least watch the part starting about a third of the way through where he starts laughing. Then keep going to where he talks about how he wishes he could go on vacation.
Blowback
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I’ve “bothered to ponder” this in the past and come to the conclusion that it doesn’t seem particularly relevant that Ron Hubbard was a sci-fi writer, or a writer or any sort. So what? Whatever it is that they’re doing, it works for the devout among them. Again I wonder what people were saying about any of the “acceptable” religions during their first 50 years.
From the outside, Scientology just looks like another one of those EST/Landmark Forum type self-actualization programs that a lot of people swear by. It’s not for everyone (certainly not for me), but it’s no skin off my nose if it works for Tom Cruise and Leah Remini.
And no, I haven’t immersed myself in the Scientology muckracking stuff as of yet because it’s just not that interesting to me, and I wonder why any particular nay-sayer should be elevated to the role of authority on the matter.
Kensington on January 15, 2008 at 3:25 PM
WTF?! That was awesome. Tom Cruise is truly one crazy MFer.
BTW, he didn’t come across all that different to me than the numerous whack jobs on the Christian right.
dakine on January 15, 2008 at 3:27 PM
Mucking around in world governments, and legal systems is not a small thing.
Look up Paulette Cooper.
tickleddragon on January 15, 2008 at 3:29 PM
Because as much as I love South Park (and I do love South Park) and laughed my head off at the Scientology episode, it’s not wise to use them as a source for anything serious or important. South Park is about snark and poo jokes ultimately, not being fair in presenting controversial subjects.
Kensington on January 15, 2008 at 3:30 PM
They actually framed her for bomb threats and nearly got her thrown into jail. They tapped her phones, had folks goes and befriend her to sabotage her. And this is because she dared write a critical article and book on Scientology.
tickleddragon on January 15, 2008 at 3:31 PM
“had folks GO and befriend her” I meant.
tickleddragon on January 15, 2008 at 3:31 PM
Repo Man, with Emelio Estevez, took lots of shots at Scientology
thejackal on January 15, 2008 at 3:33 PM
And that’s what a messiah complex looks like boys and girls.
JS on January 15, 2008 at 3:33 PM
I posted this list of diagnostic criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder in the Alex Jones thread, but it works well here too. Really well.
Diagnostic Criteria:
has a grandiose sense of self-importance
is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
believes that he or she is “special” and unique and can only be understood by other special people
requires excessive admiration
strong sense of entitlement
takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
lacks empathy
is often envious or believes others are envious of him or her
arrogant behavior
List from DSM-IV-TR p. 717
BohicaTwentyTwo on January 15, 2008 at 3:38 PM
and who better suited than actors/celebs??
tickleddragon on January 15, 2008 at 3:40 PM
I yearn for the day when you have to go to a history book to find out who Tom Cruise was.
It matters because L. Ron Hubbard wrote some real crappy, but semi-popular, space operas in the 50′s, then made his “bible” out of a few chapters. Scientology is so ludicrous and vindictive at the same time it is not worthy of a belief system. It IS science fiction and dangerous in its legal attacks to squash disagreement.
I am not religious, but at least the major religions don’t have Thetans fighting galactic battles.
When I want good science fiction, I watch Jeri Ryan as 7 of 9.
fred5678 on January 15, 2008 at 3:41 PM
Well, a quick Google of Paulette Cooper does suggest some pretty disturbing stuff, and I’d be curious to hear the Church of Scientology’s perspective on it. The stuff I saw about fake bomb threats and framing people for crimes certainly sounds bad, but has anything ever come of it? For example, has anyone gone to jail for these crimes? If not, why not?
The problem with the muck-racking sites is that they’re all very one-sided. Do a Google search on the evils of Catholicism, and you’ll find hordes of one-sided condemnation. Some of it is quite well-deserved, given, for example, the child abuse and gay priest scandals that still horrify me personally. Is that then sufficient to doom the entire Catholic religion? I say no, but a lot of others (on a lot of easily Googled websites) will say otherwise.
Kensington on January 15, 2008 at 3:41 PM
Again, “they” who? Those all sound like crimes to me. Was anyone ever charged or convicted?
Kensington on January 15, 2008 at 3:43 PM
Awesome. And we wonder why Christians are falling for Huck’s identity politics.
Esthier on January 15, 2008 at 3:44 PM
Yes, there were people convicted, eventually. Scientology is adept at using the red tape of the legal system to their advantage. But…read her own article.
http://www.xenu.net/archive/personal_story/paulette_cooper/
tickleddragon on January 15, 2008 at 3:48 PM
You do mean SOME, don’t you? Generalize much?
tickleddragon on January 15, 2008 at 3:49 PM
I disagree, those guys do their homework. I am pretty familiar with the Xenu story, and have done some online jousting with the scientologists. SP did a pretty good job with illustrating OT-3
firepilot on January 15, 2008 at 3:55 PM
Mmmm….. 7 of 9…. or T’Pol on “Enterprise”.
But SG1 is my favourite sci-fi series; too bad not enough babes there.
Frozen Tex on January 15, 2008 at 3:56 PM
I mean any. My statement can be read: And we wonder why Christians (why any Christians at all) are falling for Huck’s identity politics.
I certainly didn’t mean Christians in general. If you’ve read any of my previous posts you’d know that I both am a Christian and very much dislike Huck.
I think the reason why any Christian would fall for identity politics is because of statements like the one dakine made. They feel alienated in either party.
Esthier on January 15, 2008 at 4:00 PM
You know, this would make a brilliant Obama campaign video, because I kept waiting for him to say something meaningful beyond, “you’re either in it or you’re not,” “when you know, you know,” or “it’s like – poo! – and then you just do it…” etc. It’s a lot like waiting for Obama to explain how he’s going to do something that he keeps saying needs to be done better rather than just point out that something needs to be done better.
And I love that faux “Mission Impossible” music throughout the whole thing which sounded like every endlessly looped music soundtrack to every porno movie ever made (at least that’s what I’ve heard they’re like…ahem). Until the announcer-bot came back in and it actually became the “Mission Impossible” music. This cat is taking himself waaay too seriously.
But correct me if I’m wrong – didn’t Tom Cruise actually make headlines for saving somebody that was in a car accident on his block a few years ago? I don’t have time to look it up right now, but I thought he did. That could explain a lot. (See Jeff Bridges: “Fearless.”)
Captain Scarlet on January 15, 2008 at 4:00 PM
It doesn’t matter if they do their homework; their purpose was to make fun of Scientolgists, and consequently it’s foolish to walk away from that convinced that you’ve gotten a full and clear understanding of what Scientology is all about.
Ask a Scientologist whether that episode fairly presents their belief system, and they’ll (I presume) say that it doesn’t. That’s not insignificant.
Take the giant spider/molesting priests episode. It’s very funny, but I wouldn’t recommend it for it’s Catholic scholarship.
Kensington on January 15, 2008 at 4:03 PM
My apologies for misunderstanding your meaning. :)
tickleddragon on January 15, 2008 at 4:05 PM
I didn’t take TC’s hoopla about how Scientologists know that they’ve got to help people and do things (badly paraphrased by me, I admit) as anything more or sinister than the age old philosophy of “if not me, who? If not now, when?” In other words, Scientology (along with every other self-actualization program) teaches people to take hyper responsibility for the world around them. Frankly, I appreciate that more than I do those who take no responsibility for anything.
Kensington on January 15, 2008 at 4:06 PM
I can gladly say I didn’t see this episode. I don’t get any of my reasoning from SOUTH PARK. My information comes from a concentrated research on the subject a couple years ago.
tickleddragon on January 15, 2008 at 4:08 PM
Hoo boy.
I remember a few year’s ago, Michael Jackson spoke out about something at length, and it was called, “the world’s longest suicide note.” I think something similar could be said about this piece.
I think Sumner Redstone will turn out to have been right about canning him.
asc85 on January 15, 2008 at 4:08 PM
Are you sure that there isn’t a sort of NANNY responsibility in this? “We are the only ones who can help” is directly out of the Big Gov Lib playbook, Hon.
tickleddragon on January 15, 2008 at 4:10 PM
This video goes to show you just how idiot some actors are when they don’t have a script to read from…
jake-the-goose on January 15, 2008 at 4:13 PM
Not how I heard it, Dear. It just sounds like Self-Actualization Talk 101 to me.
Kensington on January 15, 2008 at 4:15 PM
A good friend of mine once told me “Money makes you more of what you already are”. So, say you’re an A-hole, money would make you more of an A-hole.
Me thinks Tom was a bit crazy before stardom, and well, I think we can all see what’s happened to him.
And what’s with the talk about “carrying a load”? Tom, time to change the Depends.
silenced majority on January 15, 2008 at 4:16 PM
I’d make it slightly kinder by changing “actors are” to “actors sound”, but yeah.
Kensington on January 15, 2008 at 4:16 PM
That is precisely how it would sound to someone that knows little about the aims of the “religion”.
tickleddragon on January 15, 2008 at 4:19 PM
Why do all the Scientologists look like they are under a spell when you look into their eyes?
The video still is just plain creepy…….and if you look at all of them….mrs cruise, travolta, presley…et al, they all hae the same SOUL-LESS eyes……..
The answer is in the question……
awesum on January 15, 2008 at 4:20 PM
You can ask $cientologists exactly about the Xenu or OT-3 stories, and they will deny they even exist. You can ask a Christian about the Bible and Jesus, they will try to answer you truthfully, Scientologists arent allowed to.
Scientologists are not allowed to tell people about OT-3, even other scientologists who havent made the money to get to that level yet.
I was very familiar with the origins of Scientology before the SP show, SP did it well. Maybe if Scientologists had not tried to sue or supress anyone who wanted to publish it (how can a religious have trade secrets), it wouldnt take a cartoon to expose it for the masses.
And Tom Cruise did try to get that episode from being shown again.
firepilot on January 15, 2008 at 4:29 PM
Was L. Ron Hubbard really a great science fiction writer?
It was always my impression that the reason he started this cult/tax evasion scam in the first place was because his career as a sci-fi writer had cratered.
I’m not that into science fiction-with the exceptions of Kurt Vonnegut and Douglas Adams, both of whom worked more with humor than futuristic scenarios-but whenever I hear friends discussing the genre they usually cite writers like Asimov, Ellison, Heinlein-even Octavia Butler-but I’ve never heard L. Ron Hubbard’s name mentioned unless it was part of a conversation deriding Battlefield Earth and John Travolta’s directorial skill.
Gerard on January 15, 2008 at 4:46 PM
Wow that’s some Grade-A crazy.
12thman on January 15, 2008 at 4:49 PM
Leaving aside Mr Cruise’s delusional state, if you simply wrote down everything he said, removed the words “Scientology” or “Scientologist” (and any of the other related terminology), and then got Barack Obama to read it out, Chris Matthews and most of the MSM would be telling us it was the greatest piece of political oratory since the Gettysburg address.
schiehallion on January 15, 2008 at 5:02 PM
Well, sir, there’s yer crazy right there!
Frozen Tex on January 15, 2008 at 5:09 PM
I don’t know, I liked the video. I mean, I just really, you know, got it, you know?
I was listening to Cruise, and all of a sudden it was like BAM! YEAAH! OOOOMPH! THERE IT IS!
I was just like…..WOW! Rush! I was THERE! You know what I mean, right?
AAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA!
WOOOOOOO!
Wait a second, what was I talking about? You know what, just forget I said anything.
John from WuzzaDem on January 15, 2008 at 5:10 PM
And ask a member of CAIR if any number of Jihadi Mullah documentaries where they call for world domination by Islam if that is representative of their belief system.
That’s insignificant. So is the canned response of the cultists.
MadisonConservative on January 15, 2008 at 5:23 PM
I have to say…Watching the video without looking at him wasn’t all that bad. And at least now I can go to Oktoberfest.
scatbug on January 15, 2008 at 5:28 PM
now i want to light things on fire
thanks Tommy
Drunk Report on January 15, 2008 at 5:35 PM
You lucky dog, you.
Frozen Tex on January 15, 2008 at 5:37 PM
Imagine for a moment a Scientologist Amway salesman…
FloatingRock on January 15, 2008 at 5:58 PM
PFFFHHHT!!!
My brain just ground to a halt.
Frozen Tex on January 15, 2008 at 6:05 PM
That headline says it all.
Buford on January 15, 2008 at 6:11 PM
That’s a special kind of crazy there. But I always knew this little dork was nuts. He’s always acting, and seems to have zero acquaintance with reality.
As for the commenter who thinks this is what “the numerous whack jobs on the Christian right” act like, you need to take something. I am a card carrying member of the Christian Right, and that there behavior is all new to me.
Jaibones on January 15, 2008 at 6:15 PM
L.Ron Hubbard was an impotent sexual vampire.
He had slave laborers that he sent around the world on ships looking for treasure that he lost in a past life.
He had a bank account set up before he died with a secret password in order to claim his riches in his next life. ( Do you remember that kind of stuff when you’re reincarnated?)
Just so you know, none of the above statements are jokes. I used to study bizarre religions as a hobby, those are just a few things that I could pull off the top of my head.
Zenu ’08!
Dorvillian on January 15, 2008 at 6:23 PM
Scientology is really very cool. I mean, what other religion makes you pay to learn it? It’s ultimate capitalism. Pay up deadbeat, or you’re going to hell.
By the way, Cruise believes his own bullsh*t. Lock stock and beer barrel.
DrW on January 15, 2008 at 6:23 PM
I was wondering why no major candidate has enlisted Tom’s help this year? After this vid, I think I get it now…
DrW on January 15, 2008 at 6:25 PM
Zenu ‘08!
Right now Xenu isn’t looking so bad.
Gerard on January 15, 2008 at 6:56 PM
Methinks Kensington is speaking to Lord Elron when he’s not posting here.
packsoldier on January 15, 2008 at 7:07 PM
Actually, yes he was. As a matter of fact, among the many works he wrote is a short novel he did back in 1940 called “Fear”. It is not only considered to be one of the best psychological horror stories ever written, but turned out to be one of those trendsetting novels that helped redefine modern horror. So yes, he was a great writer. I just regret he chose to create a warped-out pseudo-religion like Scientology, instead of just stick to what he was best at, namely writing and storytelling.
pilamaye on January 15, 2008 at 7:42 PM
Don’t Scientologists believe Jesus & Satan are brothers?
Tzetzes on January 15, 2008 at 7:48 PM
Tom the cognoscente (“We’re here to help”), “I really wish I could go on vacation. Many, the Bahamas would be an awesome new reality! But I have to get spectators out of the arena.”
Tzetzes on January 15, 2008 at 7:57 PM
Tell you what. If you want to know what Scientologists AND Mormons really believe, go pick up a copy of “The Kingdom Of The Cults” by the late Walter R. Martin. Dr. Martin was one of the greatest experts on cults and this book covers the beliefs of both religions in detail. I highly recommend reading it, now more than ever.
pilamaye on January 15, 2008 at 7:59 PM
Nut job worth 10s if not 100s of millions of dollars because of his oh so tough job of acting says that he would love to go on vacation? Yeah, it’s tough to be him. Such awesome responsibility jumping up and down on Oprah’s couch like a moron. I’m taking my first vacation in 7 years in a few weeks. I’ll be on the phone and computer daily continuing to run my businesses. I would love to just go on vacation too… what an arrogant pissant jerk.
deepdiver on January 15, 2008 at 9:13 PM
Are you an atheist AP? I had no idea. Never would have guessed it. Really.
Jungliszt on January 15, 2008 at 9:15 PM
The only way Tom can save the world is by either making a good movie for a change (highly unlikely) or just plain disappearing.
Big John on January 15, 2008 at 9:38 PM
I think I now know what vapid means.
sibobr on January 15, 2008 at 10:22 PM
Kensington, look up Keith Henson, too, to see what Scientology has done.
Also what the nuts in California have done, thanks to a law called “Interfering with a religion.” I can’t believe that hasn’t been struck down on Constitutional grounds.
Meryl Yourish on January 16, 2008 at 11:03 AM
Meryl, I read the Wikipedia page on Keith Henson, and, frankly, he seems less like a victim of Scientology than someone who took it upon themselves to grind an axe and ended up facing some consequences that were entirely of his own making.
I suppose one could argue that he shouldn’t have been convicted on the “interfering with a constitutional right” charge, but that’s down to the jury, not the Church of Scientology, unless someone’s going to claim that the Scientologists somehow controlled the jury.
Still, if a bunch of dopey Scientologists believe that their dopey E-meters affect them physically, what gives anyone else the right to post their copyrighted material to the Internet? The same goes if a bunch of dopey Scientologists believe in screwy ideas involving bizarre alternative medical practices. That’s their business.
It seems to me that there are a lot of people, apparently, who feel the need to take the Scientologists “on” for some reason, whereas I just think that people of sound mind should be left alone to practice their religions however they please. I guess I’m a bit more libertarian about stuff like that than some others, but Keith Henson, based on an admittedly cursory overview of his story, seems like kind of a crank.
Kensington on January 16, 2008 at 11:39 AM
Hubbard started Scientology out of his own puffed up ego. He had famously predicted that “before the end of the decade” there would be a religion to worship pure science. As the “end of the decade” approached and no religion existed, he started one, therefore self-fulfilling his “prophecy.”
PJ Emeritus on January 16, 2008 at 12:41 PM
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