Posted on 11/29/2016 12:45:43 PM PST by BBell
As the first episode of her "ballsy" A&E series premieres, the actress/author-turned-investigative reporter reveals what everyone from pal Jennifer Lopez to co-star Kevin James felt about her former religion — and shares the memory of an awkward phone conversation she once had with the CBS chief at the 'Mission: Impossible' star's behest.
A&E's legal department is no doubt burning the midnight oil to usher its latest series, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, on-air. The network has already received multiple threatening letters from the Church of Scientology, in which the show's host, Leah Remini, is described as a "has-been actress" and "spoiled, entitled diva." A defiant Remini, meanwhile, responded by having her attorney send a letter to the church demanding it retract the letters and pay her $1.5 million in compensation.
That the church objects to the eight-part series is hardly a surprise. It sees the 46-year-old King of Queens star — who documented her flight from the church in the 2015 best-seller Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology — turn investigative journalist as she documents "shocking stories of abuse, heartbreak and harassment" alleged by former church members.
The Hollywood Reporter spoke to Remini ahead of the show's premiere Tuesday, addressing everything from church accusations that she is only "in it for the money" ("Are they going to give me back my $3 million?") to an extremely awkward phone conversation she once had with CBS chief Leslie Moonves at Tom Cruise's behest.
A&E received a lot of aggressive pushback from the Church of Scientology regarding Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. How close did the network come to pulling it?
I don’t know how close they came to pulling the show. They certainly weren’t letting on to me that they were thinking about that. But I’m sure that this is the first network
(Excerpt) Read more at hollywoodreporter.com ...
Her voice still drives me nuts, but I applaud her for getting out and for exposing the abuse.
Scientology is such a weird entity that even its adherents find it strange which is why they fight any exposure. They will go to any length to hide the truth about it, which is really odd considering they want everyone to practice it.
It’s going to be hard to top the “South Park S9, E12 - Trapped In the Closet” epi.
Scientology was invented by third-rate sci-fi author L. Ron Hubbard. It is so full of nonsense that anyone with half a brain would reject it.
In spite of the widespread, responsible criticism of dianetic theory, Hubbard was not deterred from promulgating his notions. Faced in 1951 with legal difficulties, he proceeded, as his ex-associate, science-fiction writer and tax advantages inherent in church status.Hubbard’s decision came as no shock to Sam Mos[k]owitz, science-fiction editor and author. “Three years earlier,” he editor John Campbell, Jr. put it, “to get religion”—and therecalls, “Hubbard spoke before the Eastern Science-Fiction Association in Newark, New Jersey. I don’t recall his exact words. But, in effect, he told us that writing science-fiction for about a penny a word was no way to make a living.
If you really want to make a million, he said, "the quickest way is to start your own religion.”
But it's a tax scamming cult of con artists. That's what they are hiding.
Supposedly, the religion tax exemption was okay'd under Clinton because John Travolta was sent to tell the Bent One that they'd go easy on him in the movie (Wag the Dog?) they were making if they got the IRS religion exemption status.
Which is why Tom leading the charge to get her to go in a closet is an opportunity, not a liability.
I could put up with the voice.
Remember when I was in college in Boston back in the day & Scientology members always getting in our face on the way to class trying to get us to take their tests. Got sick of it & told one member he was brainwashed & he actually got so mad he made like he was going to throw a punch....he didn’t after I squared up:)
At least he tortured Oprah.
Cruise really should go back to his job at the South Park Candy Company, working on the line, packing fudge.
Scientology screwed up John travolta’s life.
It may have had an effect on poor Jett’s life..who they finally admitted had autism years after his death.
I think John is trapped due to blackmail.
Yeah but it is weird. I believe churches are supposed to pay taxes on products or services they sell. If you donate a specific amount to a church and get something in return, that is selling.
The whole premise of Scientology is based on selling a commodity, not religion
They gave us tons of trouble at Virginia tech after the shooting in 2007.
Don’t base your hate of Battlefield earth on the movie. The book was pretty good. Scientology is nuts, but she the book was ok.
As I recall, he created Scientology as the result of a bet. Not out of any real belief
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