Tom Cruise Blackmails Comedy Central Over Scientology South Park

The Post Chronicle ^ | 03/17/2006 | Tashi Singh

[Panerai]

Tom Cruise reportedly got Comedy Central to cancel Wednesday night's cablecast of the controversial "South Park" episode about Scientology by warning that he'd refuse to promote "Mission Impossible 3," reports today's Page Six.

Paramount, the film company who holds Cruise's contract, is counting on "MI3" to bring in blockbuster profits this summer, and Paramount is owned by parent company Viacom, which so happens to also own Comedy Central.

The "South Park" episode entitled, "Trapped in the Closet," takes jabs at Scientology and shows Cruise, John Travolta and R. Kelly (who is not a Scientologist, but has a song called "Trapped in the Closet") literally in a closet.

The episode, which first aired last November, was suppose to rerun on Wednesday night, but was mysteriously yanked at the last minute.

Hollywoodinterrupted.com reports that Cruise went straight to the top - to the execs at Viacom - and warned he'd boycott the promotion for "MI3" unless the "South Park" episode was pulled, reports Page Six.

Richard Johnson has the details: 'Series creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker have been told not to discuss the matter - to avoid embarrassing Cruise as they did Isaac Hayes last week when Hayes, also a Scientologist, quit his role as the voice of the Chef character.

Hayes claimed he couldn't stand by while "South Park" made fun of religion, but Stone pointed out that Hayes had cashed plenty of checks while the show made fun of Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Stone hinted that Hayes was pressed to quit by his minders in the Church of Scientology.

[upier]

Sure they have dirt on him. They propably have proof that he is gay.

Also if you want to see the episode goto http://www.xenu.net/.
You can douwnload it there. It is a great site on how insane Scientology is.

[dennisw]

The death of L Ron Hubbard

The Church of Scientology is loudly voicing their strong resistance to what they call "psych drugs". It is therefore ironic that the founder of Dianetics and Scientology, L Ron Hubbard, was taking a "psych drug" when he died. This is not unusual in itself, since bitter old men often go psychotic when dying. Witnesses testified that Hubbard died acting like a raving lunatic.

This is from the 1983 edition of the Physician's Desk Reference, pg 1571. It was a couple years out of date when Hubbard died. Vistaril is the psych drug found in Hubbard's body.

[Petronski]

I'm trying to think of the last time I paid to see Tom Cruise in a movie . . . yep, it was Top Gun.

[veronica]

PR hack Pat Kingsley deserves a Lifetime Achievement Oscar for managing to hide Tom Cruise's megalomania so well for so many years.

[Petronski]

LOL

Yeah, I wonder which one called Richard Johnson at the Post? Trey or Matt?

[Petronski]

I hope Haye's replacement is good. The difference between teh old and new Flinstone voices is disatrous.

Really? I see it the opposite way. I think they should keep the same visuals for Chef, but make no effort whatsoever to match the voice. Use a voice totally against type, like Dom Deluise.

Can you imagine the voice of Dom Deluise singing about his "salty balls?"

[TheForceOfOne]

Sorry children, If I don't quit South Park, Scientology Grand Master Tom Cruise will have me rubbed out. I can't tell you anymore children, he has spies everywhere! Now run on home!

[LibLieSlayer]

He has the gay part down!

LLS

[pepperdog]

And the best part of that movie was the intro. They could just as successfully shown the launches for 90 minutes with nifty music. I still love the into.

[BTCM]

Mocking Scientology is too easy! People like Tiny Tom, the high school drop out, rag heads kneeling down and smelling the butt in front of them, Louis Fakerkom and his mother ship are all people who fortify my belief in comedy.

[Jimbaugh]

Boycotts work both ways Mr. Cruise.

I think that MI3 will be just as bad as War of the Worlds.

When people have to come out and say that you are not weird. You are weird.

[Petronski]

Goose is dead!

[RabidBartender]

Mission Impossible II was one of the worst movies I have ever seen. I think they made it just as an excuse to do stunts.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman as the bad guy? Is he gay in this movie too? Ugh. I'll pass.

What they should do is have a movie where Ethan Hunt (Cruise's character in MI) meets us with Jason Bourne in a deserted warehouse to join forces, but then Jack Bauer blows it up.

[Panerai]

"but then Jack Bauer blows it up" - Nah, he'll just shoot them in the knee

[Thomas Aquinas]

I think he protests too much. Can it be he has something he wishes to hide? I can only imagine that is he wishes this strongly to keep this show from airing again, he must be upset that it is hitting too close to home, er, to the truth... me thinks

[BlueMondaySkipper]

I think that MI3 will be just as bad as War of the Worlds.

I don't see how that would be possible...

[CodeToad]

" she is incredibly defensive when one speaks negatively about the cult.
"


It takes a childish D&D mentality to play the scientology game. Children are always defensive about their "club".

[antiRepublicrat]

Actually I fully expect Matt & Trey to Kill Chef off.

I'm thinking an extension of the first Scientology episode, where they try to kill Stan for exposing them, and off Chef instead.

[joebuck]

"I'm thinking an extension of the first Scientology episode, where they try to kill Stan for exposing them, and off Chef instead."

Killer idea. I hope Matt or Trey are reading this thread.

[Space Wrangler]

You may also remember that during the same time that you are referring to, Cruise and Kidman both made an attempt to leave the cult. It would up with their divorce, and as you say, Cruise becoming a super-$cientologist.