Scientology Drove Actress Kirstie Alley to Vote for Bush

MRC ^ | Tuesday May 27, 2003 | BrentBaker

[fight_truth_decay]

Belonging to the Church of Scientology, which opposes the use of pharmaceuticals for psychiatric problems, drove actress Kirstie Alley, "Rebecca" on Cheers, to vote for George W. Bush for President in 2000 even though she preferred Al Gore on most issues. In an interview with Washington Post "Reliable Source" gossip columnist Lloyd Grove, Alley revealed she voted for Bush because, "although I love Al Gore and I like many of his ideas, I just had a problem with his wife," Tipper, who supports using drugs to correct mental problems.

An excerpt from Grove's piece in the Sunday, May 25 Post:

Before we get to Kirstie Alley's issue -- enacting a federal law to prohibit schools from pushing parents to medicate "problem" children -- let's get to Kirstie Alley's love life.

"When I come to Washington in June" -- to lobby for Senate passage of the Child Medication Safety Act, which passed the House overwhelmingly last week -- "I might just look for a husband," the 52-year-old mother of two told us from Los Angeles. "I would like to be married again. I can't have a conservative, and he can't be on psychotropic drugs....He would be my third. I love marriage. I love monogamy."

Other specifications?

"I want him to be from 40 to 50 years old," said Alley, who starred in the hit sitcom "Cheers" and now is seen everywhere umpteen times a day in a series of amusing Pier 1 Imports commercials....

Okay, let's get to Alley's issue. She's touting it under the auspices of the Scientology-supported Citizens Commission on Human Rights. A longtime member of the Church of Scientology, which is unalterably opposed to psychiatric medications of any kind, Alley has been speaking out against mental health professionals who think psychiatric drugs can sometimes help people.

"I'm an absolutist," Alley said. "I'm very adamant against drugs. When teachers and school administrators talk about problems with attention span and left brain, right brain, I say '[Bleep] the left brain, [bleep] the right brain!' We're talking about a whole human being, not one side of the brain or another side!"

Alley's convictions are so strong, she said, that in the last presidential election she voted for George W. Bush instead of her preferred candidate, Al Gore. "My personal reason was that, although I love Al Gore and I like many of his ideas, I just had a problem with his wife," Tipper, a mental health advocate who, during the campaign, candidly discussed her own bouts of depression and how she was aided by therapy and drugs. "I know I'm going to get myself in trouble," Alley confided. "Look, I have a loud mouth."

END of Excerpt

Another constituency for Karl Rove to court, Scientologists.

-- Brent Baker

[wingnuts'nbolts]

Poor Ally has a loud mouth and a pea brain. I have a problem with Tipper too, but it isn't over medication. However, Ally's reason to vote for Bush is lame, but glad she did anyway.

[hchutch]

I agree.

Start the rumor that the Dem nominee supports psychiatry, and we'll have a solid GOP vote. :)

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Allow me to Finnish her sentence:

I'd rather you'd scotched it. Or vermouthed it.

[mikeb704]

". . . although I love Al Gore and I like many of his ideas, I just had a problem with his wife," Tipper, who supports using drugs to correct mental problems.

Of course Tipper believes in using drugs. How else could she have stayed married to Alpha Al all these years?

Michael M. Bates: My Side of the Swamp

[billb]

I think you missed the sarcasm. Mr. Myogi was the name of Pat Morita's character in the Karate Kid movies. I agree with you.

[Quilla]

I caught the sarcasm, was agreeing with you, but didn't have a clue who Mr. Myogi was until you reminded me. :)

[y2k_free_radical]

HOLLYWOOD EXPERTS STRIKE AGAIN

[John H K]

First I've heard of this. Does that include L-Dopa therapy for Parkinson's patients and other proven applications? I must say, I believe we are an overmedicated society, but there are very helpful and legitimate drugs out there. Just because they are "psychiatric" doesn't mean they're bad.

It's been one of the main pillars of scientology for years.

Actually there's a whole panopoly of wacko groups rabidly opposed to ALL psychiatric medication.

There's a valid middle ground as you note; you can oppose giving 50% of the kids in school Ritalin, and I also think there's a problem with general practicioners and family doctors (who aren't psychiatrists) dispensing antidepressants like candy.

But medications are obviously effective in helping manic-depressives, schizophrenics, etc. and properly used antidepressants have saved a lot of lives.

[theDentist]

So the moral is you had to be on drugs to vote for Gore.

[cake_crumb]

Well, sometimes even the best presidents have wackos that vote for them for their own, wacked out reasons....

[kidd]

Good grief! I thought you were kidding until I researched Scientology a little.

[Clemenza]

Those Pier One commercials scare me...

[fat city]

Good thing that alcohol thawed.

[fifteendogs]

I'm impressed, she voted her convictions over her party.

[hunter112]

Anyone remember when Kirstie Alley used to be hot?

She's still hot, now it just comes in flashes.

[ewing]

When was that picture taken-1982!!??

[ewing]

At least there are always Lifetime movies for Kirstie to act in..

[ewing]

I thought she was good on 'Cheers' I doubt she will ever top that..

[ewing]

[ewing]

Me too, I think Kirstie is going to start unloading with an uzi inside of Pier One..