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tom cruise
Church of Scientology Claims Copyright Infringement
The Church of Scientology, and Tom Cruise, the organization's most prominent evangelist, are both notoriously litigious. The sect's founder, science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, wrote in a 1955 magazine article, "The purpose of a lawsuit is to harass and discourage rather than to win." At the peak in the 1990s, according to the St. Petersburg Times, the organization spent $30m in one year on legal action, in part to win tax-exempt status as a religion, but also to parry and tire its many critics. So it's hardly surprising that the Scientologists' lawyers would at least threaten a huge lawsuit against the author of this week's controversial new biography of Tom Cruise, which also exposes many of the sect's most embarrassing secrets. Nor that Gawker Media has received a copyright infringement notice. Below, the request to remove clips posted to Gawker and Defamer as part of our coverage of the Tom Cruise biography; and, after that, Gawker's refusal to comply. (And here's the video the Scientologists want to suppress, of the Hollywood star's wild-eyed claims that Scientologists are "the authorities on the mind and.. the way to happiness".) More »
books
The Church of Scientology v. Andrew Morton
The Church of Scientology has disseminated a detailed response to Andrew Morton's unauthorized biography of Tom Cruise, the Hollywood star and, according to Morton, the sect's number two in all but name. Let's look at the Scientologists' strongest contention. "For the last two years, the Church of Scientology requested to be interviewed or be presented with any allegations so we could respond. Morton refused despite our insistence in offering our cooperation. At no time did he request interviews nor did he attempt to get any information from us." True? More »
quote of the day
Cruise Biographer Declares Self Responsible
"To understand Tom Cruise, you have to understand Scientology. I've done it not in a way that is adversarial, but as a biographer. I want to understand what makes Tom Cruise tick. I am doing no more than responsible journalism, responsible writing." (Oh, and Cruise biographer Andrew Morton also threw in a story about Katie Holmes' impregnation by L. Ron Hubbard's sperm.)More »
andrew morton
Scientologists: No Contact From Cruise Biographer
Andrew Morton hits the talk shows today to promote his unauthorized biography of Tom Cruise, the actor and Scientology pin-up boy. Excerpts from the book are up on MSNBC but — more interesting — are the Church of Scientology's talking points. The release rebuts Morton's most sensational claims: that the Hollywood star is the number two of the church, or cult (whichever you prefer); that the church planted a field of flowers for Cruise and his new wife, Katie Holmes, to run through; or that Katie Holmes may have been impregnated with the sperm of L. Ron Hubbard, author of Dianetics and the bizarre religion's founder. Whom to believe? More »
biographies
