Scientology ‘disconnection’ billboard to be a block from David Miscavige’s office & residence

 
Yesterday we took this photo of the current billboard standing on Hollywood Boulevard just east of La Brea Avenue, which features a message from the Air Force Reserve. But not for long. On March 22, Phil and Willie Jones want you to be there as they officially unveil their Scientology ‘disconnection’ billboard at this location, which happens to be only a block west of where Scientology leader David Miscavige lives and works in Los Angeles.

Phil and Willie are former Church of Scientology members whose grown children, Mike and Emily, are Scientology Sea Org employees in the Los Angeles area who have disconnected from them. While trying to make contact with their kids, the couple is hoping to raise awareness of Scientology’s policy that splits apart families.

After raising money with the help from the readers of this website, Phil signed a contract for a billboard with the Los Angeles office of Outfront Media, but on Friday it was rescinded by Outfront’s New York office without explanation. We told you yesterday that it took Phil only half a day to find a competitor who was willing to take Phil’s money, even after he explained that he’d been turned down by Outfront. But Phil asked us to hold back specific information about the new deal.

Now, just a day later, Phil has changed his mind about that, and gave us permission to spill the beans. It just happened to correspond with our own trip to Los Angeles, and so we took a stroll by Scientology’s Author Services, Inc. at Hollywood and Sycamore, and then walked a block west where this billboard stands.

Author Services, Inc. (ASI) operates as L. Ron Hubbard’s literary agency, putting out Hubbard’s pulp fiction under the Galaxy Press imprint, and promoting Hubbard’s books wherever they can. Scientology leader David Miscavige has an office at ASI, as well as an apartment in a building that’s attached to ASI with a private passageway.

Phil told us he couldn’t believe his luck. Not only was the billboard going to be bigger than what he’d signed up for with Outfront, but he felt so good about how he was treated by its competitor, Regency, he wanted us to tell you all about it. Here’s what he sent us:

Monday I got on the phone and started calling through the list of billboard companies. On the second page of my list was Regency. I called and spoke to a very nice lady who was one of their sales reps. I explained what we were doing and about the Scientology connection. She didn’t have a problem with it and asked if I could send a copy of what the artwork would look like so that she could run it by the owner. I emailed her a copy of it and several hours later heard back that it was fine and we were good to go.

There was very little inventory available, and some as much as $9,000 per 4 week period. We settled on the one at La Brea and Hollywood Blvd because the price was reasonable and it was spitting distance from ASI. (Which is where our daughter Emily works, and David Miscavige has an office. He also has a residence just behind it.)

I set an appointment to see the sales rep yesterday at 11am with payment and to sign the contract. I fired off a note to Artoo (he’s so my hero on this) to see if he could get the artwork done right away. It needed to be adjusted for the different sized billboard. Willie and I then quickly packed our bags, jumped in the car and drove to L.A.

In the morning Willie and I drove down to where the billboard was going to be just to get eyes on it, then drove over to the media company for our 11am appointment.

Arriving at their address I went into the office and introduced myself. The first person I saw was our sales rep. I asked a few questions about scheduling and we went over the Scientology thing again to make sure all was OK. It was. She actually said “this is a very good cause.” I also warned them that Scientology might try to contact them to shut us down. Their immediate reaction was that there was no way they would allow that. They were very adamant about it.

While there in the office I spoke to several others on the staff. They were all so supportive and kind. One had seen Going Clear. Another knew an ex-Sea Org person of 24 years. I think at one point most of the office was involved in the conversation. All extremely nice and so supportive of what we were doing.

I also explained our personal situation in this with our own kids. And when I gave them the check I told them there were about 250 people who chipped in to make this happen.

We got the contract signed, payment was made, and I got an invoice as well as copy of the contract.

Once back in the car I contacted Artoo about the artwork. He basically took it from there and provided what the company needed in the format and size, as well as doing the proof. All got done and approved.

We are on track to have the installation done on March 21st, with our official launch date on the 22nd. We’re looking at 11am to kick it off. We’ll have TV crews there, and would love it if we could get a large crowd of supporters. Hopefully some local news people will arrive to cover it as well.

Thanks, Phil. We sure wish we could be there, but we’ll be back in our bunker. We hope a big crowd can attend on March 22 as Phil and Willie reveal their message of hope for those families ripped apart by the toxic policy of ‘disconnection.’

Phil made a short video that shows how close the billboard is to David Miscavige’s offices at ASI. Wow. What a coup…

 
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Louis Theroux’s My Scientology Movie at Tribeca

Louis Theroux’s hilarious documentary My Scientology Movie will be getting its US premiere next month at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, and Theroux himself sounded pretty excited about it yesterday as the news broke…

When we saw that, we immediately messaged him, asking if he would be attending the premiere himself.

“With bells on. (And BTs),” he responded.

We also asked John Dower, the film’s director, how he felt about his movie debuting in this country at Robert De Niro’s famous film festival.

“It’s bloody great!” he responded.

When we get more information about the date that the film is showing, we’ll let you know.

 
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Bonus items from our tipsters

Here’s today’s XENU TV archival gem from Mark Bunker: “Filmed in 2000, a Scientology security guard we had encountered many times by the name of Spencer decided it would be fun to ruin take after take after take as I recorded on the streets of Clearwater.”

 
Silver Meritorious whale Kaye Champagne raises a toast to Puerto Rico…

 
Some key questions that get answered by L. Ron Hubbard…

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on March 9, 2016 at 07:00

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Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…

BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists
GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice
SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts

Other links: Shelly Miscavige, ten years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | Scientology’s Private Dancer | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | Scientology boasts about assistance from Google | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ

Our Guide to Alex Gibney’s film ‘Going Clear,’ and our pages about its principal figures…
Jason Beghe | Tom DeVocht | Sara Goldberg | Paul Haggis | Mark “Marty” Rathbun | Mike Rinder | Spanky Taylor | Hana Whitfield