Although A&E announced that its series Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath begins its third season on November 27, it actually begins tonight at 8 pm Eastern with a “special episode” the network apparently doesn’t count as the series itself.
Yes, once again A&E’s confusing way of counting some episodes and not others continues into a new season, but whatever, all that really matters is that the show has its focus back on Scientology after a two-hour detour into the Jehovah’s Witnesses last week.
In tonight’s special, Leah Remini and Mike Rinder sit down with members of their own families to talk about how leaving Scientology has taken a toll on all of them. Leah has her mother Vicki Marshall back — Vicki made a terrific appearance in an episode last season when she and Leah revealed the contents of Scientology’s super-secret “OT 8” upper teachings. We found it absolutely stunning.
And in this episode, Vicki admits that she’s still struggling with having walked away from something that took up so many years of her life — she still finds herself caught in Scientology thinking, and she wants to break out of it.
“Get some therapy,” chides her daughter Shannon, Leah’s younger sister, and there’s a laugh all around — this is one of those episodes that will have you chuckling as much as it has you reaching for tissues. Leah’s older sister Nicole rounds out the members of her family. We spoke to Nicole when news of Leah’s defection first broke.
Nicole struggled with leaving Scientology before the others, only to be vindicated when Leah and Vicki became disillusioned and left. When Leah said that Nicole had been the smart one, it was validation that literally floored her, Nicole admitted.
But the strongest emotions in the room end up coming from Mike Rinder’s wife Christie Collbran who, like Mike, lost contact with her entire family when she walked away from the Sea Org. After several years of seeing Mike being so successful on the series and in other venues, it’s easy to forget how much personal trauma he and Christie have both been through. This episode really makes that plain.
The entire time we were watching this episode, we kept thinking about the people we’d most like to watch it — those people in Scientology who are on the fence, who are thinking of leaving, and who are considering the consequences. And those who have quietly left and are hoping to escape Scientology’s wrath. We hope that they watch this episode and understand that it’s so important for people leaving the church to do everything they can to leave with their family intact. But even if they have to break out on their own, Mike and Leah and so many others are waiting here to help them get out of that toxic existence.
What a great way to kick off the third season.
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Operating Thetans in the wild!
Fun shots of the Freewinds from our tipster, who happened to be on a nearby vessel. The best part of going OT 8? The photos!
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Scientology’s celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs’ — now with comments!
We’re building landing pages about David Miscavige’s favorite playthings, including celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs.’ We’re hoping you’ll join in and help us gather as much information as we can about them, in order to build a record and maintain a watch as Scientology continues its inexorable decline — and yes, we finally have comments working on these new pages! Head on over and help us with links and photos and comments.
Scientology’s celebrities, from A to Z! Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!
Scientology’s ‘Ideal Orgs,’ from one end of the planet to the other! Help us build up pages about each these worldwide locations!
Today’s ‘Ideal Advanced Org’: Saint Hill, England!
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Now on sale: Twice the Miss Lovely!
Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. What a pleasure it is for us to work with her on this after we wrote about her ordeal as a victim of Scientology’s “Fair Game” campaigns in our 2015 book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, which is also on sale in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions.
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THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] Sinar Parman, 1954-2017: Chef to Scientology’s celebs who escaped to dish on L. Ron Hubbard
[TWO years ago] Even the local Scientology mission is hiding a horror show of abuse: Kelly Jordan tells her tale
[THREE years ago] Lisa McPherson’s last opportunity for standard care ended 20 years ago today
[FOUR years ago] What Adrian Chen got wrong about Anonymous and Scientology
[FIVE years ago] EXCLUSIVE: First Interview with the Principal of Will & Jada Smith’s Shuttered Scientology School
[SIX years ago] Marty Rathbun: Scientology’s Secret Agreement With Joan Wood to Change Lisa McPherson’s Cause of Death
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Bernie Headley has not seen his daughter Stephanie in 5,272 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 1,905 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 1,385 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 448 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 336 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 3,643 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 1,511 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,285 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,059 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,405 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 10,971 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 6,891 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,058 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 2,639 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 2,899 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 1,939 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 1,651 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,177 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,266 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,406 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 2,726 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 7,582 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 2,701 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,057 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,359 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,465 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 1,868 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 1,739 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,322 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 1,827 days.
Mary Jane Sterne has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,071 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,180 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on November 18, 2018 at 07:00
E-mail tips and story ideas to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We post behind-the-scenes updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
Our book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2017 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Undergound Bunker (2012-2017), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
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 | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…
Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates
Join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.
Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news
