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David Miscavige presides over Scientology’s holiest annual celebration of L. Ron Hubbard

 
Yesterday we told you that we didn’t expect Scientology to post images from its LRH Birthday event held last Saturday in Clearwater until the rest of the orgs get to see the video this Saturday. But the church surprised us by posting photos from Saturday’s event last night, on Hubbard’s actual birthday.

And gosh, they look just like all of the previous birthday celebrations! Still, we figured you’d want to get a look at them, and we’re looking forward to your assessment of how the church looks this year, and how good David Miscavige is looking at 58.

 

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It’s a sea of whiteness at the 2,180-seat capacity Ruth Eckerd Hall.

 

Once again, Miscavige gives himself a subtle backdrop.

 

Our favorite part of the LRH Birthday event is Dan Sherman, the Silver Mullet, telling tall tales about Hubbard’s life.

 

Wow, talk about bigger than life. That’s some Hubbard slide show going on behind Dan!

 

The Birthday Event is also when winners of the Birthday Game are announced. And somehow, as Rod Keller pointed out to us, the new org is usually among the winners — in this case the Stuttgart Ideal Org.

 

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Miscavige also celebrated his actual expansion of Advanced Orgs to include the Kyalami Castle in South Africa.

 

Miscavige naturally celebrated the first anniversary of Scientology TV, and announced that the new Spring “season” of shows starts on April 8. We can hardly wait.

 

The afterparty kicked in at the Fort Harrison Hotel. Orgy in the pool!

 

And Miscavige also presided over a mini-Patron’s Ball held at the Fort Harrison for some new baby whales. How nautical of the Sea Org captain.

So what do you think? Did Dave outdo himself this year? Or do you see signs of trouble? Let us know.

 
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HowdyCon 2019 in Los Angeles

This year’s HowdyCon is in Los Angeles. People tend to come in starting on Thursday, and that evening we will have a casual get-together at a watering hole. We have something in mind, but for now we’re not giving out information about it.

Friday night we will be having an event in a theater (like we did on Saturday night last year in Chicago). There will not be a charge to attend this event, but if you want to attend, you need to RSVP with your proprietor at tonyo94 AT gmail.

On Saturday, we are joining forces with Janis Gillham Grady, who is having a reunion in honor of the late Bill Franks. Originally, we thought this event might take place in Riverside, but instead it’s in the Los Angeles area. If you wish to attend the reunion, you will need to RSVP with Janis (janisgrady AT gmail), and there will be a small contribution she’s asking for in order to help cover her costs.

HOTEL: Janis tells us she’s worked out a deal with Hampton Inn and Suites, at 7501 North Glenoaks Blvd, Burbank, (818) 768-1106. We have a $159 nightly rate for June 19 to 22.

 

 
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Scientology’s celebrities, ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and more!

[Jenna Elfman, Giovanni Ribisi, and Greta Van Susteren]

We’ve been building landing pages about David Miscavige’s favorite playthings, including celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and we’re hoping you’ll join in and help us gather as much information as we can about them. 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!

Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society!

Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in our weekly series. How many have you read?

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Lori Hodgson’s fight with Scientology for her kids is now a book you can pre-order
[TWO years ago] Memories of a Scientology warrior: Marty Rathbun’s curious career as church rebel
[THREE years ago] Turns out at least FOUR employees sued Pasadena firm that forced Scientology on them
[FOUR years ago] Outtakes from the 1997 ‘Secret Lives’ doc — an eyewitness at the Jack Parsons house
[FIVE years ago] TEXAS JUDGE DENIES SCIENTOLOGY’S ‘ANTI-SLAPP’ MOTION IN RATHBUN SUIT
[SIX years ago] Your Life as Sperm or Egg: L. Ron Hubbard’s Mad Genius
[SEVEN years ago] In Clearwater for LRH’s 101st Birthday: Tales of Disconnection and Scientology Creepiness

 
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Scientology disconnection, a reminder

Bernie Headley has not seen his daughter Stephanie in 5,388 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 1,519 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,021 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 1,501 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 564 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 452 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 3,759 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 1,627 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,401 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,175 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,521 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,087 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,007 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,174 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 2,755 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,015 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,055 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 1,767 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,293 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,382 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,522 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 2,842 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 7,698 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 2,817 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,173 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,475 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,581 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 1,983 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 1,855 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,438 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 1,933 days.
Mary Jane Sterne has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,187 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,296 days.

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Posted by Tony Ortega on March 14, 2019 at 07:00

E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post 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 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. Our book about Paulette, 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, 1995-2018 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2018), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)

Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | 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 | 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, or 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 | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele

 

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