We’re so grateful for our many tipsters and correspondents. They keep track of so many different things for us, and they often surprise us with their creativity and dedication.
For example, it turns out we have a loyal reader who has been keeping a close eye on Scientology TV, the unwatchable propaganda DirecTV channel that Scientology leader David Miscavige is blowing huge mountains of cash on.
This thing is so painful to watch, we haven’t been able to bring ourselves to look at much in the “fourth season” that is currently playing over and over and over 24 hours a day.
And with the second anniversary of this experiment coming up in March, we still wonder if anyone that David Miscavige isn’t paying is actually watching this thing.
Well, our tipster pointed out something kind of hilarious and sad about recent attempts by the church to drum up some interest in its round-the-clock snoozefest.
Namely, by taking the risk of opening a live chat on its YouTube channel while its programs are playing in the hopes of generating a live community of marks, er, interested viewers.
Our tipster was curious about who might be tuning in to watch the channel and also chiming in with questions or comments for the faceless, nameless folks operating the channel. During a program on Narconon a couple of weeks ago, he tells us, two or three messages did pop up from viewers about the drug rehab network.
And then, last week, Scientology opened its live chat line again while a super special new program about Saint Hill, the legendary UK home of L. Ron Hubbard, had its premiere. Surely that would generate a feeding frenzy of online activity, right?
Thankfully, for our benefit, our tipster recorded the live chat as it went on for the next few hours. Here’s everything that was posted…
Oof. That was brutal.
But sure, Scientology has millions of members around the world, and it must be just some sort of computer glitch that kept a single one of them from joining in to offer comments or questions on the church’s YouTube live chat during the worldwide premiere of a slick presentation about one of Scientology’s most holy locations on the planet.
Or, recently defected Sea Org executive Paul Burkhart is maybe right that there are actually fewer than 20,000 Church of Scientology members left in the world, and even they are sick of David Miscavige’s over-produced propaganda.
Can’t wait for season five, Dave.
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So when will Leah be back on TV with her new series?
While Dave is struggling to get anyone to talk about his unwatchable “network,” Leah Remini dropped her big news last night that she’s signed a new deal with a production company (Critical Content) that puts out a ton of unscripted shows, and that their first project together, “Seeking Justice,” will have her hosting again with Mike Rinder.
Imagine how well that news went down where Dave is these days.
We look forward to news about when the new series might go into production, and which network it might appear on. We’ll let you know if we hear something.
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“Parents are supposed to raise children so that children can grow up and become parents; there is a basic law in operation. So one day this little kid is standing there and his parent turns around, picks him up by the heels and bashes his brains out against a tree. This is unexpected, unusual. If you don’t think that incident is on record — anybody here want a headache? You have had your brains dashed out one way or the other. But we don’t necessarily have to turn these things on, because you are handling that. After all, what is getting one’s brains dashed out? But getting one’s brains dashed out by a parent would be some kind of a problem; that would be a bit of a problem, wouldn’t it? A parent is supposed to raise you and take care of you; you are supposed to be nice to the parent and yet the parent kills you. Well, it would be very upsetting. But of course, the funny part of it was the parent thought you were a wild animal and you rushed out from behind the rock, and you never got this equation at all because your brains were dashed out at the time. Sounds pretty wild, doesn’t it?” — L. Ron Hubbard, January 28, 1952
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“For those who say the Purif is not LRH, I want to ask them: What is their solution for surviving the current End Game of food contamination that is currently reducing the population? If it were not for Cal-Mag, vitamins, minerals and oil, several of us would be in very poor shape and others gone.”
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“Sometimes people in official positions ask me if I have any living relatives and I’m yeah, but…then I feel sad.”
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Start making your plans…
Head over to the convention website and meet us in St. Louis!
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Scientology’s celebrities, ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and more!
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] Scientology wants you to bring your kids to its creepy ‘mecca’ in Florida — it’s an adventure!
[TWO years ago] Sunday Scientology sermon: L. Ron Hubbard on freeing kids from their bodies
[THREE years ago] Move over, Xenu: Scientology’s other great space opera figure, the Duke of Chug
[FOUR years ago] Scientology, in forced-abortion case: We treat people no worse than the Catholic Church does
[FIVE years ago] Scientology secrets in government docs: Did the feds have a chance to stop ‘Snow White’?
[SIX years ago] Drug flashbacks from one million years B.C.? It’s time for Scientology’s New OT 4!
[SEVEN years ago] Lawrence Wright’s Scientology Book Gets Some Thrashing from Cult Expert Steven Hassan
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology Half-Cocked: Commenters of the Week!
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Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 1,831 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,335 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 1,855 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 875 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 766 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,073 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 1,941 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,715 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,489 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,835 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,401 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,320 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,488 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,069 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,330 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,368 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,081 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,606 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,133 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,696 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,836 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,156 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,012 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,131 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,486 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,789 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,895 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,297 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,169 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,752 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,247 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,501 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,610 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on January 28, 2020 at 07:00
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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, 14 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
