Scientology is always coming up with sneaky new ways to snag actors and other artists

 
It’s not easy keeping up with all of Scientology’s sneaky front groups, especially when they change names or reconstitute themselves.

We want to thank the tipster who noticed this mailer from the church, which describes a new consultancy, “EMA Artists USA” which has clearly emerged from previous front groups. The “EMA” stands for “Effective Management Association” and its website is chock full of L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology references. We noticed lots of familiar names: Pat Clouden, Arte Maren, and David Brier. (Yo, baby!)

The flyer promotes “The Artist Consultant,” which is the nom de guerre of Scientologist Alex Edwards.

Our tipster couldn’t help noticing that in the fine print EMA Artists USA says outright that it “started as an affiliation of WISE members.” (The World Institute of Scientology Enterprises is one of Scientology’s longest-running front operations and targets various businesses with its management consultants.)

Alex is also being touted for having “consulted working actors on Saturday Night Live, Pretty Little Liars, and Roswell.”

Just a few weeks ago that reference might have mystified us, but now, of course, we know exactly who he’s referring to.

 
And best of all, you might remember Alex from a previous appearance when his wife, Mara Jesse Edwards, advertised for a thetan to jump into their new baby!

 
“We will not be vaccinating.”

Good to know!

 
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Leah Remini podcast: Dr. John Dehlin of Mormon Stories

Says Mike: “This week Leah and I venture into the world of Mormonism with Dr. John Dehlin. I recently appeared on his long-running and very popular podcast, Mormon Stories, and we are now welcoming him to ours. He is not just a podcaster, he is a non-profit CEO, activist, public speaker, and religious transitions coach. He advocates for the rights of skeptics in Mormonism, LGBT rights, equality for women, and other individual views outside mainstream Mormonism.” Listen to the podcast right here!

 
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Procedural hearing in Danny Masterson case today

We’ve signed up to listen in online during today’s scheduled hearing in the criminal case of Scientology celeb Danny Masterson. We expect that his defense team has filed motions about what evidence they’re entitled to ahead of a May 18 preliminary hearing, and other matters may be discussed. (We don’t expect Masterson to be present for it.)

Last time, however, Judge Charlaine Olmedo said she wasn’t going to allow remote listening because of past abuses of the system, so we may not get to hear the proceeding. If that’s the case, we’ll do our best to let you know what took place.

Our primary interest is to learn if the prelim itself is going to be moved back from its May 18 date. Judge Olmedo had previously sounded very adamant that she wasn’t going to put up with delaying tactics, but we have a feeling that she’ll have to budge on this one. The prelim, as we’ve explained, is such a crucial event, and we have a feeling Danny will be asking for a lot more time to prepare for it.

 
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Source Code

“Well now look, Mary Sue has been working very, very hard to make an OT out of me and been working at it and working at it and she didn’t make the grade. I wanted to get OT today so I could give you some nice weather. And I just didn’t make it, I’m sorry. I only got thirteen banks back and got stuck, you know.” — L. Ron Hubbard, April 20, 1963

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“PARTY: Barry, Cathy and Liz did a good job on the party. Decorations were by the Middies, Claire, Terri, Suzette, Ann and Janis. Barry gave out dancing prizes. For such courage above and beyond the line of duty, he was himself decorated. Well done to Div VI.” — The Commodore, April 20, 1970

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“North Korean leader Kim Jong Un detonates hydrogen bombs near a dangerous volcano, dramatizing clearly OT section 3 scenarios that could affect directly China, South Korea, and Japan. Meanwhile independent Scientology PCs happily promote avoiding and discarding auditing on OT III because it is ‘unreal’: ‘I’m auditing the OT levels and I am very happy that my Case Supervisor skipped OT III at my request,’ one of these independent PCs offered as a success story. As an auditor trained in objective processing, I can say that avoiding one of the most important steps in the OT levels is going to create an inability and an unhandled void in the person’s case. And this in the face of a world where OT III scenarios are putting the world in danger. A quick solution could be warning ‘OT III is fantasy’ PCs that avoiding the step is going to put this society at risk and they, the PC, unable to handle this OT III society, OT III radiation on the planet and Kim Jong Un OT III dramatizations of global war and nuclear holocaust.”

 
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Past is Prologue

1995: Bob Penny distributed a description of the tactics and internal logic of Scientology customs and practices, including excellent descriptions of the internal justice system. “The wonder is that I wasted 13 years of my life and more than $100,000 before learning to handle the false loyalties and other tricks in which I was enmeshed for so long. Clearly, something was going on that my basic ‘street education’ had not prepared me to deal with. Rationalizations such as, ‘it’s the best thing we’ve got,’ and ‘at least it’s moving in the right direction’ (neither of which is true) helped perpetuate the stasis. Even afterwards, it was hard to avoid rationalizations like ‘but I learned a lot,’ or ‘the organization sucks but the tech is good’ which were attempts to minimize and not really face the harm which had occurred and from which I had yet to recover. The habits of self-censorship, loaded language, avoidance of contrary data, and other thought-stopping mechanisms took a long time to go away if, indeed, they are gone even now…. Scientology was not a beneficial experience for me. I avoid the word fraud because it connotes a deliberate and knowing deception which is rare among the misled, but I do believe the organizations practices are based on fraud. The ‘tech’ is certainly fraudulent. But as regards most individual Scientologists, I suggest instead the word trip, in the sense of a self-justifying system of thought which, once entered, leads only into itself.”

 
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Random Howdy

“Human nature isn’t that complex. If you strip away the unnatural veneer of civilization, what are you left with? Spend some time on the street and tell me human nature is complex. Human egotism is infinite is more like it.”

 
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Discovery hearing on April 20, prelim set for May 18.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay sentenced to 9 years in prison. Jeff’s sentencing to be scheduled.
— Hanan and Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for May 20 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Pretrial conference set for Apr 29.

Civil litigation:
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Oral arguments were heard on July 30 at the Eleventh Circuit
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Petition for writ of mandate denied Oct 22 by Cal 2nd Appellate District. Petition for review by state supreme court denied Dec 11.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Dec 30, Judge Kleifield granted Scientology’s motions to compel arbitration. June 7: Status conference.
— Matt and Kathy Feschbach tax debt: Eleventh Circuit ruled on Sept 9 that Feshbachs can’t discharge IRS debt in bankruptcy. Dec 17: Feshbachs sign court judgment obliging them to pay entire $3.674 million tax debt, plus interest from Nov 19.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Second amended complaint filed, trial set for Nov 9, 2021.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, Cannane victorious, awarded court costs. Case appealed on Dec 24.

Concluded litigation:
— Dennis Nobbe, Medicare fraud, PPP loan fraud: Charged July 29. Bond revoked Sep 14. Nobbe dead, Sep 14.
— Jane Doe v. Scientology (in Miami): Jane Doe dismissed the lawsuit on May 15 after the Clearwater Police dropped their criminal investigation of her allegations.

 
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SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks

The Australian Seven News network cancelled a 10-part investigation of Scientology and its history of dirty tricks. Read the transcripts of the episodes and judge for yourself why Tom Cruise and Tommy Davis might not have wanted viewers to see this hard-hitting series by journalist Bryan Seymour.

SCIENTOLOGY: FAIR GAME

After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.

LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH

An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.

SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z

Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

 
Other links: Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. 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 a weekly series. How many have you read?

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Tom Cruise on InTouch cover: Another completely oversold Scientology clip job
[TWO years ago] Bull baiting and so much worse: Margery Wakefield on surviving Scientology
[THREE years ago] Joy Villa’s Scientologist husband shamed into dropping elephant skin bags from luxury line
[FOUR years ago] As Clearwater votes, here’s a reminder of how L. Ron Hubbard had Scientology invade Florida
[FIVE years ago] Disconnection, Miscavige style: How Scientology’s most powerful family came apart
[SIX years ago] See the message a Scientologist sends to disconnect from a best friend, forever
[SEVEN years ago] Easter Sunday Funnies: David Miscavige has risen, & Scientology has more money than ever!
[EIGHT years ago] African Queen: The Man L. Ron Hubbard Thought He Was
[NINE years ago] David Edgar Love: “I Think I Have Scientology By The Balls”
[TEN years ago] When Scientologists Attack!

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on April 20, 2021 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, 1995-2020 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2020), 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, 15 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