As we’ve pointed out many times before, no matter how grim things seem to be for Scientology — with the pandemic hitting when the church was already dwindling, and with the bad press just never stopping — no matter how bad it gets, Scientology just never gives up.
And one of the grand traditions of Scientology recruiting is to piggyback on the traditions and successes of others. So that’s why it makes perfect sense that Scientology’s Hollywood Celebrity Centre has announced a Star Wars-themed Halloween family festival for October 28 and 29!
Here, check out this killer flier, space cadet!
Which part are you most excited about? The Star Wars Millennium Falcon hyperspace jump experience? The starship escape room? The bounty hunter scavenger hunt?
Did they just forget to mention the part about the stress test, the personality test, and a copy of Dianetics for only $20?
Oh, the tricks and treats you’re liable to run into there!
If you do go, please give us a full report!
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Technology Cocktail
“Meters work. They work every time. Only auditors fail by failure to use the meter reactions to guide a session. Only the auditing question or the auditor’s inability to read can be wrong.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1962
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THE PROSECUTION OF DANNY MASTERSON
We first broke the news of the LAPD’s investigation of Scientology celebrity Danny Masterson on rape allegations in 2017, and we’ve been covering the story every step of the way since then. At this page we’ve collected our most important links as Danny faces a potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison. NOW WITH TRIAL INDEX.
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THE PODCAST: How many have you heard?
[1] Marc Headley [2] Claire Headley [3] Jeffrey Augustine [4] Bruce Hines [5] Sunny Pereira [6] Pete Griffiths [7] Geoff Levin [8] Patty Moher [9] Marc Headley [10] Jefferson Hawkins [11] Michelle ‘Emma’ Ryan [12] Paulette Cooper [13] Jesse Prince [14] Mark Bunker [15] Jon Atack [16] Mirriam Francis [17] Bruce Hines on MSH
— SPECIAL: The best TV show on Scientology you never got to see
[1] Phil Jones [2] Derek Bloch [3] Carol Nyburg [4] Katrina Reyes [5] Jamie DeWolf
— The first Danny Masterson trial and beyond
[18] Trial special with Chris Shelton [19] Trial week one [20] Marc Headley on the spy in the hallway [21] Trial week two [22] Trial week three [23] Trial week four [24] Leah Remini on LAPD Corruption [25] Mike Rinder 2022 Thanksgiving Special [26] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part One [27] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part Two [28] Claire Headley on the trial [29] Tory Christman [30] Bruce Hines on spying [31] Karen de la Carriere [32] Ron Miscavige on Shelly Miscavige [33] Karen de la Carriere on the L’s [34] Mark Bunker on Miscavige hiding [35] Mark Plummer [36] Mark Ebner [37] Karen Pressley [38] Steve Cannane [39] Fredrick Brennan [40] Clarissa Adams [41] Louise Shekter [42] John Sweeney [43] Tory Christman [44] Kate Bornstein [45] Christian Stolte [46] Mark Bunker [47] Jon Atack [48] Luke Y. Thompson [49] Mark Ebner [50] Bruce Hines [51] Spanky Taylor and Karen Pressley [51] Geoff and Robbie Levin [52] Sands Hall [53] Jonny Jacobsen [54] Sandy Holeman
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“Anderson, Q.C., Melbourne inquiry. Complete gibbering psychotic idiot. Up to the gills with R-6. ‘Scientology must be wrong, because we cannot explain where all the new bodies come from. All the new spirits. Where would all the new spirits come from if everybody had a spirit, why, where would all the new spirits come from, huh?’ Actually, what he didn’t realize, this silly ass — he was disproving Catholicism. Catholicism claims there’s one spirit per body, so he was asking some silly little kid question that is asked of his own religion, Catholicism. And yet he was busy hanging Scientology because it couldn’t… You get the irrationality of it? The man occupies a perfectly valid position. He’s looked on. He’s a Queens’ consulate. Actually he’s just a gibbering idiot. You probably couldn’t even catch him to get a straight jacket on him.” — L. Ron Hubbard, October 9, 1968
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“SECURE THE PORT: We are very popular in this port. Were publicized heavily before arrival. Snap up the PR. Get out your white uniforms for watches and good clothes for the beach. Make a splash here. We’ll be here 3-4 days and will push to make it heavy PR.” — The Commodore, October 9, 1970
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“I live in Perth Australia which including myself has a grand total of 3 independents that are actually doing anything and no organisation to speak of. One day I’ll be the Captain of this city but not today.”
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1995: The text of “Psychiatry and Scientology” by L. J. West, M.D. was posted this week. It was originally printed in The Southern California Psychiatrist, published in 1990 and 1991. “The medical profession as a whole, and psychiatry in particular, has generally failed to fight back or even take notice of Scientology, its slanders and other depredations. In the medical literature there are only a handful of references to Scientology. It is clear that the legitimate healing professions have not come to grips with the dangers posed by cults in general, and with the peculiarly hostile and antipsychiatric ‘church’ of Scientology in particular. Most people know surprisingly little about Scientology. Only a handful of books and articles, and a few journalistic pieces in the popular press, have been written about Hubbard and his organizations. In May 1980 and September 1981, the Reader’s Digest published two articles about Scientology and its dangers. Unfortunately, the harms done by Scientology go far beyond attacks on psychiatry or on critics. It is Scientology’s membership, and their families, who are the most likely to suffer. Many damaged personas are emerging from the cult, often with symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder including prominent dissociative features. Some of these refugees seek help from psychiatrists. We owe it to them, and to ourselves, to continue investigating the nature of harms done by cults such as the Church of Scientology and to publish our findings regardless of the consequences. One of Scientology’s latter-day developments has been its putative detoxification procedure, called ‘the purification rundown.’ Within Scientology proper it is employed along with the continual ‘dianetic’ psychotherapy procedures as a health enhancement process. By Narconon (Scientology’s drug rehabilitation front group) this is called ‘the Hubbard method.’ It is supposed to dislodge toxins and drugs from fatty tissues through a rigorous regimen of exercise, saunas (up to five hours a day, for up to 30 days), and progressively larger doses of various vitamins. There is no scientific basis for the claims about it. In fact, a noted in the previous article, the prolonged saunas can cause serious dehydration, and the high doses of certain vitamins may also pose a health hazard.”
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“This place is nuts, but not half as nuts as YouTube. It’s just a little bit more serious and astute and friendly.”
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Found guilty on two counts on May 31, remanded to custody. Sentencing on Sep 7.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Trial scheduled for August 15.
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud.
Civil litigation:
— Leah Remini v. Scientology, alleging ‘Fair Game’ harassment and defamation: Complaint filed August 2, first hearing set for Dec 4.
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to arbitration. Plaintiffs allowed interlocutory appeal to Eleventh Circuit.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Appellate court removes requirement of arbitration on January 19, case remanded back to Superior Court. Stay in place at least through sentencing of Masterson on Sep 7. Next hearing set for Sept 26.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Next hearing Nov 6.
— Chiropractors Steve Peyroux and Brent Detelich, stem cell fraud: Ordered to mediation.
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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 BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks. 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] How a major Scientology donor family is caught up in the Danny Masterson case
[TWO years ago] He was Scientology ‘I/C’ — ‘in charge’ — of Paulette Cooper’s harassment. And now he’s dead.
[THREE years ago] SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS, Episode 10: Bryan Seymour wraps up his series axed by Seven News
[FOUR years ago] CLEARWATER APOCALYPSE! No, not really. But let’s help Scientology run its new board
[FIVE years ago] What it was like last night at Scientology’s Los Angeles TV ‘season’ premiere party
[SIX years ago] BLOCKBUSTER EXCLUSIVE: It turns out the National Enquirer is blowing smoke again
[SEVEN years ago] EXCLUSIVE: Recent deaths of Scientology rehab staffers points to ongoing problem
[EIGHT years ago] The Scientology-Ireland connection that propelled Cathriona White to Hollywood
[NINE years ago] Ryan Hamilton files two more federal lawsuits against Scientology’s drug rehab network
[TEN years ago] Anonymous and Craigslist: Proof that Scientology Knows It’s Under Attack
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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 3,177 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 3,692 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,242 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,232 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,113 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 5,417 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,288 days.
Doug Kramer has not seen his parents Linda and Norm in 2,393 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 4,840 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,182 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 12,748 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 8,667 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 4,834 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 4,416 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 4,677 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 3,713 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 3,429 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 2,993 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,308 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 2,483 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 7,034 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,165 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,503 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,358 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 4,477 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 2,833 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 7,136 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,242 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 3,640 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 3,516 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,081 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 3,594 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 3,848 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 14,957 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on October 9, 2023 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, 1995-2022 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2022), 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
Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast
