Luke Y. Thompson (AV Club) once again knocked us out with a great film review at the Underground Bunker, this time for the premiere of Tom Cruise’s new actioner, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.
Last year Luke made us laugh over his review of Cruise’s ‘Narcissistic Navy Jesus’ in Top Gun: Maverick. And our association with him goes back more than 20 years.
So we figured it was about time we had him on the podcast to pick his brain about Cruise, Scientology, and the movies.
Technology Cocktail
“We had a preclear here who gave three terminals on the fifth dynamic. One of these was a mountain. So the preclear was given the power of choice as to which one to run and, of course, came up with a cat. So they sat there running cats. Well, a cat happens to be right for the fifth dynamic, so why straighten it out? The process is aimed at straightening out something. Obviously, the mountain was wrong. The preclear was totally stuck on the idea that there was a mountain in on this.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1959
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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
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“One patient, who all morning, every morning, had to be kept in an institution in a wet pack, promptly at noon with a smile would jump out of bed, after having been in a fetal position all morning, very happily get dressed, go around and talk to everybody, as sane as anyone you wanted to meet. But the attendants would come around the next morning and there she would be curled up in a fetal position, so they would again put her in a wet pack until noon. This went on every day, and had been going on for five years — an interesting example of a time clock running on an engram.” — L. Ron Hubbard, July 8, 1950
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“TREATMENT: I have been reading a book in which water and bathing is covered as a cure for everything from hangnails to leprosy. It began in 1829. In 1850 Dr. John Bell of Philadelphia brought this treatment to a fine art. His book was called ‘Dietical and Medical Hydrology: A Treatise on Baths; including Cold, Sea, Warm, Hot, Vapour, Gas and Mud Baths…All this has nothing to do with soap or getting clean. It’s how the MDs treated various diseases in the 19th Century — soaking, boiling chilling patients. (The psychiatrist is still stuck in that period and still uses wet packs and shocks, namely an ‘Electric Bath’.) It’s all very funny. So you see, throwing people overboard is NOT disciplinary at all. It’s the practice of Hydropathy (water treatment) guaranteed to cure them of anything they have. As the medicos did it for nearly a century and psychiatry still does it, then of course, it is the thing to do. Thus we should immediately get in a Hydropathic Registrar and Invoice line for all flubbing students or recruits and sign them up for ‘A Hydropathological Treatment’ and throw them overboard. Who are we to go against a century and a half of solemn medical tradition?” — The Commodore, July 8, 1971
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“I see the possibility of a renaissance of Scientology. It can be big again. A second opportunity. An opportunity to make it go right. To learn from past mistakes and not commit it again. However, currently the group is going through a process of dying and in my opinion the process must be carried through to its end. The place looks like a ghost town. It’s hard to see it, but to deny won’t help it. We must make an honest review, see what went wrong and do it again. The death of the Scientology group must probably be completed and at the same time we can try again. What were the worst mistakes of us? Give your opinion. Mine is: promising states that were never achievable. Pretension of having attained such states.”
2000: Cinema magazine published an interview with Scientology celebrity Tom Cruise on July 1st. “Q: It could be read recently in the U.S. press that you wanted to leave
the Scientology Church. Can you comment on that? A: Look, people make mistakes. If you read the counter-presentations in certain magazines, you’ll see what I mean. Q: What advantages do you see in your membership in Scientology which is controversial in the media? A: I know that sometimes the media plays havoc, especially outside the USA. No belief is free from the hate of intolerant people who, luckily, only make up a minority of people. Actually, my religion has already helped me much – in private life and in work. Nevertheless, I hope that people judge me based on my films, regardless of which church I belong to.”
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“Why does any henchman remain loyal to a corrupt leader? It’s because they are reaping some of the rewards also, whether it be money or power, or in Mary Sue’s case, both.”
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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 Aug 4.
— ‘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.
Civil litigation:
— 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 Aug 4.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Next hearing August 1.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: New trial ordered after appeals court overturned prior ruling.
— Chiropractors Steve Peyroux and Brent Detelich, stem cell fraud: Lawsuit filed by the FTC and state of Georgia in August, now in discovery phase.
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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] The Insider: What I’m seeing is a Scientology in big trouble
[TWO years ago] John P. Coale, OT 6 Scientologist, among attorneys suing Big Tech for Trump
[THREE years ago] Scientology celebrity Catherine Bell’s July 4th was on fire!
[FOUR years ago] David Miscavige misses out on $30 billion building project proposed by Scientologists
[FIVE years ago] Masterson witness fears for safety as investigation drags on and on
[SIX years ago] Scientology and the Spoonbenders: Jon Atack on a previously unpublished Ingo Swann essay
[SEVEN years ago] Our money man takes another look at new (and grim) Scientology financial disclosures
[EIGHT years ago] NYTimes reports link between Scientology and hack of two who appeared in ‘Going Clear’
[NINE years ago] Ryan Hamilton files lawsuit 16 against Scientology’s drug rehab network
[TEN years ago] SCIENTOLOGY CELEBRITY REBELLION: Leah Remini Dared to Ask, “Where’s Shelly?”
[ELEVEN years ago] Prehistoric Aggression: More Reasons Katie Holmes Was Smart to Avoid Scientology Marriage Counseling
[TWELVE years ago] Tom Cruise Not a Kook! Pfizer Protest Linked to Scientology, But Don’t Tell the Protesters That
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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 3,084 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 3,599 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,149 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,139 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,020 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 5,324 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,195 days.
Doug Kramer has not seen his parents Linda and Norm in 2,300 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 4,747 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,089 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 12,655 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 8,574 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 4,741 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 4,323 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 4,584 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 3,620 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 3,336 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 2,900 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,215 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 2,390 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 6,941 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,072 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,410 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,265 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 4,384 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 2,740 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 7,043 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,149 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 3,547 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 3,423 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,006 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 3,501 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 3,755 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 14,864 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on July 8, 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
