TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Leah Remini’s 2023 ‘Fair Game’ lawsuit against Scientology got derailed when both sides didn’t like a preliminary ruling. After more than a year of briefing [...]]]>

 
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Leah Remini’s 2023 ‘Fair Game’ lawsuit against Scientology got derailed when both sides didn’t like a preliminary ruling. After more than a year of briefing at the appellate level, there’s finally an oral arguments hearing date. And lucky for all of us, we can watch it live! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

 
——————–

Technology Cocktail

“A man falls into a crevasse and is knocked out. His companions haul him forth. One is angry and comments over the unconscious man that he was always a clumsy fool and that the party would be better off without him. Another member defends the unconscious man, saying he is a good fellow. The unconscious man received a blow on the head in his fall and his arm was slightly injured in the recovery. After regaining consciousness the injured man has no ‘memory’ of the incident, which is to say, he cannot recall it consciously. The incident may lie dormant and never become active. But, for our example, the man who criticized him one day says, at the moment when the formerly injured man is weary, that somebody is a clumsy fool. Unreasonably, the formerly injured man will become intensely antagonistic. He will also feel an unreasonable friendship for the man who spoke up for him. Now the comanome is ‘keyed in’ or has become a part of the subject’s ‘behavior pattern.’ The
next time the injured man is on ice, the sight of it makes his head ache and his arm hurt in dwindling ratio to how tired he gets. Further, he may pick up a chronic headache or arthritis in his arm, the injuries being continually restimulated by such things as the smell of his parka, the presence of the other members, etc., etc. That is a comanome at work.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1950

 
——————–

Source Code

“The individual is in contest with his environment. We’ll just take off from that point. Now, that’s a very true observation. Particularly, if we qualify that observation just a little bit further and we say that a contest is not necessarily a battle of fisticuffs….Once umpty-skillion years ago I got swatted, and sat there very, very immobile, being right. I went on being right for quite a little while. See, by permitting myself to be immobilized, it made the other fellow wrong. It wasn’t really doing anything to him, taking no action, absolutely no forward thrust of any kind whatsoever, no outward motion, no outward flow of any kind, not even a thought of an outward flow and yet that was the method of handling the environment. So the way we qualify this is the method is not necessarily smart.” — L. Ron Hubbard, June 16, 1964

 
——————–

Avast, Ye Mateys

“A Comm Ev was ordered by Telex on the non-SO auditor at Asho (Sheila Aldrich) for evaluating and feeding cognitions and all but destroying tech. Pokras and Eltringham on the US Station Ship were ordered transferred to deck for 6 months for neglecting to report or put right area out tech. Another Comm Ev has been ordered on the Broadbents for fostering the situation. This was what had Asho stats down so long! So it’s time we got sharp and drilled up and put our own house in good order.” — The Commodore, June 16, 1970

 
——————–

Overheard in the FreeZone

“I have screenshots of this stuff, so there’s all the proof I need. You have played this game for far too long and when I put my intention and attention on something, I win. Believe me, I will put an end to your suppressive actions and this suppressive group. This is NOT Scientology, this is PURE ENTHETA.”

 
——————–

Past is Prologue

1996: Ron Newman’s web site at http://www.cybercom.net/~rnewman/scientology/home.html has been awarded an honorable mention in the Prix Ars Electronica, the world’s most prestigious prize for computer arts. The award is in the category of New Documentary Form. From the judges: “The fight between Internet and Scientology has already made it to net-history. Scientology tried to remove the discussion group devoted to debating them (alt.religion.scientology), has tried to kill the newsgroup by endless bouts of spams, has investigated people who use pseudonyms and posted their personalia to the net, used a private detective to observe posters from this newsgroup, has raided anon.penet.fi, Dutch ISP XS4all and the homes of various (US) citizens. Some of these actions are inspired by what Scientology calls copyright violation. The fight between a.r.s. and Scientology is in many ways formative for what one in the very near future can and cannot do on the net: for rules and regulations, for law and netiquette. Ron Newman’s home page is devoted to this fight. Beginning in early 1995, he keeps a home page on this Internet fight. The page is updated nearly every day, for fourteen months at a stretch, and now contains 5,5 Mb of data. It fulfills the needs of many who what to know what _exactly_ is going on.”

 
——————–

Random Howdy

“There are no theologians in Scientology. No one is allowed to interpret or tell a student what they think L. Ron Hubbard meant.”

 
——————–

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

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Sentenced to 30 years to life on Sep 7, 2023. Appeal now fully briefed, oral arguments scheduled for June 25. Masterson has also submitted a habeas corpus petition.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Pleaded guilty on Nov 10 to a 17-year prison sentence. Now serving time in state prison.
— Aaron Matthes charged for SA of child under 12 years old: OT Scientologist facing multiple mandatory life sentences. Next pretrial court hearing set for June 19.

Civil litigation:
— Leah Remini v. Scientology, alleging ‘Fair Game’ harassment and defamation: Some defamation claims were removed by Judge Hammock. Judge Hammock’s ruling is on appeal, which is now fully briefed. Oral arguments hearing set for July 23.
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ 15 days of arbitration completed, Val waiting for further word from the IJC.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson. Judge Upindra Kalra’s ruling denying Scientology’s motion to strike upheld on appeal. Scientology expected to file additional petitions before case can return to Kalra’s court.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration. Trial has been set for January 10, 2028.

 
——————–

 
Other links: The prosecution of Danny Masterson. Leah Remini’s Fair Game Podcast. Leah Remini’s A&E Series. Scientology’s Celebrities, from A to Z. Bryan Seymour’s suppressed series, 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?

 
——————–

THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Scientology is still buying up properties to create its Florida ‘Vatican’
[TWO years ago] When Father’s Day 2024 reminds you that Scientology ripped apart your family
[THREE years ago] THE WITNESS: Damian Perkins opens up about how the case against Danny Masterson began
[FOUR years ago] Valerie Haney facing new court hearing: why hasn’t Scientology ‘arbitration’ happened yet?
[FIVE years ago] Scientology has been desperate to produce results in Texas for a very long time
[SIX years ago] Buffy goes Clear, and other signs that Scientology has survived the coronavirus
[SEVEN years ago] Final testimony concludes in Nxivm trial. Judge calls it a most unusual case.
[EIGHT years ago] The trauma of leaving Scientology: ‘Who wants to believe they’ve thrown away their best years?’
[NINE years ago] Marty Rathbun’s project becomes clear: Someone’s worried about Scientology & the IRS
[TEN years ago] Our money maverick dives into Scientology’s latest financial house of horrors
[ELEVEN years ago] O Canada! All eyes in the Scientology-watching world will be looking north next week
[TWELVE years ago] LEAKED: The slick campaign Scientology had planned for UK expansion!
[THIRTEEN years ago] Scientology Sunday Funnies: When David Miscavige Made RTC Look Like The Matrix

 
——————–

 
——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on June 16, 2026 at 07:00

E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter.

Our book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is 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, 1995-2024 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2024), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)

Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates.

 

Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast

 

Tony Ortega at Rolling Stone

For years we were hearing that it was coming: David Miscavige was going to launch a Scientology TV channel. It finally happened on March 12, 2018 with a remarkable few minutes of Miscavige himself broadcasting from the Flag Building in Clearwater.

And then it immediately settled into a 24-hour stream of unwatchable Scientology propaganda.

The unrelenting infomercial [...]]]>

For years we were hearing that it was coming: David Miscavige was going to launch a Scientology TV channel. It finally happened on March 12, 2018 with a remarkable few minutes of Miscavige himself broadcasting from the Flag Building in Clearwater.

And then it immediately settled into a 24-hour stream of unwatchable Scientology propaganda.

The unrelenting infomercial style of Scientology TV wasn’t even worth making fun of, and we remember the pain experienced by YouTubers vainly sitting through it for comedy material.

Scientology TV was a massive disappointment, but it’s been going around the clock for six years now with almost zero impact on other media, the press, or the culture in any way.

But Miscavige is not the type to admit that he ever made a bad move, and so his Ideal Org program and his DirecTV channel will go on, even as Scientology’s membership dwindles and his buildings sit emptier and emptier.

Tonight, Scientology TV is debuting a new “season,” which means the episodes that have been on repeat forever will get swapped out for a new set of the same type, with lots of drone shots and GoPro footage of young people doing extreme sports intercut with scenes of young Scientology staffers looking like Olive Garden waiters laughing and pretending that they’re having a good time and not crying inside that they’re making less than minimum wage and haven’t talked to mom in years.

The one exception to this endless river of effluent are some documentaries that are shown because their filmmakers are desperate to get someone, anyone, to see their work. The filmmakers even sit for interviews at the Scientology Media Productions compound in Hollywood, and we’ve highlighted some of them in the past. And yes, some of them have regretted selling their souls to the Xenu crew.

Anyway, Dave put out a trailer for tonight’s new season, and we thought you might want to get a look at it.One thing that strikes us is how, over the last few years, NFL Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk is becoming more and more a part of Dave’s stable of shills.

For years we’ve noted his involvement in Scientology’s front group, Drug Free World, which wants to give the impression that it is fighting the abuse of illicit drugs, but is actually promoting Scientology’s wacky and dangerous lobbying against any pharmaceuticals, prescription or non-prescription, licit or illicit.

For a while, we tended only to hear about Faulk around time for the Super Bowl, when he would get himself interviewed on sports shows and bring up Drug Free World.

But now, Miscavige has been highlighting the former running back more and more. Miscavige, for example, made Faulk a focus of his speech at the IAS gala in East Grinstead, England in November. A sample…

Turns out Marshall, an avid golfer, had seen [Drug Free World] at event after event, and curiosity finally got the better of him. And so came his first introduction to the program. It immediately struck a chord for the fact he had seen so many youth lost to drugs while growing up in the projects of New Orleans. So he fully engages himself, reading and viewing all campaign materials, at which point he is next contacting Drug Free World with a proposition as direct as it gets: I think you guys need to make me the national spokesperson. And he announces it with his own personalized card, complete with a quick response code and linking right to the campaign homepage with his own gift of the booklet and online course. With that Marshall sets the game plan: whenever I do an event, Drug Free World is there.

And now, Faulk is a major part of the promotion for the new season at Scientology TV, perhaps the first recognizable “celebrity” to make such an appearance. But will it make a difference? Will anyone start watching this propaganda stream, and will it ever start to get some press attention or notice at large?

Let us know what you think.

 
——————–

Technology Cocktail

“Realism requires that auditing be a group action. As such a group can also teach a course, it is not difficult to recruit able people to help. I recall in particular two pathetic cases of singlism. One was a psychoanalyst who learned how to be an auditor and had to stop using Dianetics as it cleaned up all his practice and he had so much trouble finding ‘patients.’ The other was an auditor who found himself with the whole of a war vessel’s crew as pcs and no help in sight. In either case forming a Dianetic Counseling Group, getting them checked out on their ‘hats’ and doing their duties even part-time would have solved all.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1969

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.

 
——————–

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 [55] Mark Bunker [56] Trish and Liz Conley [57] Trish Conley [58] Alex Barnes-Ross [59] Alex Barnes-Ross [60] Alex Barnes-Ross [61] Alex Barnes-Ross [62] Alex Barnes-Ross [63] Alex Barnes-Ross [64] Tory Christman [65] Tammy Synovec [66] Dennis Erlich [67] Alex Barnes-Ross [68] Valerie Ross [69] Kat in Austin [70] Mark Bunker [71] Phil Jones

 
——————–

Source Code

“Don’t, by the way, think I’m utterly mad when I talk about this, because I am afraid that the very, very best and most conservative churches of the land would rather be found dead than to disagree with me on the fact that man does have a soul. And the quest of an auditor, in working with a preclear, is to discover and rehabilitate that soul and actually help the individual to find out where heaven is. If we use those terms, of course, it becomes very comprehensible, in a past frame of reference. But heaven isn’t what you think it is, and hell is right here….But isn’t it strange that whenever I talk to somebody about this, they are much more willing to accept this concept than they were willing to accept such things as prenatal engrams and so forth. The most violent reactions I get from people, ordinarily, ‘You mean I HAVE lived before and I WILL live again?’ And you say…’Yeah, and the race has lived for an awful long time, and you could probably do so-and-so and so-and-so, and step out of your body and soar off to Venus if you wanted to.’ Used to be I’d say to somebody…’There’s such things as prenatal engrams and a child records when it’s in its mother and so forth.’ And they’d say, ‘Yak yak yak yak yak yak yak yak.’ No agreement on the line. But people are agreeing with me on THIS in the most unexpected quarters, unexpected quarters. Most people are atheists because they know that the way it was drawn up and presented to them wasn’t the way it is. That’s why they’re atheists. So don’t have any great fear about this theta track and theta beingness, or even in relaying it to people, because you’re in for some surprises. They’ll sit there and they’ll say, ‘Is that so! Tell me more.’” — L. Ron Hubbard, April 15, 1952

 
——————–

Avast, Ye Mateys

“CORFU: It may be of interest that ‘Major’ Forte the British Consul in Corfu who messed the area up with lies is about to be sued by us in Corfu for libel and slander proven by his own testimony.” — The Commodore, April 15, 1971

 
——————–

Overheard in the FreeZone

“There appears to be one other state of being above OT that can be theoretically stated to be a True Static. So stay the course as things are about to change for the better. All of the hopes and dreams that we have worked so hard for are not only about to be realized — but surpassed.”

 
——————–

Past is Prologue

1996: Julie Mayo posted a series of articles this week, recalling her days spent in the cult. Some excerpts: “Miscavige, who was the boss of ASI (for profit company) and also ‘Special Project Ops’ and Trustee of RTC at the time, told me that I was being assigned to the RPF. I asked him why. He said ‘You know why, Miss Natter Box’. Miscavige told me I was being assigned to ‘hard labor’. This was the desert and it was August and it was hot. My job was to dig ditches. I was burning up and exhausted from the mental shock and lack of sleep. Rick Klingler, of the G.O., was at Gilman Hot Springs on the RPF. He was assigned to me as a buddy to make sure that I didn’t escape and that I dug ditches. I was put on the running program for 12 hours a day 7 days a week for weeks. We weren’t even given time to do our laundry. I remember bringing my laundry to the tree and then going to the bathroom. The bathroom had a back door, through which I could escape to the laundry room. I had to keep my eye out for Bucky Beaver, though, because he patrolled the area for people who weren’t doing what they should be doing. I never knew what Bucky’s real name was because we weren’t allowed to talk to crew. David Miscavige and a couple other people used to ride down on their scooters to watch us running around that tree. It must have been October or November by now because I remember Miscavige wearing a great, long coat and just stand up the hill with a couple others, watching us.”

 
——————–

Random Howdy

“The only thing standing between Scientology being viewed in the same light as FLDS, Peoples Temple or Branch Davidians by the general public is Tom Cruise and the rest of the celebs.”

 
——————–

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. Sentenced to 30 years to life 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. Next pretrial hearing May 17, 2024.
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud.

Civil litigation:
— Leah Remini v. Scientology, alleging ‘Fair Game’ harassment and defamation: Some defamation claims were removed by Judge Hammock. Leah seeking to amend her complaint.
— 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: motion to file new complaint, hearing on May 29.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration, hearing on April 16.
— Chiropractors Steve Peyroux and Brent Detelich, stem cell fraud: Ordered to mediation.

 
——————–

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 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?

 
——————–

THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] VIDEO: Scientology’s post-pandemic comeback starts right here, space cadets!
[TWO years ago] Calif. supremes want reply from DA to Danny Masterson’s bid for review in rape case
[THREE years ago] Kirstie Alley’s daughter: ‘Everyone’ is ditching Los Angeles for Clearwater
[FOUR years ago] ‘Rona blues: Court delays, Shelly on the menu, and more Scientology nonsense
[FIVE years ago] L. Ron Hubbard: Scientology will thrive when medical doctors are reined in
[SIX years ago] Scientology’s space opera ideas aren’t just for the upper levels, as one key early book shows
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology is No. 1 with No. 2! Or, how the Church of David Miscavige stinks up Clearwater
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology rips apart families with its ‘disconnection’ policy — but why?
[NINE years ago] Another leak of outtakes from 1997’s ‘Secret Lives’ — Scientology’s finance ‘dictator’
[TEN years ago] Jefferson Hawkins helps us understand Scientology’s L Rundowns!
[ELEVEN years ago] We Need Your Help, Scientology Watchers

 
——————–

 
——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on April 15, 2024 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

 

Tony Ortega at Rolling Stone

 Since Scientology’s TV channel (we hesitate to call it a “network”) first debuted in 2018, we’ve mostly kept away from it because it’s 24 hours of propaganda and nearly unwatchable.

About the only break viewers get is a weekly “Documentary Showcase” when Scientology brings in films by outsiders who are so desperate for their documentaries to [...]]]>

 
Since Scientology’s TV channel (we hesitate to call it a “network”) first debuted in 2018, we’ve mostly kept away from it because it’s 24 hours of propaganda and nearly unwatchable.

About the only break viewers get is a weekly “Documentary Showcase” when Scientology brings in films by outsiders who are so desperate for their documentaries to be shown somewhere, anywhere, that they not only allow Scientology to air them, but also the filmmakers often sit down for interviews themselves.

We’ve talked to a couple of them, in particular J.R. Biersmith, who made a great film about Somali football players, and defended his decision to allow Scientology to feature it as programming on its new channel.

Since then we’ve highlighted a number of other filmmakers who decided to help out David Miscavige and his TV project with their films, but we admit that in the last year or so we had not been paying attention: It was obvious that there was an unending supply of filmmakers desperate enough for exposure on Scientology’s notoriously bad station.

Then, we got a press release forwarded to us from Scientology, boasting about the documentary it will be featuring today on the 22nd anniversary of the 9-11 attacks.

Scientology Network’s Documentary Showcase, the weekly series providing a platform for Independent filmmakers to air films on important social, cultural and environmental issues, presents the broadcast debut of Man In Red Bandana on September 11, 2023.

Written and directed by Matthew J. Weiss and narrated by Gwyneth Paltrow, Man In Red Bandana documents the selfless courage and inspiring legacy of Welles Remy Crowther, a 24-year-old equities trader who worked on the 104th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Described by those he saved as a kind of guardian angel, Welles guided injured, disoriented and panic-stricken victims to safety via an escape route he had located. But instead of taking the opportunity to save himself, he climbed back up the stairway to rescue still more.

Now, this sounds like a fine film, and in fact it’s been out since 2017 and you can see it on YouTube right now. But Scientology wants to make a big deal about it, and so it is announcing this as the movie’s “World Broadcast Premiere.”

The release mentions that Weiss had done an interview for the Scientology Network, and that the Documentary Showcase is an integral part of promoting Scientology:

Fundamental to Scientology is a humanitarian mission that extends to some 200 nations with programs for human rights, human decency, literacy, morality, drug prevention and disaster relief. For this reason, the Scientology Network provides a platform for Independent filmmakers who embrace a vision of building a better world. Documentary Showcase debuts films weekly from award-winning Independent filmmakers whose goal is to improve society by raising awareness of social, cultural and environmental issues.

Look, we understand that filmmakers are desperate to get their work seen, and that appearing on Scientology Network will also get you an interview shot by a professional SMP crew.

But there’s little doubt that Scientology is happy to use the name of Gwyneth Paltrow to promote its unwatchable slate of shows. Did Gwyneth even have any say in whether her narration is used to promote David Miscavige’s expensive plot to overthrow the airwaves?

On this big day, the Shakespeare In Love actress will be helping draw in unsuspecting viewers who won’t be told they’re being sucked into a Scientology promotion.

 
——————–

Technology Cocktail

“Don’t skip the ‘Joburgs’ because they make pcs squirm. This is how you find and get the withholds off. The case won’t move if you don’t. And give many Joburgs, one after every long Pre-Hav run, one or two levels, for the case responsibility comes up and as it comes up new overts are realized and they’ve got to come off.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1961

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.

 
——————–

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

 
——————–

Source Code

“Several things need clarifying. And one is the length of the time track. And a lot of you have had considerable protest on the subject of the length of the time track. Because trillions of trillions of trillions of trillions of trillions of years, you know, T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T, you know and, ‘Oh, my God, ho, ho, ho! Oh, ho, ho dear! Getting so long. Da, dsa, dya, dya, dya, oh! Uh!’ You hear that around every once in a while. You probably felt like that yourself, you know. Well, I just have good news for you in that particular department. What I would choose to call ‘modern times’ extends from trillions – thirteen till now. That’s modern times. The stuff that’s more likely to influence the preclear in present time. Well, this is very germane.” — L. Ron Hubbard, September 11, 1963

 
——————–

Avast, Ye Mateys

“The Russian Cholera spread has altered our sailing schedule. The Eastern Med is crawling with Cholera bugs with red hammers and sickles stamped on them and certified to be lethal by the World Health Organization who needs a PR push to grab a quick buck from governments. It really isn’t dangerous but we’ll stay away from such areas. All ships except the Russian vessels carrying the disease are subject to Quarantine. Coming from a cholera port could get us one month quarantine which would mean no Couriers. So we just don’t risk being in a port that can be declared a cholera port or is one. Simple.” — The Commodore, September 11, 1970

——————–

Overheard in the FreeZone

“My feeling regarding LRH at the moment is that he experienced far more difficulties with implementing Scientology here than he anticipated and is taking his time to destimulate before jumping into the morass again. I suspect that Justin Craig was a BT from LRH who wasn’t fully handled.”

 
——————–

Past is Prologue

1995: Larry Wollersheim reported more dirty tricks by Scientology this week. “Lawrence Wollersheim has just learned that the security of his Rocky Mountain Internet email account has been breached by parties unknown. “Within hours of the seizure of his computer by US Marshals and the Church of Scientology on August 22nd, an unknown party broke into two email accounts — lawrence@rmii.com and lawrence@factnet.org — changed the passwords, read, and then deleted the email.” The cos also has been pressuring the judge to force Larry to disclose his PGP passphrase, which would let them read more sensitive documents from his hard disk. “Tonight’s local news included an interesting blurb about this case. The judge refused to order Wollersheim to disclose his passphrase, since the encrypted material comprised names of Co$ critics who could then be targeted by the Church.” And a disturbing portion from a report by the Denver TV station KUSA. “Outside the courthouse, Scientology Director Kurt Weyland held up a pair of handcuffs which he said symbolized what the church intended to do to Wollersheim. “Like I told you this morning, I brought these handcuffs here to show what it is that we are driving for, which is to bring this man to uhhh, bruhh, to justice.’ Another issue has arisen. Some of the computer files the Scientologists seized from Wollersheim’s home are encrypted. Scientology has asked Judge Kane to hold Wollersheim in contempt. Wollersheim says the encrypted files are lists of people he says are victims of Scientology and he says he’ll go to jail before turning over his passwords, which unlock his secret files.”

Random Howdy

“You would think a Scientology connection would be enough to kill any political campaign if it was really played up in the media.”

 
——————–

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.

 
——————–

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 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?

 
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Scientology delivers superpowers, and here are the miracles to prove it!
[TWO years ago] On 9/11, Scientology leader’s ‘wake-up call’ was supposed to expand the church
[THREE years ago] SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Episode 3 leaks online, with bizarre kidnap attempt in broad daylight
[FOUR years ago] After 3 years of Hurricane Leah: ‘Scientology today is light years ahead of what it was’
[FIVE years ago] A visit from a private investigator has us wondering if Scientology is behind it
[SIX years ago] HURRICANE LEAH: ‘The defenses are crumbling. Scientology in Los Angeles is dying.’
[SEVEN years ago] How Scientology repackages itself and takes in the New York Police Department and NY schools
[EIGHT years ago] US Army catches Scientology ‘detox’ study rigging results, government document shows
[NINE years ago] DOX: Scientology drug rehab center found deficient after a 2010 California death
[TEN years ago] Scientology Slackers: How to Audit Away Your Passive-Aggressive, Dominating Deviancy!
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology President’s Son Died of Prescribed Methadone While Sick With Pneumonia

 
——————–

——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on September 11, 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

 

Tony Ortega at Rolling Stone

Hey, gang, we’re back at The Daily Beast this morning, and how sweet it is.

The publication reached out to us during this week’s chaos following Danny Masterson’s sentencing to 30 years to life in prison and our subsequent [...]]]>

Hey, gang, we’re back at The Daily Beast this morning, and how sweet it is.

The publication reached out to us during this week’s chaos following Danny Masterson’s sentencing to 30 years to life in prison and our subsequent leak of the letters that had been sent on his behalf by such figures as Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis.

Those letters really blew up, and Friday turned out to be the biggest single day of readership here in the history of our humble Substack.

The reaction on social media was so fierce, meanwhile, Kutcher and Kunis felt obliged to put out a POW-style video yesterday apologizing for writing the letters that had gushed about Danny Masterson’s character.

We couldn’t help noticing the way Kutcher pointed out that the letters had been written for Judge Charlaine Olmedo: Were they actually under the impression that the letters wouldn’t eventually be made public?

Anyway, while the reaction to Kutcher and Kunis was the big story of the day, we didn’t want something else to get lost: What Jordan and Alanna Masterson had said about their father Joe Reaiche in their letters to Judge Olmedo.

We pointed out a few times during the two trials that for us nothing symbolized Scientology’s wretched totalitarian control of its members and the way it splits apart families than seeing Jordan and Alanna in the courtroom, day after day. We, of course, knew the backstory, that they had “disconnected” from their father when he was “declared” a “suppressive person” by the church in 2005, some ten years after he and Carol Masterson had divorced.

During those ten years, Joe had remained a constant presence in the lives of his own children and in the lives of his former stepchildren, Danny and Christopher Masterson, until Scientology excommunicated him and the kids all turned their backs on him.

Now, in letters to the court, Jordan and Alanna were making it sound like they had been abandoned by their father as very young children.

We figured that Joe would have something to say about that. And boy, did he.

Please check out our story at The Daily Beast. And also, we spent a few minutes on CNN yesterday with Fredricka Whitfield, and we thought you might also want to see that.

What a few days it’s been.

 
——————–

Technology Cocktail

“All Security Check sheets of persons Security Checked should be forwarded to Saint Hill, complete with all markings and the reason why the question would not at first clear, if important, or the drop marked which would not clear and whether or not the person was passed or failed.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1961

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.

 
——————–

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

 
——————–

Source Code

“You’ll find the artists and musicians of this particular planet always have some schnook alongside of them to cave them in. They always marry the wrong girl, you know, and get the wrong agent, and, because they’re creating. The industrialist, the manufacturer, that sort of thing, these boys, it’s not because of any deep-seated communist plot, it’s just they are in trouble, that’s all. They haven’t got enough force to protect their own creativeness, and as a result, why, people attack them. Elementary. Basic answer on the whole track, if you had never had anybody create anything, you would have no trouble. Nothing had ever been created, why, of course you wouldn’t have any universe to be in trouble with. This is all very elementary.” — L. Ron Hubbard, September 10, 1963

 
——————–

Avast, Ye Mateys

“Did you notice ashore how the native pesetas have inflated??? Wow. We better start getting our stats up. World inflation is ZOOMING. That would eat up all our reserves in a minute. So Hi Ho for the open sea. Farewell and adieu to you Spanish ladies. Farewell and adieu to you ladies of Spain. Until we strike soundings in the Channel of Old England. But we hope in a short time to see you again.” — The Commodore, September 10, 1969

——————–

Overheard in the FreeZone

“I say LRH had to return like he said he would and he had to create a totally different beingness in order to understand and communicate with the newest most severe levels of degraded beings here on Earth. I myself know: I was a former criminal and even a psych on my track, having done so I could penetrate their veils and then break their spells on others. One never knows all unless one experiences all.”

 
——————–

Past is Prologue

2001: A Fox News column by Roger Friedman noted the trend for the show Dharma and Greg to feature Scientology celebrities. “Has ABC’s Dharma and Greg become Scientology central for sitcoms? The group already has a vocal member in star Jenna Elfman, who plays Dharma. Elfman is the protege of acting teacher Milton Katselas, also a devotee of the pay-as-you-go cult favored by Tom Cruise, John Travolta and others. Last spring, avowed and outspoken cult member Kirstie Alley appeared in Dharma and Greg’s season cliffhanger as, of all things, a marriage
counselor. Now the show has announced a full-time cast addition: Juliette Lewis, former drug addict and star of awful movies like Kalifornia and Natural Born Killers. Lewis is one of Scientology’s foremost celebrity zombies. Last summer at a Creative Coalition panel discussion in Los Angeles about violence in the media, Lewis pushed the Scientology agenda the minute she got her chance. She ambushed moderator Carl Bernstein when she announced that what was really affecting children today was not violence in the media. The real culprit, she said, was psychotropic drugs. Scientologists, including Alley and Elfman, are vehemently against kids with illnesses like Attention Deficit Disorder getting psychiatric treatment or drugs like Ritalin. Dharma and Greg’s very affable co-executive producer Bill Prady told me that the propensity of Scientologists is merely a manifestation of who Elfman’s friends are. ‘Really, stunt casting is the bane of my existence. We go to the cast and say, ‘Who are your friends?’ And, ‘Who can you get?’ Jenna’s friends with Kirstie and with Juliette, so they came. One of our writers is friends with Bob Dylan, that’s how we got him. Right now we’re hoping to get Olivia Newton-John, who’s a friend of someone here. It’s really that simple.'”

 
——————–

Random Howdy

“After all these years a Scientologist is trying to dox me? I gave vaLLarrr more than enough clues to dox me but OSA was too incompetent to pick up on it. Actually it’s probably just Flunk looking for revenge.”

 
——————–

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.

 
——————–

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 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?

 
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] PODCAST: Paulette Cooper has been exposing Scientology’s abuses for more than 50 years
[TWO years ago] After Scientology’s 9-11 fakery, a Sea Org slave makes his dicey run for freedom
[THREE years ago] Scientology’s ‘Super Power’ couple slammed down by appeals court over tax debt
[FOUR years ago] Scientology: So much effort and heartache, for such little effect
[FIVE years ago] A dispatch from the front: Protesting Scientology’s anti-psych quackery
[SIX years ago] Ideal and Ideal-er: England org coming soon will be Scientology to the max
[SEVEN years ago] Laying to rest the obfuscations of L. Fletcher Prouty, Scientology’s conspiracist-for-hire
[EIGHT years ago] Another trial ordered against Narconon as Scientology derail attempt mostly fails
[NINE years ago] Finally! Scientology begins selling its mysterious ‘OT’ levels more openly with slick new videos!
[TEN years ago] SCIENTOLOGY MOVES TO DISQUALIFY MONIQUE RATHBUN’S ATTORNEYS
[TWELVE years ago] Scientology Schweinehund: Commenters of the Week!

 
——————–

——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on September 10, 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

 

Tony Ortega at Rolling Stone

 Last year we talked to J.R. Biersmith, one of the filmmakers who had agreed to allow the Church of Scientology to show their movies on the “Documentary Showcase” at the Scientology TV network on DirecTV.

Biersmith’s 2017 film, Men in the Arena, about Somalian soccer players, was quite good. But we asked him why he would [...]]]>

 
Last year we talked to J.R. Biersmith, one of the filmmakers who had agreed to allow the Church of Scientology to show their movies on the “Documentary Showcase” at the Scientology TV network on DirecTV.

Biersmith’s 2017 film, Men in the Arena, about Somalian soccer players, was quite good. But we asked him why he would want to help out Scientology TV by letting it show the movie. “When it comes to documentaries, getting your story out there is not easy. And when you have a new cable station coming on, you have to give it a thought,” he told us.

He said he was aware of Scientology’s controversies, but getting the word out about Somalia’s struggles was more important to him. Like most of the other filmmakers, he had not only let Scientology show his film to help out its young TV channel, but had also sat down for an interview at the Scientology Media Productions studios on Sunset Boulevard.

Our story spotlighted the baker’s dozen of films and their directors who were featured.

In September, we looked at another batch of filmmakers who had made their documentaries available to Scientology, and had also sat for interviews.

And now, a third set of filmmakers has joined their ranks. Six of them sat for interviews at Scientology’s new studios on Sunset Boulevard.

We know that getting a documentary seen can be tough, but we just wanted to put on the record who were the folks helping out Scientology, for, you know, future prosecutions — er, posterity. That’s it, posterity.

 
Uncommon Allies (2018)
Director: Jon Brick
IMDB: “In 2011, Rosilyn Temple’s son was murdered in his own apartment. He was 26 years old. To this day, his homicide remains unsolved. Uncommon Allies shows how Rosilyn, in the wake and devastation of her son’s murder, turned a personal search for justice into a life changing community call to action.”

 
A Tuba To Cuba (2018)
Director: TG Herrington

 
Getting to the Nutcracker (2014)
Director: Serene Meshel-Dillman
IMDB: “Every Christmas season, The Nutcracker Ballet is performed in cities all over the world. What does it really take to produce this ballet each year?”

 
Memphis Majic (2019)
Director: Eddie Bailey
IMDB: “Memphis Majic takes a look at the DNA of Memphis through the lens of a 30-year Memphis-born street dance called Jookin. The dance style derived from Memphis hip hop about 30 years ago.”

 
500 Miles (2019)
Executive Producer: Micah Fink
Outdoor Channel: “The film follows 16 Bureau of Land Management wild mustangs that are gathered and trained by the crew at Heroes and Horses. The veterans in the program set out in the middle of summer’s heat to begin prepping the horses for a 40-day re-integration program.”

 
Modified (2017)
Director: Aube Giroux
IMDB: “64 countries around the world label GMOs. Why don’t we?”

 
Eat Up (2019)
Director: Fiona Turner
Scientology.tv: “Eat Up is an eye-opening account on the abject state of school lunch programs and one entrepreneur’s yearlong mission to prove that she can improve the nutritional value of school lunches while offering food that students will actually want to eat.”

 
Saving Sea Turtles (2017)
Directors: Michele Gomes, Jennifer Ting

 
The Clean Bin Project (2010)
Director: Grant Baldwin
IMDB: “The Clean Bin Project is about a regular couple and their quest to answer the question ‘is it possible to live completely waste free?'”

 
Operation Toussaint (2018)
Director: Nick Nanton
IMDB: “Tim Ballard and his special forces team go undercover in Haiti to bring a ring of sex traffickers who bribed their way out of jail, to justice.”

 
The Fantasy Makers (2017)
Director: Andrew Wall
IMDB: “The Fantasy Makers is a feature documentary which examines the profound impact fantasy pioneers C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and George MacDonald have made on popular culture to this day.”

 
Australia: The Wild Top End (2018)
Director: Nick Robinson
IMDB: “A stunning journey through one of the most remote areas on the planet: far Northern Australia. Narrated by Indigenous elder Balang T. E. Lewis, this giant screen documentary explores the culture and wildlife of Australia’s wild north.”

 
——————–

Source Code

“I could read in this life when I was about three and a half years old. And then I went to school and they kept insisting that I learn how to read. And you know, I never learned how to read in school. I could read, only nobody ever heard that…You can read so then if anybody tries to teach you how to read and you won’t learn how to read and you can read, why nobody ever finds out about that. See? So you’ve had it. So, let’s say we were teaching a course on how to be a rocket jockey. How to fly a Mark 14 interplanetary scout ship. See, and we’re running a course on this. And we’ve got somebody and they had Mark 18s in their system and he knows all about flying one of these things, you know. Well, that’s fine you know. Here’s this, here’s that, and the instructor keeps saying, ‘Now just a minute. Hold it down now. Now, that is your circumlocutor.’ And the fellow says, ‘Yes, I know. And you pull it like this, and you go like this, and so forth; and it’s for vertical takeoff, see. Yeah, well now, what I do want to know is, you’ve got a couple of dials here that were taken off the later?’ And the instructor says, ‘Now just a minute, just a minute, that’s the circumlocutor.’ See. That guy has a hell of a time, see.” — L. Ron Hubbard, May 22, 1962

 
——————–

Overheard in the FreeZone

“The problem is that ‘thetans’ are more than ‘single viewpoint in space’ beings. The Time Track of Theta tapes speak of that. Buddhists are more aware of those issues. They must be laughing at us over this ‘Hunt for the Reincarnated LRH.’ In short, they know that there can be several reincarnated LRHs.”

 
——————–

Random Howdy

“I was attacked by an angry goose once. I still have that engram.”

 
——————–

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

Criminal prosecutions:
— Jay Spina: Sentencing was set for April 3 in White Plains
— Hanan and Rizza Islam and other family members: Trial set for October 7 in Los Angeles

Civil litigation:
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Waiting for an appellate decision from the Eleventh Circuit
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Hearing on motion for reconsideration set for August 11
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: July 8 (plaintiff attorneys pro hac vice), August 31-Sept 1 (CSI/RTC demurrer against Riales, Masterson demurrer), Oct 7-19 (motions to compel arbitration)
— 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.
— Matt and Kathy Feschbach bankruptcy appeal: Oral arguments were heard on March 11 in Jacksonville
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Amended complaint filed.

 
——————–

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?

 
——————–

THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Scientology loses a whale: Major donor Michael Baybak dead at 77
[TWO years ago] Jack Parsons is getting his star-turn next month, but we’ll have to wait for L. Ron Hubbard
[THREE years ago] Google helps Scientology censor two more of our stories — maybe you can help us figure out why
[FOUR years ago] Scientology makes you a god who can heal this horse just with your finger
[FIVE years ago] DOX: How Scientology ensnares the unsuspecting in a series of binding contracts
[SIX years ago] Scientology Hip Hop: Is there anything better in the world?
[SEVEN years ago] Meet Dennis Nobbe, Miami Chiropractor and Scientologist!
[EIGHT years ago] L. Ron Hubbard in his Own Words: Mr. Charisma?

 
——————–

——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on May 22, 2020 at 06:00

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, 1995-2019 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2019), 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

 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 [...]]]>

 
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.

 
——————–

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.

 
——————–

Source Code

“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

 
——————–

Overheard in the FreeZone

“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.”

 
——————–

Random Howdy

“Sometimes people in official positions ask me if I have any living relatives and I’m yeah, but…then I feel sad.”

 
——————–

Start making your plans…

 
Head over to the convention website and meet us in St. Louis!

 
——————–

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?

 
——————–

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!

 
——————–

——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on January 28, 2020 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, 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

In January, we talked to J.R. Biersmith, one of the filmmakers who had agreed to allow the Church of Scientology to show their movies on the “Documentary Showcase” at the Scientology TV network on DirecTV.

Biersmith’s 2017 film, Men in the Arena, about Somalian soccer players, was quite good. But [...]]]>

In January, we talked to J.R. Biersmith, one of the filmmakers who had agreed to allow the Church of Scientology to show their movies on the “Documentary Showcase” at the Scientology TV network on DirecTV.

Biersmith’s 2017 film, Men in the Arena, about Somalian soccer players, was quite good. But we asked him why he would want to help out Scientology TV by letting it show the movie. “When it comes to documentaries, getting your story out there is not easy. And when you have a new cable station coming on, you have to give it a thought,” he told us.

He said he was aware of Scientology’s controversies, but getting the word out about Somalia’s struggles was more important to him. Like most of the other filmmakers, he had not only let Scientology show his film to help out its young TV channel, but had also sat down for an interview at the Scientology Media Productions studios on Sunset Boulevard.

Our story spotlighted the baker’s dozen of films and their directors who were featured.

And now, a new set of filmmakers has joined their ranks. Most of them, like the last group, sat for interviews.

We know that getting a documentary seen can be tough, but we just wanted to put on the record who were the folks helping out Scientology, for, you know, future prosecutions — er, posterity. That’s it, posterity.

Unbranded (2015)
Director: Phillip Baribeau
IMDB: “Sixteen mustangs, four men, one dream: to ride border to border, Mexico to Canada, up the spine of the American West. The documentary tracks four fresh-out-of-college buddies as they take on wild mustangs to be their trusted mounts, and set out on the adventure of a lifetime.”

Mully (2015)
Executive Producer: Paul Blavin
Director: Scott Haze
IMDB: “A homeless orphan in Kenya becomes a lucrative businessman, only to give it all up and open an orphanage that today serves over 2000 Kenyan children.”

Stand (2013)
Director: Anthony Bonello
IMDB: “Under threat by the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline and tanker route is a coastline [in British Columbia], and a way of life rich in culture and history. Through the efforts of expedition stand-up paddler Norm Hann, an aboriginal high school class building their own stand-up paddleboards as a form of protest, and the powerful surfing of iconic west coast native Raph Bruhwiler, the diversity of people, landscape and wildlife that would be affected by an oil spill is articulated.”

Children of the Light (2014)
Director: Dawn Gifford Engle
IMDB: “A documentary on the life story of Desmond Tutu and his journey during the crucial years of anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa.”

[This is Dawn’s second entry. She was also part of the first group of filmmakers.]
 

Gottfried Helnwein and the Dreaming Child (2011)
Director: Lisa Kirk Colburn
IMDB: “World famous Austrian artist, Gottfried Helnwein, takes on the contentious role of Production Designer for a never before seen opera in Tel Aviv, Israel in 2010.”

[Lisa is also making a second appearance, and the subject of the film, Helnwein, is a longtime wealthy Scientologist.]

To the Ends of the Earth (2016)
Director: David Lavallée
Narrator: Emma Thompson
IMDB: “Emma Thompson narrates this environmental documentary about the rise of extreme energy, the end of economic growth and the people caught in the middle.”

[Yes, that Emma Thompson.]

Fallen (2017)
Director: Thomas Marchese
IMDB: “A humanizing look at line-of-duty police deaths across the country, and how these losses effect those close to the fallen, as well as the communities they serve.”

Right Footed (2015)
Director: Nick Spark
IMDB: “Jessica Cox was born without arms as a result of a birth defect, but managed to overcome many physical and emotional challenges to become fully independent. She learned to type with her toes, drive a car with her feet, and amazingly — fly an airplane with her feet.”

Breaking Through the Clouds (2010)
Director: Heather Taylor
IMDB: “Amelia Earhart and 19 other women defied convention by racing across the sky in 1929 to compete in the first women’s national air derby. With just a compass and road map to guide them, they navigated through rough weather, mechanical failures, public scrutiny and rumors of sabotage.”

[Four other films did not feature interviews with the filmmakers…]

Big Sonia (2016)
Directors: Leah Warshawski and Todd Soliday

Arabia (2011)
Director: Greg MacGillivray
IMDB: “Discover a land as exotic as it is extraordinary. Arabia 3D offers an in-depth understanding of one of the most fascinating lifestyles and cultures.”

Dogs on the Inside (2014)
Directors: Brean Cunningham and Douglas Seirup
IMDB: “Filmed in a Massachusetts prison, DOGS ON THE INSIDE follows the birth of a relationship between abandoned rescue dogs and prison inmates as they work together toward a second chance at a better life.”

Road to Peace (2012)
Director: Leon Stuparich
IMDB: “In a world dominated by violence, how can we create peace in our lives? This award-winning film goes on an extraordinary journey with the Dalai Lama, demonstrating how anyone can create change and transform the world in which we live.”

 
——————–

Overheard in the FreeZone

“Levitation is possible. Like making the body float. I imagine with lots of spiritual practice you can do it, i remember some Scientologists could do it back in the 50s. Apparently when someone is possesed by a demon they can start speaking a foreign language they never learnt and suddenly can levitate. The Exorcist movie is literally based on true stories. Preists who do exorcisms know about this. This is all true, people really dont know whats actually possible”

 
——————–

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?

 
——————–

THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Another life connected to Scientology ends in despair, as so many do
[TWO years ago] Forced to open its books, one overseas Scientology rehab shows that business is grim
[THREE years ago] Scientology’s secret sites: The Bunker premieres drone footage never before seen of ‘Int Base’
[FOUR years ago] TEN YEARS GONE: Shelly Miscavige, the wife Scientology’s leader wants us to forget
[FIVE years ago] Sunday Funnies: Scientology is going down in style!
[SIX years ago] Scientology Heresy: Jon Atack on L. Ron Hubbard’s Debt to Psychiatry
[EIGHT years ago] The Top 25 People Crippling Scientology, No. 11: Nick Xenophon

 
——————–

——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on September 7, 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

The 2017 documentary Men in the Arena follows two teenagers trying to make it as soccer players in one of the most dystopian places on earth — battle-ravaged Somalia.

Think Hoop Dreams, but set in a war zone.

The two young players are good enough that [...]]]>

The 2017 documentary Men in the Arena follows two teenagers trying to make it as soccer players in one of the most dystopian places on earth — battle-ravaged Somalia.

Think Hoop Dreams, but set in a war zone.

The two young players are good enough that they play on Somalia’s mostly hapless national team, which goes to Kenya in 2013 for an important regional tournament against other eastern and central African national squads. No one there expects them to score a goal, let alone win a match.

But with what Somalia had been through, it was amazing that there was any team at all. The Islamist terror organization al-Shabaab outlawed all sport in the country, and even after a more moderate faction had wrested control, the national stadium in Mogadishu was still in no shape for a game to take place. The team’s two stars, Saadiq Mohamed and Sa’ad Hussein, would have to take their obvious talents elsewhere if they were going to have any success, but it was tough to work on your ballhandling skills when you’re not sure where your next meal was coming from, or even if you would survive that long. So the 2013 trip to Kenya became crucial for them to catch the eye of a foreign talent scout for a chance at playing in other parts of Africa, perhaps even Europe, or maybe even the ultimate dream of going to America.

It’s a stunning documentary, obviously crafted not only with technical skill by director J.R. Biersmith, but also at considerable personal risk. And Biersmith became part of the story, as later reporting shows. Saadiq managed to get to the US and is currently playing for a university team, and Biersmith then personally helped Sa’ad join his former teammate in the US as the documentary was about to premiere in 2017 — it would have been dangerous for either of the young men to be in Somalia when a film critical of al-Shabaab came out.

We thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and we watched it by paying $3.99 on YouTube, streaming it on our laptop about a week ago. And the reason we did it was that we had reached out to Biersmith, who was good enough to get back to us and agreed to a phone conversation about his documentary.

We wanted to ask him why he was allowing his film to show on the Church of Scientology’s DirecTV channel.

Last March, David Miscavige premiered “Scientology TV” after a long build up. It debuted along with a massive advertising campaign, with commercials on prime time television shows and ubiquitous web advertising. But the channel itself was universally panned — it was nothing but 24 hours of church propaganda on a heavily repeating schedule.

In the fall, Miscavige crowed about a “second season” at the channel, and one of its features would be a documentary showcase, showing real films by legitimate filmmakers that had nothing to do with Scientology. This first batch includes 13 films, including Biersmith’s Men in the Arena.

Most of the filmmakers in the showcase also sat down for interviews that you can watch at Scientology TV’s website.

 
The first thing we asked Biersmith was whether that interview was shot at Scientology Media Productions, the lavish studios Scientology opened in 2016 on Sunset Boulevard. He said it was.

He lives in Los Angeles, and he heard about the showcase through his friend and fellow director Sarah Moshman, who also has a film in the series.

“Our distributor called and asked, do you have any issues with this? I of course thought about it,” he says. “Ultimately it’s not a very sexy answer, I really just settled on that we made a film about a people and place that the entire world looks at as a pariah, and I want as many people to see it as possible. The film is a 90-minute experience that exists on its own. Ultimately, I was like, fine.”

We asked if he was aware of the controversies surrounding Scientology, the things that Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney had uncovered in his HBO film Going Clear, or that Leah Remini was exposing on her A&E series Scientology and the Aftermath.

Biersmith says he was aware of those issues. He brought up the Christian Broadcast Network, which airs things he finds repugnant. “If they called and offered to show my film, I would say all right. That’s an audience that might not otherwise get to see it,” he says.

“When it comes to documentaries, getting your story out there is not easy. And when you have a new cable station coming on, you have to give it a thought.”

We asked how familiar he was with Scientology TV.

“I haven’t watched anything over there. If you looked at how they were pitching it, it was all church related,” he says. “But they really want to understand the documentary world. When you go over to do the interview, there’s a bunch of people. They had one guy who reached out to the filmmakers. They seemed to be really thoughtful. They said they didn’t just want to acquire films, they wanted to better understand what the intent was with the films. They wanted to get to know the filmmaker.”

Biersmith says that appealed to him. “Of course, who knows what the motives are, but that wasn’t something I had experienced before.”

He was told that his movie would air twice on the showcase. (In fact, it’s playing tonight at 8 pm Eastern, for its second run.)

He didn’t mind doing the interview, but he says they also wanted him and the other filmmakers to do promo spots to run the day their film was running.

Biersmith declined. “That’s on them. That’s not me.”

He says he also gave them some advice. “I was trying to tell them, if you really want to make a documentary showcase, it needs to be its own entity, not tied to the church, or it will fail.”

Since his movie played on the channel the first time, we asked him if he’d heard much of a reaction. He said we were the first person to contact him and ask about it.

“I was glad you called,” he said. “I was glad to have a conversation. There are conflicts of interest everywhere, but a film needs to stand on its own…One of the things we talked about — they do some human rights things. So, then they can shine a light on a place like Somalia that nobody gives a fuck about.”

We told Biersmith that we were very glad that he’d agreed to an interview, and that we very much enjoyed talking to him — and we liked his movie. But we told him that the documentary showcase and its interest in getting to know filmmakers felt a lot like another Scientology effort, the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future contest, that since the 1980s has involved some of science fiction’s biggest names. (In recent years, more and more contest winners have been questioning whether the contest is tainted by its association with Scientology.)

We also told Biersmith that our readers would probably not be very happy that he was lending his talents to Scientology’s attempt to legitimize its TV network.

“Your readers can say whatever they want to me, but that is always going to be my answer,” he says, adding that getting the word out about Somalia is always more important to him.

We also sent emails or other messages to all of the other filmmakers in the series. We heard back from only one other, Marlene “Mo” Morris, director of the film A New Color. (IMDB’s description: “African American artist, educator, and activist Edythe Boone has been changing the world one mural at a time for decades, then tragedy strikes.”)

When we asked her if she was aware of Scientology’s controversies, she wrote back, “Yes. I am aware of that and made what I believe is a principled decision.”

She asked why we were asking, and when we explained that we were asking for this website, she didn’t respond further.

 
The others didn’t respond at all. Most of them did sit for interviews at Scientology Media Productions.

 
Alex James: Slowing Down Fast Fashion (2016)
Director: Ben Akers
IMDB: “Alex James, Blur bassist turned cheese maker, presents this critical look at our disposable approach to clothing and it’s enormous human and environmental cost.”

 
The Kids Menu (2016)
Director: Kurt Engfehr
Producer: Joe Cross
IMDB: “In THE KIDS MENU, Joe Cross meets with experts, parents, teachers and kids, coming to the realization that childhood obesity isn’t the real issue, but rather a symptom of a bigger problem.”

 
The Rescuers (2011)
Director: Michael King
IMDB: “The film traces the journey of Stephanie Nyombayire, a young Rwandan anti-genocide activist who teams up with Sir Martin Gilbert, the renowned Holocaust historian, to travel across 15 countries and three continents interviewing survivors and descendants of the diplomats who rescued tens of thousands of Jews from the unspeakable horrors of the Nazi death camps.”

 
Letters from Generation Rx (2017)
Director: Kevin P. Miller

 
Nicky’s Family (2011)
Director: Matej Minac
IMDB: “The story of Nicholas Winton, an Englishman who organized the rescue of 669 Czech and Slovak children just before the outbreak of World War II.”

 
The Empowerment Project: Ordinary Women Doing Extraordinary Things (2014)
Director: Sarah Moshman
IMDB: “The incredible journey of five female filmmakers driving across America.”

 
Pictures from a Hiroshima Schoolyard (2012)
Director: Bryan Reichhardt
IMDB: “A documentary focused around a set of old Japanese children’s drawings found in the closet of a member of All Souls Church in Washington, DC in 1995”

 
Humpback Whales (2015, 40 min)
Director: Greg MacGillivray
Narrator: Ewan McGregor
IMDB: “An in-depth look at the lives of humpback whales and the challenges they face to avoid extinction.”

 
Easy Like Water (2012)
Director: Glenn Baker
IMDB: “As flood waters threaten, a visionary architect is building solar floating schools — and creating a blueprint for his country’s survival. But can ‘Bangladesh’s Noah’ keep his imperiled nation from drowning?”

 
——————–

Start making your plans!

 
——————–

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?

 
——————–

THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] A new chapter for one of the best Scientology books of all time? Yes, and we have it!
[TWO years ago] Leah Remini has changed Scientology forever — which episode was your favorite?
[THREE years ago] Stalked in New Orleans cemetery: Scientology’s secretive defectors getting more open
[FOUR years ago] VIDEO LEAK: See former Scientology official Marty Rathbun interrogated under oath
[FIVE years ago] Jon Atack on Scientology’s fundamental feature: the thousand-yard stare
[SIX years ago] Blogging Dianetics, Part 3: The Meaning of Life!
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology’s Goons: Intimidating a 71-Year-Old Missouri Grandmother

 
——————–

——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on January 18, 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

 Once again we had a correspondent on the scene at last night’s event on L. Ron Hubbard Way in Los Angeles as Scientology celebrated the premiere of its second “season” of propaganda airing at Scientology TV. Here’s their report…

LRH Way is entirely blocked off, from Fountain to Sunset, for the event. It’s set up the [...]]]>

 
Once again we had a correspondent on the scene at last night’s event on L. Ron Hubbard Way in Los Angeles as Scientology celebrated the premiere of its second “season” of propaganda airing at Scientology TV. Here’s their report…

LRH Way is entirely blocked off, from Fountain to Sunset, for the event. It’s set up the same way it was in March for the premiere of Scientology TV, and just like any other major event here — in other words, multiple rows of seats facing the big TV screen on LRH Way, food tables, kiosks, and displays behind the seating. There are two medium-sized screens spaced along on the left side of the street for people sitting nearer to the back.

The stage and projection TV are placed with their backs to Fountain Avenue, and spanning the width of the road. Pre-event food is being served, and it’s hamburgers and hot dogs. They’re spending a lot of money.

For what it’s worth, it looks like this is going to be a regular event, whenever they premiere a new season or new shows on the TV channel. And it seems to fit nicely the day after the IAS weekend in England, and before video of the IAS events are played at the orgs elsewhere.

They are confirming people for another Scientology TV premiere event next week, for the first showing of Inside Scientology: Freewinds and Destination Scientology: London. (I’m in shock about that. Back to do this again on LRH Way in just a week?)

Like in March, they are making a point that this event is open to the general public. And there’s no regging going on. None.

An LAPD squad car is guarding LRH Way at the intersection with Sunset.

A spotlight machine has 4 moving beams shining into sky. They want it to have the feel of an old-fashioned Hollywood premiere.

Seat warmers have been provided. There’s live music.

For those who want to watch the shows in Russian, they are set up in the ASHO Chapel. For Spanish, in the LA Org chapel.

The event started with a group photo shoot — the audience got on stage.

Joy Villa is in attendance. In the front row.

As expected, we started watching the premiere of Scientology TV at 8 pm. We continued watching until 11 pm.

They handed out copies of a new International Scientology News magazine that is devoted to the Season 2 premiere.

Two observations on content: It looks like a CCHR documentary is going to be integrated into the “Documentary Showcase.” And it looks like Tony Muhammad has been replaced by Fred Shaw going forward for CCHR anti-psych events.

Shaw and Rizza Islam were featured in a promo for the upcoming Voices for Humanity CCHR anti-psych episode.

 
Three hours of Scientology TV programming? In a row? That must have been brutal. But thanks, Joy, for making the scene and confirming where your loyalties lie. And thank you, correspondent, for being on the scene for us.

 
——————–

Scientology’s celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs’ — now with comments!

We’re building landing pages about two of David Miscavige’s favorite playthings, his celebrities and his ‘Ideal Orgs.’ We’re posting pages each day, and we’re hoping you’ll join in and help us gather as much information as we can about them, in order to build a record and maintain a watch as Scientology continues its inexorable decline — and yes, we finally have comments working on these new pages! Head on over and help us with links and photos and comments about all of your favorite celebrities and failing Ideal Orgs

Previously, we posted pages for celebrities Anne Archer, Beck Hansen, Catherine Bell, Chick Corea, Elisabeth Moss, Erika Christensen, Ethan Suplee, Giovanni Ribisi, Greta Van Susteren, Jenna Elfman, John Travolta, Juliette Lewis, Kelly Preston, Kirstie Alley, Laura Prepon, Marisol Nichols, Michael Peña, Nancy Cartwright, Tom Cruise Danny Masterson, Stanley Clarke, Edgar Winter, Alanna Masterson, Billy Sheehan, Judy Norton-Taylor, Terry Jastrow, and Eddie Deezen. And for the Ideal Orgs of Portland, Oregon; Sydney, Australia; San Diego, California; Denver, Colorado; Nashville, Tennessee; Perth, Australia; Tokyo, Japan; Sacramento, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Silicon Valley, California; Rome, Italy; Orlando, Florida; Moscow, Russia; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Seattle, Washington; Dallas, Texas; Melbourne, Australia; San Fernando Valley, California; Pasadena, California; Bogotá, Colombia; Budapest, Hungary; Phoenix, Arizona; London, England; Orange County, California; Atlanta, Georgia; Auckland, New Zealand; Miami, Florida.

Today it’s Sofia Milos and Basel, Switzerland!

 
——————–

——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on October 9, 2018 at 07:00

E-mail tips and story ideas to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We post behind-the-scenes 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 book, 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, 1995-2017 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Undergound Bunker (2012-2017), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)

Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…

BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
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

Other links: 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

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

Scientology never gives up. We have pointed this out to you countless times, and now more than ever we can demonstrate how true it is.

Sure, the press for Scientology is as miserable as ever, and we see plenty of signs that the organization is still shrinking, is having staffing problems, [...]]]>

Scientology never gives up. We have pointed this out to you countless times, and now more than ever we can demonstrate how true it is.

Sure, the press for Scientology is as miserable as ever, and we see plenty of signs that the organization is still shrinking, is having staffing problems, and is getting a good look from various government investigating agencies during what has turned out to be quite a long lull between Leah Remini’s season two and three.

Leah’s looming new set of episodes apparently begins with a special on Jehovah’s Witnesses on November 13, but if that should give Miscavige pause, he isn’t letting it slow him down.

We’re barely keeping up with all of his launches and premieres and events, so imagine how his put-upon followers must feel as they try to figure out which direction they need to do their latest bowing and scraping and writing of checks.

Tonight, specifically, they’ll all be expected to be glued to their televisions and other devices — or better yet, to be in attendance for watch parties — for the premiere of Scientology TV’s new fall “season” as Miscavige rolls out another set of propaganda programs to put on repeat 24 hours a day…

 
As you can see from sneak peeks of the upcoming new shows, it’s the same slick and frenetic stuff that Miscavige has paid top dollar for over the last decade or so, but from what we can tell, the public at large has no use for it.

DirecTV isn’t talking about how many people are tuning into Scientology TV, but there are still signs that it isn’t catching on as Miscavige might have hoped, despite the huge amounts of cash he’s pouring into it.

When we want to take a peek at what’s airing, we check in at Scientology.tv, where you can pretty easily scan the current schedule without having to actually, you know, watch any of it. Admittedly, Scientology.tv is only one way of many that viewers can tune into Miscavige’s hype, but we find it interesting that after an initial spike in viewership — purely out of curiosity after a huge and expensive advertising campaign — traffic to Scientology.tv pretty quickly settled back into a negligible stream…

That’s an Alexa graph, and it’s not a measure of direct traffic — it measures rank against other websites — but it does suggest pretty strongly what sort of neighborhood Dave’s enterprise is in. It’s showing a current ranking for Scientology.tv as the 217,043rd most visited website in the United States.

To give you some idea, the website you’re currently reading is around the 27,000th most visited, and that’s in the middle of a valley we’re experiencing between Leah Remini seasons and heavy competition from the lovely political reality show we’re living in. (Scientology.org, the church’s main website, is around 50,000th most visited, lagging well behind us.)

Still, Dave is doing his best to pretend that Scientology TV is a thing, and his latest brainstorm is to rope in some new shills, like he does at Ideal Org grand openings or those prominent science fiction writers who act as judges in his Writers of the Future contest.

In this case, we’re talking about Scientology TV’s new “Documentary Showcase” that will feature independent (read, “desperate”) filmmakers who can’t get their movies shown elsewhere.

The first documentary to be featured airs on Friday, and it’s a 2014 film about remarkable women titled The Empowerment Project, made by director Sarah Moshman.

Several days ago, we emailed Moshman to ask her why in the world she would want her movie shown on Scientology TV — is she a Scientologist?

She hasn’t responded, but as reader ISN showed last night in the comments, Moshman has appeared in a preview of her film specifically for Scientology, without using the word “Scientology” itself…

 
“You can watch it here on Documentary Showcase,” she says sunnily, and we hope she understands the notoriety that comes with being such a prominent shill for Miscavige. Maybe Leah Remini will fill her in on that at some point.

Sigh.

As we said, this is something of a moment for Miscavige. Not only is his TV network having its big new season premiere tonight, but this weekend was the biggest three-day shindig of the year, with the annual IAS hoopla going on in East Grinstead, England.

 
On Friday night, Miscavige appeared under the big tent they set up for this annual shitshow, and he droned through another two-hour stemwinder about what a great year it’s been before handing out new Freedom Medals. Saturday night, it was the Patron’s Ball, and Miscavige gave out gaudy new trophies to the whales — we’ll find out who took home the hardware in a new issue of Impact magazine that will show up in a few months. Some glimpses of the proceedings have been showing up already, but no sign yet whether Tom Cruise made the scene with his bigass medal, as he does some years.

We did find it interesting that a couple of brothers from the Mexico City Agami clan, Ari and Daniel, seen here with Hungarian actress, Timea Vojtilla, received Freedom Medals Friday night…

The Agami brothers run a Scientology-based education program in Mexico, Intelligens, but we can’t help wondering if reader Intergalactic Walrus is right that their selection had something to do with the Agami family building Tom Cruise’s new condo building in Clearwater.

Also this weekend, photos finally showed up at Scientology’s website of something that happened nearly a month ago in Germany.

For some time now, Miscavige has been doing what he can to keep his Ideal Org grand openings secret from outside observers. (We can’t help wondering if it has something to do with this coup scored by a few of our enterprising readers, who managed to stake out a spot to film Miscavige during the grand opening for the Atlanta Ideal Org in 2016.)

That secrecy has reached such a level, last month Miscavige held a grand opening in Stuttgart, Germany and not only successfully kept any word of it from leaking ahead of time, he didn’t even post any evidence of it for almost a month at the Scientology.org website, which is unprecedented.

But now we can see that it was a pretty standard opening, with Miscavige himself officiating, along with the usual local shills…

Actual Scientology caption: “MR. DAVID MISCAVIGE WITH (LEFT TO RIGHT): Alexander Petz, Human Rights Attorney; Dr. Elke Preusser-Franke, President of the Jewish Women’s Association of Germany; Mr. Samir El Midani, Advisor to the Stuttgart Interfaith Center; and Ms. Jirina Hlasivcova, youth drug education counselor, Center for Drug Prevention and Therapy.”

Scientology continues to shrink, but somehow its leader is getting taller, judging by this photograph — how do they find such short shills in a place like Stuttgart?

Miscavige may not be a tall man, but he sure has been busy, you have to give him that.

 
——————–

Scientology’s celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs’ — now with comments!

We’re building landing pages about two of David Miscavige’s favorite playthings, his celebrities and his ‘Ideal Orgs.’ We’re posting pages each day, and we’re hoping you’ll join in and help us gather as much information as we can about them, in order to build a record and maintain a watch as Scientology continues its inexorable decline — and yes, we finally have comments working on these new pages! Head on over and help us with links and photos and comments about all of your favorite celebrities and failing Ideal Orgs

Previously, we posted pages for celebrities Anne Archer, Beck Hansen, Catherine Bell, Chick Corea, Elisabeth Moss, Erika Christensen, Ethan Suplee, Giovanni Ribisi, Greta Van Susteren, Jenna Elfman, John Travolta, Juliette Lewis, Kelly Preston, Kirstie Alley, Laura Prepon, Marisol Nichols, Michael Peña, Nancy Cartwright, Tom Cruise Danny Masterson, Stanley Clarke, Edgar Winter, Alanna Masterson, Billy Sheehan, Judy Norton-Taylor, and Terry Jastrow. And for the Ideal Orgs of Portland, Oregon; Sydney, Australia; San Diego, California; Denver, Colorado; Nashville, Tennessee; Perth, Australia; Tokyo, Japan; Sacramento, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Silicon Valley, California; Rome, Italy; Orlando, Florida; Moscow, Russia; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Seattle, Washington; Dallas, Texas; Melbourne, Australia; San Fernando Valley, California; Pasadena, California; Bogotá, Colombia; Budapest, Hungary; Phoenix, Arizona; London, England; Orange County, California; Atlanta, Georgia; and Auckland, New Zealand.

Today it’s Eddie Deezen and Miami, Florida!

 
——————–

——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on October 8, 2018 at 07:00

E-mail tips and story ideas to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We post behind-the-scenes 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 book, 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, 1995-2017 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Undergound Bunker (2012-2017), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)

Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…

BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
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

Other links: 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

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