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 A year ago, we told you about a surprising discovery made by Paulette Cooper when she was looking through Patty Moher’s collection of Scientology materials during a gathering at Patty’s house in Connecticut — Paulette stumbled on a pamphlet put out by the church in 1969 that featured an interview with a 7-year-old Neil Gaiman.
The interview was a transcript of a 1968 BBC radio show which featured the young Gaiman, who had been kicked out of a school because of his family’s affiliation with Scientology. A year later, the church included the transcript in a political pamphlet because Scientology was under attack in Parliament, and the young Neil made such a fine example of a budding member of the organization. At the time, we hoped someone at the BBC could track down the original audio of Neil’s interview, and we asked again in June, when Neil’s new book, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, was published. And now, someone at the BBC has found the audio! Continue reading BBC Tracks Down Audio of 7-Year-Old Scientologist Neil Gaiman
We were amused to see the word “EXCLUSIVE” slapped onto the title of yesterday’s story in the Daily News about Scientology building a community center in Harlem.
Back in 2007, the Village Voice, where we worked, was one of several publications to write stories about Scientology spending millions to buy some properties on 125th Street, saying that it would open a new community center in “a couple of years.” Yesterday, the “Exclusive” news in the Daily News was that a chapel and cafe are still a year away from opening (or so church spokespeople claim), and the community center is even farther from completion. That’s news? Continue reading What the Daily News Left Out of its Story on Scientology in Harlem Advertisement
 As our readers can probably imagine, we’re pretty excited here in the Underground Bunker after getting yesterday’s news about Monique Rathbun’s hearing date for a temporary injunction on September 12. Scientology legal matters are definitely heating up, and so we thought it was time for a general roundup of the major cases being litigated around the country.
We’re starting in Michigan, where we revealed recently that Per Wickstrom, who runs a number of Scientology-style drug rehab centers, has filed suit against the Pennfield Township (near Battle Creek) because it has repeatedly turned down his requests to expand one of his facilities, called “A Forever Recovery.” The Township removed the case to federal court and filed a motion to dismiss it. And now, Wickstrom is battling back: by whining. Continue reading Scientology Legal Roundup: Per Wickstrom’s Fine Whine, And More!
 The temporary restraining order that prevents Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige from surveilling Monique Rathbun has been extended to September 12, when a two-day hearing has been scheduled which could see dramatic testimony about electronic snooping, sexual taunting, and other alleged harassment by the church.
Monique is married to Mark “Marty” Rathbun, who was once the second-highest ranking executive in the church until his defection in 2004. Since 2009, he’s operated a blog critical of Scientology leader David Miscavige, and as a result, the Rathbuns have been the subject of years of surveillance and intimidation by the church, much of it documented at this website. Continue reading Monique Rathbun vs. Scientology: Temporary Injunction Hearing Set for Sept 12
 Claire Headley is taking us on our journey to train as Scientologists. She and her husband Marc were Sea Org workers who escaped from Scientology’s International Base in 2005. She spent years working with Scientology’s “tech,” and was trusted to oversee the auditing of Tom Cruise. Go here to see the first part in this series.
Claire, you’ve been helping us see how much of Scientology is all about indoctrination and control as church members move up the “Bridge to Total Freedom.” We’ve now reached something called “Expanded Grade 2,” and there’s more repetition — once again we’ll be drilled on “overts and withholds” (moral transgressions, and making them worse by trying to keep them hidden). But for many folks, this is also when they first encounter the dreaded “security check” or “sec check.” In other words, Scientology’s interrogation culture now kicks into high gear. CLAIRE: That’s right, and it includes (but isn’t limited to) what is known as the “toughest” sec check in Scientology, the “Joburg.” It was developed in Johannesburg for the most hardened of criminals. Continue reading The Dreaded “Joburg Sec Check”: Scientology Interrogations, Explained!
 Once again, The Underground Bunker has teamed up with Woman’s Day, Australia’s largest selling magazine, to bring you an exclusive story.
Anette Iren Johansen recently left the Church of Scientology and has been blogging about her experiences, citing “terrible abuses committed within the church.” But she saved until now her biggest secret: She was one of numerous women the church auditioned in 2004 and 2005 when Tom Cruise was looking for a new wife. She’s the first, however, to go public about her experience. Anette spoke to Henry Meller, US reporter for Woman’s Day, and yesterday his story hit store shelves in Australia. Continue reading ANETTE IREN JOHANSEN: “I Auditioned To Be Tom Cruise’s Wife”
 Jon Atack is the author of A Piece of Blue Sky, one of the very best books on L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology. He has a new edition of the book for sale, and on Saturdays he’s helping us sift through the legends, myths, and contested facts about Scientology that tend to get hashed and rehashed in books, articles, and especially on the Internet.
Jon, last week you took on the shared reality that props up Scientology’s cosmology. But what about L. Ron Hubbard himself? Did he share in that reality? This time, you said you wanted to tackle Hubbard’s original motivations for creating a worldwide movement. What have you found out? JON: In the 1952 book Scientology: 8.80, Hubbard described his goal in these words: “My purpose is to bring a barbarism out of the mud it thinks conceived it and to form, here on Earth, a civilization based on human understanding, not violence. That’s a big purpose. A broad field. A star-high goal.” Continue reading What Motivated L. Ron Hubbard? Historian Jon Atack Follows the Clues
 Who said the Sunday Matinee was dead? We’re doing our best to bring it back today with an all-video edition of Sunday Funnies, when we show you the best that our Scientology tipsters have forwarded to us during the week.
And as with any great Sunday feature down at the Bijou, we have a main feature we’ll save for last. It stars that ruggedly handsome man from the northern wilds, David Love (right), who, as you can see, really stretches his acting chops with the addition of a ten-gallon hat. We think you’ll really enjoy the thrills and chills of that main event. But first, we have a killer lineup of preliminary items to get you into the mood. Continue reading Scientology Sunday Funnies: The All-Video Version!
 Lee Baca shilling for Scientology at an event in November On Tuesday, Scientology’s Director of Public Relations for its Las Vegas “Celebrity Center,” Devon Newman, was arrested for her part in a bizarre plot to kidnap, try, and execute a local police officer to make a political point for the “sovereign citizens” movement. Tonight, Scientology’s Celebrity Center in Hollywood holds its 44th annual gala, and besides the usual church celebrities who are expected to show, we’ve been told that Los Angeles Sheriff Lee Baca plans to make an appearance early in the evening. For years, Baca has been an enthusiastic supporter of Scientology, showing up at many church events. But this time, we’re wondering if any press covering the event will dare to ask him about the Celebrity Center employee who was planning to kill a cop, or about Shelly Miscavige, the wife of Scientology leader David Miscavge, who hasn’t been seen in public in six years. Continue reading TONIGHT: LA Sheriff Lee Baca to Grace Scientology Gala, Days after “Celebrity Center” Employee Arrested for Planning to Kill a Cop
NOW POSTED BELOW: We have the 20-page police report detailing what Brutsche and Newman told police during the undercover investigation of their plan to kidnap and kill a police officer. AND FINALLY — A STATEMENT FROM SCIENTOLOGY ALSO: Devon Newman was once a tenant living in the home of Karen de la Carriere, former wife of the president of the Church of Scientology! See our update, below. Devon Campbell Newman, 67, became the public relations director of Scientology’s “Celebrity Center” in Las Vegas, Nevada early in 2010 and has remained in that position to the present day — that’s according to her own LinkedIn profile as well as numerous online records of her activities as a Scientologist. This week, she became known for something else. As a result of a police investigation that began in April, on Tuesday Newman and a six-time felon and registered sex offender named David Allen Brutsche, 42, were arrested for planning what police are calling a bizarre plot to kidnap and kill a random local police officer in a macabre publicity stunt to promote their “sovereign citizen” views. Continue reading PR Director of Scientology’s Las Vegas Celebrity Center Arrested in Plot to Assassinate a Cop Advertisement
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A year ago, we told you about a surprising discovery made by Paulette Cooper when she was looking through Patty Moher’s collection of Scientology materials during a gathering at Patty’s house in Connecticut — Paulette stumbled on a pamphlet put out by the church in 1969 that featured an interview with a 7-year-old Neil Gaiman. 
