Billy on the Street's "Escape from Scientology"
December 8, 2015 2:14 PM   Subscribe

Billy Eichner hosts the first episode of the obstacle course gameshow "Leah Remini's Escape from Scientology." Rachel Dratch is the contestant.
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates (20 comments total) 12 users marked this as a favorite
 
Worth it for the men in John Travolta's closet gag alone.
posted by yhbc at 2:20 PM on December 8, 2015 [1 favorite]


I feel like this was almost funny several times.
posted by jeffamaphone at 2:22 PM on December 8, 2015 [6 favorites]


That was good, thanks! Kind of astonishing that "find Shelley Miscavige" is a mainstream-ish reference. I Ioved Remini's book and am glad she is out of the cult.
posted by jamesonandwater at 2:24 PM on December 8, 2015 [4 favorites]


"Where's my GLAAD award?!"
posted by Xoder at 2:24 PM on December 8, 2015 [1 favorite]


"of course the gays are running right towards the boat."
posted by sweetkid at 2:39 PM on December 8, 2015


Elizabeth Moss too? Noooo...
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 3:00 PM on December 8, 2015 [2 favorites]


That's almost like a grown-up version of Double Dare I've always wanted to watch. Good find!
posted by a lungful of dragon at 4:40 PM on December 8, 2015


Rachel Dratch is vastly underrated.
posted by sweetkid at 4:43 PM on December 8, 2015 [15 favorites]


I'm kind of amazed that Tru TV has two of my favorite shows now. (Adam Ruins Everything being the other.)
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 4:50 PM on December 8, 2015 [3 favorites]


On the one hand, I hate to mock other people's beliefs systems. Maybe there are Mefites whose lives have been genuinely improved by Scientology; maybe they come across threads like this and it hurts. I've been on the receiving end of that sort of thing and I'm conflicted whenever I see it on Metafilter.

On the other hand, given all the shady unpleasant shit Scientologist leaders have been up to for decades now, and how well-documented and incontrovertible most of that shit is, and the insane amount of power they've wielded abusively and continue to wield abusively in the lives of current and former Scientologists, not to mention anyone they see as an enemy... yeah. I think we're still punching up here. As long as Scientology still has fangs, I'm fine with using mockery or anything else to defang it. Maybe not the best habit to get into, but warranted in this case.

If you're a Scientologist or ex-Scientolgist who's offended by this type of thing, I feel for you, but I think encouraging people to laugh at Scientology is probably the net greater good for society and I hope it continues until we've reached some sort of equilibrium, where any positive value there might be remains but all potential to hurt has been thoroughly defused.

Also the dudes in Travolta's shed making a break for the boat was pretty funny.
posted by Two unicycles and some duct tape at 5:08 PM on December 8, 2015 [2 favorites]


I so want to rent the giant inflatable sinking ship slide for a yacht club event next summer.

The running down the street shtick accosting strangers with random celeb in tow is better.

Oh and I know Ms Dratch's cousin.
posted by sammyo at 5:12 PM on December 8, 2015 [1 favorite]


I agree, it was almost funny a couple of times.

However, I do feel like it was a bit too glib about this--don't know if I'm being a Debbie Downer, but Shelly Miscavige is missing and "the Church" is not above murder. Also, those in the Sea Org aren't necessarily "weirdos"--a lot of them were born into their positions at this point and don't know how to leave.

But I guess it's great that they're raising awareness?
posted by Eyeveex at 5:41 PM on December 8, 2015 [1 favorite]


I thought the LAPD went and found Shelley Miscavige in 2013 and determined her to be at least not missing?
posted by Blasdelb at 5:43 PM on December 8, 2015 [1 favorite]


Yes, she's widely reported to be at the base where a handful of people are, I think, burying LRH texts to be safe for eternity. Supposedly that and the fact she said she didn't want to leave is what the cops confirmed.
posted by jamesonandwater at 6:06 PM on December 8, 2015


Considering there was a single video link Billy on the Street post only a couple of days ago this feels remarkably superfluous, but it was kind of fun to watch Rachel Dratch run that gauntlet; it could only have been improved by a superfluous timer on the bottom.

Scientology, meanwhile, is a cult based on vast amounts of money, control and the occasional rumoured murder. I can't see any reason not to make fun of them unless you're suuuper-paranoid about them coming after you. That is incredibly unlikely to happen due to watching a video posted to MetaFilter, but at least being a Debbie Downer is something anyone can safely do in the comfort of their own home.
posted by gadge emeritus at 6:33 PM on December 8, 2015 [1 favorite]


I didn't think there was any way to improve Rachel Dratch, then I saw her in a helmet with a GoPro attached and I realized that I want her in that for Christmas.
posted by xingcat at 7:43 PM on December 8, 2015 [4 favorites]


...don't know if I'm being a Debbie Downer...
I see what you did there.
posted by wats at 8:12 PM on December 8, 2015 [1 favorite]


@gadge - I wasn't saying that one should make fun of the church. I'm saying I feel like he's being a bit glib about the victims of the church. Especially in the Sea Org--members aren't paid, or at least not very much, so it's particularly difficult for them to escape. No money, no family.
posted by Eyeveex at 8:52 PM on December 8, 2015


I see what you did there.

I sea what you did there.
posted by solotoro at 5:44 AM on December 9, 2015


Rachel Dratch is vastly underrated.

She's also a delightful human being. I ran into her outside NBC Studios at some ungodly hour of the night in NYC maybe 15 years ago, and she was way more gracious than the circumstances and the hour dictated. Somewhere, there is a picture of the two of us, in which she is fully a foot and a half shorter than I am but is dominating the photo so effortlessly that you would never know it.
posted by Mayor West at 5:58 AM on December 9, 2015


« Older Mindsuckers   |   "There is a certain power and mystery in secrets..... Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments