Is it Religious Persecution? Or was it the Couch-Jumping?

August 23, 2006 8:22 AM

"I ask, what is his real agenda? What is he trying to do? Is this how you treat artists? If I were another actor or filmmaker, would I work at a studio that takes one of their greatest assets and publicly does this?"
posted by wfc123 (39 comments total)

A clam bake.
posted by tzelig at 8:27 AM on August 23, 2006

Today in People Magazine Metafilter!

Alt-F
posted by edgeways at 8:28 AM on August 23, 2006 [1 favorite]

Personally, I don't think they went far enough.
posted by DragonBoy at 8:28 AM on August 23, 2006

If I were an investor who contributed to a project that was sabotaged by idiotic behavior, it would only happen once.
posted by RavinDave at 8:33 AM on August 23, 2006

O NOS! How will he eat?
posted by sidereal at 8:34 AM on August 23, 2006

Eh, they liked him when he was a wacko making them money.
posted by orthogonality at 8:34 AM on August 23, 2006

"Who Gives A" Shit Sandwich.
posted by dbiedny at 8:35 AM on August 23, 2006

I'm happy that the latest Scientologist PR campaign is backfiring.
posted by sonofsamiam at 8:38 AM on August 23, 2006

Success three movies back is ancient history. Hollywood is a business. They'll put up with appalling behavior as long as you're making money (witness: Russell Crowe). But once you take an active hand in your own BO demise, you are a pariah.
posted by RavinDave at 8:41 AM on August 23, 2006

WTF? I thought this sort of 'studio owning stars' days were over. Long over. Especially when you're talking about big names. I thought Hollywood showed bratling athletes the path, no?
posted by Busithoth at 8:41 AM on August 23, 2006

"What crimes have you committed?"
posted by rut roh at 8:42 AM on August 23, 2006

Note that the deal that was not renewed was actually with Cruise/Wagner Productions. They were responsible for the Elizabethtown flop.

The domestic grosses for MI:3 were also not great, at only $133 million, which probably means that is a dead franchise for the near future. It would be crazy to renew his deal if you think that disappointment was caused by his poor public image.

You could make a good argument that Cruise is only a good investment on action movies that will do well internationally, and he's getting pretty old for an action star.
posted by smackfu at 8:43 AM on August 23, 2006 [1 favorite]

Speaking of WTF, please note at the end of the article:

"ABC cancelled a production deal with Mel Gibson's company for a mini-series about the Holocaust after his anti-semitic outburst."

Probably for the best anyhow. Mel would have gotten in so much trouble with his dad!
posted by adamrice at 8:47 AM on August 23, 2006

Where is the justice, I ask? Where?

/sackcloth and ashes, rending of garments, etc.
posted by blucevalo at 8:51 AM on August 23, 2006

Schadenfreude can be a wonderful thing! This makes my day. :)

...and it's all about the kwan. Tom should know that.
posted by bim at 8:57 AM on August 23, 2006

"ABC cancelled a production deal with Mel Gibson's company for a mini-series about the Holocaust after his anti-semitic outburst."

Another Holocaust averted. Your work is done here, Mel.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 9:00 AM on August 23, 2006

Tom Cruise is now officially "angry". There's no telling what couches he may jump off now. Be afraid America, very afraid...
posted by Skygazer at 9:18 AM on August 23, 2006

If he had only waited a few weeks, he could have jumped up and down on Oprah herself and no one at the studio would have cared.
posted by RavinDave at 9:24 AM on August 23, 2006

Is this how you treat artists?

I fail to understand how this sheds any light whatsoever on how they might treat artists.
posted by gurple at 9:33 AM on August 23, 2006

I can't quit smiling.

Free Katie!
posted by konolia at 9:47 AM on August 23, 2006

Is this the part where Tom Cruise says "You haven't seen me angry" and bows up the fishtank with a stick of gum?
posted by Astro Zombie at 9:59 AM on August 23, 2006

konolia- I want the bumper sticker.
posted by pointilist at 10:03 AM on August 23, 2006

OH MY GOD!
posted by agregoli at 10:05 AM on August 23, 2006

konolia- I want the bumper sticker

Fortunately, someone will be very happy to sell it to you.

God bless, America. :>
posted by bim at 10:13 AM on August 23, 2006

Hey, has anyone seen the baby yet?

I love it that Tom Cruise can get sacked for being a fuckwit.
posted by bonaldi at 10:17 AM on August 23, 2006

This may be a dumb question...but do Scientologists eat clams, or is this a forbidden food?
posted by Kickstart70 at 10:42 AM on August 23, 2006

There's no telling what couches he may jump off now.

Isn't he an OT Clear? Can't he like jump off your couch with his mind?
posted by lumpenprole at 10:56 AM on August 23, 2006

Kickstart: see here/
posted by adamrice at 11:01 AM on August 23, 2006

Hey, has anyone seen the baby yet?

Will Smith, Penelope Cruz, and a bunch of wall-eyed Scientologists claim to have seen the creature. Nobody outside the Xenu loop has evidence of having seen it.
posted by blucevalo at 11:02 AM on August 23, 2006

adamrice: yeah, I knew that stuff, but I wanted to know if S's ate clams or if they thought it would be like some people's revulsion to eating monkeys or something.
posted by Kickstart70 at 11:30 AM on August 23, 2006

Peope who refuse to eat monkeys are crazy.
posted by Astro Zombie at 11:35 AM on August 23, 2006

If I were another actor or filmmaker, would I work at a studio that takes one of their greatest assets and publicly does this?"


If I were an investor or employee I'd get out if they didn't do this to someone who was actively, increasingly, and continuing to do harm to the company / investment.
posted by pwb503 at 11:37 AM on August 23, 2006

VIVA SCHADENFREUDE!!
posted by Navelgazer at 11:47 AM on August 23, 2006

All I'm saying is, even monkeys eat monkey.
posted by Astro Zombie at 11:59 AM on August 23, 2006

The most intresting part of the whole thing was this:

Most recently, ABC cancelled a production deal with Mel Gibson's company for a mini-series about the Holocaust after his anti-semitic outburst and actor Lindsay Lohan received a written warning from Morgan Creek Productions for failing to appear on set of her latest film Georgia Rule.

Mel Gibson was doing a holocaust mini series!?!?
posted by delmoi at 12:55 PM on August 23, 2006

Yes. New York Times, 6 December 2005:

Mr. Gibson's television production company is developing a four-hour miniseries for ABC based on the self-published memoir of Flory A. Van Beek, a Dutch Jew whose gentile neighbors hid her from the Nazis but who lost several relatives in concentration camps.

It is not expected that Mr. Gibson will act in the miniseries, nor is it certain yet that his name, rather than his company's, will be publicly attached to the final product, according to several people involved in developing it. Nor is it guaranteed yet that the project will be completed and broadcast.
posted by blucevalo at 1:19 PM on August 23, 2006

Ctrl+Alt+Delete.
posted by nlindstrom at 1:56 PM on August 23, 2006

All I'm saying is, even monkeys eat monkey.

Yeah, like I'm gonna take culinary advice from a zombie.
posted by bigbigdog at 8:12 PM on August 23, 2006

This shit doesn't belong here!
posted by Vindaloo at 10:46 PM on August 23, 2006