When Viacom chief Sumner Redstone announced that his Paramount Pictures was severing ties with Tom Cruise’s production company due to the star’s “recent conduct,” NewsMax readers already had the inside dope on Cruise antics that were little reported elsewhere.
Several media outlets disclosed that Director Steven Spielberg was angry with Cruise during the promotional tour for their movie "War of the Worlds” because Spielberg felt Cruise, who is a devoted Scientologist, played up Scientology more than the movie during press interviews.
The New York Post’s "Page Six" column reported that Spielberg was also furious with Cruise because he had been "ranting” against "the widespread use of Ritalin to treat unruly children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder,” and Spielberg knew children who had been helped by Ritalin.
But NewsMax readers found out the real reason why Spielberg was upset with Cruise.
"According to two close friends of Spielberg, "Page Six" was accurate, although the item did not note the real source of Spielberg’s anger,” NewsMax quoted a report by Ken Auletta in The New Yorker.
“After he mentioned to Cruise the name of a doctor – a friend – who prescribed Ritalin, the doctor’s office was picketed by Scientologists.”
Attorney Bertram Fields – who has represented both Cruise and Spielberg – wouldn’t tell Auletta if Cruise had revealed the name of Spielberg’s friend to Scientologists.
When he announced on Aug. 22 that Paramount was severing its 14-year relationship with Cruise and his production company, Redstone said that Cruise’s “recent conduct has not been acceptable to Paramount.”
He did not mention that Spielberg’s studio, Dreamworks, is part of Paramount.
NewsMax magazine has also shed light on other Cruise behavior that likely contributed to Redstone’s decision.
The September 2005 cover story "Hollywood’s New Gods” focused on Cruise and other celebrities who are turning off traditional religions and embracing new faiths such as Scientology and Kabbalah.
And the Aug. 2006 issue’s cover story, “Hollywood’s Most Obnoxious Stars,” told how Cruise stunned Oprah Winfrey’s audience while discussing his romance with Katie Holmes when he suddenly leaped up on the upholstery, pumped his fists in the air and punched the floor, making strange whooping noises and shouting “I’m in love!”
In June 2005, Cruise got into a heated argument with Matt Lauer when the “Today” host questioned Scientology’s approach to mental health. Blasting psychology and psychiatry, Cruise barked at Lauer: “You don’t know the history of psychiatry. I do.”
NewsMax also disclosed that last year Cruise’s then-public relations rep (and sister) Lee Anne DeVette – a fellow Scientologist – reportedly ruled that journalists and studio executives must take a four-hour tour of the Scientology Centre in Los Angeles before meeting with the star.
And the cover story noted that Cruise’s Scientology beliefs got him into a war of words with actress Brooke Shields over her use of antidepressants to combat postpartum depression. He said publicly that Shields should have used “vitamins and exercise” instead.
She retorted that Cruise “should stick to saving the world from aliens” and offered him two tickets to her London production of “Chicago” – an adult ticket for him and a child ticket for Holmes, who is 16 years his junior and recently gave birth to their daughter.
Several media outlets disclosed that Director Steven Spielberg was angry with Cruise during the promotional tour for their movie "War of the Worlds” because Spielberg felt Cruise, who is a devoted Scientologist, played up Scientology more than the movie during press interviews.
The New York Post’s "Page Six" column reported that Spielberg was also furious with Cruise because he had been "ranting” against "the widespread use of Ritalin to treat unruly children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder,” and Spielberg knew children who had been helped by Ritalin.
But NewsMax readers found out the real reason why Spielberg was upset with Cruise.
"According to two close friends of Spielberg, "Page Six" was accurate, although the item did not note the real source of Spielberg’s anger,” NewsMax quoted a report by Ken Auletta in The New Yorker.
“After he mentioned to Cruise the name of a doctor – a friend – who prescribed Ritalin, the doctor’s office was picketed by Scientologists.”
Attorney Bertram Fields – who has represented both Cruise and Spielberg – wouldn’t tell Auletta if Cruise had revealed the name of Spielberg’s friend to Scientologists.
When he announced on Aug. 22 that Paramount was severing its 14-year relationship with Cruise and his production company, Redstone said that Cruise’s “recent conduct has not been acceptable to Paramount.”
He did not mention that Spielberg’s studio, Dreamworks, is part of Paramount.
NewsMax magazine has also shed light on other Cruise behavior that likely contributed to Redstone’s decision.
The September 2005 cover story "Hollywood’s New Gods” focused on Cruise and other celebrities who are turning off traditional religions and embracing new faiths such as Scientology and Kabbalah.
And the Aug. 2006 issue’s cover story, “Hollywood’s Most Obnoxious Stars,” told how Cruise stunned Oprah Winfrey’s audience while discussing his romance with Katie Holmes when he suddenly leaped up on the upholstery, pumped his fists in the air and punched the floor, making strange whooping noises and shouting “I’m in love!”
In June 2005, Cruise got into a heated argument with Matt Lauer when the “Today” host questioned Scientology’s approach to mental health. Blasting psychology and psychiatry, Cruise barked at Lauer: “You don’t know the history of psychiatry. I do.”
NewsMax also disclosed that last year Cruise’s then-public relations rep (and sister) Lee Anne DeVette – a fellow Scientologist – reportedly ruled that journalists and studio executives must take a four-hour tour of the Scientology Centre in Los Angeles before meeting with the star.
And the cover story noted that Cruise’s Scientology beliefs got him into a war of words with actress Brooke Shields over her use of antidepressants to combat postpartum depression. He said publicly that Shields should have used “vitamins and exercise” instead.
She retorted that Cruise “should stick to saving the world from aliens” and offered him two tickets to her London production of “Chicago” – an adult ticket for him and a child ticket for Holmes, who is 16 years his junior and recently gave birth to their daughter.