Good for Brook Shields. She has responded to Tom Cruise’s ludicrous suggestion that her postpartum depression could be successfully treated with vitamins. Of course, Cruise was referring to Scientology’s Narconon program which was essentially dreamed up by L. Ron Hubbard based on incorrect assumptions and without any reference to scientific verification. Shields hits back:
Tom Cruise’s comments are irresponsible and dangerous… Tom should stick to saving the world from aliens and let women who are experiencing postpartum depression decide what treatment options are best for them.
Saving the world from aliens? Could she be referring to the core Scientology belief that all humans are infected with the souls of space aliens murdered 75 million years ago by the alien ruler of the galaxy, Xenu? (El Ron was a really bad science fiction writer too.) Wow, an informed celebrity!
Oh I see, she was referring to Cruise’s latest film, the War of the Worlds.
Or was she?
It's funny that we put celebrities on such a high pedestal, yet we're shocked and appalled when they reveal themselves to be regular people, albeit regular people with good PR flunkies.
That said, I don't care if you're Joe Mailman, Tom Cruise, or Senator Pope-atine. If you start spouting medical nonsense based on some religion's antiscience you deserve to get a verbal smackdown. Possibly a verbal Asai moonsault off the top turnbuckle as well, but the jury's still out on that one.
Posted by: Ninja Stan | May 31, 2005 at 11:52 PM
The bad thing is, these people have a lot of exposure. That's why it may be even more important to call out the imbeciles in Hollywood as fast as possible before they convince the credulous part of the masses.
I definitely vote for 2 Asai moonsaults from the top rope. Preferably followed by a Canadian Destroyer.
Posted by: Rockstar | June 01, 2005 at 06:07 AM
I ended up watching Access Hollywood or some such drivel because they sat Cruise down to discuss his views on psychiatry. He said that Shields was irresponsible for promoting antidepressants, and, amazingly, that there was no science behind the use of psychiatric drugs.
Could Cruise make the argument that psychotropic drugs are over-prescribed? Most definitely. They are often seen as a quick fix to deeper problems that go ignored and untreated.
But can he make the argument that there's no science behind psychiatry? No, and why are we content to let him? We've come a long way since the days of Freud. Serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine, this stuff exists, they're called neurotransmitters, and they affect the way we act. For God's sake, they just showed that a dose of oxytocin can make you more trusting. No science behind it? Where's the science in Scientology?!?!
Good Lord... you know Tom can be deluded all he likes. What bothers me is his exploitation of tabloid media. He grants access only to those media that won't call him on his beliefs.
He couldn't and wouldn't debate the issue when prodded by an entertainment journalist with the simple question, "Well don't you think that psychiatrists think they're doing the right thing?" Cruise's response: "Well, drug dealers think they're doing the right thing too." WHAT?! What do we think he'd actually do if called on it? He'd pack up shop and promote his movies elsewhere.
I'm glad Shields is calling him on it. The woman is bringing attention to a really crappy set of circumstances women can find themselves at the mercy of during what should be a time of great joy and all this grinning moron has for her are his cult's talking points.
After the Asai moonsaults, he gets asked on the red carpet: "What do you make of reports that L. Ron Hubbard lied about being a nuclear physicist? What else might he have lied about?"
Posted by: Madmunk | June 03, 2005 at 02:00 PM
I'm so glad Brook Shield defended herself. Tom Cruise not only upset a lot of people with his commments but he also made himself look very bad. Between Access Hollywood and Oprah he seemed like he was high on something or having a manic episode.
Posted by: Tara - ADD Coach | June 05, 2005 at 03:30 PM
From his interview with Details:
"When you really study psychiatry, it’s a pseudo-science. It’s not based on facts."
AND...
"what does [Cruise] think happens when someone dies? 'They leave their body and go get another one,' he says matter-of-factly. 'I believe in reincarnation, absolutely.'"
So, facts are ok to throw around and use as an argument when dealing with Psychiatry (not to mention that he's absolutely wrong, but he's still basing this so-called argument on 'facts'). I'd like to see what facts he has on reincarnation.
Posted by: Nick | June 07, 2005 at 10:44 AM
Under a google search for "junk science", is the listing for Scientology. I guess Tom, the high school dropout only made it so far as the P's on that list.
Posted by: Blondelle Genes | June 27, 2005 at 08:52 PM
I don't know what an Asai moonsault is, but I hope it's painful.
Comment I made to my dad last night at the dollar theater: "I love movies, but I hate actors."
Actors like Tom Cruise only strengthen that feeling.
Posted by: BronzeDog | September 15, 2005 at 12:22 PM