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(Side note: This is a touchy story. Please make sure your comments abide by the comment policy or they will be deleted.)
Things over at the Tom Cruise camp have been getting heated ever since Dr. Drew Pinsky made a comment about Tom Cruise’s mental health. As FOX News calls it, it’s a “War of the Words“.
Here is Pinsky’s comment which is in next month’s Playboy:
“A lot of people in the public eye who behave strangely have mental illness we can learn from, and much of it is based on childhood trauma, without a doubt.
“Take a guy like Tom Cruise. Why would somebody be drawn into a cultish kind of environment like Scientology? To me, that’s a function of a very deep emptiness and suggests serious neglect in childhood — maybe some abuse, but mostly neglect.”
Continue reading below.
Because of Pinsky’s comment, Cruise’s camp has fired back and is comparing the TV therapist to a Nazi.
Cruise’s attorney Bert Fields response, which was given to the New York Post’s Page Six gossip column, said “This unqualified television performer who is obviously just looking for notoriety is so grotesquely unprofessional as to pretend to diagnose Tom and others without ever meeting them.
“He seems to be spewing the absurdity that all Scientologists are mentally ill. The last time we heard garbage like this was from Joseph Goebbels.”
Pinsky has apologized for the comment he made about Tom Cruise. A representative for Pinsky said, “Dr. Drew meant no harm to Mr. Cruise and apologizes if his comments were hurtful”.
They also say that Dr. Drew is by no means making a blanket statement diagnosis about Scientology or Mr. Cruise, who he doesn’t even know.
WOW! I think both sides took this way too far. Pinsky’s statement did sound like it was making a blanket diagnosis to me, but then Cruise’s camp didn’t have to go and compare him to Goebbels, who was one of Hitler’s closest associates and a devout follower.
Read the FOX News story here and the Page Six report here.
Image used with permission by Newscom
Dr. Drew does know what he is talking about, he is a REAL doctor. And maybe he spoke out right now because Jeff Conoway left his show last year to join CoS and Narcanon. John Travolta was his mentor.
It apparently wasn’t a resounding success for him and he is returning to celeb rehab with Dr Drew. Jeff says that he is returning to Dr. Drew to finish what he started last year.
I may catch a ton of flak for this comment, but as a Master’s degree in Behavioral therapy grad student, soon to be graduating, I have to agree with Dr. Pinsky. I totally admit that this is my opinion and I could be completely wrong but I do feel that Scientology has many cult-like qualities. Dr. Drew may have couched his comments insensitively, but it is of my opinion that his evaluation is dead on. Sorry COS supporters….I honestly do not wish to offend anyone. As the saying goes: “its a free country” so I support those that wish to subscribe to Scientology. For my part, however, I would never become a member.
(I also have a degree in the mental health field).
TC has admitted more than once that he was treated horribly as a child by his father, he struggled with dyslexia and was teased and bullied in school. Dr.Drew is correct- this kind if childhood can result in these behaviors as an adult. You will find that cult members have this king of “baggage” in common.
Jenna and Darin, you are only voicing your opinions.
While Tom felt completely justified in telling women with PPD that they just needed to take some vitamins to get over it, and has claimed to have “personally” helped thousands of drug addicts to get clean. With the exception of Jeff Conoway. He also claims he knows the “history” of psychiatry (Matt! MATT! MATT!!)
Both of you have only studied it and have degrees in it.
i think you guys know that i have a bit of a soft spot for tc, however i don’t have any degrees in anything , so i will leave it to others to judge him. i don’t know much on scientology, i’m not for it, against it ,or even interested in it. i have friends from that other non flavour of the month religion who are the most decent loving people imaginable , they believe in god and everything , that’s good, and yet there is the minority , that kill and destroy, maybe that is why i don’t question too much. did’nt mimi rogers introduce him to scei. my religion , is chistian orthadox.
Mentally ill? I agree with you Julie Dr.Drew’s statement sound like it was blank diagnosis and no doctor diagnosis a patent without ever having met them, based on their faith and make the diagnose so public. This is another celeb wanna be trying to get publicity.
Jenna, you could be right or wrong but cult or not, as a doctor you can’t diagnose an entire faith with mental illness without ever had a session with them.
Lord help me if I have to defend a toad because I dislike someone so much.
OK Tom has admitted he has a bad childhood but what kind of doctor goes on National TV and makes a blank diagnosis like this about someone he has never met? He is supposed to help people heal not exercabate the situation, does he know what this could do to someone who is less strong that TC? This is very unprofessional and I hope he loses his job or his superiors take action. His network should sack him too.
Could his remarks have something to do with the fact that Tom Cruise and his church hit out at his profession? After all there are many mentally ill celebs like Britney he could have used as examples.
If you ask me, I think he should take his own diagnosis, because he is mentally retarted.
So here’s what I’m interpreting from Dr. Drew’s statement: that someone who becomes so completely involved in a highly unorthodox and controversial group such as Scientology is also someone who is reaching out for help… this is commonly understood in all areas of healthcare. And I hate to bring this up, but TC has proven himself to be a VERY judgmental person in the past, especially when he didn’t have a professional PR rep reigning him in and slapping his hands during his loopy interviews while promoting War of the Worlds. So someone is publicly giving it back to him… boo hoo. I’m sure that he’s done many good things for the community and we’ve read many stories about his contributions to numerous causes which make this world a better place… but at the end of the day, how many of YOU believe that we were all put here by aliens who were almost entirely destroyed by an erupting volcano and their spirits cling to us and make us confused and scared? Scientology is a money-making cult designed like any other cult, to pray on those who are weak minded and damaged… show me one other “religion” where you have to spend thousands upon thousands of dollars in order to acquire knowledge and a place within the community. I go to my church for free, and if I want to donate I can… but my pastor is there for me regardless of how much I put in the basket each week. But that’s just the way I see it.
Of course someone who chooses to follow a belief is reacing out for help. So do those who reach out for anti depressants, or drugs or crime. It does not make one metally ill. If his beliefs keep him off drugs, good for him, he is a superb actor, a good father to his children, gives back to the community and is the most cordial actor to his fans and the paps. Many actors have admitted to having poor childhoods, Seal, Angelina, Brad (still not sure why he says that), Aniston. They are not scientologists, neither are they mentally ill. Besides, that is not the point, the point is that this man, calling himself a doctor, made a blanket diagnosis all a group of people he has never met, lived with or even interacted with. Now if he was talking about Britney or Lindsay who have been to mental wards, I would undertand but still, it is wrong for a professional doctor to stoop to this level.
I have just realised that his name is Pinksy. LOL.
What I’ve problem is, is not with either Scientology is a region or cult. The problem I’ve is a professional doctor can make that kind statement about someone he has never met and not only that he also said ppl that are in that “group” are mentally ill. There are innocent ppl in this “group” who have never had the kind of childhood TC had.
Pure and simple the doctor made a wrong judgement and now he has apologized for it, so I hope that will be the last of it.
I wish Dr. Drew had not apologized for his statements. He should have stood by them.
In my opinion, Tom Cruise is deeply involved in a dangerous cult and he needs help. Dr. Drew does not need to meet Tom Cruise to know this. Any normal person who has been involved in a cult situation knows the signs. Many mental-health professionals are educated and trained to recognize the signs of mind control and thought-reform in the speech patterns and behavior of an individual.
His wife needs help and his baby needs help to get out of that environment before their minds are as dangerously warped as his has been.
As someone who is a ten year veteran of a cult, I hope that they can all receive this help sooner rather than later. There is nothing sweeter than having freedom of mind after years of losing one’s individuality and authentic humanity to cultic thinking. It’s really a prison of the mind and the worst thing is that you don’t know that the door has been open and you can leave any time you want.
It is so sad to watch Tom Cruise because personally I believe that he is suffering underneath all his bravado and fake laughter.
P.S.: The reaction of the Scientologists claiming that Pinsky’s comments were the equivalent to ‘Goebbels’ should tell outsiders everything they need to know about Scientology mentality.
They are attempting to silence dissent through fear and manipulation tactics. Nobody can say anything about Scientology for fear as being compared to a Nazi! It’s outrageous.
If they can draw such comparisons from a minor comment by someone they call an ‘unqualified television performer’ just imagine the kind of things they are saying to long-time Scientology members who want to leave the organziation.
Trust me, the exit costs for members who want to quit the org. are probably the followsing:
You or your friends and family will die in a horrible accident, you or your friends will get sick, or go crazy. Your life will be a failure, you will end up having a miserable life and dying alone and friendless.
These kind of exit costs are no problem as long as you are happily chugging along working for your group. But as soon as you feel like getting out and leading a normal life, those phobias start kicking in and you have to calm yourself, soothe yourself and do the best you can to be a good little cult member. The thought of leaving is too high a price to pay.
Tom Cruise in one of the leaked videos on YouTube said that he and his wife can’t even go on a normal, relaxing holiday because there is too much work to be done spreading the Scientology teachings. That’s cult-think!
No wonder Katie looks so miserably scared in all those photos. It’s such a shame.
His apology wasn’t a full-blown apology. If you read it carefully, he still sticks by what he said. I say if TC had the right to judge Brooke Shields’ postpartem situation and repeatedly tell Matt Lauer how “glib” he is, then this guy has the same right to judge TC. No difference! Sometimes what goes around comes around.
Tyler, TWO WRONGS DON’T MAKE A RIGHT!!!!!!
You cannot even bring yourself to forgive TC for something that happened three years ago and yet you think the same thing is right when a professional doctor who should be more responsible does it. Even us fans never defended Tom over the Brooke Shield’s incident because it was wrong and was out of line. He was man enough to apologise.
Please show some decency regardless of how you feel about someone.Life is not all about revenge. Your enemies enemy being your friend is an outdated philosophy. This loser Pinksy clearly wanted cheap popularity and to save his trade which we all know is flawed. Tom may have wrong in some ways but many reputable people in the industry have said he was right in many things he said. He never set out to be malicious like this carcass.
The difference is he didn’t just judge him….he diagnosed him and group of people with metal illness and just coz TC has made mistakes in the past doesn’t mean he has to keep paying for them for ever.
Apology is apology….and the media is reporting it as such, if you google it.
Ok, Let’s find the diagnosis here….
“A lot of people in the public eye who behave strangely have mental illness” (true, but no DSM diagnosis here) “we can learn from,” (true, and still no diagnosis) “and much of it is based on childhood trauma, without a doubt.” (also true-still no actual diagnosis-have any of you read the DSM-Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder?) “Take a guy like Tom Cruise.” (recent past history of strange behavior) “Why would somebody be drawn into a cultish kind of environment like Scientology? To me, that’s a function of a very deep emptiness and suggests serious neglect in childhood – maybe some abuse, but mostly neglect.” (this is a professional OPINION and probably based on TC’s recent behaviors and TC’s OWN ADMITTANCE of his abusive childhood- still no DSM diagnosis here).
Are any of you familiar with the phrase
“Me thinks he doth protest too much” ?
Take notice of the particular issues on which he
chooses to sic his law dogs.
@ JBean
Jun 14, 2008 at 7:39 am
EXCELLENT post- agree 100%
If the Dr. Drew were looking for examples to bolster his points about mental illness in celebrities and those in the public eye then they were glaringly more obvious examples than Tom Cruise.
___________________________________________
“Why would somebody be drawn into a cultish kind of environment like Scientology? To me, that’s a function of a very deep emptiness and suggests serious neglect in childhood – maybe some abuse, but mostly neglect.”
The above IS a diagnosis on Mr. Cruise’s mental health which Dr.Drew cannot speak of since he
has not spoken with, met or had any interaction whatsoever with Mr.Cruise.
Yes, Tom has of spoken of his father as abusive but he has also spoken of his mother as the source of inspiration and her family’s salvation………She escaped with her children when Tom was 11 and Tom had no contact with his father for 10 years just before his death.
Armchair diagnosis, especially coming from a professional, otherwise respected doctor helps no one………….Dr. Drew’s apology to Tom Cruise speaks for itself.
If Pinksy panksy did nothing wrong, why is he apologising? He meant no harm? (Roll eyes*) my foot of course he, like many in his profession is scared about what Tom has to say about their profession.
Darin, the person protesting too much is in the mirror. Who is dissecting quotes word by word? FYI, Tom’s lawyer may or may not be scientologist and he is the one who said Goebbels not Tom. Yes he is his lawyer but Tom did not whisper in his ears the exact words to say. Those are words he chose, not his client.
Where were all these people when Tom was compared to Goebbels? Was that German dimwit who did a scientologist too? Double standards, no?
If Tom has mental problems, then I wonder what that makes a person who sets up a site dedicated to hating him and hops from site to site spewing hate on him and his family, calling little children names. I wonder what ‘Doctor’ Pinksy panksy would say about the mental health of non fans.
What I don’t care for in Tom’s lawyer’s response was the comparison to Goebbels………….That in my opinion was wrong.
Dr. Drew’s comments were totally unprofessional but the comparison to Goebbels was uncalled for.
Lauren, you honestly believe Tom didn’t approve his lawyer’s comments before they were issued? You’re right though that Dr. Drew should have left his name out of his interview. If whatever reason he needed to make that point, he could have done so with a general inference. People would have gotten it. I wonder if TC will accept the apology, as Brooke Shields accepted his? LOL.
It is no surprise that this doctor would say this. It is probably something that most of us agree with, based on Tom’s behavior. The opinion that is stated in this article is based on 1) The knowledge that Tom did have a self-admitted abusive childhood 2) most of us believe that Scientology is a cult or has cult-like characteristics and 3) Tom’s behavior has been erratic with his comments on Brook Shields, Scientology videos claiming that Scientologists are the only ones who can truly help others, and his opinions on drugs, psychiatry, etc. This article just makes a logical conclusion based on the facts. It also makes sense that Tom’s camp would rebel against this statement. Anyone probably would. But it doesn’t make the statement any less logical. It is likely a very accurate description of Tom’s behavior, and while he has not been professionally evaluated, his behavior has not seemed healthy to most of America.
You are right Tyler, no one should be compared to Goebels, it was wrong and over the top in this case.
Pinksy Panksy’s apology is half hearted. I think he has malicious intent when he said this, he wanted to propagate this theory that Tom is insane, that is what most of his critics have been trying to do for the last three years. That way no one listens to him or any thing he says is dismissed. He has a point about over medication, we all know that, problem is too many people are making too much money. These remarks were not random at all.
i think tc should sue, it has become a free for all now, to say and write whatever they want so maybe if he starts taking some action , and start putting people in their place, he’ll get back his name and reputation . it’s about time ; he stopped playing nice , and hoping it will all go away, because, it won’t.
Tyler, that comment of Tom did it and so it should be done to him is akin to Sharon Stone’s comment about the Earth Quake being Karma for the chinese government. Innocent people are involved born and raised in scientology, they will be marked as mentally ill. Yet you don’t care, as long as Tom Cruise suffers. I hope I never hate to that level.
Gracie: Kudos to you for having the strength to leave the cult you were
involved in. You post was touching. I wish you many happy days living in your new free world!! Blessings!
@Annie, it is hard to sue someone who has apologised. But you are right, he should start doing something about all this. If gay hate sites are not allowed why should there be sites dedicated to hating and harrassing an individual because of his beliefs?
I ‘ve seen john travolta and kelly preston talk a lot about scientology in public, they do alot of charity work for them. nobody says anything about them ,nor do their brains or actions get analysed, like tc. i agree with mary,he does come across as being passionate about things and then gets lost in the way, he communicates what he thinks and feels. i think tc is a deeply feeling man and i think that is what lands him in trouble all the time.
Wonder why the need to make fun of a good doctors’ name?
And why the need to out and out LIE by continuing to refer to a group/cult that is based in Texas as Mormons when they clearly are not?
Why the need to constantly bring up tk hate sites, that may or may not exist, but clearly have NO relevance to this site?
If Dr. Drews words were not so close to home, then no one would bother being so upset.
That’s the only way one can defend TC I suppose, by showing people that there are worse things. LOL.
You are right, Tyler, there are WAY worse things.
It’s kind of funny, tc has said on tape, that he is the only one that can rid the world of the worse things and yet worse things still exist. hmmmm.
No one says anything about Travolta because he keeps his beliefs to himself unless asked- then he is very low key, no couch jumping, no berating or condescending behavior to reporters, no criticizing (on national tv no less) others for seeking treatment for a serious illness. I’m sure if he behaved like TC- he would be criticized like TC!
you know, guys ,there is a person, who really gets me thinking , in the situation that tc finds himself in……….that’s, brook shields. he appologised, she accepted, that could have been the end of the matter.. thank you, see you , goodbye, hope our paths never meet again , type thing. she did’nt, she said she accepted his apology because he was truly sorry how it came out. she went on tv and said so, in fact brooke and her husband seem to have become very good friends with tc and family. if she thought for one minute, he is this loopy idiot that everyone makes him out to be, all she and her husband have to do is turn down ,any invite sent out by tc……..they don’t, they’re, there with tc………..now, i don’t know , about anyone else, but to me that saids a lot
We don’t know the real behind the scenes between Brooke and tom. We only know what was made public, VERY PUBLIC!
Many will always find it interesting that tom did not come to Brooke until AFTER he announced the birth date of Suri. Which just happened to be the exact same date as Brookes daughter. And when it came out that Brooke had been photographed going to the hospital, by paps that were there 24/7 waiting for katie…. and no sign of Katie….
Well, let’s just say that Brooke took the high road. She has no reason not to. She did nothing wrong and has ALWAYS been able to hold her head up high. Her career has always been what she has wanted it to be.
donnerparty……….you can try to break it down as much as you want , the evidence is there ….. his wedding, her daughters birthday, the other wedding party in LA dinner in LAS VAGAS, their house warming and probably the list goes on and on. exactly, her career has always been what she wanted , so she has nothing to gain , has she.
When asked by Oprah, whom did tom name as his good friends?
hint: NOT Brooke and family.
Puck neither did he mention Will Smith or the Beckhams.
Now you love Dr Pinsky pants and are hurt on his behalf yet you wonder why I take exception to someone who calls a celeb I like mental? Double standards no?
Why do you take excepption to hate sites? Hit so close to home?
Google ‘texas Mormon cult’ and see what comes up. I am getting my facts from the news. Ask them to change their name and I will use their new name. For me they are a mormon cult from texas.
And why do they feel the need to point Tom as Mad? Could it be he hit close to home when he talked about psychiatry and anti- depressants? You sword hits both ways.
*comment edited by moderator*
Brooke Shields took the high road, yet those hurt on her behalf refuse too. Why bother applauding her? Why not try taking the high road? That fiasco revived her career BTW.
This Dr..who??…I think is a dreamer-trying to get famaous by using Tom Cruise like the CHEAP GOSSIPS! ha..ha.. makes me laugh… Who has the mentally ills actually??
*Comment edited by moderator*
Lala I can’t believe you were moderated for once. LOL, You are always so sweet. I guess Pinksy pants could drive a saint to murder.
LOL! That is funny Lauren.
I don’t understand all of you who keep mentioning that Dr. Drew is only making comments about TC to make himself famous… he’s been around and considered a “celebrity” for years now and I highly doubt that he’s looking to up his image by making a comment about another celebrity. The guy said what so many others who are not in the spotlight say every day – that TC is a bit off (to put it gently). There has to be something a bit away from the norm for a person to believe that we are the descendants of aliens dropped into a volcano and nuked by the evil Lord Zenu… let’s face facts here. How many of YOU buy that story and wouldn’t judge just a plain Joe on the street for telling it to you? Be honest… so TC gets a pass because he’s a famous celebrity? And to whomever said that he should sue – thank you for pointing out one of the biggest problems in our society and the main reason why health care and auto insurance cost so much money. Why should he have the right to sue someone for their opinion? It’s called the first amendment and it’s the same reason we all get to voice OUR opinions on this board.
Maybe he was a C-list or Z-list celeb…I’ve never heard of him before this but yesterday I saw an advert for his celebrity in rehab program to be screened on cable here in the UK.
Who am I to judge a person for what they believe? when I too believe Jesus walking on water and etc..
Lauren
Jun 15, 2008 at 9:27 am
Lala I can’t believe you were moderated for once. LOL, You are always so sweet. I guess Pinksy pants could drive a saint to murder.
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Saints do not murder. They bless all.
******
PuckHappy
Jun 13, 2008 at 7:24 pm
Dr. Drew does know what he is talking about, he is a REAL doctor. And maybe he spoke out right now because Jeff Conoway left his show last year to join CoS and Narcanon. John Travolta was his mentor.
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I agree. Jeff Conoway is set to return to Celeb Rehab. He did leave the show last year to go into another rehab center that was not able to help him the way they had promised. The whole situation is tops in the media right now and the talk of Celeb Rehab, so it only natural that the person in charge of this rehab center would talk about it.
And with tom cruise being at the head of the CoS, his name gets mentioned.
When Jeff left CR, it was John Travolta that was in the headlines as he was Jeffs CoS mentor.
I for one had never heard of this ridiculous Z-list Pinksy Pants. Insults are not part of the first amendment and calling someone insane when you do not feed his family and when he is the biggest star in the world and has never been to a mental institution or said anything controversial is not a right. It is actually abusing his right and that is why he is apologising. This loser knew what he was doing and now we are giving him air time. I can’t wait for bad Karma to hit him.
I think he wanted Tom to be hooked onto drugs like his clients she he gets more money. I wonder what he says about the mental health of 90% of Hollywood that is hooked onto drugs and alcahol if he think Tom is mental when he has never done drugs and never has had a DUI.
Now I get it, he is pissed that one of his clients failed to get results and joined scientology and got results. Now that his client is back -to make money most likely, he has decided to hit out at Tom and his church.
Pinksy Pants has proved Tom right, psychiatry will make money at any cost, they are not interested in the health of their clients. I may not like scientology for using Tom but what results have we seen from these rehabs? Who has Pinksy pants helped kick any habits? Atleast Tom’s beliefs have helped him become one of the few in hollywood not hooked onto drugs or anti depressants. It is no wonder Simon Cowell was reading a book on scientology.
To each their own, some believe in Zenu (I thought he was evil but whatever…) others in virgin births, strolls on water, rising from the dead, 70 virigins karma and others are awaiting saviours to return. I am not bigot, so I will let every one choose what they believe.