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In a recent interview with New York Magazine, Madonna defends Tom Cruise.
When asked “Do you sympathize with (Tom Cruise)?” Madonna says, “I do. I don’t care if people worship turtles or frogs – if they’re good people, that’s all I care about, and he is a good person…
I think he gets a raw deal, just as I think the orphans in Malawi get a raw deal, just as I think a lot of marginalized people get a raw deal.”
Well, I am sure she is going to get quite a bit of backlash for this comment. I commend her though for coming to his defense. Madonna has never been one to go with the flow and she always speaks her mind.
Please discuss this quote by Madonna in a respectful way to each other and both Madonna and Tom Cruise. Thanks!
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Image Source: splashnewsonline.com
I feel Madonna needs defending herself, she is odd. I mean comparing his personal plight to the orphans in malawi…she needs some perspective!
But I agree with her that Tom gets a raw deal. He is so nice and I feel really he is very well intended, you cannot say that about most hollywood celebs.
I agree with Madonna no one deserved to be verbally abused because of their faith. I’ve issues with what I read about Scientology but I will not hold Tom Cruise accountable for the religion/cult.
Tom is porteyed like controlling by the tabs but all the people that have met him and his family have nothing but nice things to say. I’m one of the people who think by attacking this man and his family you will not get through to ppl about CoS if anything I read ppl defending the religion without knowing anything about it because they think by defending his faith they are defending Tom Cruise.
Cruise may be picked on, but he has a life of luxury. His so called ‘raw deal’ is his own making and his own bizarre behavior. Those innocents in Malawi: NOT OF THEIR OWN CHOICE! Cruise still has all the basic creature comforts. Those orphans probably don’t even have hope of ever having enough food, clothing, medical care, etc.
Sorry, but the two situations are world’s apart and Madonna is an idiot to even think of comparing two situations. Although I listen to her for her music, not her political and humanitarian beliefs.
Cruise can go back to his Beverly Hills mansion and tune the world out. Those kids, probably the only way they can tune out their raw deal in life, is death!!
They will never have a birthday like the one he just threw for his baby. In fact, the cost of the cake alone could feed several of those orphans for a year!!!
In other words, Madonna just marginalized the suffering of the Malawian orphans to make it equate to Tom Cruise being made of!
Ahhh… a little imbalanced and honestly, quite silly to place the raw deal TC gets in the same sentence as the raw deal that Malawi orphans get. There is absolutely zero similarities. Shame on you Madonna.
wow, that was deep, but let’s hope she sympathizes more with the orphans than she does for tom cruise. obviously she was caught off guard and didn’t through her words because she sounds ridiculous. the kids were dealt a rotten hand whereas tom dealt his own hand.
and, tom, marginalized? wonder how it’ll make the “biggest movie star” in the world feel to be called marginalized LOL
I think we are putting her words out of context. I think she meant they both get a raw deal, not neccessarily the same raw deal. And she is right. Celebrities do worse things than TC but bitter people pick on him because he has a better life than them. They use all those videos as an excuse. John Travolta could defend scientology and jump on a hundred couches and he will not be ridiculed. Notice that even those who leave the church, no one has ever said anything bad that TC has done, and yet he is attacked even more than the head of the church. Scientology is an excuse, it is about knocking down someone who is brave enough to live with out anti depressants and remain happy.
People are just bitter and want to take it out on some one just so that he does not have it all as it were. How else do you explain someone visiting a site every hour to make snide remarks?
And that mormon church, isn’t it worse than scientology? Why isn’t the press yapping about it? Madonna may be odd, but she does not get a raw deal because she is not as nice as TC. She gets what she deserves. I like her but hey, a spade is a spade.
The only justice that comes out of this is that TC is happier than his critics will ever be even with all the crap. He seems oblivious to all this. I think that is what nags them. That while they spend every hour trying to ruin him, he will come out with his trademark smile and is still more handsome than Friedman and richer than Perez Hilton, has a happier family than most. Tough.
Forgot to mention that Tom looks very handsome in that picture. Very.
My goodness Lauren! So much anger. It is almost as if you are a member of the CoS and out to defend him everywhere. I doubt he even realizes he has such a staunch supporter! On the remarks–This is my take. Not to ‘marginalize’ her, (lol) but I don’t put much stock in anything the material girl says or does. My mother would probably use the word vulgar to describe her. Her statement was just silly, but I see what she was trying to do. Just because you are famous and rich doesn’t necessarily mean you are smart as well.
Lauren what in the world are you talking about?? And by the way, John T got totally ridiculed the other day for his behavior at some play he took his daughter to and they went backstage after. He couldn’t jump on a couch either and get away with it.
Oh my goodness, have you seen the pic of what KH wore to Posh’s Birthday party (You can see it from dlisted.com)? Is that call fashion?
Actually, if you think back, I don’t believe TC or his religion were criticized for years when he was apparently not very active in it and it did not rule his decisions and life. It seems that a lot of events have happened in the last 3+ years that have brought out this criticism. I don’t know of any other moviestar who sets up a tent on their movie sets to push their religion. Trust me, Judaism, Christianity and even Muslim faiths would not be so tolerated. Because of his star power, he got away with it. And then the odd behaviors started like the jumping on Oprah’s couch-weird but I have seen weirder-once William Shatner did some equally strange stuff on I think David Letterman’s show. SO that in itself did not turn the public opinion against him. His appearance on the Today Show where he basically told Matt and the world that he alone apparently knows the history of psychiatry and criticized an absolutely adored hollywood figure-Brooke Shields-for using medication to help with post-partum depression-basically telling women all over the world his ‘medical’ opinion–oh wait he did NOT have a medical degree!! Now that might have started his decline in popularity. So therefore, although free to express his opinion, people around the world are also free to express their opinion that perhaps he has ‘gone around the bend’ a bit there. For myself, as I can’t speak for anyone else, it isn’t personal-don’t know the guy-but on the other hand, I am now a non-fan. And there are many like me all over the place. Can he get back to the pinnacle he had reached in his career? I don’t know. The public is pretty fickle about stars who fall off their pedestal. Look at Michael Jackson. Never gonna be what he once was. Madonna? Well she is certainly a survivor. Who knows?
People as rich as tom cruise are a dime a dozen. There are even MANY MANY out there that have MUCH MUCH more then tc will ever have.
So to say that people want bad to happen BECAUSE of his worldly wealth is not accurate. If fact to say that anyone wishes ill of tom is totally inaccurate. If people wanted bad things to happen to rich people, tc will just have to get in line and wait his turn.
I hope that madonna just wanted to call (well deserved) attention to the Malawi orphans and will use any chance she can to get that point across. She probably did not even hear the real question.
By the way, if that picture on this thread is recent, he is looking good. Almost like the Maverick of old times
I agree with Madonna. He is a good man, his disposition is a positive one. He is not like Ray Liotta who looks like a hostile person 24/7 and even acts mean to others on set. Just cause other people do bad things under his religion’s name, doesn’t mean that he does them too. Its like with all religions, you got people who are so religious and prudish, but don’t practice what they preach to others. He is a more exemplary person than Paris Hilton and others. But he gets more heat. Just because he believes in something, not because of real significant things.
I think , No one Special, saying that Madonna’s analogy with the kids in Malawi, is marginalizing, isn’t something I agree with, from my perspective. The only reason you don’t see it as a big deal to beat down this man is because, you are not seeing the big picture. All violence and hatred of people from other religions started at a microcosm. Just as simple as making fun of somebody like Tom Cruise and making malicious rumours, just because of his beliefs. But then they escalated to a bigger thing. Similar to the kids who start Columbine Massacres. You got a few kids who bully viciously bully somebody, until they can take it no more, until they reach their breaking point, and then they just blow up and commit suicide or discharge their anger in some other harmful way. What you have said is an excuse to make it OK to bully somebody in such a horrible way. It is ignorant to say that. That is the same as saying that these kids in school, who are bullied, suffer from their own doing. People have feelings, and all the money in the world does not change that they have feelings and suffer just like you. I give kudos to Madonna, by saying what she said, she stood up for people of all religions, not just Cruise’s and she stood up for the bullied people too!
Tuna, Have you actually read anything about his religion?? You should check out exscie kids These are young women that were raised in it, lived in it and got out of it. One of them is actually David Miscavaige’s niece! This is not just a ‘religion’ to TC. According to the very words of David Miscaviage, TC is considered the ’savior’ of CoS! So he is not just a parishoner in a ‘church’ He is the face of said ‘church’. This however, is neither a place to preach or bash him or anyone If one wants information, all you have to do is look on the net for it. The good, the bad and the ugly about any subject is out here.
Tuna, The orphans in Malawi were born into the poor conditions that they to live in. They did NOTHING to bring it on.
In the USA, when someone, ANYONE goes on national television and makes fun of another persons illness and totally blasts that person, the person doing the blasting has to be prepared for any kind of backlash.
The truly “good person” does NOT publicly condemn a lovely lady that has an illness that was out of her control.
A truly GOOD PERSON that does only good things for others will hold his hand out to help her. NOT do his best to destroy her on public television.
I absolutely agree with Concerned Mom. Why aren’t any movie stars speaking up for the marginalized teenagers and adults who leave Co$ and are shunned by their families and communities? Is anyone going to stand up for Katie if she tries to leave this church?
Tuna, You posted “Just as simple as making fun of somebody like Tom Cruise and making malicious rumours, just because of his beliefs. But then they escalated to a bigger thing. Similar to the kids who start Columbine Massacres.”
PLEASE clarify your post. I am reading you to say that people are bullying tom for NO reason. And that some day he will blow and do something violent and it will be justified just like you think that Columbines Harris and Klebold were justified because they too were bullied.
Please tell me you don’t mean that.
No, in his case, If it was somebody with less esteem than Tom Cruise, somebody who isn’t very strong yet, like young teenagers, they would probably commit suicide. If it was Britney Spears, she would probably do something like that. But I feel like they put down Cruise they want the man to have a breakdown.
I think if you bully somebody enough, you break them down, you convince them that they are worthless to be treated so badly, this could work on people with low self esteem and who don’t have enough empowerment, even if they do, sometimes negative people can totally crush and make you believe that there is something really wrong with you, to be treated so worthlessly. Like that kid from myspace, was bullied over the internet, and killed herself, just cause of some messages she got on myspace.
I think bullied people, commiting suicide, is the better analogy. I think that if it was somebody with less self esteem, and less meaning in their life, they would take their own life. But not somebody like Cruise, because he seems strong and has a family and passions to live for. But the druggie types who have nothing to live for, obviously have low self esteem, and I wouldn’t be surprised that they have had people putting them down. There is a difference between criticizing what he said, but he had a point in what he said about drugs. I don’t think he meant to offend Brooke, he wasn’t the one who brought her up, it was the reporter. Tom apologized to her personally, only reason you know about it, is cause Leno asked her about him, when she was on hisr talk show promoting her stint on Nip/Tuck.As for his religion. I think that there are different kind of Scientologist. There are people who are nice, exemplary people, and as with other religions, there are corrupt people, and people who say they are part of a religion, yet don’t practice it. Like my aunt, who is catholic, very stern lady, spread lots of nasty rumours and gossip in the family.
Yeah, I have seen those sites you talk about, concerned mom. It seems to me that the most negativity comes from the inner church organization. The inner core staff. But also, It seems that the same people who are victims compose the bad guys too. Its the same people. I think they need to fix things from the inside. But I don’t think that every single one of them is the same. I think that there are different types of people in there. I think they do need to reform from the inside, but who can really stand to live with no TV, though , they should not be spending church money to watch entertainment TV. But as for Cruise, I think he is a good guy. I think his true intent was good. But I really don’t think he is one of those crooked people that are the bad apples of Scientology. I think those guys are on the inside, and they are some people in management and scattered about. Yes, I have read other stuff, but really, if they choose to believe it, I have no problem with it, its the same as the Virgin Mary and the Ressurection, except I have seen much UFO footage and never a Virgin Birth nor anybody turning water into wine. And watching Zeitgeist just made me doubt these things even more. I pray, but, I pray to the GOD, that I am sure is out there. But I’m not so sure which one is the real one. But praying always makes me feel good. So I know he is hearing me. Nonetheless, I respect that other people believe those types of things.
I see Tuna. Well it sounds like you have indeed given this a lot of thought. I appreciate that. knowledge is power. Have you checked out the many countries that don’t acknowledge Scientology as a religion at all? Germany for instance, is quite hostile to the whole CoS because they feel that some of the techniques used to ‘bring people in’ are not too far away from the tactics used by Hitler to convince a whole generation of youth to follow his cause. Look up Jason Beghe. He is an actor who just walked out of the ‘church’ recently after 13 years in. He has quite a story. But I am off my soapbox. LOL Julie is gonna get me. We are far off topic now. LOL I promise to be good on Tuesday. This is after all a fan site and I truly get the folks that admire and are crazy about TC. I used to be too. And even now, looking at the pic on this thread. If Top Gun came out tomorrow, I would be having a true knock down argument with myself about going or not going-based on my principles. My principles would have to win, but man what a battle it would be.
Mom, I totally agree with you – Madonna is vulgar! I have never been a fan (she is about 20 years older than me and looks younger than me! C’mon!) She seems addicted to plastic surgery – appearing on the streets of London for weeks late last year with bruises around her eyes and cheekbones. She has three young kids, and she still spreads her legs to get onto every magazine cover and every music channel and every blog. I’m sorry, but Madonna’s crotch is so blase.
What I find odd is why the interviewer asked her if she sympathises with TC. Makes me think there was something in the context of the interview where the said she was hard done by or something. Would be good to read the whole interview.
I agree Tom is a nice guy, he’s had a really bad deal, he deserves sympathy just like orphans facing starvation and death because Tom is innocent just like them, Madonna is right. Didn’t Tom say he could save the world? So let’s give him a chance and stop bashing him, he could be the answer for the world.
Well, you know, I think Madonna is very liberal, but she is cool with me. I’d pick Madonna over Paris Hilton any day.
Tuna Subway, I agree with you. Very well said!
If anything from the things the critics of Scientology say about it, I actually feel sorry for Tom Cruise and they way they are using him. Pure and simple, if he knows the “danger” of it, and if it truly didn’t help him, he would not be a Scientology. I forgot the actors name who recently spoke against the religion, he seems to get away and abandoned the faith after 14 years so maybe IF Tom isn’t getting any spiritual and other help from the religion I believe he will walk away when he is good and ready. But what I don’t get is TOM CRUISE started being open and talking about his faith after so many years of questions and no comment and eventually when he was good and read and when ASKED, he spoke about it and after backlash of his comments he stopped talking about it and apologised to Brooke and moved on but what can’t the critics move on? Why does it bother us Tom’s a scientology? Do some people feel by attacking him they’ll put off people from his religion? Is his happiness a threat? If people have problem with Scientology go after the religion but leave one man and his family alone. I agree with Tuna what is been done to Tom and his family is bullying and just because he has money and fame and the ability to cope with all this it doesn’t mean its any different from anyone else who is being bullied. If I was in his shoes I sure wants whatever is keeping him to remain sane with all the bullying and pressure because I don’t know how he hasn’t gone off the rail and stays happy and have a nice family life with all this going on.
Anyway, I’m a fan of Madonna and she is right Tom gets a raw deal but I think she was wrong to compare him with orphans in Malawi.
Concerned mom, I am sorry to single you out again, but am not a scientologist. I doubt I would make a good one. LOL.
If you listened to Beghe you would have learned that scientologists do not hop form site to site defending themselves otherwise they would be all over the internet in droves. They insulate themselves against negativity from what I have read about them. (A good practice if you ask me)
The reason no one is taking up the cause of all those former scientology kids is because first, they a nasty bunch, they do the very same things that scientology to did to them. Harrass others. Secondly, there are many more people who are more deserving of my sympathy. Those mormon kids for one, african kids for another. I don’t care about a bunch of wealthy people who a fleeced of their money. It you saw the light and got out, leave and get a life.
I remember reading about a non fan who said that no one can be as happy as Tom and Katie want us to believe they are. To me, that sums up things. It is about happiness. Most people are miserable and if you ask your fellow non fans, you will notice that most of them are taking anti depressants and their lives are not very happy. Just like most bullies, they are very miserable and are threatened by people they percieve to be better than them or happier than them.
If I was a scientologist, I would FYI comment on those anti-scientologists sites I visited, as it were, I have no time and I don’t care that much.
I love Tom Cruise and Katie and am a huge fan (obviously) I hate it when someone comes here and pretends. I hate it when nasty people get excuses for their nastiness. Color it in what you want but this is not about scientology. Have you ever wondered what kind of zeal drives these people you so obviously regard with such high esteem?
How many tents has Tom Cruise built since 2005 on movie sets? How many shows has he been to to criticise any more actresses? These bullies were waiting for an excuse for all these years. Did Beghe say anything vilifying Tom Cruise? Is there any proof that he has personally ochestrated anything against any of these former scientologists?
I have no doubt TC will out live the Libras Miapocca and Friedman’s of this world. Ask yourself, who is a better person? TC or Friedman. And if TC left his church, would it close down?
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Hana, I couldn’t agree with you more.
I too was interested when I first heard the plight of former scientologists. Till I realised that Tom Cruise had nothing to do with it. If anything he is a victim of these two groups. Scietologists using him, former scietologists bullying him. I do respect him all the more for the resilience he has shown. But I guess if you have his mentality, passion and a clear conscience, a good family and love, you can survive a lot.
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First off, I vehemently oppose Scientology as in my opinion it was simply devised as a means for making money from celebrities and other wealthy people and in turn allowing them to feel good about the fact that they’re rich beyond all measure. Any “religion” that requires you to spend a set amount of money each time you want to enlighten yourself and learn more about it’s foundations is, I’m sorry to say, a business and therefore not helpful to some who may need it the most as they don’t have the means to pay for it. I can go to any other church in this country for free, and although there are many scams out there and even more religious leaders who are out to take you money, Scientology takes the cake.
With that said… Tom seems to be a good-hearted person who genuinely cares for the needs of others and appears to really put himself out there for his friends. I don’t have to like or agree with how he spends his money in order to achieve that happiness, so unless he tries to convert me into his cult I don’t have much else to say about his personality because NONE of us know him aside from what the media reports – and we all know how trustworthy they are!
I agree with the theory behind Madonna’s statement, but must say that she seems to be pushing her own agenda through the Malwai orphan comment. It’s as if she wants to subtly remind people that she has adopted a little boy out of the country because the media has dropped the story and moved on to more “interesting” news like who Paris Hilton is dating or where Britney Spears ate a hamburger yesterday. It’s just all very contrived if you ask me.
Since things seem to be escalating on this post, I am closing comments for now.