Comedy Central pulls Scientology episode from reruns
Comedy Central has pulled the "Trapped in the Closet" episode, which
criticizes and exposes Scientology, from reruns. Rumor has it that Tom
Cruise threatened not to do publicity for the movie "Mission
Impossible 3," which will be released this summer, unless it was
pulled. As Paramount, the distributor of the Cruise film, and Comedy
Central are both owned by Viacom, this has some plausibility.
A Cruise representative denied the rumor, phrased in a way that may
have been crafted to be literally true but misleading (a method
frequently used by George W. Bush, as documented in the book All the
President's Spin).
(Via Dispatches from the Culture Wars.)
UPDATE (March 18, 2006): Trey Parker and Matt Stone have declared war
on Scientology:
Matt Stone and Trey Parker, creators of the animated satire, are
digging in against the celebrity-endorsed religion after a
controversial episode mocking outspoken Scientologist Tom Cruise
was yanked abruptly from the schedule Wednesday - with Internet
rumors it was covert warfare by Cruise that led to its departure.
"So, Scientology, you may have won THIS battle, but the
million-year war for earth has just begun!" the "South Park"
creators said in a statement Friday in Daily Variety. "Temporarily
anozinizing our episode will NOT stop us from keeping Thetans
forever trapped in your pitiful man-bodies... You have obstructed
us for now, but your feeble bid to save humanity will fail!"
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