Placido Domingo

Tom Cruise Gets Visitation Rights? Why Don't We, Ask Ex-Scientologists Cut Off From Family Members

Fans of Katie Holmes are celebrating that she seemed to get just about everything she wanted in her divorce settlement with Tom Cruise -- reportedly, she's getting primary custody of Suri, and Tom will get visitation rights. And with Katie registering with a Catholic Church in Manhattan, it's a good ... More >>

Ursula Caberta on Scientology: "You Have to Be Always Watching Them"

This week, a 90-minute documentary about Scientology's intelligence-gathering wing, the Office of Special Affairs, aired on the French and German cultural channel ARTE. Titled "Office of Special Affairs: Der Scientology-Geheimdienst" (Scientology's Secret Service), it included interviews with seve ... More >>

Scientology on the High Seas: Hubbard Welcomes the New Meat!

In November we started a new feature here on Fridays: the Voice has obtained hundreds of copies of L. Ron Hubbard's previously unpublished "Orders of the Day," which he gave to crew members as he sailed the Mediterranean. Our documents cover the period from late 1968 through 1971, and this time we'r ... More >>

Scientology on the High Seas: Squirrel Cookery!

​In November we started a new feature here on Fridays: the Voice has obtained hundreds of copies of L. Ron Hubbard's previously unpublished "Orders of the Day," which he gave to crew members as he sailed the Mediterranean. Our documents cover the period from late 1968 through 1971, and this ti ... More >>

Scientology Spokeswoman Who Disconnected From Her Father Criticizes Scientology Victim Who Didn't

On Thursdays, we bring you Scientology news from around the globe. And this week, we were planning to note that Australia's television program A Current Affair had done a nice job on a story we brought you earlier, about Ramana Dienes-Browning and her hellish 8 years on Scientology's private cruise ... More >>

Scientology on the High Seas: Ringing in 20 A.D. with the Commodore!

On November 18, we started a new feature here on Fridays: the Voice has obtained hundreds of copies of L. Ron Hubbard's previously unpublished "Orders of the Day," which he gave to crew members as he sailed the Mediterranean. Our documents cover the period from late 1968 through 1971, and this time ... More >>

Scientology in the Village Voice: 2011 in Review

Here at the Voice we wrote 234 stories on Scientology this year. They generated more than a million pageviews and more than 20,000 comments from our loyal readers. Our first story of the year was posted in February, when we lauded Lawrence Wright's excellent, lengthy New Yorker profile of church de ... More >>

Scientology on the High Seas: Yuletide Cheer, Including Dickens Adapted with Evil Psychs

​On November 18, we started a new feature here on Fridays: the Voice has obtained hundreds of copies of L. Ron Hubbard's previously unpublished "Orders of the Day," which he gave to crew members as he sailed the Mediterranean. Our documents cover the period from 1968 to 1971, and this time we' ... More >>

SMERSH, Scientology Breakthroughs, and a Funeral: Sailing on the Apollo, Dec 4 - 10

​On November 18, we started a new feature here on Fridays: the Voice has obtained hundreds of copies of L. Ron Hubbard's previously unpublished "Orders of the Day," which he gave to crew members as he sailed the Mediterranean. Our documents cover the period from 1968 to 1971, and this time we' ... More >>

L. Ron Hubbard Schools Richard Nixon: Sailing on the Apollo Nov 27 - Dec 3

On November 18, we started a new feature here on Fridays: the Voice has obtained hundreds of copies of L. Ron Hubbard's previously unpublished "Orders of the Day," which he gave to crew members as he sailed the Mediterranean. Our documents cover the period from 1968 to 1971, and this time we're look ... More >>

Scientology Leftovers: Commenters of the Week!

​We're still recovering here in the underground bunker from this week's big feast. The leftover turkey is still holding out as we look back on the past week of Scientology watching here at Runnin' Scared. We started things off Sunday morning with a look at Part 3 of "The Money Machine," the g ... More >>

Scientology vs. Pollution, a Lisbon Cocktail Party, and More: Sailing on the Apollo Nov. 20-26

Last week, we started a new feature here on Fridays: the Voice has obtained hundreds of copies of L. Ron Hubbard's previously unpublished "Orders of the Day," which he gave to crew members as he sailed the Mediterranean. Our documents cover the period from 1968 to 1971. In this installment, we're lo ... More >>

Holiday Guide: Arts Picks

More Scientology Hip Hop, Yo: The Curious Career of Chill EB

Thursday night, we were quick to jump on the leak of a video that was only meant for internal Scientology consumption. It featured pallid European Scientologists breakdancing and pantomiming to a hip hop track that extolled the virtues of the International Association Scientologists -- the IAS. Wit ... More >>

Scientology Chillaxin': Commenters of the Week!

This disturbing image blatantly ripped off from WhyWeProtest.net​Was this a week for Scientology watchers, or what? Things started off just after midnight on Sunday morning as we scrambled to alert our readers that what we've been waiting for had finally arrived: the launch of the new investi ... More >>

L. Ron Hubbard Christens the Apollo 43 Years Ago Today: For The First Time, His "Orders of the Day"

​ For you Scientology watchers and Scientology history buffs, we think we have something very special for you today. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard sailed around the Mediterranean in a small armada of vessels, going from port to port. Each day, he issued ... More >>

Scientology Seasickness: Commenters of the Week!

I'm OT VIII, I'm king of the world!​It's been a light posting week, but our commenters did not let us down. We've had so much fun with singing on the Scientology ship Freewinds and other madcap adventures, even as we ventured outside the underground bunker. We started things off this week wit ... More >>

Scientology Dyspepsia: Commenters of the Week!

Cheezburger.com​We're feeling a bit woozy after this week of Scientology watching here in the underground bunker. Not sure if it was something we ate, or just the thought of Tom Cruise hurling at Gold Base that has us a bit dizzy. Anyway, Mr. Cruise was very much on our minds this week, as h ... More >>

Scientology Dumpster-Dive: Commenters of the Week!

Clearing the planet, one dumpster at a time​For our longtime, loyal readers and commenters (of all persuasions), I just want to say how much I appreciate your continued interest in things we're doing here at the underground bunker. This week, we got a huge influx of new folks as our stories we ... More >>

Scientology Transfusion: Commenters of the Week!

Eternal soul? Works all night? Exteriorizes? Hmmm.​It was a frantic week here at the underground bunker, where we keep an eye on all things Scientology-related. While we gathered material for some big stories, we managed to post several quick observations, some of which featured a medical the ... More >>

Scientology and Forced Abortions: Testimony of an Enforcer

Filmmaker Mark Bunker has released another preview from his upcoming documentary, Knowledge Report. In this segment, Gary Morehead talks about his role as a security officer at Scientology's secretive California desert headquarters, Int Base, where he oversaw the operation that persuaded pregnant ... More >>

Scientology Mocked at the South Pole: Now That's Cold

​ We continue to work very hard on some upcoming stories; in the meantime, we have this interesting image from the bottom of the world. I found it here. I have no information on it -- it might be months or years old, for all I know. I only know this: I want to hear from this person, so that ... More >>

Scientology Effervescence: Commenters of the Week!

​Here in the underground bunker, this was something of a strange week. While enduring a middling but annoying cold, we tried to get back in the swing of things after a week out of town. And while things started a bit slow, by Friday this had turned into one slammin' sevenday. Things kicked of ... More >>

Scientology Officially Probing the Village Voice!

​We've just received confirmation that ace reporter Jim Lynch has been handed a new assignment, and that assignment is us! Today, he called a PR firm in San Francisco that we used to work with, asking about "the finances of the Village Voice." The finances of the Voice? Hey, Jim, when you fi ... More >>

Scientology Hates Clean Ice: The "Fair Game" Operation That Should Turn Your Stomach

Xenu hates sterile cubes, for some reason​One of the first things people ask me when they hear that I cover Scientology on a regular basis is whether I've been targeted for harassment by the church. Despite some evidence that the church does intend to "handle" me, I've been left alone for th ... More >>

Scientology and Disconnection: "No One's Going to Take My Eternity Away"

Lori Hodgson keeps telling me she's going to give me the entire story of her time in Scientology. Well, I'm still waiting. In the meantime, she talked to Mark Bunker for his upcoming movie Knowledge Report, and this morning he released a segment of that interview. For those of you still confused ... More >>

Scientology Symposium: Commenters of the Week!

It was an unusual week here for us at our Scientology watching operation. We left the underground bunker for a trip to Southern California, but still managed to put together a few stories while on the road. And our commenters did not let us down, with some of them carrying over debates they were hav ... More >>

Scientology Apotheosis: Commenters of the Week!

Well, this was a week we've been looking forward to for some time here in the underground bunker. And now that we've finally finished our big countdown, there's a slight feeling of letdown here at Scientology-watching central. Even the cats are listless. But let's look back at a week that was. We s ... More >>

Scientology Internal E-Mails: Even More Depressing Than You Might Assume

For a few weeks now, we've been watching with some incredulity the material coming out of a particular Scientology "org," which is located in Birmingham, England. A Scientology-watcher who calls himself "CarltonBANKS" has been posting pretty amazing material from the Birmingham org's net servers wh ... More >>

The Top 25 People Crippling Scientology: Readers Poll Results!

LRH came out on top of our countdown, but did he top out our readers poll? Take a look inside!​Actually, make that the top fifty people crippling the Church of Scientology -- we received more than 3,000 individual choices by 141 voters, with more than 300 different people receiving votes. Our ... More >>

Scientology Dropkick: Commenters of the Week!

DM's minions keep dropping the ball!​Before we look back at the week that was, we wanted to remind you of our upcoming schedule. Monday morning at 9 am we'll reveal #3 in our big countdown, and then at noon we'll close voting on our readers poll. So if you haven't yet put in your own ballot, ... More >>

The Top 25 People Crippling Scientology: The Readers Poll!

​You've watched us reveal all but the top five entries in our big countdown, The Top 25 People Crippling Scientology -- now it's your turn to vote for your own list! Here's the link you've been waiting for -- now go and tell us who you think is doing the most to contribute to the Church of Sc ... More >>

Scientology Oz-fest: Commenters of the Week!

This kangaroo is volunteering its time and no contract is implied​Every Saturday, we say "what a week." But this time -- What a week! Right? With Scientology news breaking Down Under, and the countdown getting to single digits, and wacky stuff leaking in the UK -- the underground bunker was ri ... More >>

Birmingham in the House! Another Jaw-Dropping Scientology Video

Anonymous has found another nugget of pure gold. Yesterday, a remarkable song and set of photos were leaked to the Anonymous website WhyWeProtest.net that were apparently from the Scientology organization in Birmingham, England. Now, Anonymous has put together the photos and the song in this quit ... More >>

Scientology Flameout: Commenters of the Week!

Marcotai conquers entheta!​We're sitting here in the underground bunker, looking back on what was another amazing week of Scientology watching. More and more tips are coming in, things are breaking overseas, and the cats are mewing for their breakfast. We're on sensory overload here, but let's ... More >>

Scientology Pandemonium: Commenters of the Week!

The Squirrel Busters got hung out to dry this week​Things have been pretty loud and raucous around the underground bunker this week, what with news about Scientology coming in from multiple continents at all hours of the day. It's been mayhem. Even the cats are hissing at each other. The pand ... More >>

Scientology Delirium: Commenters of the Week!

Aleister knows your comments before you can write them down.​Another week finished, and what a week it was, fellow Scientology watchers. We started things off like the shot of a gun, didn't we? On Monday, we broke big news: that an L.A. sheriff's deputy was under official inquiry for appearin ... More >>

Tad Reeves: More Scenes from the Life of a Scientologist

A Volunteer Minister's work is never done​Greetings, fellow Scientology watchers! How good and snug it feels to be back in our underground bunker, where we keep a vigilant eye on all things L. Ron Hubbard-related. After a week away, we're back with a new set of supplies, lots of reading materi ... More >>

Scientology's Top Former Spokesman Talks Spying; The Church's Hollywood Properties Probed

More amazing new material for Scientology watchers today. We only have time for a quick dispatch while we're out of the underground bunker and on the road. First, Mark Bunker continues to release tidbits from the full-length Scientology documentary he's making, and yesterday dropped this meaty mo ... More >>

Jamie DeWolf, L. Ron Hubbard's Great-Grandson, Spins a Spine-Chilling Performance About His DNA

Another remarkable tidbit to tide over Scientology watchers on this light-posting week. For several years, L. Ron Hubbard's great-grandson, Jamie DeWolf, has made a name for himself for his slam poetry, some of it aimed at his famous ancestor. Numerous readers pointed us to this recent perform ... More >>

Scientology Blowout: Commenters of the Week!

A few more L-Rundowns, and this planet could be yours!​Yet another week has gone by, and this one did not disappoint. Just a few hours after we posted last week's best comments, we were caught up in the exciting story of Placido Domingo Jr., who talked to us Saturday night about Scientology's ... More >>

Scientology Quick Hits: Janet Reitman Is Not Afraid, and Other News

​Some updates and news nuggets from around the world of Scientology watching this Tuesday morning: -- Our story about Placido Domingo Jr. picked up another British newspaper with a report in The Telegraph. We're told that it's making waves all over Latin America, too. -- Last night, Janet Re ... More >>

Restaurants Hire Inspection Consultants; Pizza Guy Fights Off Robbers, Delivers Pies

​Star tenor Placido Domingo, who four weeks ago had colon cancer surgery, is recovering nicely and readying for the opening of his new restaurant, Zengo, which he's a partner in with Richard Sandoval. [AP] An East Harlem pizza-delivery guy fought off two gun-toting robbers and still managed t ... More >>

An Interview With Woody Allen

Woody Allen is back from his European vacation. Next, he directs Larry David in NYC and Puccini for L.A. Opera

Grease Is Good!

Are lard, eggs, and fish tacos the new health foods?

Seafood Aria

In midtown, something fishy and cheesy this way swims

A piano-playing lion from Lyon, France, is set wild this season

Class Act

Orchestral Maneuvers Hit the Mark

Roll Over Beethoven

Progressives Shake Up Classical Music

Gigglegate and Gomorrah