5. Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology

If you have read my book selections, you know I read Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief  in December of 2016 because I had read another book earlier that year by the excellent journalist, Lawrence Wright and thought I would give it a try. OH MY! I was fascinated. That book delves into the whole history of L. Ron Hubbard. 

This story is a personal memoir by one of Scientology's more famous defectors: Leah Remini. 

Prior to reading Going Clear, I remember seeing the infamous interview between Matt Lauer and Tom Cruise many years ago and thinking that Tom Cruise was a very angry person and Scientology had done nothing to help him. 

A few months ago, I watched an A & E documentary, and they advertised another A & E show: Leah Remini: Scientology and Its Aftermath  which was then on the verge of its third season. I proceeded to binge watch the entire first and second season and would end up in a puddle of tears every single episode. 

Scientology has messed with the wrong woman. 

I have such admiration for the lies Remini and Mike Rinder (a former top level defector from Scientology) are exposing to the world. I hope someday Scientology ceases to exist. It is a cult. 

It is interesting that I read this book right after a book about the oppressive regime of North Korea because they are both very similar in how they operate: closing off its members/citizens from the outside world, propaganda to keep the faithful, brainwashing, keeping people in the fold through a cult of intimidation and fear, dictatorial leadership.

In fact, North Korea had a hand in Valerie Haney, a SeaOrg member, defecting: 

Haney says she endured “deck work” for four months, and was then transferred to a video production unit, where she served as a casting director working on pro-Scientology propaganda videos.

“We were shooting a film that was about the Korean War and about brainwashing—what brainwashing is, and how it is done—and then I went, ‘Oh my gosh… that is what Scientology is,’” she recalls in the episode.

She made her escape in the trunk of one of the non-Scientology actors in the film shortly after that. 

But I digress, Leah story is poignant. I listened to the audiobook narrated by the actor, and she really is hilarious. (Although she is a foul-mouthed girl from Brooklyn. That might turn some readers off.) It is rare that I get on my bike to work and listen to an audiobook, but I could not put this book down (well I put it down for two hours of teaching Pilates and going to a weight training class). I heartily recommend this book. GO LEAH! 

I think this woman has found her calling. If you have an opportunity to watch her show, remember to have some tissue handy.