FYI: "Leah Remini's Anti-Scientology Documentary on A&E is scorching." Airs Tuesday the 29th, etc.

"Leah Remini’s anti-Scientology documentary on A&E is scorching. It airs Tuesday night the 29th at 10pm. Remini explains her trajectory as a teen member of the cult, what happened to her family, how she left and wrote her book which was published earlier this year.

"But wait– Remini started getting so many messages from trapped and ex members of the cult that she decided to start filming them. And the result is pretty damn scary. In the first episode she gets former celebrity wrangler Amy Scobee on tape and the interview is a wowzer. Scobee admits that she was in charge of making sure Tom Cruise was completely isolated in the cult. All of the people who worked in Cruise’s house were Scientologists and he was constantly under surveillance."

BTW, the documentary aired on A&E today and one XJW told me, "Different penalties, but same strategy as all cults including Watchtower"

Barbara

ShirleyW

If only A&E would do the same thing with the JWs.

Why is it that the other cults get so much more air time than the JWs and they don't even go knocking door to door to spread their message, oh well, maybe after this airs maybe they'll get lots of letters from JWs saying how similar Scientology is to the Dubs.

darkspilver

FYI, the official eight-episode docuseries' webpage:

http://www.aetv.com/shows/leah-remini-scientology-and-the-aftermath

The Church of Scientology have issued a statement that E! have published:

http://www.eonline.com/news/806766/leah-remini-and-the-church-of-scientology-are-at-war-again

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOpur_YepYk

Vidiot

ShirleyW - "...Why is it that the other cults get so much more air time than the JWs?..."

The Org has very carefully crafted a benign public face.

Unsurprising, since their body count is so much higher.

darkspilver

Also remember that Scientology goes out to attract 'celebrities.'

Then when said celebrities get disillusioned with Scientology and speak out, they are more likely to attract media attention by the very reason of who they are.

Scientology even has what they call 'Celebrity Centres.'

http://www.scientology.cc (yes, note the 'cc' ending!)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebrity_Centres

AndersonsInfo

http://news.nationalpost.com/arts/celebrity/scientologists-demand-ae-network-pull-former-disciple-leah-reminis-expose-from-air

"Scientologists demand A&E Network pull former disciple Leah Remini’s exposé from air"

"Leah’s lawyer is demanding the $1.5 million as “compensation for the past, present and ongoing reputational, emotional and economic injuries and damages (Leah has) suffered."

"A spokesman for the church responded to Leah’s lawyer — calling the demand for compensation “nothing more than a provocative ploy to generate publicity for what will no doubt be another failed program by a failed ‘celebrity’ seeking to make a buck off of her former religion.”

“The Church will freely exercise its constitutional rights,” the spokesman added."

darkspilver

Review from the LA Times

'Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath' is a compelling, if unsophisticated, investigation of church

In recent years the church, founded by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, has spawned a cottage industry of journalistic exposes and jaw-dropping memoirs in which former devotees allege abusive, cult-like behavior and outlandish beliefs.
At this point, Scientology is as much an active religion as it is fodder for the various juicy tell-alls that have familiarized readers of People magazine with once-obscure concepts like Operating Thetans and the Bridge to Total Freedom.
Unlike Alex Gibney’s Going Clear (HBO), this series is a strictly basic-cable affair that relies on some regrettable reality-TV conventions. There are hokey re-creations, lots of generic stock footage, an interview with Remini that has the look and feel of a “Real Housewives” confessional and superfluous montages highlighting the drama in episodes ahead.
Remini comes off as authentic, even if “Scientology and the Aftermath” can also seem self-serving. (Her name is in the title, after all.) Remini may have paid a price for speaking out but leaving the church has also undeniably boosted her visibility.
And however well-intentioned Remini seems to be, there’s something a tad ironic about an investigation of a celebrity-driven cult that plays like a star vehicle.
Read the full 790 word unedited review:
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-et-st-leah-remini-scientology-review-20161129-story.html

darkspilver

Review from The Hollywood Reporter

Interesting, but unlikely to generate a following

I was being steadily distracted by what I can only assume was a behind-the-scenes clearance process of epic proportions. On the screener I watched, each programming segment was preceded by a title card reading "The Church disputes many of the statements made by those appearing in this program," directing viewers to additional information on the A&E website, while several segments were also preceded by specific denials from the Church of Scientology, text from official letters sent as recently as early November. Back when things were shot on film, a movie delivered straight from the developer to the projection booth was described as being wet, and were that idiom still relevant, it would surely apply to Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, which is engrossing, but probably not as captivating as what's taking place to get the show to air.
The "Coming up this season ..." reel features Remini saying, "We're hearing the same story over and over again," and that's honestly my fear when it comes to eight episodes of Scientology and the Aftermath.
Read the full 1200 word review:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/leah-remini-scientology-aftermath-review-950854

darkspilver

Seems like it was a blockbuster for A&E....

Leah Remini Scientology Doc Premiere Draws 2.1 Million Viewers for A&E

“Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath” had a gangbusters premiere for A&E Tuesday night. The 10 p.m. airing drew 2.1 million viewers in total for the network — the best premiere since “Big Smo” in 2014. More than half those viewers, 1.1 million, were in A&E’s target demographic of 25-54, and the show brought in a healthy number of viewers in the 18-49 demographic (913,000, or around a 0.7 rating).
http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/leah-remini-scientology-documentary-ratings-1201930528/

snugglebunny

I was quite bewildered for a while...

FYI: "Leah Remini's Anti-Scientology Documentary on A&E is scorching." Airs Tuesday the 29th, etc.

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