I have appended below excerpts of a verified transcript of an interview by the BBC’s John Sweeney with corporate Scientology celebrity Kirstie Alley. The interview was ordered and orchastrated by David Miscavige. It was conducted on 21 March 2007 at church of Scientology Celebrity Center International in Hollywood Caliornia. I think this interview demonstrates a couple things that Scientologists ought to know about David Miscavige and his management of Scientology Inc.
First, the interview shows how celebrities are used to cover up the serial crimes of David Miscavige himself. As we all know by now, the premise of the initial questions by Sweeny about the penalties for daring to harbor a thought contrary to Miscavige’s views is based on well-established fact.
Kirstie does a yoeman’s job of pretending those facts do not exist and diverting the conversation by positioning Sweeney’s question as akin to asking about alien sightings.
Which leads us to the second point of interest. Kirstie by raising the specter of “aliens” sends Sweeny right down the Scientology space opera rabbit hole. So much for Miscavige’s religious persecution complex.
Kirstie even resorts to claiming that as of the year 2007 she does not access the Internet in order to feign no knowledge of the RPF (Rehabilitation Project Force, Miscavige gulag). Even if true, what does that say about a prominent member of the church of Scientology? Medieval mentality? Controlled to the point of being shielded from the outside world? Just plain dishonest?
Kirstie did an admirable job of defending her religion against a lot of loaded questions.
However misled she may pretend to be though, the facts remain:
a) Miscavige is a liar and a coward having people like Kirstie thrown out as canon fodder to cover his crimes.
b) Kirstie is in fact last on record singing Miscavige’s praises, denying his documented crimes, and thus helping to perpetuate them.
KA = Kirstie Alley
JS = John Sweeney BBC
SEGMENT 1:
JS: People who have been in Scientology say that there are effectively dungeons of the mind. Places where people who have annoyed the management, David Miscavige, end up in the desert.
KA: People say there are Martians. Look, I am the tabloid queen.
JS: That’s wholly untrue?
KA: That is–That there are no Martians?
JS: That Scientology has got a punishment, it’s got punishment camps where people go—
KA: Listen, but John, I can’t take you seriously. I can’t take you seriously.
JS: –And live miserable lives. That’s just not true. You’ve never heard that?
KA: To my knowledge it’s not true, but I can’t take you seriously. It’s like me asking you, when was the last time you saw a Martian? Because I know some people in Oklahoma who totally see Martians in their backyard. And there are those people.
JS: Okay, well let’s talk about that.
KA: But not all Okies. I’m from Kansas. Oklahoma’s good. They don’t all believe in Martians.
JS: Let’s talk about aliens.
KA: Let’s talk about aliens.
(not surprisingly followed by questions about OT III)
SEGMENT 2
JS: Why–Hold on a second. As the public face of Scientology—
KA: Am I the public face of Scientology?
JS: You are not the leader of Scientology. As the leader of Scientology, why hasn’t Miscavige given an interview and answered these questions? What’s he afraid of?
KA If I were Mr. Miscavige, I would never sit down and do an interview with you. I love the BBC. I love the BBC with all my heart. Probably the best programs in the world. I am a comedian. I am an actress. The best comedies in the world are on the BBC.
JS: Fine.
KA: I love your network. But if I were Mr. Miscavige I would not sit with you because you clearly—
JS: I’d ask him a question about does he go around thumping people.
KA: And I think that that’s probably why he wouldn’t do an interview with you. Just like I wouldn’t ask you if you’re still molesting children.
JS: … any other journalist since 1991.
KA: Pardon?
JS: He hasn’t given an interview to anyone, to a TV journalist, since 1991.
KA: Why would he? My question is, why would he?
JS: He’s the leader of an organization—
KA: So.
JA: –that claims it’s a church. Other people say, who have been inside it, that it’s a sinister, mind-warping, brainwashing cult.
SEGMENT 3
JS: Terrific. So why can’t Miscavige. Why am I talking to an actress who is a loyal Scientologist? Why can’t we talk to the leader of the Church? Why can’t we talk to Tom Cruise? He’s the biggest—
TD : I already told you why.
JS: Look, I can only interview one person at a time.
KA: He has nothing to do—Look, I’d like to answer this. I’d like to answer this.
JS: Okay. Yes. Why is that man scared of something like the BBC?
KA: Well see, you’re putting that in there, which isn’t true. Every week I get about 250 requests for interviews. Now, I don’t particularly like doing interviews.
JS: Well you’re doing this one.
KA: So I turn down about 249 of those interviews. Okay. So I can’t imagine how many interview requests he gets. But for whatever reason, he’s decided to turn them down. I did this one because look, it is not my job to run around the world and defend Scientology. But I happen to know the kind of piece you’re doing. And I happen to respect the BBC. And I happen to love Britain. You know, my shows have been huge in Britain. I’m getting ready to do a show that was beloved in Britain called the Vicar of Dibley, the American version. I admire your actors and your artists, and I admire so much and I wonder why, why would you think someone would participate in something that is—talk about immoral and talk about creepy. This is creepy.
JS: Okay. What is RPF?
KA: I don’t know.
JS: Don’t you?
KA: No I don’t.
JS: Have you never heard of it?
KA: No I haven’t heard of it.
JS: Do you use the Internet?
KA: No I don’t.
JS: Why not?
KA: Because I’m a bit stupid on the Internet. I’m a little bit in the 1940s. I like the phone. I can’t do the Internet. I don’t know.
Moving On Up a Little Higher 