Internet Hoax Snares Cruise
Apparently, if you jump on a couch in a frenzied enough manner on national television, people will start to believe just about anything about you.
Tom Cruise was the victim of a recent Internet scam in the form of a fake press release posted on the British Website Pressbox.co.uk that claimed the actor would be giving a series of lectures on metal-health issues.
The release, purportedly issued by the actor's lawyer, Bertram Fields, claimed that Cruise would be bellying up to a podium at Los Angeles' Scientology Celebrity Center to discuss topics such as "How Psychiatry Invented Schizophrenia and What Scientologists Can Do About It" and "Handling Sexual Disorientation: Out of the Closet and into the Auditing Room."
Cruise has been outspoken about his opinion of psychiatry in the past, calling it a "pseudoscience," criticizing Brooke Shields for her decision to use antidepressants following the birth of her daughter and engaging in a heated debate with Matt Lauer about the use of mind-altering drugs.
However, according to Fields, the release regarding the actor's planned lecture series was a hoax from beginning to end.
"It's totally phony. I never issued that release. Tom is not giving any lectures," the notoriously sue-happy lawyer told Radar Online.
Fields indicated he planned to pursue legal action against the masterminds behind the release.
"I'm going to look into it, because, in my view, it's forgery, wire fraud and apparently committed on an interstate basis," Fields told Radar. "So, if I can find out who did this, I certainly intend to pursue every remedy I can find."
The lawyer also indicated that he was surprised anyone had believed the release was real.
"It's way off base, and of course you could tell from looking at the names of the supposed lectures that it's nothing that comes from Tom. You know, " 'Out of the Closet and into the Auditing Room' is not something Tom is going to put as the name of a lecture," Fields said.
"He's not, in fact, giving any lectures. If he did, I would sell tickets."
While Cruise may be through speaking out about his views on pseudoscience, er, psychiatry (at least for now), his ex-wife Nicole Kidman seems to be just getting started.
The actress portrays a psychiatrist in her upcoming film, The Visiting, and said that she has had no trouble preparing for the role.
"I have a father who is a psychologist, so my life has been research," the Oscar winner told the Associated Press.
Kidman went on to say that she considers psychiatry and psychology worthwhile professions that can help people.
"I think all sorts of things do [help], in terms of Buddhism, in terms of therapy," Kidman said. "I think people choose things that they need that are going to help them. And obviously, I've seen my father do some magnificent work."
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