This is final and 5th segment of Glosslip’s interview with famed biographer Andrew Morton. In this clip, Morton addresses the Anonymous phenomena and talks about how Scientology’s claims to help people need to be scrutinized using both empirical and scientific methods.

Morton also suggests that any religion needs to be able to survive criticism if they are to continue, and the Church of Scientology, like Islamic fundamentalism is threatening our worldview with a fascistic and dangerous mindset and needs a closer look by society.

I will be writing a review of the book which was a wonderful resource for learning more about Tom Cruise and most certainly, Scientology. It’s also a very well-written book by a serious, but grounded man. I can’t thank Andrew enough for making time for me, he couldn’t have been more gracious.

In segment number 4, I ask Andrew an off-the-wall question about David Miscavige, leader of the Church of Scientology and Tom Cruise’s BFF, but the most interesting part comes at the end of the interview when I ask if Andrew believes Tom Cruise, Scientology’s 2nd in command, is aware of the Church’s many abuses.

Andrew’s answer is powerful, and reveals as much about the Church as is does the about the author himself. I believe Mr. Morton is no longer a pedestrian biographer, simply sharing information about an interesting subject, but rather a human being compelled to do as much as he can to right very obvious wrongs.

Well, they say the first step is knowing you have a problem, but then you actually have to do something about it.  Amy Winehouse apparently understands her need to return to rehab (and hopefully for more than a two-week clean-her-up dust-her-off make-the-junkie-pretty-for-the-cameras stay this time):

The singer is said to be close to returning to rehab, and has reportedly admitted that “she needs to check into rehab again”.

A source told The Sun: “There are too many temptations for her in the UK — people around her in London are making it impossible for her to stay clean for any length of time.

“Her management had considered flying her to a clinic in Israel but are now looking further afield. They are assessing a clinic in Cape Town in South Africa.”

Look, I don’t care if they fly her to Penguin Rehab Center in Antarctica, just get her out of London and into rehab somewhere, now.  Her previous two-week vacation spa treatment rebab stint was just to get her cleaned up and prettied up for the Grammys, but in terms of lasting effect it was obviously destined for fail.  But while getting her to an out-of-town/state/country/continent rehab is probably a good idea, at some point she will have to return home if she plans on continuing to live near her Blake Incarcerated-Druggie, who’s visiting hours she recently missed.  That’s the problem facing all recovering addicts…returning to daily life after rehab is over.

And it doesn’t look like her face is clearing up either:

[T]he heavy make-up could not hide the unsightly scabs on her face which some sources have blamed on her ‘drug-taking’ lifestyle.

The award-winning singer is in desperate shape and the pan-stick make-up failed to conceal the spots and scabs on her wrinkled cheeks, chin and nose.

Amy’s spokesman has insisted she is suffering from the bacterial skin infection impetigo - which is highly contagious and can develop by repetitive scratching of a sore.

He said the 24-year-old has been put on a course of antibiotics to clear it up.

But friends fear the scabs on her face are a sign that her drinking and drug taking is once again spiralling out of control.

Amy, if you do indeed have impetigo, do everyone in London a favor…STAY HOME UNTIL IT CLEARS UP.  Nobody wants your nawsty, scabby germs, okay?  How selfish do you have to be?  I mean, it’s not a personal thing…if it is in fact impetigo, that is highly contagious, and nobody else wants it!

Friends blame multiple sources for her facial problems, including drugs, medications, and diet:

Miss Winehouse’s spokesman has insisted she is suffering from the bacterial skin infection impetigo - which is highly contagious and can develop by repetitive scratching of a sore.

He said the 24-year-old has been put on a course of antibiotics to clear it up.

But friends fear the scabs on her face are a sign that her drinking and drug taking is once again spiralling out of control.

Her love of junk food has also not helped the condition of her skin. She was pictured emerging from a fast-food outlet with fish and chips and a bottle of Lucozade.

A source said: “Her friends are worried these sores have been caused by an excessive use of crack cocaine, which can cause these kind of blemishes.

“Pete Doherty used to have similar sores under his nose.

“Her skin also suffers because Amy takes in barely any nutrients. Fruit and vegetables never pass her lips.” […]

Another source said: “When Blake was in solitary confinement recently they both started self harming again.

“It is like some kind of pact to show how much they love each other.”

Sally Penford, of the International Dermal Institute, said: “This is very much what impetigo looks like. However your skin mirrors what is going on inside your body.

“If you are taking medication, or you are not getting any nutrients and toxins are not being flushed out of the body, it will show on the skin.”

Amy is a self-confessed junk-food junkie, and loves her crisps, candy, fish-n-chips, and KFC.  It’s true what is said about the skin being a mirror of what goes on inside our bodies…just this week, as I’ve been dealing with the flu and all its assorted deliciousness, my skin has looked dull and lifeless and I’ve had a few breakouts.  That always happens when I get sick.  But I also haven’t been eating right this week (or much at all, for that matter), so that hasn’t helped my skin either.  I don’t even take drugs, outside of OTC flu medication…I can’t even imagine what one would have to ingest to cause this sort of reaction to one’s skin, if indeed that is what it is, and not impetigo.

If it isn’t impetigo and it is some sort of reaction to illegal drugs, then she must be in more serious trouble than anyone thought.  Her lips alone show there is a problem…dry and scabby, they look like she possibly is dehydrated.  All told, it’s a far, far cry from what she looked like at the Grammy Awards just a couple of months ago.

It’s interesting to me how her family were always pictured with her in the weeks leading up to the Grammys, but they are nowhere to be found now.  Yes, they could be working in private to get her help, and I sincerely hope they are.  It’s just that before the Grammys, they preferred to do their good deeds before men.  Perhaps her going out with her scabs and her carved-up arms, presumably from self-harming, is a desperate and possibly unconscious cry for help.  You’ll notice in the photo above, taken just before the Grammys, she is wearing longer sleeves even though there were no marks to cover up, but now that she has marked up her arms (see previous photos), she’s got on short sleeves, with her scabs on display for everyone to see.

I hope something is done soon, before we’re writing her obituary.  That would be sad, indeed.

Well, not sure if everyone in America wants to be a Pepper, but Dr Pepper sure wants to see Axl Rose release the long-awaited (and awaited and awaited) “Chinese Democracy” this year…so much so that the soft drink giant is offering a free can of Dr Pepper to every man, woman, and child in America (excluding Slash and Buckethead) if Axl releases his album in 2008:

Many have tried, but so far nobody has been able to pry the decade-in-the-works Guns N’ Roses album “Chinese Democracy” from the hands of lone remaining original member Axl Rose.

Now, Dr Pepper thinks it’s up to the challenge. The soft drink company says it will give a free can of Dr Pepper to “everyone in America” (excluding ex-Guns members Slash and Buckethead) if “Chinese Democracy” arrives anytime during the calendar year 2008. […]

“Chinese Democracy” was most recently scheduled for release in March 2007, but promptly vanished from the schedule without a new date being set. Rose said at the time that all the recording had been completed, but there were some “scheduling difficulties.”

It will be the first album of fresh Guns N’ Roses material since the 1991 sets “Use Your Illusion I” and “Use Your Illusion II.” Rose has reportedly burned through $13 million in recording expenses for “Chinese Democracy,” and also burned his bridges with the bandmates who helped him turn Guns into one of the biggest rock groups in the world by the early 1990s.

Now there’s motivation if I ever saw it!

Axl, for his part, doesn’t seem to be as thirsty as other people are:

We are surprised and very happy to have the support of Dr Pepper with our album “Chinese Democracy,” as for us, this came totally out of the blue. If there is any involvement with this promotion by our record company or others, we are unaware of such at this time. And as some of Buckethead’s performances are on our album, I’ll share my Dr Pepper with him.

Could somebody please fetch the diva a manicurist, I think he has a hangnail and it’s making him a cranky-pants.

Here’s a thought…why not just have Axl buy us all a Dr Pepper and skip the album release altogether.  It isn’t like G&R are, oh, what’s the word I’m looking for…relevant? Did it suddenly become 1987 again when I wasn’t looking? I stopped caring about G&R (outside of “Sweet Child o’ Mine”) about the time I stopped bleaching my hair like Cyndi Lauper’s. (don’t ask)

Besides, it looks like Miss Thang has been spending a little too much time with Mr. Plastic Surgeon and Miss Hair Oh-No-You-Dinnt. I mean, look at the guy. What happened?

Scuze me. I need to step out to the corner mart for a moment.

I drink Dr Pepper, don’t you know
It’s the original taste that I love so
And the taste is making Peppers
Everywhere I go…

I’m a Pepper
He’s a Pepper
She’s a Pepper
We’re a Pepper
Wouldn’t you like to be a Pepper, too?

Be a Pepper, drink Dr Pepper…

In this segment, the third in the series, Andrew answers a difficult hypothetical question: If one of Tom Cruise’s children were to defect from the Church of Scientology, would HE disconnect from them? Andrew’s answer is measured, but concise.

This was a very important question I felt, as this is a very real issue for members of Scientology every day. The Church has an active disconnect policy which requires them to officially declare they have disconnected from a person who has left the faith, be it a wife, mother, father, or child — whomever. To me, above all other abuses, this policy is the most reprehensible and cruel.

I keep reading more and more stories about members of Anonymous being tracked down, harassed, entrapped and incarcerated at the hands of the Church of Scientology.

In some ways, this should come as no surprise based on the vicious and litigious history of the CoS, but in this day and age you would think a legitimate religion could withstand criticism and continue to thrive and move forward. But therein lies the problem, Scientology is NOT a legitimate religion in its current form. I am even beginning to suspect it may not be a legitimate philosophy in any form.

Up until now, I have reserved calling the Church of Scientology a cult. Well, I guess the time has come for me to take off the rose-colored glasses, as clearly David Miscavige and those within the Church of Scientology who support him are in fact running a brutal and ruthless CULT for the sole purpose of destroying lives, obtaining power and making as much money as possible.

Let’s talk about Gregg. He is a young man who lives in Boston. Here’s his story as it was relayed to me:

“Today Gregg received a summons for criminal trespass and criminal harassment.

An 8 inch stack of complaints have been filed against him by the cult. But they finally got one to stick.

The Boston anons go out flyering every weekend. On March 9th the anons that Gregg was with decided to hand deliver the flyers to the Church on Beacon Street in Boston .

As the anons walked up the front stairs to the Boston Church, 4 Scientologists came rushing out and Gregg and the anons handed the Scientologists the flyers. The Scientologists asked the anons to leave and so they did leave, immediately. The anons have it all on video.

However the Church as managed to somehow get this one to stick and brought charges against Gregg.

Gregg will be making a scan of the summons for people to see.”

There are several caveats to this story which I am not including, but suffice it to say that Gregg was singled out for a reason, and like the predator the CoS is, they pounced on Gregg and are using him to set an example.

The reason they’ve been allowed to do this, they being Scientology, is because the mainstream media, or as Andrew Morton called them, “the elite media” (and out of touch I’d add) refuse to follow up on the story in any way. Without the pressure of the big media, Scientology will be able to destroy people like Gregg, and anyone else they single out of the herd.

I am angry, frustrated, mentally taxed, bewildered and disgusted that people who call themselves journalists are intentionally and flagrantly avoiding any kind of critical analysis of Scientology’s evil, vile practices and by way of this side-stepping, condoning the “fair gaming,” “disconnection policy,” “unfair tax protection and exemption” which the CoS is allowed to perpetrate unchecked.

I don’t know Gregg, but I don’t have to. I know the many, many mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, friends and associates who make up Anonymous, and any one of them could be Gregg. Gregg could be you some day, and Gregg, could definitely be me. It’s only a matter of time. This is how Scientology has managed to survive, no better yet, thrive. In the dark places where good people avoid, in secrecy, in veiled and implied threats.

This cannot go on. The destruction MUST stop.

Gregg needs legal counsel, assistance and likely, moral support in fighting these charges and I appeal to those with the means and know-how to contact me so we can help Gregg. In fact, I propose a fund or a network be set up to help folks like Gregg, for there will be more.

Anonymous has strength in its numbers, I challenge Anonymous to prove it is stronger than the CoS, more powerful than the media, more courageous than the authorities and more moral than the government.

It’s time to circle the wagon, protect the herd.

(Spoilers below)

GO TRACE!!!

They both have great charities, and I’m glad they are raising lots of money for them.

But I’m Team Trace, all the way!

UPDATE:  I do have to say…I agree with Trace.  Wheatgrass juice???  Black nail polish???  The Backstreet Boys are coming across like they’re a bunch of sissy-boy wussies.

Oh wait.

UPDATE:  NO WAY!  What a ripoff…Piers won a lot of money, but what a jerk!  Seriously, what a jerk!  Trump is a joke, but so is Piers, so they both should be happy.  They both love to have people tell them how wonderful they are.

Don’t worry, Trace…I know who was the real winner was.  He may have won the game, but you win in life.  You’re going home to your beautiful family…what’s he going home to?

Part 2 in the series of Glosslip’s interview with Andrew Morton we discuss the disintegration of Tom Cruise’s marriage to Nicole Kidman and what influence Scientology has had on Nicole’s disconnection and separation from her children, Isabella, age 16 and Connor, age 13.

Andrew discussed PTSSP Rundown, a course teen Scientologists are given to during their adolescence which in cases of divorce or separation from parents can in effect cause “disconnect” to take place. Andrew suggests what will happen with Nicole’s children, and what we’ve already witnessed happening to their relationship when Tom left Nicole and she parted ways with Scientology.

Above is the first part in a series of videos from an interview I did with famed celeb biographer Andrew Morton in New York this week. Discussed in this segment are Tom Cruise’s couch abuse, why Tom settled on Katie Holmes and Tom’s faith in the Church of Scientology.

Please join Glosslip Radio as we co-host with BlogTalkRadio.com CEO, Alan Levy in an interview with NYT’s best-selling author, Andrew Morton, to discuss his latest book, Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography.

Click here to listen to show.

Show begins at 4:00PM EST

Andrew Morton is arguably the most well-known celeb biographer in the world. Having covered such high profile subjects as Princess Diana, Madonna, David and Victoria Beckham, and political consort Monica Lewinsky, tackling the world’s most famous Hollywood actor, Tom Cruise, was simply a matter of time for Morton.

Glosslip had a chance to sit down with Andrew while we were visiting in New York for the premiere of Ian Halperin’s new documentary, “His Highness Hollywood.” We will be revealing part of that video interview today.

From our perspective, the interview is explosive and Morton is amazingly astute, tuned in to his subject, and every bit as erudite on Scientology, the faith driving Tom Cruise, as he is on the man himself.

Please tune in for today’s much-anticipated interview, where Alan Levy, founder and CEO of BlogTalkRadio and Glosslip team up to go inside the life of Tom Cruise, the Church of Scientology and talk to the man who sparked the current firestorm of anti-Scientology protests around the globe.

Andrew’s book is where it began two months ago, and despite having his book banned in the UK and Morton himself threatened with lawsuits based on numerous claims in the book, he has some very specific ideas on what should happen going forward as groups like Anonymous, and those brave souls who’ve been fighting the Church for years team up to expose the abuses of the Church of Scientology.