Body Thetans? Bridges costing $350K? None for me, thanks!

More down-stat news for Xenu-fearing folks. It seems Tom Cruise’s Church of Scientology has lost another one its wealthy “donors” as news of Australian media mogul James Packer stepping away from the money-making front group emerges on the internet.

James Packer, a close friend of Tom Cruise, was recruited into the organization during a vulnerable time in his life. Recently divorced from his first wife, humbled by some bad financial deals in his family’s multi-million dollar media company, Packer was ripe for the Cruise picking, but like any decent mogul, Packer and his money have seen the light. Details from a Sydney Morning Herald:

But wait, there’s more…

Give that man an award for Most Obvious Statement This Decade.

Peepaw Martin Sheen is none too happy that his granddaughters are being pimped out by former daughter-in-law Denise “Someone’s tampered wit da bawwwwmb” Richards for her new reality series:

The veteran actor has hit out at the actress’s decision to include his granddaughters in her new reality TV show, branding the move “a mistake”.

Denise, 37, who has been locked in a bitter feud with Charlie since their marriage crumbled in 2006, is opening up her home to film the series for America’s E! network. […]

According to the New York Post’s gossip column Page Six, The West Wing’s Sheen said: “We were hoping they wouldn’t be exposed to that. It’s unfortunate. But she’s of a mind where it’s important to her.

“Maybe she has to get involved with something to realise how big a mistake it is.”

He’s a bit crazazy himself, but he does have a point.  Daddy Charlie Sheen took Denise (voted the Worst Bond Girl) to court last year attempting to stop his daughters’ involvement, but incredibly the judge agreed with Denise and allowed filming to continue.

Charlie has a good idea:

The Two And A Half Men star Charlie, who is now engaged to Brooke Mueller, said last month: “I think we should all just boycott the damn thing.”

I’m no big fan of the man-slut, but he has a point.  If nobody watches, then there is no reason for a show.

Therefore, I propose this:  Don’t just boycott the show, boycott the whole network.  E! has a large network of shows watched by a large number of people.  If people stop watching, maybe it will send a message that we, as a viewing public, do not appreciate having innocent young children (who have no say in the matter) pimped out for public consumption.  Denise is doing this for one reason only…to pad her bank account.

Write, email, call E! and tell them that this will not stand.  These little girls didn’t sign a contract and they didn’t agree to any of this.  They are little children who do not understand the scope of what is actually going on here.  They are two and three years old…how can they make an informed decision?  The only things they should be making a decision about concerning television are whether to watch Sesame Street or Disney Princesses.

Yes, I know that there are many stupid reality shows on E!, but they mostly feature adults who are old enough to consent to what they are doing (well, Keeping Up With The Kardashians has a 9 and 11-year-old, and I don’t agree with that, but there is a big difference between a toddler and a tweenager, and this particular post is about toddlers…I’ll get to the Kardashians another time).  These two little girls have no say.

So far, this link is all I can find for online contact (the “Contact Us” link just takes you to a null page, and the other “Contact Us” link I found opens a page but nothing is on it).  I did find these addresses and phone numbers:

E! Entertainment Television
5750 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Phone:  323-954-2400
Fax:  323-954-2661

Be respectful, be decent, be literate and intelligent, do NOT be stupid or threatening, but be firm in stating that as long as there is a show featuring toddlers who do not have a say in the matter, you will not be tuning in to E!.  Join me!

I’m going to admit right off that these are very cute babies.  Max looks like his daddy and Emme looks like her mommy.  But then…most babies are cute, even without a six million dollar price tag.

Yes, the new People magazine is out, and guess who is on the cover:

This week’s issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, features 12 pages of new photos of the pop star with husband Marc Anthony and their 1-month-old bundles of joy inside their Long Island home and nursery.

The happy new parents spoke candidly to PEOPLE about the pregnancy, addressing everything from Jennifer’s weight gain to rumors of infertility. For all the details, pick up the new issue, on newsstands Friday.

And guess what?  The babies…look like everyday, run-of-the-mill, normal babies.  You can see airbrushed photos of Jennifer in the $120,000 nursery, of Jennifer holding the babies, and of Jennifer gazing lovingly at Marc as he holds the babies.  People magazine has been counting down to this on their website with the expectancy of a lunar launch.  I guess they need to get their money’s worth out of this little deal.

But here’s what I propose:  I say that we don’t buy the magazine.  $6M for airbrushed photographs of J-Lo, in which the twins just so happen to appear, is ridiculous.  Jennifer and Marc do not need this money.  They have more money than they know what to do with, and that is one thing that keeps them distant from reality.  As I said yesterday, I have no problem with celebs splurging on whatever they like…when they then turn around and give back to others less fortunate.  But by all accounts this $6M is going straight into their bank account, instead of being used, for example, to help those mothers and children who are less fortunate.

People could have offered to donate that money to a reputable charity in J-Lo and Marc’s name, instead of giving it to greedy celebrities who will undoubtedly use it to purchase yet more gilded trim for the nursery.  This is simply a publicity stunt for Jennifer…it’s to stroke the egos of the parents, it has nothing to do with the babies.  I don’t doubt that she loves her babies very much, but let’s not fool ourselves into thinking that she wanted to share this moment with fifty million of her closest friends.

So, sorry…you do what you want, but I won’t be spending one red cent to buy a People magazine.  I don’t even really want to link to them in this story, but I guess I have to.  Regardless, they are cute, and I hope they live long and healthy lives.