The St. Petersburg Times continues to be a huge thorn in Scientology’s side. Their Sunday edition reported horrific stories told by former Scientology members who have left the cult. Or should I say when they TRIED to leave the cult. It is part one of another three part series that they are continuing to run in addition to their Truth Rundown Series that they ran back in June.

Once again these former members were in Scientology for years and years and held very prominent positions.

The ex members talk about the two ways that a member can leave the cult. Which are called “routing out” or “blowing”.

If members have doubts and have decided they want to leave, Scientology has a procedure called routing out. To route out of  the cult is of course Scientology’s preferred method. Reason being…. there is a good chance that you will end up staying in the cult because of Scientology’s continued manipulation, brain washing, emotional distress and they also tell members that they are giving up their chance at eternity. It also gives the cult the chance to have a leaving member sign a “pumped up” affidavit. (which Scientology will embellish) This affidavit along with confidential and personal information that is in a member’s file, while  in turn will be used against them if they choose to speak out. 

Scientology member’s personal and intimate information is acquired through auditing sessions and “sec checks” and kept in a member’s ”PC file” which is held by the cult. Actor Jason Beghe who left the cult has asked for his files back, and as far as I know, has not received them back as of yet. Correct me if I am wrong.

Scientology has continued to prove that they do in fact use this tactic every time they respond to any ex member’s story that has gone public. Former member’s confidential information was not only printed in Scientology’s edition of their Freedom Magazine for all other members to read, but this time around member’s information along with out right lies and were used by Tommy Davis in his response to the SP Times latest stories. Former member, Oscar winner and actor Paul Haggis who has just recently left the cult, said this was one of the many reasons why he decided to leave. It was mentioned in a letter that her personally wrote to to Tommy Davis. So to any members still in… your information in your PC file is not safe!

Many members also tell of being chased and harassed by the cult for years. Not to mention the heart break of the family disconnection they have endured which continues today.

Basically, the more you know about the cult’s inner secrets and the higher position you hold, the more you will be sought after to come back. The cult is in fear that you will spill the beans on the cult’s activities. Well like it or not Scientology, there has been an awful lot of bean spilling lately.

When an ex member “blows”, it means to just leave and not follow proper cult protocol. It’s not that members are actually able to just walk out Scientology’s door, it means that many had to actually ESCAPE in secrecy to leave.

If a member routes out, it is a VERY long process. It involves “sec checking“. Which are hours and hours of being auditing on Scientology’s e-meter, which is short for Electropsychometer. This same exact unit is used on the general public at their Stress Test Tables, which you may see at a fair, flea market or city sidewalk.

Scientology not only considers the e-meter a religious artifact, they claim that this unit can help find a member’s area of distress and it can help address it and also cure it, as well as other ailments. Even claims of curing homosexuality.

According to Scientology, e-meters are also used in finding member’s past lives during auditing. Many members have claimed that some of their past lives were that of very well known pillars in history, such as Julias Caesar, or Ben Franklin, and so on. 

One former member, Steven Fishman, was convinced by auditors that he was the biological father of Jesus Christ and  to quote: “it was his responsibility to de-Christianize the planet by exposing the lie and the myth of the immaculate conception, and thereafter bring all of Christianity into Scientology as the largest FSM (Field Staff member) or conversion movement of planet earth.” 

His story is a must read if you haven’t read it. He sued the cult back in 1993. There also is a series of interview videos of Fishman, which I have watched more than once. I was in total amazement as to how far this cult can really brainwash someone. Most people think he is a total “moonbat”, but when I watched these videos, all I felt was sincere pity for the man. Thankfully Steven is deprogrammed (which was not an easy task) and out of Scientology for good.

So back to the e-meter….
In actuality, the e-meter is nothing more than a simple lie detector. The same unit which reveals that you were Elvis in a previous life, can also be used to tell if Scientology members have any “overts” or “withholds”, which in Scientology lingo is basically sins or crimes, and bad thoughts that a member has not told anyone. Which of course proves further that it is merely a lie detector. FYI…  it was also rated one of the top “most stupid inventions” by Life magazine.

Scientology lingo can be very confusing, and in the latest article of the SP Times (nicknamed by Scientology itself, as the SP stands for Suppressive Person), they included a small glossary of Scientology acronyms and lingo. Scientology lingo is not only VAST, but it is also plays a huge part in the cult’s secrecy. If someone was to read an entire paragraph of scieno speak, it would leave them scratching their head.

So back to routing out. It can be a very horrific experience for ex members, and some of these members were interviewed by the SP Times. They were asked to sign affidavits before leaving Scientology, and were subjected to horrendous treatment, and it took years for them to finally leave for good.

Here is a short summary on Part One from the SP Times:

But wait, there’s more…

Father and Daughter, plus something extra, extra icky!

I wasn’t going to touch this story with a latex glove and a ten foot pole, but on second thought, I think it begs to be addressed.

Apparently, recovering drug addict and sometimes actress Mackenzie Phillips has revealed in her new book that she consensually engaged in an incestuous relationship with her father, John Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas.

Why she couldn’t have taken that little nugget to the grave with her is something we may never know, but I for one could have lived the rest of my life NOT knowing this, proving that Mackenzie is crazier and more effed up than previously thought.

More from CNN:

Phillips, the 49-year-old former child star and daughter of the Mamas and the Papas founder John Phillips, says she had sex with her father the night before she was to marry Jeff Sessler, a member of the Rolling Stones entourage, in 1979, according to People.com.

“On the eve of my wedding, my father showed up, determined to stop it,” writes Phillips, who was 19 at the time and a heavy drug user, according to People.com. “I had tons of pills, and Dad had tons of everything too. Eventually I passed out on Dad’s bed.”

Phillips, best known as Julie Cooper on the sitcom “One Day at a Time,” says the sexual relationship became consensual as her life began to spiral out of control.

During her time on the hit CBS comedy, which ran from 1975 to 1984, she battled drug addiction and underwent drug rehabilitation. She later was fired from the show in 1980 because of her drug abuse.

Eventually, she and her father went to rehab together and she later toured with him in a band called the New Mamas and the Papas, according to People.com.

“I was a fragment of a person, and my secret isolated me,” she writes, according to People.com. “One night Dad said, ‘We could just run away to a country where no one would look down on us. There are countries where this is an accepted practice. Maybe Fiji.’ ”

Phillips will reportedly unleash the secret she has kept to herself for 31 years in an interview on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” scheduled to air Wednesday. Phillips’ book, “High on Arrival,” comes out the same day.

Phillips has led a troubled life that has included substance abuse and a 2008 arrest at Los Angeles International Airport on suspicion of cocaine and heroin possession.

She later pleaded guilty to one count of cocaine possession and was ordered to a drug rehab program.

The interview features Phillips discussing the time she spent hiding in her home, compulsively purchasing items from a television shopping channel as well as the events surrounding her arrest.

In a promotional clip for “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” Phillips also says her father shot her up with drugs. John Phillips, who died in 2001, had a well-documented drug problem and was convicted of drug trafficking in 1981. He told many stories of his drug abuse in his memoir, “Papa John.”

Mackenzie Phillips also tells Winfrey about an encounter she purportedly had with rock ‘n’ roll legend Mick Jagger.

Look I am all for people trying to educate the public into matters of child abuse, which would certainly include incest, but this is beyond the boundaries of taste and decorum. I honestly can’t think of one good reason Mackenzie would have for sharing this with the public except as a desperate effort to sell her book using salacious and sensationalistic private details to garner interest.

I am offended and grossed out even having to ponder all of this. There is NOTHING good that can come from this knowledge, NOTHING. There are people in this world (a large number of them in Hollywood) who are so morally depraved they are beyond reason. While I feel sorry for her for having a debilitating drug problem, under no circumstances does that excuse her for allowing this to continue. 19-years old is an adult and she should have known better, and for this type of illegal and immoral relationship to carry on for another decade…cripes, WTF is wrong with her?

This may be the most powerful anti-drug PSA ever!

Now excuse me, I have to go hose myself down in bleach, I have a bad case of the grosses.

The economy today has had an effect on retail sales across the board. Even celebrity fragrances have been hit with tough times.  Oh the inhumanity! *snicker*

Just two years ago, Forbes reported that according to Euromonitor International, (a Chicago-based market research firm) sales  totaled $353.6 million for the top seven celeb fragrances. Geez! No wonder why so many stars have their own scents.

This year however, overall sales are down 10%. Yep, the celebrity fragrance market is just not as hot as it used to be. Perhaps people just can’t afford it. Or maybe people are wising up to the fact that celebrity fragrances are just plain silly and embarrassing to wear? Could that be the culprit?

The celebrity fragrance market unlike other fragrances are way more fickle. If a celeb was caught in a scandal and their career turned lukewarm in the public eye, it can put a big damper on the popularity of the scent. Because that’s just how silly people are. Ridiculous but true.

So which celeb’s scents are currently top sellers?
Well, P Diddy, or Sean Puffy Combs, or Sean John, or Sean Combs, or just plain Diddy (wish he would make up his freakin’ mind) had a best seller with Unforgivable  that brought in brought a whopping $74.9 million in the past. And Britney’s scents are still selling VERY well and defying all odds even with the recent slump of other celebs fragrances. Maybe Diddy’s and Britney’s stuff just smells better?

The NY Daily News reported:

Fragrance peddler Parlux France relies heavily on its celebrity branded scents and has taken a hit for it. The company produces Queen Latifah’s Queen, Jessica Simpson’s  Fancy and Fancy Love, Andy Roddick’s Andy Roddick and all of Paris Hilton’s many fragrances (Paris Hilton, Paris Hilton for Men, Heir, Heiress, Just Me, Can Can, Fairy Dust and Siren).

The company lost $4.3 million last year and $2.5 in the second quarter of this year alone.
While the prestige fragrance market as a whole is down 10% from last year, Britney Spears is one celeb who appears to be bucking the odds.

Sales of her fragrances – Fantasy Britney Spears, Britney Spears Believe, Curious Britney Spears and Curious in Control Britney Spears – rose 13% in the June quarter. Elizabeth Arden, the company behind the ageing pop tart’s perfumes, just brought out Circus Fantasy, named after her latest tour and album. Then again, she’s global.

“More than half of the sales of Britney brands were sold of outside of North America,” said an Arden company spokesman.
Also doing well are classics like Chanel’s Coco, Mademoiselle and No. 5 and Dolce and Gabbana’s Light Blue. But it remains to be seen how Forever Mariah Carey, Derek Jeter Driven Black or Sara Jessica Parker’s Lovely will fare in recessionary times.

So even if the scent is sold globally and has a huge advantage over others, it still seems more important if the star selling the perfume is currently a hot commodity. Perhaps Paris Hilton’s perfumes have taken a nose dive due to her failing popularity. I think people are just sick to death of her. I know I am.

Mariah Carey’s ” Forever”is due to hit this September because she has a new album coming out. She also has a movie coming out this November. Anyone remember her movie *cough* Glitter?  Only time will tell how long ”Forever” will be around.

With over 100 fragrances coming out each year both from stars and regular companies, the market has become flooded. The competition has become fierce for celebs to have their scent be the next big hit. So many celebs in the music industry are scheduling their fragrances to coincide with their CD releases. This can be a risky move if the album totally bombs, because then the fragrance becomes a reminder of that failed album and then in turn becomes an embarrassment to wear to most.

Some celebs fragrances have stayed around for a while, like Sarah Jessica Parker’s Lovely and Covet .  Covet debuted two years ago when her Sex In The City Movie was released. Perhaps Sex in the City’s popularity has kept it’s ratings up? (the perfume that is)

I am sorry, I just think the whole celebrity fragrance thing is so cheesy. What’s next celebrity scented candles?

Especially for the fact that these fragrances’ popularity stem from whether or not the star is hot or not. If you find a fragrance you like and it was put out by a star that everyone now thinks is washed up or has failed in the popularity poles… would you stop wearing their fragrance even if you liked it? Would you be embarrassed to say,  “oh yes I still wear Clay Aiken’s Evening In The Stable” *snicker*
But this is exactly what happens.

I am not a big fan of perfume to begin with. I can’t tell you how many times someone has walked by me and I literally choked from whatever perfume that took a bath in before they stepped out their door. Some people slather it on so heavy, that their perfume arrives before they do and stays long after they’re gone. Thank God Poison is no longer popular. That stuff used to literally kill me. It was appropriately named.

One time I actually had to change my seat on an airplane due to the women sitting next to me. She must have dumped an entire bottle of Woah! Do I Stink! all over herself. I got an immediate headache, my throat was closing up, and I couldn’t even breath. I say wearing heavy perfume should be banned on airplanes. And that goes double for any of my gal OR guy pals who want to climb in my car. Whatever happened to the oh so silly move of spraying the room and then walking into it? *snicker*

Ok, enough of my drama on perfume.
Except I have to say that I would never buy something based on a star’s popularity and I have never bought a celebrity fragrance.
I have been wearing Alyssa Ashley Musk by Houbigant for ever. It’s less than $30.00 for a good sized bottle and I have received mega compliments on it over the years. It’s all I wear AND I am proud to wear it. I am just not caught up in the whole perfume mania. You will never hear me say “oh I am wearing The Beckhams Intimately Line” (you would actually have to pay ME to wear it)  Their promo picture alone is beyond pretentious.

Look How Sexy We Are!

Speaking of which, I wonder why Beckham’s  BFF Tom Cruise hasn’t come out with an entire line of Scientology cult scents yet? I am sure he would be able to talk Scientology cult members into buying Galactic Spice, or how about KSW Cologne (their acronym for Keeping Scientology Working), OT Orchard  for the gals or perhaps a line of body splashes like Body Thetan Splash. Oh I can go on forever, the possibilites are endless.

Of course Cruise would never use those particular names because….what is the first rule about Scientology? Don’t talk about Scientology.
So maybe he would have to kick it old school and name it something like Risky Business. After all, the name Risky Business does describe any company investing in any new movie projects with Cruise now. Oh snap!
But at the very least, we all know he would be the authority on fragrances. *tee hee*

Awesome! Got My First Order!

Aaaaanyways….
If you are going to buy celebrity fragrances in the first place, than you should buy it because you like it. Don’t be like all the other sheeple who buy what’s popular because the celebrity had another hit movie or a CD release. Because if this is the way you think, then that sixty clams you once plunked down for Jaylo’s Glow *snicker* has surely been wasted. Unless you want to lie about what your wearing. Yes some people are that ridiculous.

One fragrance that has stood the test of time is the hilarious Elizabeth Taylor’s White Diamonds (of course with the much older crowd)

Sorry Liz, no dis intended, but White Diamonds always reminds me of a friend of mine whose husband bought her White Diamonds for Christmas. She hated it, but didn’t want to hurt his feelings so she acted appreciative. She left the bottle in plain site unopened, hoping he would get the hint that she never used it. But the following Christmas she received yet another bottle. We laughed are asses off. Men!

Perfume’s popularity has gone through many changes over the years. Sure the old standards like Channel No. 5 are here to stay. But the classics are a breed all their own, and cost a lot more to boot. I think celebrity fragrances have their own little group.

bellasugar posted The Top Ten Fragrances that You Loved or (Hated) in Jr High School.
 Which was a blast from the past.
They listed Jean Nate, Charlie, The Body Shop Perfume Oil, Heaven, Electric Youth,The Entire Roster of Designer Imposters, Sunflowers, Exclamation, Ck One, and Love’s Baby Soft.

The most popular fragrance when I was in school, was Patchouli Oil. And yes I wore it for quite a while, and I stil like it, but I haven’t worn it since then. So I guess I am guilty of changing fragrances for the changing times. (I also don’t want my car searched if I am pulled over) *snicker*

I also remember using  “Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific” shampoo, which was so fragrant, it killed two birds with one stone. Sure wish I can find some of that stuff today just to smell it once again.

There were plenty of fragrances that used to be popular way back when. (including the guys stuff)
Some biggies were English Leather, Old Spice, Aqua Velva After Shave, Tabu, Tigress, Shalimar, L’Eur Du Temps, Windsong, O’ de London, Rive Gauche, and the infamous Evening in Paris, just to name a VERY few.

Whoops! Almost forgot Hai Karate After Shave!
Who can forget their commericals of girls going wild?

Today it has been replaced with the more updated AXE which uses the same girls gone wild idea for their AXE “you have been warned” commercials. YouTube has many parodies of their commercials, but one of my all time favorite fragrance parodies was for a pseudo cologne, called Douche Cologne. Click here and giggle. (it’s a tad racy in one part, so if you are easily offended, you may want to pass)

It’s any one’s guess which celebrity fragrance is going to be the next big seller and if it has any staying power in today’s economy and the fickleness of the market. With over 100 fragrances coming out each year world wide, the market has become flooded. The competition has become very fierce to have that next big hit.

I am surprised others in the music industry haven’t come out with their own fragrances. Doesn’t seem to be any rocker’s fragrances . The Stone’s Brown Sugar would be a no brainer, and I am sure with all the Beatles flap lately, if they were to come out with a fragrance it just may work. It would probably have hints of Apple *tee hee*

OR how about for the younger crowd? Perhaps Green Day Garden or Blink 182 Bouquet would sell? Probably not. The target audience is not the same. But you never know. Hey I want 10% if I see any of these on the market!

Even other celebs like Donald (ick) Trump and Simon (ick) Cowell jumped on the fragrance band wagon. I guess they needed the cash?
Wonder how Donald Trump’s stuff is selling? Maybe it’s selling better than his Trump Water?

Who would ever admit to wearing Trump or Cowell’s stuff anyways?
Or maybe your more of an Antonio Banderas fan? Look he even has his hand extended on the display, as if to say (in Antonios’s accent of course) “Come… come… take a whiff of sexy” *snicker*  

Speaking of celeb fragrances that people may be (or should be) embarrased to wear…
How about Britney Spears new Circus Fantasy?

Some how the name Circus Fantasy doesn’t sound appealing to me. I know it is a reference to Britney’s album and tour, but Circus Fantasy? Really? Has Elizabeth Arden lost their damn minds?

Even the packaging looks tacky. Looks like it comes with candy circus peanuts (the worst candy ever). And at $55.00 a pop, it should come with popcorn or a candy apple at the very least.

Sorry, but a perfume with the word circus in it, reminds me of  clowns and something that would smell like elephant poop stuck to a clown’s shoe and cotton candy all in one. Others may be reminded of a sexy trapeze artist, or perhaps a day at the circus with their family? Or dancing circus dogs in little hats and tutus? Ummm…. again, I just dont’ get it.

But hey, maybe she will be laughing all the way to the bank with this one. After all her fragrance Curious was a best seller in celebrity fragrance world.

For me, the word circus makes my mind go right back to the image of CLOWNS. Scary freakin’ clowns.
And clowns have always freaked me out! *shudder*

Every once in a while, the world of entertainment outdoes itself in douche-yness, even beyond its standard level of douchedome. Last night was just the night for such heights of douchery. Ok, I think I’ve given “douche” its props.

KANYE WEST (all caps, just the way he likes it) is well known for being an opinionated, obnoxious ass, but he went too far last night during Taylor Swift’s acceptance for “Best Female Video” for her hit song, “You Belong With Me.” Taylor, who had just begun her gracious speech was saying, “I always dreamed about what it would be like to win one of these one day. I never thought it would happen.”, when Kanye burst on to the stage, grabbing the mic from the startled Swift and dropped this gem, “Hey Taylor, I’m really happy for you, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time.”

There was all the requisite booing and hissing from the audience and poor, sweet Taylor (she really does seem sweet, hence why we’ve never talked about her on Glosslip) was clearly confused and embarrassed.

I am sure there are a million blogs blabbing about this incident today in defense of Taylor and outraged by Kanye, but this is hardly a one-time moment of stupidity for West. West has made a cottage industry off of his boorish, loutish and garish displays of arrogance, inhumanity and a general lack of appreciation for his fellow artists. Dude is an A-ONE ASSHOLE. So much so, I know many people who refuse to listen to his otherwise good music because they JUST CAN’T STAND HIM.

There is a place for assertiveness and confidence, but that place is not during someone else’s acceptance speech — and this was hardly U2’s Bono up there accepting their billionth award. This was a young woman (19) who is at the beginning of what will hopefully be a long career. In the world of bad role models for girls, Taylor Swift is like a breath of fresh air, with her tasteful and girlish appeal and seemingly genuine sweetness. I am no country music fan, but I have nothing but good things to say about Swift and her music.

What Kanye West did was single-handledly dismiss a young woman who WRITES HER OWN SONGS, PLAYS HER OWN INSTRUMENTS and CAN PACK ARENAS. And it’s not just kids who like her, lots of adults dig her too.

No offense against Beyonce, who was herself very gracious by calling Swift on stage with her during her acceptance for “Best Video Of The Year,” but this doesn’t change the fact Beyonce is manufactured entertainment, NOT a musician. Here’s Beyonce’s moment of true class:

There is a real difference between an artist like Swift and Beyonce, whether folks want to admit it or not. And keeping in true form, West was clearly not stricken with any sense of shame, even after being admonished by fiesty singer Pink. More from MTV’s blog:

His protest against Swift, however, was not well received. West stood briefly on the stage after his comments as the crowd was silent. Audience members then began to clap in support of Swift after West left the stage.

According to reports from inside the house, once cameras cut away from the action, West flipped off the crowd and returned to his seat. Wale then said to the crowd, “You can’t blame a man for speaking his mind.” His words were met with boos, and Wale then said, “Kanye, I tried.” During the next commercial break, Pink walked by the rapper and appeared to shake her head in disgust before security escorted her away. West remained steadfast amidst the commotion as he kissed his girlfriend Amber Rose.

The testament of a true artist (and human for that matter) is the ability to see the world around you and recognize your place in it, and hopefully learn from your mistakes. Kanye is clearly incapable of learning, growing or maturing from his. I hope the ghost of his deceased mom, the only person who seemed to have any influence over his bloated ego, visits him and slaps the crap of him and tells him it’s NOT ok to disrespect women. That’s Chris Brown’s job DAMMIT.

*The use of caps was Kanye approved for this post!

Save Money – Live Worse, ALWAYS.

Two top stories on CNN right now feature the greatest place to buy the crappiest of crap in crapdom. Don’t get me wrong, I am forced to spend my stimulus checks at Walmart too, but I am not happy about it. Over the years, after discovering how sub-par many of the products are and how much of the merchandise comes from China (virtually 90% based on my expert analysis) I have been going to Target more and more. Plus, Target has a better level of customers. Think I am being a snob – read this:

“People of Wal-Mart,” a gag started by two 20-something brothers and their buddy to share crazy pictures with their friends, has gone viral. Promoted largely on sites like Digg and Funny or Die — and linked ad nauseam on Facebook and Twitter — the site picked up enough traffic to crash its servers on Wednesday.

“I’m still baffled — I really am,” said Andrew Kipple, 23, one of the creators of the site, who said his team was frantically working Wednesday to add enough server space to handle the surge in traffic.

Photos on the site, sent in by viewers all over the United States, frequently feature overweight people wearing tight clothes, bizarre hairstyles (with versions of the short-in-front, long-in-back “mullet” leading the pack) and fashion crimes ranging from furry leg warmers to miniskirts that leave absolutely nothing to the imagination.

So what inspired these two brothers to take their keen observation of the cultural phenomenon to the web? Hot messes of course:

Andrew and his brother Adam, 25, said they thought of the site after a visit to a South Carolina Wal-Mart where they saw a woman they believed to be a stripper, wearing an obscene T-shirt and leading a toddler in a harness. Around the next corner was a man with a beard reminiscent of the rock band ZZ Top.

“It’s kind of like the light bulb went off,” Andrew said. “We get the e-mails already from people who are like, ‘Why didn’t I think of this?’ We just happened to be fortunate enough to have the ability to actually follow through on it.”

While not every Walmart is as culturally rich in inappropriate attire and poorly executed hairstyles, the ones in the rural/and or southern parts of the country seem to attract an inordinate number of misfits. Cheap, poorly made goods in a consumer obsessed society is bound to have side effects and there’s no good reason we shouldn’t poke fun at these folks, many of whom live in very secluded little segments of this great country. Despite the internet’s ubiquity, there are still people who think a mullet, a wife beater and white socks and dress shoes is a fashion “do.”

So, VIVA WALMART!

Now, the bad Walmart News.

But wait, there’s more…

Here we go again.
It has been announced that the remake of the Beatles classic Yellow Submarine is in the works.Why or why do they insist on taking classics and and trashing them? Didn’t they learn their lesson with Willy Wonka, The Whiz, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and Charlotte’s Web? (just to name a few classics).

Yellow Submarine was magic on the screen back in 1968. Imagine how it looked to a generation that was used to seeing black and white television and experiencing the whole “make love not war” movement. It was also the year that Martin Luther King was assassinated. The movie came out at a time of great civil unrest, and it was a hit I mean a ray of yellow sunshine. *snicker*

In the movie, the playful rhymes of  the charachter Jeremy Hillary Boob PhD. (he was my favorite) pretty much summed up the premise behind Yellow Submarine, “Peace! Peace! Supplant the doom and the gloom! Turn off what is sour! Turn into a flower and BLOOM! BLOOM! BLOOM”

To me, Yellow Submarine was more than just a trippy animated flick. It was part of an entire movement of peace and love. Beatles classic songs like Nowhere Man and All You Need Is Love melded together with trippy animation into a sensory overload of psychedelic yumminess which was loved by many young and old.

But Yellow Submarine was not loved by all and many considered it just a drugged out cartoon. Take for instance this scathing review  (<<<click on the link) of  Yellow Submarine when it was re-released in 1999. The review was entitled “ Take a psychedelic journey to Nowhere land with the Beatles & the Nowhere Man where you’ll find nothing too pleasing without the help from your friends.” Needless to say of course I disagreed with that interview.

The original Yellow Submarine took two years to make, by 40 animators and 140 technical artists and had 14 different scripts. Now I know by today’s standards, those methods are now obsolete, and technology has improved by leaps and bounds, but I am not too privy of someone taking this classic and making it into a modern day mess either.

Sadly, Disney is doing the remake. Now don’t even get me started on Disney, with it’s mass marketing of clothing and toys made in their GLOBAL sweat shops, and other things I don’t care to get into. I just ask you to please do your homework before you support them!
Disney is also pairing up with Rob Zemeckis for this remake.

Now granted Zemeckis has some big  and successful films under his belt, he also did two movies that I just totally despise which were Forest Gump and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Two of the most annoying movies I ever had the displeasure of watching. Save me all the Forest Gump love  fest comments which I am sure I will get. I HATED the movie with a passion and had trouble getting through the whole thing and almost walked out. And if I hear “life is just like a box of chocolates” in that HORRIBLE fake accent that Hanks did one more time, I swear I am going to get the screaming Blue Meanies out.

In Yellow Submarine, the Captain of the Blue Meanies says to ”glove”, “A thing of beauty; destroy it forever!”

Is Disney going to be Yellow Submarine’s ”glove”?

Of course I know the original can never be destroyed. But sometimes another thing occurs when movies are remade. The younger audience thinks that the remake is the first one that was ever made and tend to think the real original is crap. This also happens with music today and it drives me totally NUTS! Grrrrrr! And no, Limp Bizkit was not the originator of the song ”Behind Blue Eyes“. Geez!

A lot of younger people also think if the movie is not in their face with special effects, then it just plain stinks. Perhaps that’s why Disney is going with 3-D animation to inhance it a much as posisble.

But…Disney has yet to acquire the rights to the Beatles songs thus far and one has to wonder if Michael Jackson’s recent death has anything to do with acquiring these songs.Why? Jackson’s estate happens to include the 4,000 song catalogue of  Beatle’s music which he purchased for 47.5 million back in 1985. But keep in mind, he owns the publishing rights for the songs. There is a difference in owning the publsihing rights and the performance rights. For a full explanation go here.  

A bit of history with Jackson and Beatle, Sir Paul McCartney. Jackson worked with McCartney on the song  Say Say Say and they did a video together for the song in 1984. Jackson also did The Girl Is Mine with McCartney in 1982. ( I won’t comment on the title or lyrics of that song, it’s just too easy).

Jackson was ironically advised by Paul McCartney. Sir Paul told Jackson more or less that buying music was a sound and lucrative investment. This advice was prior to the 1985 auction of the Beatles catalogue of songs. Jackson took Sir Paul’s advice and outbid both Paul McCartney AND John Lennon’s widow,Yoko Ono! 
Hey all you Jackson fans out there, how can you justify this dastardly move by Jackson? Huh?

Sir Paul and Yoko must have been a tad hot under the collar to say the least. If Jackson had any scruples, ESPECIALLY for the fact that he was also in the music industry, he would of let McCartney keep the publishing rights to his own songs that HE wrote with Lennon and not outbid him in the first place. But then again who knows what McCartney would of done with the songs either. Or even Yoko for that  matter. Maybe it was a good thing that Sir Paul didn’t get the songs? Sir Paul’s ex-wife, the money grubbing Heather Mills, never signed a pre-nup and the songs  may have ended up as being partly hers. GASP!
That money grubbing biotch got WAY too much from Sir Paul as far as I am concerned. At least she is out of the picture now. But when will you ever learn Sir Paul?

So what has happened with some of these songs over the years? Let’s jump back to the 1987 Nike commercial using the Beatles Revolution song. Capital Records owed the performance rights and was paid $250,000. Michael Jackson owned the publishing rights, (meaning use of the words and music) and he was paid for use of the song. Which was later followed by others like All You You Need is Love, which was used for a Luv’s Diaper commercial, and a version of the Beatles song Help, which was used in a car commercial in 1985 . Son Julian Lennon, son of John, lent his voice to When I’m 64 for an Allstate commercial and  let’s not forget Target’s use of Hello- Goodbye for their TV commercials. Egad!

The Beatles song collection saga continued on….. and in 1995, Sony paid Jackson 95 million and merged with ATV, to form Sony/ATV Publishing which was a 50/50 joint venture. So it is probably safe to say that Jackson’s estate includes HALF of the publishing rights to the Beatles songs. 

But there may be a silver lining in this dark cloud, well sort of.
Supposedly Jackson left the 4,000 Beatles songs to McCartney in his will. Rumor has it that Jackson felt remorse about his failed relationship with Sir Paul, and thought this was a way to make amends. Too bad Jackson didn’t do this YEARS ago, so he could of actually made amends in person with Sir Paul, rather than from the grave. So Sir Paul may end up with the publsihing rights to half of his own songs in the end. Just plain sad. *shakes head* But I guess it is better than nothing.
Sadly, Sony/ATV doesn’t need permission from surviving Beatles or heirs to license the songs. Damn you Jackson! And Damn you Sony!
So it’s still up in the air as to whether this remake of Yellow Submarine will eventually get the rights to use these songs.

So getting back to this movie remake.
The NY Times called the original a 2-D CARTOON and they also mentioned two of the movies I despise by Zemeckis.
From the NY Times :

More than 40 years after Old Fred fired up the titular vehicle of “Yellow Submarine” and used it to round up four Liverpool lads who would defend Pepperland from the Blue Meanies, Disney is preparing a remake of the Beatles’ 1968 animated movie, Variety reported.

The original film was a traditional (if thoroughly trippy) 2-D cartoon directed by George Dunning and designed by Heinz Edelmann, in which the Beatles appeared only in a live-action segment tacked on at the end. The planned remake, to be directed by Robert Zemeckis (“Forrest Gump,” “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”), will be a 3-D animated feature that would use the performance-capture technology seen in Mr. Zemeckis’s “Beowulf” and his coming remake of “A Christmas Carol.”

The Variety report said that Disney was still seeking to obtain rights to the Beatles songs used in the original “Yellow Submarine” film, including the title song and tracks like “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” and “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” The remake is being planned for a 2012 release.

No casting was announced for the motion-capture remake, though the project does call to mind Paul McCartney’s recent remarks to Daniel Radosh in The New York Times Magazine: “In 10 years’ time you’ll be standing there, and you will be Paul McCartney. You know that, don’t you?”

Fact: Many people didn’t realize that the voices used in the original Yellow Submarine where not those of the actual Beatles. I never knew that myself. The Beatles only appeared at the very end of the movie as themselves.

Yellow Submarine had it’s fair share of merchandising back in the day to say the least, and it continues today. The Beatles had more merchandise than any other band in history. There were Yellow Submarine pop up books, calenders, Blue Meanie Halloween costumes, Goebel figurines and even Huffy Bikes jumped on the YS band wagon in 1968 and came out with a girls YS yellow bicycle complete with movie graphics right on the seat which I found on a Beatles memorabilia website.

Of course all this stuff had a huge resurgence in 1999 when they re-released the movie for the 30thyear Anniversary. Today you can still buy Yellow Submarine merchandise in all shapes and forms from neck ties to purses, to t-shirts to wallies to stick on your walls. They also came out with new YS Beatles figurines in the 90’s and again in 2000. Even the Cirque du Soleil has a show called LOVE dedicated to the music of the Beatles. I am sure Disney will jump on the merchandising band wagon and will have their little workers slaving away making sure that there is enough Yellow Submarine Onesies and Jeremy Hillary Boob lunch boxes. And don’t forget Yellow Submarine Happy Meals complete with plastic figures which will end up in landfills and stay there for all eternity. Oh wait that s right, Disney dumped McDonald’s back in 2006. Maybe Burger King then? *snicker*

OK, I know I am being cynical, and maybe I am too sentimental about movies being remade and the “old days”. So I decided to check myself, and I went through the list of movie remakes on Wikipedia, but I still found myself rooting for the original versions. Even really early movies like Mighty Joe Young which came out in 1949. I still found myself favoring the original over the remake. (ironically Disney did a remake and they also did  an animated version of course, they make me sick).

Films like Little Shop Of Horrors? DEFINITELY the original. Who can deny the greatness of the cameo by a very young and loony Jack Nicholson in the original? You can’t.
Even though some of these original movies were sheer cornball and the filming techniques were primitive, but that was part of what made the originals so great. They had a lot less to work with back then, but yet the movies were still phenomenal.

That is why I wish they would just leave the classics alone. You can’t reproduce living in the era when these original movies came out or the way people felt when they first saw the original Yellow Submarine. Many people may be annoyed by the remaking of Yellow Submarine. And I can’t speak for the hard core Beatles buffs. Maybe some will be unhappy and some will embrace the new movie with the hopes of a whole new generation of yougins’ buying Beatles music once again and helping to continue the Beatles legacy. I myself do not support Disney, so I will not be catching this particular flick.

But at the very least, let’s just hope that this new release does the original Yellow Submarine some justice and more importantly let’s hope it sends the same message as the original.
Which of course was:

Yep! George Michael is at it again! He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and smashed his car.
Little did George know that back in the day when he named his group Wham, that it would come to mean the sound his car makes every time he plows into something. Don’t forget in 2006, he was found slumped over the steering wheel of his car in London. And months prior, he hit three parked cars in a parking lot. George blamed the episode on being a terrible driver. Umkay…. George.
etonline reported:

Music star George Michael was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after being involved in a car crash in England, says the BBC.

The news agency says the 46-year-old singer’s Land Rover and another vehicle collided, and police say Michael was arrested at the scene of the incident. After being held for five hours and questioned, he was released from police custody without charge.

In 2007, Michael pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of drugs and consequently wasn’t allowed to drive for two years, says the BBC.

He was held for five hours and released without charge? WTF?
Who the hell keeps giving this guy back his car keys? Once again, another case of famous people getting preferential treatment?
YES! When is this going to stop? When he plows into a car full of kids?
I guess the message from his vintage Wham video where he sports a ”Choose Life” shirt kind of contradicts his life style today?
Oh irony! Your table is waiting!

So if the law will not do anything about George’s drunken “car-capades,” then I hold them responsible too.
Hey law officials! 
You are the ones who should let George Choose Life  by taking his car keys away and demand some jail time and rehab. You should wake up before you let George Michael go-go anywhere else before he hurts someone!

A heaping helping of the crazy sauce, with a side of WTF? garnished with a spoonful of “SAY WHAT?

Just watch this and it will explain everything.

I blame TMZ for this nonsense. No one in their right mind would give this woman spare change, let alone the time of day, but alas, those gutter-dwellers were there slurping it all up with a spoon.

To make a long story short, this crazy bitch claims that Michael Jackson is the biological father to Connor Cruise, Tom Cruise’s adopted son, and she, Claire Elisabeth “I AM F*CKING INSANE” Fields Cruise is his mother. She also claims he and the three Jackson children were conceived using some kind of “technology” that does not include all known forms of conception. Immaculate perhaps.

Alright, we all know this loon is smoking the tainted stuff, but what bothers me most about all this MJ “biological” parental feeding frenzy nonsense is the how it may be affecting Michael’s kids. Don’t they deserve to grieve and live in relative harmony? Does no one have these kids best interests at heart? I mean every day some whackadoodle comes forward saying they are the biological parent to Michael’s kids. Did we learn nothing from Anna Nicole’s death?

Is the world getting crazier? What’s next, alien invasion? Just kidding Xenu, just kidding.

(courtesy of MK)

The general public is probably unaware that Scientology owns a cruise ship called the Freewinds, but those of us who follow the insidious cult closely, are all too familiar with the “Deathwinds.” Let us explain.

The Freewinds, a supposedly refurbished cruise ship, was once a dilapidated rust bucket Scientology bought to house their most special patrons for high level teachings. According to, Scientology, in order for someone to do the level of OT VIII, it “required a completely safe, aesthetic and distraction-free environment”. Founder L. Ron Hubbard researched and ministered many of the first OT levels in the 1960’s aboard ship, so Scientology thought if they purchased a cruise ship, that it would have a lot of meaning for Scientologists. According to Scientology it is the ONLY place on earth you can do this level. Uhhh ok.

OT VIII is the eighth level on Scientology’s ”Bridge To Total Freedom“, which we here at Glosslip affectionately call, the “Bridge To Financial Ruin”. You can also take other lower level courses and auditing on the Freewinds, and of course it is also used as a recreational vessel for OT Summits and other celebrations. Many celebrities have sailed on the Freewinds, including Tom Cruise SEVERAL times, (even celebrated his birthday on the Freewinds, as seen in this famous, er infamous, video ) John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Kirstie Allie, as well as, actor Jason Beghe who has left Scientology in recent years, and is now speaking out against them and the financial fraud they continue to perpetrate. Jason was also quoted as saying that the Freewinds a real “flea bag” and that it “shook like crazy.”

So what about the whole safe, aesthetic and distraction-free environment part? The Freewinds is far from safe, a fact we reported on back in April of 2008. They dock in Bonaire, Aruba, Curacao, and St. Kitts.  It has been dubbed the Death Ship and the Failwinds due to the fact that is is laden with dangerous blue asbestos which was reported to Scientology’s upper management by Lawrence Woodcraft back in 1987 who oversaw the original renovation of the ship. You can read his 2001 declaration here, or listen to our radio interview with Lawrence here.

The Captain of the Freewinds also admitted that during previous maintenance performed by his personnel, asbestos was released into the ventilation system but went unreported. So if Jason Beghe said “the ship shook like crazy” you can already figure out that asbestos fibers were more than likely airborne and inhaled by all on board. Scientology never said a word and decided to do absolutely nothing  and denied that there was ever an asbestos problem.

In May 2008, a spokesperson from COS claimed ”there is not now and never has been a situation of asbestos exposure on the Freewinds.” So it continued to sell courses and levels to its cult members regardless of the potential harm, even though the management was warned by Mr. Woodcraft back in 1987, the Freewinds sailed on, and it wasn’t until April of 2008 when maintenance was done by the Curacao Dry dock Company in Curocao that they discovered the blue asbestos which confirmed Mr. Woodcraft’s warnings. According to InsuranceNewsNet:

“Decontamination, if it is even possible, is likely to cost tens of millions of dollars and would result in the ship being in dry dock for many months.”

Of course Scientology already KNEW about the asbestos and again, said or did nothing, but rather, chose to put even more people’s lives in danger by denying the existence of asbestos, while secretly hiring Nordica Engineering, a company out of Miami, to do a refit of the ship. Nordica hired 240 Polish workers to remove the material from the ship, and those workers actually lived on the ship for a month and a half! 

When the Polish workers told Nordica there was asbestos present on the ship, Nordica ordered them to quit and return to Poland. Witold Maliński stated that Nordica was asking for compensation for it’s workers, but we haven’t heard anything about this case since. One can only wonder if someone was paid off to keep the outcome hush hush, or perhaps something is still brewing and still to come out of this.The ship has since been refitted, but some believe that the asbestos was SO extensive within the walls, electrical work,ventilation system and other areas that in order to completely rid the ship of all the asbestos, it would have to be stripped down to it’s steel hull. Something Scientology can’t afford and will not do because they would lose too much money.

Here’s some information on the dangers of blue asbestos, the most deadly form of the asbestos, from Mesothelium.com:

If tiny asbestos particles float in the air, they may be inhaled or swallowed, and can cause serious health problems. In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, asbestosis (a noncancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other cancers, such as those of the larynx and kidney.

Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize (spread) from their original site to other parts of the body. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum. Malignant mesothelioma is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells are found in the pleura (the thin layer of tissue that lines the chest cavity and covers the lungs) or the peritoneum (the thin layer of tissue that lines the abdomen and covers most of the organs in the abdomen).
Exposure to asbestos may increase the risk of several serious diseases:

• Asbestosis—a chronic lung ailment that can produce shortness of breath, coughing, and permanent lung damage;
• Lung cancer;
• Mesothelioma—a relatively rare cancer of the thin membranes that line the chest and abdomen

If you consider Scientology’s willingness to expose their own paying members to deadly asbestos, you can only imagine what kind selfish and harmful actions this cult poses to the delicate and fragile environment of the Caribbean ports it docks this toxic tub at. Fortunately, we have first hand accounts of the Freewinds using these tropic ports to dump their waste, without nary a concern for environmental dangers they pose. There is also no answer as to where the Freewinds ever dumped all that asbestos from the refit. This is one question, I would love the answer to, as well as residents of Bonaire.

A lovely golden haired gentlemen by the name of Sean Paton is a resident of Bonaire and has been very instrumental in trying to insure that the island of Bonaire stays a safe place to live and visit. He has a website and radio show called Forum Antilles, which broadcasts daily in Bonaire. Sean has also done a series of videos on YouTube on the dumping that is taken place in Bonaire and the Freewinds played a huge part in his videos.

Sean’s first video aired in May of 2007 (seen at top of post) and was a documentary about the environmental hazards stemming from the The Freewinds dumping waste water in to the environment. Sean shot another video, where he attempts to contact The Freewinds to ask them if they would like to tell their side of the story, but only received a voice mail recording when he called…EVERY time he called. He said he was going to keep trying until he got a hold of them. Sean said in four months time, the only response he had gotten was from a third party for Scientology claiming that “the water was all clear and good enough to drink with no environmental damage what so ever,” and supposedly, Scientology was working with the government.

My question is…if the water is clean enough to drink as Scientology claims, then why do they have to work with the Bonaire Government at all? 

Continuing on with the video…

But wait, there’s more…

July has been an agonizing month here on Planet Celebrity. So many deaths, so much weirdness — it’s all too much to digest. Thankfully we have the growing consistency of douchery from Jon Gosselin, absent father to eight young children, to help us find stable ground in which to catch our breath.

Just last week we discussed Jon’s recent foray into the single world, when he decided to risk what’s left of penis with 22-year old professional attention whore, Hailey Glassman. On the heels of that debacle, there comes allegations he’s been dipping into the tabloid cess-pool, and stepping out with a Star Magazine reporter, whose since quit her job due to “conflicts of interest.”

But none of that comes close to his recent gutter-dwelling move, which has Jon revealing to the entire world, which includes SICKOS and PERVERTS, that his wife may be hiding over $100,000 in the family home.

Holy breakins and home invasions! What the hell would possess a supposed caring and nurturing father to divulge this information (true or not) to the public at large? I may not have a degree in propulsion engineering, but I know a dumbass when I see one. A criminally negligent one at that!

Here’s the breakdown from the latest f-tard move from the “paternal” Gosselin, after a new report from Life and Style magazine. From Just Jared:

Since splitting from wife Kate, Jon’s been pretty open with his money. “Kate controlled the money for the longest time in their relationship,” a close friend of Jon’s tells Life & Style. “Now I don’t think he’s worried about money at all. He’s taking a bunch of us to Las Vegas at the end of August. It’s going to be wild!”

Jon is also convinced Kate is hiding major sums of cash from him — and he’s determined to find it. “Jon is sure Kate’s keeping money from him, more than a million dollars,” an insider reveals. “He thinks some of the money she’s made from her books and tours has been put someplace where he can’t access it. Jon says he found out Kate had been hiding about $100,000 in cash in the house…. It’s turned into an all-out war over money. Jon says Kate’s books and speaking engagements were based on their children and their relationship, so he rightfully deserves a cut.”

Um, no he doesn’t. There are a lot of things Jon deserves, (like a swift boot to the nards) but money from Kate’s books and her speaking engagements ISN’T one of them.

It’s painful to have to defend Kate Gosselin, because surely if anyone is a C U next Tuesday, it’s her, but when your douchery starts spilling over on to your kids, then that’s when it’s time to call a d-bag a d-bag.

Nothing like advertising your wife is hiding $100,000 in your family home to bring out the law-breakers. These days, people will bust your cap for the quarters in your ashtray, so it’s probably a good idea to keep your friggin’ mouth shut about where your money is, especially if you have 8 defenseless kids and rabid possum in your crib.

On a sidenote, Kate gets major props for keeping her piehole shut throughout this entire tabloid frenzy. You and I both know, Kate goes home, screams into her pillow and has sweaty, fretful dreams of kicking Jon’s silly ass 15 ways to Sunday when she reads this crap. Kate deserves a good lay and some cold Bartles and Jaymes for keeping it together recently!

Hell, even I dream of twisting Jon’s sack until it turns purple.