Not that this is remotely shocking news, but the new HBO documentary Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief reportedly outs John Travolta for the sixth ninth fifteenth time. We’ve stopped counting.
The film, based on Lawrence Wright’s 2013 book of the same name, details Travolta’s involvement in the church dating back to the early part of his acting career. Back then, he was a halfhearted supporter at best. Why, then, is he now one of Scientology’s most outspoke zealots?
The film strongly suggests that the church is essentially blackmailing him by threatening to out him if he ever betrays them.
Again, this isn’t anything entirely new per se, but the weight of Alex Gibney’s new film adds a heaping dose of gasoline to the John-Travolta-is-trapped-in-the-closet fire.
How about we take this to the next level?
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This passage from Wright’s book says it all:
“The church hierarchy was desperately concerned that their most valuable member would be revealed as gay; at the same time, the hierarchy was prepared to use that against him.”
Related: Yo, John Travolta, It’s Time To Come Out. Here Are Six Reasons Why.
The book also describes Scientology’s current leader, David Miscavige, as extremely duplicitous on the subject. In 1980, as he wined and dined Travolta to become involved in the church, he is reported to have said behind his back, “The guy is a faggot. We’re going to out him.”
While the film never says the word “gay,” they use Travolta’s case to highlight the practice of “auditing” — the church’s one-on-one therapy-style counseling — as a way of amassing a collection of personal information about its members.
“An auditor learns to keep notes contemporaneously as he is doing a session,” Marty Rathbun, an ex-Scientologist who was Miscavige’s right hand, says in Going Clear. “It’s the most intimate detail. You’re always encouraged, you’re always threatened to disclose more and more and more. And all of it’s recorded.”
“It’s not my business,” Gibney told BuzzFeed News about his decision to single out Travolta’s sexuality in his film. “We just know that the church made it its business to collect private details and threaten to reveal them. That’s really the relevant detail.”
It really makes us wonder though — how could coming out in today’s social and political landscape really be worse than living at the beck and call of Scientology? It seems like there must be more than meets the eye.
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief airs on HBO on March 29.
Giancarlo85
Scientology is crumbling… always thought it was a cult. They are being hit with multiple lawsuits. Turns out they have been implicated in all sorts of financial irregularities.
As far as Travolta, that’s his private life. Maybe he should be more honest with himself, but it’s not my business.
Xzamilio
All religions will crumble… in this day and age, there simply is no need for such bronze/stone/iron age nonsense.
Paco
If he ever decides to come out of the closet, I will wave my little rainbow flag for him. Until then, Scientology can have him. Moving on…
MacAdvisor
I am not sure Scientology has that great a hold on Mr. Travolta. The church puts out a press release suggesting Mr. Travolta and who would pay that much attention. TMZ for a day, People on line, but not in the magazine. The church is so discredited as an institution and making such a statement would be such a betrayal of confidentiality that I am not sure it would have much impact. There have been rumors for years (the rumor about the church willingness to blackmail him dates back to at least 1991 when it was in a Time magazine article) and Mr. Travolta seems to have done just fine. Anyone whose private plane is a 707 hardly needs to worry about some bad publicity from a dubious church. If Mr. Travolta chooses to worship through Scientology, he free to do so.
joey
why is there such an obsession on many gay peoples part to out closeted gays? if people are not speaking out or otherwise working against others in the gay community, then what business is it of anyone, that a person prefers to stayin a closet?? because i am closeted (it works for me OK?)and i do not bother anyone with it no one has the right to out me and that goes for famous people to. just because you are famous doesnt require you to be the helper or spokes person to help other gay people
Giancarlo85
@MacAdvisor: Scientology had more sway around 2009 or so… in recent times they lost just about all of their credibility and that invincible status they once had. They’ve been with all sorts of lawsuits. They are banned in certain countries like Germany… it’s actually illegal to have any material related to scientology.
Tobi
I very much doubt $cientology would publicly reveal the contents of auditing sessions, their version of the “confessional”. The moment they did, it’d be game over, no-one new would ever sign-up. I’m also surprised there are any celebrities left who want to be associated with such a derisory cult. I mean, a hack science fiction writer claims Miss God is a space alien called Xenu who infested everyone with intergalactic lice called Thetans which you have to pay them to exorcise? Travolta, Cruise, Alley, Cartwright, Smith et al have nothing to fear from walking away it’s $cientology that has everything to lose.
Cam
Scientolgy has already been exposed on multiple levels. They claimed founder L. Ron Hubbord had military awards that didn’t exist when he was in the military. They claimed he had injuries he didn’t have so they could then claim he had cured them through “Dienetics”.
And lastly, they claimed huge numbers of followers, in the millions, and apparently have been exposed as having under 50,000 members worldwide.
Billy Budd
Scientology is for clinically insane people who enjoy to be brainwashed. Everybody knows Travolta is gay. There is even a photo of him kissing his jet pilot on the mouth, for chrissakes.
da90027
Scientologists are a whacked out cult…20 years ago a reporter told me she did a negative story on Scientology and soon after claimed people from the Hollywood Center started digging through her trash looking for info on her sources. If that ugly blue building in Hollywood burned down id say good riddence.
Black Pegasus
Religion (of any kind) is more harmful to humanity than Travolta’s closeted sex life.
BTW : what’s with this “Slow Down, you’re Posting too Fast” nonsense on this website?
Doughosier
John Travolta is gay??-said the person in 1978
Desert Boy
Old news but delicious. The Xenus have John Ravolta in a box. If he leaves the cult, they will publish his clearing tapes.
Mike G
“We’ve stopped counting.”
But apparently not publishing… (I can’t call this “reporting” and keep a straight face.) Who the living fuck even cares anymore? I suppose I just should be glad you’re not reviving the gerbil-up-Richard-Gere’s-butt “story”, but what can I say, I’m an eternal optimist.
Cam
@Mike G:
Actually the story is more about a cult that is using blackmail to manipulate it’s members. But nice miss.
CCTR
“It really makes us wonder though — how could coming out in today’s social and political landscape really be worse than living at the beck and call of Scientology? It seems like there must be more than meets the eye.”
I couldn’t agree more.
It would come as no surprise if the church were paying him to not “come out”. Blackmailing him concerning his sexual orientation doesn’t seem plausible given all the popular allegations in the media about him.
rickyboi7
by now he probably figures he’s too old, and perhaps that would backlash against him for denying it for so long. we should leave him alone.
Captain Obvious
There are pictures all over the internet of him kissing another man on the lips. Why are we still acting like there’s some great mystery?
When we saw Queen Latifah doing the same it was a wrap, done deal, everyone knew she was gay period. Why is the witch hunt still going on with Travolta? He’s gay, he’s not coming out, leave him alone already.
Charli Girl
Closets CAUSE the bullying and violence! Get OUT, the air is so much better!!
sfhally
@Tobi: Look up the Harlan Ellison video on YouTUbe where he talks about how Hubbard said he was going to create a religion to get money.
Captain Obvious
@Charli Girl: I’m sure you mean well, but not everyone worships celebrities. Homophobia would still be around even if every closeted gay person in Hollywood came out all at once.
No one is bullying people because their favorite Hollywood celeb is believed to be straight. They’re doing it because they see someone “different” and “different” is seen as ugly and unworthy by people who want to make themselves feel better about their own internal problems.
Giancarlo85
@Cam: Their membership is far below 50,000 now… and declining rather rapidly. People are leaving the cult, even in America. And now those who left the cult are finding a will to speak up about the abuses. Before scientology had a way of shutting people up… through legal means. Now the tables have reversed and scientology is being sued by multiple people, when in the past it was scientology that was doing the suing.
Tobi
@sfhally: Yup. Also, Tony Ortega, formerly of the Village Voice, runs a website devoted to exposing $cientology at http://tonyortega.org
Giancarlo85
http://whyweprotest.wikia.com/wiki/Scientology_Suicides
It is also possible that there have been many suicides linked to Scientology. At least quite a few members have been driven to suicide.
All of this is being exposed.
Scientology is one big financial scam that lies to its followers.
NoCagada
@Billy Budd: Not just Scientology…ALL religions
Billy Budd
@NoCagada: I agree. I abhor all religions. I want a religion-free world.
Low Country Boy
Truth be told, if he were to come out, who gives a crap? He has been such a douche about it all, I’d never see another one of his movies (not that I do now — he hasn’t made any!). Get over yourself, Mr. Travolta, and have a good life. Be as happy as you can and stop your entirely insane behavior in public (not to mention in those saunas and message therapy rooms!).
LadyL
There are moments when I feel truly sorry for this guy. What a hideous existence. I mean, you know. Except for the money and the fabulous lifestyle.
casey
@Giancarlo85: I understand they own a ton of real estate. Where’s that income going? And to whom?
Giancarlo85
@casey: To some of the top guys in the cult. And specifically to accounts in the Cayman Islands.
demented
@MacAdvisor: I don’t think they have a huge hold because everybody knows already. It’s hard to blackmail someone with common knowledge.
I thought he was going to come out after his son’s death, when he sorta-defied them by saying the boy was autistic. Sadly, he didn’t.
Desert Boy
We, the American taxpayer, must stop funding the Scientology cult by granting them tax exempt status. They are NOT a religion — Scientology is a cult.
NJjoe
@Desert Boy:
You are well on point. Scientology’s tax exemption status as a religion does not seem to bother the American taxpayer. I find this disturbing. I have no issues with religions. If one chooses to believe and support their specific religion, it is in within their right. I have no qualms with that. But when we’re talking about a cult of lunatics abusing the tax system as well as it’s own members no less, there is a major issue on hand. I find myself loosing faith in the American Government, the entire system. Does anyone give a damn anymore? Does anyone care about what is going down in Washington?
Stache99
@joey: Between all the other repressive BS you’ve imposed on yourself like tons of sex shame. “I’m never having sex again” as you’ve said over and over. You also being deep in the closet is a blow me over with a feather surprise for sure.
Realitycheck
Scientology exist because a good portion of people world wide are idiots….
Get rid of stupidity and fanatical cults and religions will dissipate……
John Travolta WHO??? Does anyone really care about this guy sex life?
We might as well talk about his hair plugs, and fake color.
Saint Law
@Captain Obvious: “Leave him alone already.”
No. It’s lol to watch him squirm.
Saint Law
@joey: What point would there be in outing you? you flaming great nancy cake.
joey
@Stache99: everyone has their own shit to deal with..this is mine i do the best i am able to do with it. i dont impart ill will on you or anyone nor do i wish it on anyone, i just give my opinions here as i see fit never wanting to harm others nor do i disrespect others view points or opinions. i only hope others, even though they may disagree with me, just respect my opinions and feelings as well. i dont know if i’ll ever have sex again, all i know is thats how i felt when i was diagnosed and thats how i still feel right now, maybe i’ll change maybe i wont. my suggestion to you is go ask someone who was diagnosed with a life long chronic sexually transmitted disease and ask them how sexy they felt ? i do know that the few guys i did share it with were no longer interested in being with me after i told them, i even explained that if they had the vaccine they would be fine…but i can hardly blame them can i? WHY would any sane person take a chance
joey
@Saint Law: heeee hee “great flaming nancy cake” thats hysterical…lmao give me another one…??
billforsyth
Does anyone in all seriousness care about John Travolta’s sexuality .As for the church of scientology it doesn’t seem to be any more or less crazy than any other cult/religion.
Realitycheck
@joey:
Joey if you are talking about HIV, there are more HIV positive gay guys then negatives,
to make things worse lots of guys don’t know they are HIV.
Feeling Sexy? That has nothing to do with actually having sex, it has to do with the way you
feel about yourself, especially if one take care of himself.
As far as the closet, “IF” it did work for you as you say, you wouldn’t have to explain it over and over to
other gay guys,
nor would you be always nervous to be outed, you can do what you like, it is your right, but please
don’t go around telling fairy tales, you are a coward, make no mistake about that, and it effects your life
in a very negative way, the only walls in your life are the ones you build yourself.
Getting a disease is an accident, and nobody deserves that, being in the closet is your choice, and you deserve everything that comes your way as a consequence.
joey
@Realitycheck: i’m not sure what you mean that theres more poz than neg guys? i understand most guys with hiv dont know they have it, i have hep b,its similar in a few ways, you can get it by exchanging body fluids, you use the same meds as you would for hiv and i’m feeling that the ostracizing is similar as well. i agree with you sex is about how you feel about yourself and me having this disease has me feeling very un sexy and not very good about myself, that was my point. some have suggested to me that i’m exaggerating as if this was a common cold. i’m not sure who i’m explaning to “over and over again” my decision not to share my sexuality with, my closet comments were a response to the article we are all commenting on, my point being if people want to be in the closet so be it. what are the fairy tails i’m telling and to whom? you are coreect by saying that i deserve everything that comes my way. i take full responsibility and consequences for my choices. i’m not blaming or holding anyone but myself responsible for my situation. i understand how you feel that i am a coward.
Daggerman
…the thing is John Travolta is one of those queers that loves the idea of not being labeled GAY! Lots of male celebs through history have managed to avoid being outed by several sources, and he appears to just be one of those closets..
stan2015
He is has the right to stay in closet and lie. Let him live in the closet and be unhappy.
stan2015
The Church of Scientology is a strange cult with “Ton Cruise on Top & John Travolta on the bottom”