As CB mentioned last month, Leah Remini is appearing on this season of Dancing with the Stars. These are photos of her attending rehearsal. She looks good. So far, things are going well for Leah on the show. She received good marks during this second week, which saw former NFL wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson as the first cast member to get the boot. Everyone thought it would be Bill Nye the Science Guy, right? Well Keyshawn might be able to scare the hell out of Justin Bieber, but the man has no rhythm. Sad.
Leah is working it. During this week’s backstage footage, she talked a lot about her struggles in leaving Scientology. Leah doesn’t express any regrets, but she’s clearly struggling with the deprogramming process. I really feel for her. She was entrenched in the cult for so many years that it must be difficult to deal with losing a lot of friends. Plus former DWTS favorite Kirstie Alley hasn’t made things easy with the public mean girling. Leah spoke out about how the CO$ wants her to fail. The “church” has responded in a nasty fashion:
Leah Remini feels she has a lot to prove on Dancing With the Stars. During some of the rehearsal footage from Monday night’s episode, the King of Queens alum spoke with partner Tony Dovolani about why she was struggling to learn the samba — and why it was so important to her to get it right.
“I’m going through a personal and big change for me and my family,” the actress explained, referring to her recent split from Scientology. “The church is looking for me to fail so they can say to their parishioners, ‘See what happens when you leave the church?’ They’re waiting for me to fail.”
The Church of Scientology, for its part, gave a comment to Good Morning America on Tuesday, Sept. 24, saying: “We know this may come as a surprise to someone as self-absorbed as Ms. Remini, but we could care less if she wins or loses on Dancing With the Stars.”
In any case, DWTS has proven to be a good creative outlet for the actress. “It’s been a godsend,” she told Us Weekly backstage on Monday, Sept. 23. “The love and support that I’ve received from Tony, from the cast, from the crew, from friends I didn’t know I had? It offsets some of that [negative energy].”
Remini added that she feels stronger every day. “I’m going through the pain of losing friends of 30 years, but like I said, the show’s been a godsend,” she gushed. “I wake up, I’m happy, I have real friends, I have real love, I have real support, I have my family.”
[From Us Weekly]
Good Xenu. What kind of church actually issues statements like that against former parishioners? Clearly they care, or they wouldn’t have responded at all. I hope Leah wins this season if only to shove herself in their faces. Not that DWTS means anything in the grand scheme of an actor’s career. Leah gets plenty of work with or without a dance competition.
Here’s a video clip of Leah’s rehearsal footage on this week’s DWTS. She’s struggling with her confidence, but she’ll make it. Leah is stronger than Scientology.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet and WENN
You make a good point Bedhead, what kind of ‘church’ makes a comment like that about someone?
Regardless, CO$ might want Leah to fail, but I think there are a whole lot more of us who want CO$ to fail! With every celebrity who comes to their senses and leaves this cult, I know I certainly get some satisfaction.
That green jumper with those heels just screams “Jlo”. I wonder if they still talk…or is JLo still with the CO$?
JLo was in the audience last week to show her support for Leah. They cut to her several times and she gave Leah a standing ovation after her performance ended.
Thanks Nicka. I think by her publicly supporting Leah since she broke ties with the cult proves that JLo is not down with the CO$.
It is really nice of Jennifer to stand by her friend, it makes me like her more.
What I am curious of is, what about her visitations with her own dad? He’s co$, right? Will he still want to see her if she is close to a “subversive” person?
Sigh. All these poor families, torn apart by a cult. Horrible.
if i remember correctly, it’s Jen’s dad that’s a Scientogist.
that being said, LEAH F*CKED THE SHIZ OUTTA THAT PERFORMANCE!!!
she’s very raw, sexy & sensual & i’m glad the judges saw it. she hit her pops & poses so hard, i loved it. 😉
i can see why she & Jlo are gal pals, they both share that inner tigress that comes out when they perform.
hot baby, hot!
Is this the same jumpsuit KK is wearing in a later post?
I understand that the church of scientology is corrupt and she made a bold decision, but this seems to me like she is capitalizing on that issue to win DWTS. She has lost just a bit of the respect that I have for standing upto the Goliath like influence that the church has
This.
But the fact that CO$ even responded, and then to respond in the way they did, shows very clearly how much attention they are paying to her still. It gives me even greater respect for her. I think she should use every opportunity she can.
That said, to leave a cult after 30 years is tremendously difficult and leaves a lot of emotional baggage that she must sort through. It’s going to spill out in many ways, this being just one of them. Not hiding speaks volumes for the kind of woman she is. I’m sorry it takes so little for you to tear her down.
This!!
I think she is but no I don’t hate her for it. Remember COS when it goes after someone ruins their careers. Remember that actress who was auditioned to be the next Mrs. Cruise.
Once it came out about how she was punished and talked to that Director who was shunned by COS she has not been anywhere.
A ton of actors are in the COS and that cult does help them get parts in movies and t.v. deals. Crazy but it’s true.
Nazanin boniadi is on Homeland now, I wouldn’t call that “not anywhere”
Actually this is a very wise strategy given the lengths they go to to destroy anyone who dares to leave them. Katie Holmes proved how effective it was and guaranteed her safety. Go to Tony Ortega`s website or the under ground bunker site (and others) for the low down on what they do to anyone who leaves.
Oh please! Every single contestant on any one of these reality shows would use an ‘angle’ if they thought it would garner them sympathy and a vote. They ALL do it.
Everyone knows Leahs story with the cult and what I would find strange is if they DIDN’T address it.
Do you not understand the point of reality shows? She has to capitalize everything in order to win. If her time on this show gives major exposure to creepiness of CO$, it’s all good to me.
The Co$ doesn’t just want her to fail. They want her to die. That’s from the mouth of Jason Beghe, and he is 100% correct. I don’t think Remini said that solely to boost her career. She knows what the Co$ is capable of — this is a way to get the word out and protect herself from them.
I love love love Jason!
Agreed. There is no disaster bad enough that they wouldn’t wish it upon her right now
no way. She needs to keep talking. There are so many people out there that have been separated from loved ones, have their trash gone through, have their little kids followed by PI’s, have dildos sent to their work. And they have no media outlet besides maybe Tony Ortega. Leah has a huge outlet to be able to stand up to these abusive F—S and she is speaking for so many people. Keep talking Leah!
THIS!!! ^^^ 😐
Leah can do No wrong in my eyes! She is a true hero for leaving and she needs to stay in the spotlight and keep talking and raise awareness to protect herself! She’s in danger. And I never really liked Jlo until I saw her in the audience cheering for Leah and then she started to cry! I never thought she was so caring and sensitive she always came off as a massive diva to me but there you go!
Ok you may have a point, although I don’t think she is. I think it is something that happened and there is so much mystery and crap about that “church” that there was no way the show would let her out of her talking about it.
This isn’t someone like the chick that auditioned to be Mrs Tom Cruise, Leah gets work, she doesn’t need press or controversy to get work. I think the show and Leah knew they couldn’t avoid the topic and just got it out of the way.
I will agree with you more if she keeps talking about it. As of now, I think they got the scandal out and discussed.
This absolutely. Enough with whining about the cult she was an active participant in. My sympathy card is done. STFU about it, and get on with your post cult life.
They so care! Leah has been pretty vocal about leaving and she is getting lot’s of attention and the church is getting bad press again. I hope Leah wins too!
For anyone who doesn’t know what’s going on, the CO$ response was actually pretty perfect. Very cutting and snarky, and it should be true. But for anyone who knows anything about the church, we all know Leah is right. I wonder how the public at large views her leaving the CO$ and if it’s known widely what it really means.
I know – I hate to admit it, but I actually liked the snark. However, it was an inappropriate comment for a “church” to make, and they so obviously care it isn’t even funny.
You’re right, a lot of people don’t know what it means. A few weeks ago my spouse asked me why anyone cared why Leah left COS. I explained that this issue is much deeper than someone leaving a religion widely considered to be a farce (to us, Scientology doesn’t sound weirder than some other religion, but we have a live and let live philosophy). The issue is the terrible and illegal way they treat their most dedicated followers, and how they throw their weight around at people who speak out against them. They absolutely care about Leah. They care very much. I love how they are pretending they don’t, though, its cute.
I don’t think their response was anything like perfect. As usual, it sounds like a hairtrigger reaction from a 12-year-old, in bad English, because they don’t educate their children.
This. Co$ sounds like a petulant pre-pubescent. That is how they always sound. It’s pathetic.
. . . except they mean to say “we COULDN’T care less.”
Grammar matters here, because it determines the meaning of the sentence.
Maybe they were just being honest? After all, they do seem to care a big old bunch about “self-absorbed” Leah.
But yeah, forget the CO$, I hope Leah is all good.
well in the words of Barbara Walters’ “the church of Scientology has excellent education programs”
smh
+1000
That grammatical error just irritates me every time…….
All that nonsensical COS jargon has ruined their ability to communicate plain English.
I would love for Leah to win, but with Elizabeth Berkley from Showgirls, a movie about DANCING and that dude (can’t remember his name) from High School Musical, a show about singing and DANCING…don’t know how the rest can really compete. I’m kinda rooting for Jack Osbourne though. I love the contestants that have NO dance experience and you can see them improve each week. I NEVER thought I would root for Rob Kardashian, but as his confidence, dancing skills and enjoyment in his dancing blossomed each week, I found myself actually wanting him to win, I know, I know, he’s a Kardashian, don’t hate me!
I wish the US would follow suit of some other countries and recognize CO$ as a cult.
+1
She is putting too much emphasis on winning something because she left something. She is destined for a fall with that mindset. Her success or failure on that show doesn’t punish anyone else. It’s in the “moving on and past it” part, succeeding or failing, and not giving two Fs about what they think that will make her whole.
ITAWY..
It is obvious the only reason she is on the show is because she left the “church”. I would be more impressed if she never mentions them. Never gave them any due. Never acknowledge them. By making the “church” her talking point it just seems she is using that. I know it may work, but she should be careful. Katie Holmes go so much YOU GO GIRL.. we are Behind you and all when she left the “church” and Tom. Now there is not that much interest in Katie. It just seemed that the interest in Katie as the “church”. and when that was over all the attention seems to be fading too.
Leah needs to bring something else to the table. The “church” is saying we don’t care and aren’t talking her.. but she is talking us.
Move on and upward.
@ Lisa2Leah Remini had a lead role on a popular sitcom. I’m sure she could get on DWTS even w/out the attention she got from leaving CO$. They’ve had plenty of “stars” who are less famous than her. That said, I do agree that she has to be careful not to make COS her main talking point.
RE: Katie Holmes, As someone who likes her, I’m thrilled that interest in her personal life is fading somewhat. I don’t think she wants to be on the cover of the tabloids every week or constantly have posts about her on sites like this. To me it seems like she’s trying to rebuild her career as an actress, rather than a “celebrity”. If she wanted attention she could give an interview about Tom. (even if she’s not allowed to reveal anything scandalous, she would still get a ton of attention.) Who knows if she’ll succeed or not, but I like that she’s taking a low key approach instead of milking out her divorce.
In any case both Leah and Katie have already “won” simply by getting out of that horrific cult.
I know Leah had a hit show. Actually Kings of Queens is one of my favorite shows that I watch all the time. She was super funny on the show. My comment never said she was not relevant. WHAT I said was she is on the show because of leaving the “church”. That is not a dig but a fact. Just as Valarie Harper is on the show because of her battle with Cancer. Again a fact not a dig.
Regarding Katie I’m saying that the public can sometimes give you a false sense of your popularity. When the interest fades you are kind of left with OK now what. I get that Katie is trying to establish herself again. I just think that all the internet hoopla is fleeting for some. And you better get that idea front and center.
Actually she was asked to do the show years ago it was talked about back when her former friend Kirstie did the show the first time. As for COS I think it’s fine she uses leaving that cult as a motivation to succeed and prove them wrong.I am sure she has been told that something bad will happen,you will fail if you leave COS.
“The Church of Scientology, for its part, gave a comment to Good Morning America on Tuesday, Sept. 24, saying: “We know this may come as a surprise to someone as self-absorbed as Ms. Remini, but we could care less if she wins or loses on Dancing With the Stars.”
Well, if they could care less then maybe they should care less.
If they couldn’t care less, then maybe they should just zip it and let her live her life.
First thing I noticed too. Drives me nuts.
Thank you Frida! That bugs me so much
Frida, that’s one of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to grammar.
if you “could care less”, that means YOU CARE.
Grrrrrr….
I’d make the case that instead of poor grammar, it was actually a Freudian slip…but then again, the CO$ doesn’t believe in Phsyciatry. 😉
For people who don’t believe in Freud or psychiatry, they did a great job of ripping off some of his theories.
The co$ clearly also doesn’t have any talented PR people in their ranks, since if they did, they’d keep mum if they were smart. And they can’t even word a proper sentence to save their lives. Every time they issue a statement, it’s laughable.
They either drove out anyone with talent or put them in “The Hole”, their illegal prison on U.S. soil. That statement was total David Miscavige.
What do you expect from Scientology educated morons? “If everybody in the world dropped out of school we would have a much more intelligent society. School is the tool to brainwash the youth.” – teen adherent Jaden Smith
Thank you. This concept really isn’t that hard. Why do so many people screw it up?
well that statement is straight from Miscavige and he didn’t finish high school so…
that statement from co$ is intensely personal and points to how MUCH they care.
Leah is putting alot of emphasis on winning this show because her co$ programming won’t accept anything less.
What kind of “church” makes a nasty statement like that? If they had any class (or clue), they would have stated something along the lines of wishing her well.
I know! I actually started laughing when I saw their statement, that place is a total horror house.
I hope the Pope follows suit and starts publicly naming all the parishioners on his personal blacklist.
This is true. They would have done themselves a huge favor to say they respect her decision to leave the church but that all of her friends there are still rooting for her and they hope she wins. That would have refuted her statement and made them look good. Their PR sucks
Exactly. They obviously have no PR consultants.
But it’s so fitting for them. They thrive on emotional and psychological abuse. No wonder they embedded a hatred of psychology and all related fields into their dogma.
I think that Leah is enjoying her freedom of speech for the first time in her life. She probably needs to refer to Co$ just because she needs to work her thoughts out. I say good for her, keep talking, keep telling how weird Co$ Is, how they tried to keep control of her. Now that she has repudiated them, the spokesman responded in the most juvenile, snarky manner possible.
And they call themselves a church!
I agree! Maybe if she does keep talking it will enlighten others to get out or never get in. I don’t think we should fault her for bringing them up when questions are asked specifically geared toward that. She was told to live a certain way by certain rules and not associate with certain people for soooo long I’m not about to tell her to be quiet. GET IT OUT!! Enjoy your freedom to discuss whatever. She hasn’t gone overboard with it so I think she’s handling it pretty well. Plus after such a “loss” in our own lives don’t we all need a little pick-me-up. As trivial as a DTWS win might be, it could be just the thing she needs. She is trying to rediscover herself, her true self, let her figure it out. What might we be like after 30 years of being mindf**ked….dancing could be her therapy!
I agree. I think Leah is sincerely doing her level best to reach Scientologists still in deep with the church. She wants to show them what escape from this evil cult & real happiness looks like.
I wish her the best, always been a fan and always will be.
I’d like to see her in more comedies, always wondered why she was not on the big screen.
That statement is typical of ‘the most ethical people in the world’, which is how the ‘church’ describes themselves.
And typical of a ‘church’ who advertises under false pretenses on Craigslist to draw new members into their web.
Insidious, sickening cult.
They certainly have ethics confused with morals. The arrogance is mind blowing.
Clearly the CO$ does care as they stated outright “we could care less”.
I absolutely HATE that expression. If you’re going to bully someone for leaving a cult, at least be gramatically correct when doing so. Idiots!
I hope Leah either wins or advances at least one round further than Kirstie Alley.
And failing that, I hope Bill Engvall wins. I like him!
I hate that they’re called a church. It drives me crazy to no end. Convention of Loons is more like it.
Anyway, they should have someone proofread their releases because it’s *couldn’t* care less. So obviously, CO$, you do still care if she wins or loses.
Go Leah! The poor woman was raised in that cult so it’s all she’s known. I want either her or Valerie to win.
+2 at the very least take away their tax-exempt status. I live down the block from the Celebrity Center. So sad to see those people everyday….and the Co$ apt bldgs they live in. Ugh, they all look abandoned…like they are about to be torn down.
*oops I was commenting on another post. Sorry.
I have never watched an episode of DWTS but will make the effort to vote for Leah. I hope she stays on as long as possible to prove you won’t fail if you leave the cult. Every time I walk by the CoS building in my city I want to run in there and ask the poor people working there if they really know what their “church” is all about? I’m a recovering Catholic from a hardcore devout family and I never had to give money, or was ostracized by my family when I left. My family was disappointed but don’t love or talk to me less. CoS is a CULT. Plain and simple.
I get she’s trying to win, but even if she wasn’t on DWTS, I think she would still use every opportunity to publicly talk about, and take shots at CO$.
as she should.
It’s “couldn’t” care less. Not “could” care less.
GO LEAH!!
I hate when people say “I could care less”. That means you care! Saying “couldn’t” isn’t that hard. I know it’s a grammar police thing but it’s funny they can’t even get it right when giving an actual statement. Idiots.
Of course she’s talking about this! In Scientology every time you stub your toe or fucking sneeze it’s because you are withholding some sin or crime, or have evil intentions. Imagine having that kind of thinking since you were six years old and then suddenly it all changes. Everytime she mis steps dancing or falls down she must go back into COS thinking, which would fuck with her head so much. She’s trying to decompress and dealing with regaining her own mind, plus she has lost every single COS friend she’s ever had. She should be talking people!
Not surprised at the bitchy response. And the saying is ‘couldn’t care less’. Fucking amateurs.
All Leah can do is her best on DWTS and have fun… oh and never stop talking about that cult. End COS.
“We know this may come as a surprise to someone as self-absorbed as Ms. Remini, but we could care less if she wins or loses on Dancing With the Stars.”
Sounds like the CO$ PR person took the “nanna nanna nanna public relations course.
She has friends and fans who are rooting for her to win DWTS and to be successful in whatever future endeavors she may choose.
Go Leah! Keep talking and keep walking…You’re doing just fine.
There’s a saying in health care and mental health, “Crazy knows crazy”. When you are in a f*cked up situation or relationship, you become somewhat f*cked up yourself. As she moves away from it, things will become more clear as to just how f*cked up the CO$ sitation was and how “normal” she is.
They think they’re legit and they don’t even know the difference between “couldn’t care less” and “could care less”? They said they “could care less” meaning they totally care about the situation–just from a grammar standpoint not even from a “they responded” standpoint. If they had wanted to say they did not care they would have said “couldn’t care less”. Idiots.
The phrase is “couldn’t care less,” not “could care less.” SO MUCH PET PEEVE.