Leah Remini hosts the People Puzzler game show, which is why she is doing the promotional rounds currently. She called in to Daily Blast Live to talk about the show but was asked first about fellow ex-Scientologist Laura Prepon. Laura admitted in August that she had not “practiced Scientology in five years.” At the time, Kaiser noted how well-chosen Laura’s words were about the cult and speculated it was likely to avoid consequences from CoS. On Tuesday, Leah confirmed that. Leah claimed Laura wasn’t using her voice to fight back against CoS and it was probably to avoid Fair Game, the practices carried out against CoS’ enemies. However, Leah went on to say she doesn’t respect Laura’s lack of action. She thinks ex members need to fight the cult because of the harm they did while members.
Leah Remini is explaining why she had issues with how Laura Prepon handled her exit from the Church of Scientology.
During a video interview with Daily Blast Live posted to YouTube on Tuesday, Sept. 28, Leah, 51, was asked about the That ’70s Show alum stating last month that she was no longer associated with Scientology. In her response, Leah said she thought the 41-year-old actress could have more effectively used her platform to help others. After all, Leah, who was a lifelong Scientology member before exiting in 2013, has become known for speaking out against the Church.
Leah told the outlet she “reached out” to Laura to express this, but added that “not everybody who has a voice uses it.” The King of Queens star went on to say she herself felt she had a responsibility to become an outspoken critic of the organization after having actively helped to recruit members for many years.
“I got people into Scientology—I promoted it most of my life,” Leah shared. “For those of us who were in the public eye and who were speaking on behalf of Scientology, getting people into Scientology, I feel that we have a responsibility to do the work when we find out that none of those things we were doing was not only [not] helpful, but damaging and very harmful to people’s lives.”
Leah, whose Emmy-winning series Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath ran for three seasons, said “not everybody feels that they have a responsibility” to be so vocal about the alleged harm Leah feels the Church has caused.
“Some people, like Laura, feel they don’t have a responsibility to speak out,” she continued. “Do I respect it? I mean, not really.”
I am posting the clip below. It’s queued up to the CoS discussion. To me, the excerpt doesn’t read as adamant as Leah was about Laura’s silence. Once again, I admire Leah’s frankness. It’s refreshing to hear someone speak their truth in Hollywood. As for what she’s saying, I have no idea how CoS works. I got the impression that some members weren’t privileged to much information about what was going on. And when I read Laura talk about her departure, I assumed shejust didn’t know enough to hurt the church and that’s why they left her alone. But Leah would know, obviously. So her anger tells me Laura’s silence is something else.
However, if Laura is protecting something, or even still processing and deprogramming, then maybe she still needs time to join the fight. And she should be allowed that time. But I would think Leah would know this as well. I feel like there is a lot in what Leah isn’t saying. She wouldn’t have put Laura on blast if there wasn’t a reason for it. I’m not saying it was the right reason, but there was definitely a reason. I think it’s personal.
Here’s the clip:
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Laura knows dirt on Danny Masterson which is why Leah is pissed she is keeping silent.
https://tonyortega.org/2020/06/30/that-time-laura-prepon-helped-silence-a-danny-masterson-victim-for-scientology/
That is exactly that so came to say too. It makes sense as she dated Chris Masterson and was friends and co workers with Danny- they are who got her into Scientology.
Yuck.
Exactly. It is reported that Laura Prepon joined Scientology via the Mastersons. I am not certain but I believe she was over 18 when she did so. Versus Leah Remini who grew up as a Scientologist because of her mother (who put Leah and Leah’s sibs in horrible Scientology -related situations as children, as described in Leah’s book Troublemaker). Many people in Scientology are trying to protect Danny Masterson.
Still remember in Troublemaker how Leah recounted Tom Cruise screaming crazed abuse at an assistant while trying to make cookies from premade cookie dough with a simpering Katie Holmes. Plus how Katie absolutely narc’d on Leah to the organization. If Leah wasn’t afraid of taking on Cruise and Miscavige I’m sure she’s not scared of calling out Prepon or various Mastersons.
This!
I adore Leah. However it’s entirely Laura’s call. But what do I know. I’m both opinions really. I’m ambivalent. Kudos to both for leaving.
While I admire Leah’s bravery in going after them, I don’t think it’s fair to judge someone for keeping quiet.
Leah was in CoS since she was a child,im sure she didnt just zap out of it. Let every ex member process it and then act however they see fit.
Yeah, you are giving this white woman white woman grace.
It’s well documented the awfulness Masterson (allegedly) and she was in tight with that family inside of COS for a long ass time.
I get Leah’s anger. She’s pissed that someone who knows better is looking the other way to keep her cheddar dusted.
Not to bring it back to Couric, but it’s amazing to see what white women will do to avoid getting thrown down by those in power. Even in scary ass orgs like Scientology!
Everybody processes trauma differently. I really like Leah but I think she’s speaking out of turn here.
Agree 1000% with this.
Well, if people won’t speak out, Scientology keeps being able to draw more members and money. A point comes where silence does equal complicity. It’s complicated when it comes to Scientology, because anyone who DOES speak out will be “fair gamed” (gone after and their career and reputation destroyed, as far as Scientology operatives can make that happen).
Celebrities like Tom Cruise and Elizabeth Moss continue to give Scientology credibility and to ignore the voluminous, credible accounts of abuse within the organization, and persecution of those who leave it.
Tom is abusive to his Scientology “slaves”, so he’s sure as hell not going to speak out. I think that clip of him screaming at crewmembers because they weren’t taking Covid seriously gives a flavor of what he can be like behind closed doors.
It would be great if John Travolta would acknowledge his bisexuality/homosexuality publicly so that he could be free of the fear of blackmail by Scientology and speak out. His wife was really into it, but I get the impression that he is not anymore.
Leah is speaking out about Laura because there are trials going on RIGHT NOW regarding Danny Masterson-one criminal regarding his rapes, and one civil regarding the horrendous harassment the rape victims have received from masterson and scientology. Laura has evidence about both cases that could help the victims but refuses to help. It’s disgusting, really. I urge anyone interested to check out The Underground Bunker at TonyOrtega.org. He has all the background on the cases.
And btw, plenty of other celebs have quietly come out of scientology (like Beck for example) and Leah had nothing bad to say about their own process of awakening. If you listen to her podcast, or read her book, she gets how hard it is to leave a freaking cult. She’s specifically calling our Laura for not coming to the aid of women she could help.
I love Tony Ortega. He’s so brave! Danny Masterson is a monster and I hope he goes down. The judge in the case is definitely not buying Scientology BS like so many past judges seem to have done allowing Scientology to continue their abuse. At this point I think Scientology is more concerned about being tied to Danny Masterson and having their practices become publicized through the trial then they are about what happens to him.
I adore Leah Remini and I love how open she is about her time in Scientology and she gives zero f*cks about telling all. But I disagree with her here. Laura was in a cult for a long time. Everyone, EVERYONE heals at different speeds and different ways. I don’t know much about Laura but if she has family still in, if she had to deal with horrible trauma while in (which I’m sure she did), not to mention God knows if they are blackmailing her-we have to let her do this HER way. Not the Leah way.
I guess Laura cam keep her mouth shut and still play good girl.
Leah is now close to people who left long before anyone knew how horrible they are. Some hid and never said a word and they destroyed them. Others who didn’t have the money and influence that Leah and Laura have, spoke out and helped others even as this ‘religion’ was going after them. I have never heard of anyone just leaving quietly and no repercussions, no punishments, except now with Laura. She has money, celebrity, and left in a time when they don’t have a good reputation, but doesn’t speak out? I agree with Leah. Unless she is protecting someone, she needs to stand up for all the ordinary people who have no protection and no choices.
I think they are leaving Laura alone because she could potentially turn against them and publicize all the horrors they commit if she testifies for Danny Masterson’s trial.
My colleague once told me a story about her friend who was a Scientologist. I don’t know how many years she was in the COS, but she decided to leave the church by hightailing it out of the U.S., moved to Mexico, and went radio silent for years. All this to get away from the COS. She eventually came back and got in touch with my colleague to explain her absence during that time.
I love Leah. I don’t blame her for wanting an ally in Laura, and I can’t bring myself to judge her too harshly for calling on her publicly. I don’t think it was right, but she may have spoken without thinking, or there is, as you say, a more personal reason behind it. As outspoken as she is, she doesn’t seem like the type to launch a personal attack on someone.
Among survivors of anything, there is a tendency to want to band together because you all understand each other’s trauma, however unique your personal battle might have been, I think that’s where she’s coming from here.
But It’s ok for Nicole Kidman to escape and leave her children on that dangerous cult?
She didn’t leave her children — Tom Cruise threatened to release her audit tapes from the time she was taking part in Co$. They drag a LOT of personal, often embarrassing information during audits and she was clearly told she would NEVER see her children again if she talked. I’ve no doubt she had to sign an airtight NDA or lose all contact with Bella and Connor. As it is, Tom managed to turn them against her as she is now considered a suppressive person by them. THAT is how evil this cult is.
ETA: Tom has not seen Suri in many years. That’s how warped and addicted he is to this vile cult that he would consider his own child a suppressive person and end all contact with her.
I love Leah, I love the work she is doing, and I love the show/podcast exposing Scientology. But this is victim blaming. It’s a cult; Leah is blaming a cult member for not speaking out despite not knowing how she has recovered from her separation. Fair Game is ruthless. Scientology breaks down your mental health. I know Leah and Mike have had to manage a ton of crap, but not everyone can shoulder that load.
Nope. Sometimes the victims are also the oppressors and Laura has done some shitty stuff as a Scientologist. At this point, she needs to make amends for the damage she caused, and the best way she can do that is by dismantling the system.