Cruise & 'Today:' Tom's top 5 nutty interviews

NBC said today that Tom Cruise, out hawking his new movie, "Valkyrie," will return to "Today" on Monday for a sitdown with cohost Matt Lauer.

It could be a memorable rematch. Three years ago, Cruise and Lauer sparred over Scientology, drugs and Brooke Shields' postpartum depression. "Matt ... you're glib," Cruise memorably pronounced at the climax of the smackdown.

Not to be glib about it, but this hasn't been a particularly good year for Cruise. "Valkyrie" has been subject to repeated delays, and his longtime producing partner Paula Wagner quit as chief of United Artists.

But the actor will have to work hard to top some of his goofier past interviews. Over the past few years, Cruise has redefined our notions of what a top movie star can or should say. 

The top five interviews, in ascending order of fun:

5. June 2005: At the London premiere of "War of the Worlds," a man posing as a reporter squirts Cruise with water from a prank microphone. Money quote: "I’m here giving you an interview and you do that. … it’s incredibly rude. You’re a jerk.”

4. January 2008: A YouTube interview materializes of Cruise waxing about the joys of Scientology. Money quote: "Being a Scientologist, people are turning to you, so you better know it, you better know it and if you don't, go and learn it, but don't pretend you know it."

3. April 2005: In an extremely tense talk with the German magazine Der Spiegel, Cruise defends his "information tent" for Scientology on the "War of the Worlds" set. Co-interviewee Steven Spielberg is trapped in the line of fire between Cruise and his questioner. Money quote: "I'm a helper. For instance, I myself have helped hundreds of people get off drugs."

2. June 2005: In another German interview, with the photo tabloid Bild, Cruise says that "of course" he believes in aliens. Money quote: "Are you really so arrogant as to believe we are alone in this universe?"

1. May 2005: Visiting Oprah Winfrey's show, Cruise dances around the set and leaps on the sofa to proclaim his happiness over new love Katie Holmes. Money quote: "I like intimacy."

-- Scott Collins

 

Comments

[Fredric L. Rice]

Oh mjan, heterosexual Tom Cruise is so nutty, there's a brand of pot on the streets called Cruise Purple, pot so bizarre it threatens to drive people as insane as Scientology has driven Tom.

[donna]

I don't know. Guess you had to see Tom in action delivering these quotes, but just reading them, most of them seem fairly reasonable. 5. What would you say if someone squirted you while interviewing you? 4. Too many people pretend they are experts; all he is saying here is "know what you are talking about." 3. Odd that a tent would be set-up on a movie set, but that would be the call of the director. As far as helping people off of drugs, why is that a bad thing? 2. Who knows about other life in the universe, but it is a BIG place and anything is possible (just hope they are friendlier than us humans!). 1. Is there something wrong with intimacy???

[Matt]

While you are entitled about your opinion on Scientology, the other quotes by Tom Cruise from the interviews, especially the ones left out in this article, make a lot of sense. For example, in the Matt Lauer interview, his notions on prescription drugs killing our young are right on target.

[Liz Wetzel]

THe drug industry is after Tom Cruise. They could lose big money if the people start believing that they dont need to drug their children with prozac and all that crap.

So they pay big money to discredit Tom Cruise, calling him this and that.

I believe Tom Cruise is a decent good man. A good actor too. His movies are magnificent.

Dont worry Tom, there are smart people who can see through this black propaganda from greedy businesses.

[Leslie]

I think everyone is being too critical. Good for him for speaking his mind. Why should he fake being something he is not. Just because someone doesn't agree with his beliefs doesn't mean that you have to be so judgemental. Tabloid mumbo jumbo.

[Mason]

What a crock...

Drugs do not kill kids.

Tom Cruise doesn't know everything.

Yes I believe all the stuff about Tom Cruise... I pity him.

[Alexander Law]

Your story was a lame attempt to create a false impression about someone who has some beliefs that you find stupid. That's childish and unprofessional, though lately that behavior is much in evidence in the LA Times. And you think you're a serious, grown-up newspaper.
Perhaps you should consider Five Factual Errors In Today's LA Times as a daily feature.

[Arye Michael Bender]

The promo clips from 'Valkyrie' look absolutely embarrassing. His choice to speak like a modern day American robs the picture of historical accuracy. The German language as spoken in the Nazi era carries a certain face and body language necessary for pronunciation. There is not even a hint of this. I believe that Mr. Cruise is so insulated from the real world that he is disconnected to life outside his restricted world. All the pity, because he showed great promise at the beginning of his acting careeer.

[Inpatient Drug Rehab]

Unfortunately many people do find themselves addicted to prescription drugs including painkillers and other pharmaceutical drugs. As a matter of fact the number one problem facing our youth in terms of addiction are prescription drugs.

We help treat people who are suffering from all addictions and get them the proper care that they need to overcome any addiction including prescription drugs.

[Michelle]

lol, at all the scientologists that showed up here (or is it just Tom and his split personalities?)

[Anne Hiro]

Very funny article! As to the other comments.. Tom Cruise is bizarre. Sorry if you fail to see that, but he is - and if you didn't see the interviews in question, then you've been living under a rock or are an idealistic sycophant. Tom claims to have gotten 'hundreds' of people off drugs himself.. that's fantastic, because as we know the psychiatric industry helps no one! Good thing he and his cult helped to keep Mario Majorski away from such drugs.. I bet that had nothing to do with his psychotic attempt to hurt Scientology guards recently at the Celebrity Center by going at them with SWORDS!

Too funny. Keep giving us things to laugh at Tom, we love it.

[nikki]

I'm willing to bet Liz Wetzel and a few others on here are $cientologists. It's funny how they never seem to realize how alike they all sound then wonder why people call them brainwashed. Yes, prescription drugs can be very dangerous. Pretty much anything used incorrectly can be dangerous. But when used correctly they do help the people who really need them. The problem is, Tom and his cult demonize the ENTIRE psychiatric field and neither are qualified to be passing judgment on any kind of medical matters. Yes, the cult really does tell it's members that Tom and the cult's problems with their public image are the result of a conspiracy by "big pharma." I've also heard some of them claim that psychiatrists are responsible for the holocaust and 9/11.

[Nott A. Scientologimist]

"black propaganda"

"addicted to prescription drugs"

Wow, is that all that the Scientology comment brigade can do? You guys aren't so fearsome anymore, are you?

Keep it up, team. *thumbs up*

[gary]

To: Scott Collins (the author of the above article): A quick Google search shows that you have a history of work topics and comments into your articles that disparage Tom Cruise and Scientology. For instance, (just one example): you wrote an entire article regarding Scientology on March 28th 2006 where you go out of your way to go on and on, creating a completely false impression that CBS was trying to infer through a plot line in a script that Scientology was a cult. Here, in your Dec 10th article above, by titling the article "Tom's Tom 5 Nutty Interviews", you're obviously insinuating that Tom Cruise has a whole list of nutty interviews (and out of the huge volume of them, you chose the top 5). Why don't you just come out of the closet and announce that you personally have a strong dislike for Tom Cruise instead of this lame attempt to pretend objectivity. Your interview examples are out of context and are only nutty in the eyes of haters (like yourself) and those who have an axe to grind with Scientology. By the way, no I am not on the staff of the Church of Scientology, and yes I am a Scientologist. And Scott, if you can't see the problem with using your microphone to bag on religions you don't agree with, why don't you at least preface your articles with a true declaration of what YOU really think rather than trying to disguise your attempt to disparage as an objective article?

[Arnold Smith]

Tom is FUBAR over the CULT OF GREED - Amway on Steroids!

[Marlene Baierl]

I am an American lawyer living in Berlin, Germany and I have to say how strange and ironic it is that Tom Cruise was selected for this part, while Germany has placed very, very clearly in its laws, public debate and its media that the Church of Scientology (with Cruise as one of its leaders) as being considered a cult and a harm to the public good and society. -Marlene Baierl, orginally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

[EJ]

Marlene Baier: you're not a very smart lawyer. It's not the German government's call on who is going to be in an American film. I doubt if even the German movie industry would bow to the German government. Mr. Cruise is not a "leader" of the Church of Scientology. He is a member, as am I.

[Marlene Baierl]

Sorry to see you interpreted my reply in the wrong manner. never said the German government decided that he could not be in the film. The German government has clearly determined that the Church of Scientology is a cult. I suggest you may want to ehance your global awareness of this fact. Marlene Baierl from Germany (orginally from Milwaukee).