Tom Cruise slams TV doc over 'Nazi' diagnosis, Hulk Hogan breaks 'silence'

11:30AM Friday June 13, 2008

Scientology stalwart Tom Cruise is on the warpath after a TV doctor questioned his mental heath in a magazine article.

Celebrity Rehab guru Dr. Drew Pinsky was interviewed by Playboy magazine, and made a series of controversial statements - including blaming Cruise's Scientology fancy on "neglect" and "maybe some abuse".

Pinsky, a regular on US reality show Celebrity Rehab, claimed that Cruise must have experienced some kind of childhood trauma to be "drawn into a cultish kind of environment like Scientology".

He writes: "A lot of people in the public eye who behave strangely have mental illness we can learn from, and much of it is based on childhood trauma, without a doubt. Take a guy like Tom Cruise. Why would somebody be drawn into a cultish kind of environment like Scientology? To me, that's a function of a very deep emptiness and suggests serious neglect in childhood - maybe some abuse, but mostly neglect."

Naturally, Tom and his people are spitting feathers.

Cruise's lawyer, Bert Fields, has quashed the doc's claims and labeled him "unprofessional" and "unqualified".

He tells Usmagazine.com:

"This unqualified television performer who is obviously just looking for notoriety is so grotesquely unprofessional as to pretend to diagnose Tom and others without ever meeting them.

"He seems to be spewing the absurdity that all Scientologists are mentally ill. The last time we heard garbage like this was from (Nazi propaganda chief) Joseph Goebbels."

Wow, hold your horses there, brother. Pinsky obviously had a serious case of the verbals when he gave that Playboy interview, but surely the 'Nazi' comparison is a bridge too far? Just a smidge perhaps.

Update: Dr. Drew apologises

"Dr. Drew meant no harm to Mr. Cruise and apologises if his comments were hurtful," Pinsky's rep said in a statement.

His rep added, "Although Mr. Fields's intent is clearly to slander and discredit Dr. Drew, under no circumstances is Dr. Drew making a blanket diagnosis about Scientology nor Mr. Cruise whom he does not know. Dr. Drew was simply using Mr. Cruise as an example of someone who is recognisable to help the public understand. Again, Dr. Drew meant him no harm."

What do you think of Dr. Drew's comments?

This isn't funny

News reports yesterday claimed that Paul Newman's cancer had been confirmed.

Minor problem. The guy who made the 'confirmation' is now saying he was misquoted.

Newman's friend and business partner, A.E. Hotchner, is denying that he told the Associated Press that the actor is fighting cancer.

"I saw him last week and he seemed fine," Hotchner tells Access Hollywood. "I have no knowledge of any diagnosis or doctors."

"The AP misquoted me. I have no knowledge of Mr. Newman being treated for any illness," Hotchner added.

So the health status of the great Hollywood legend is still in question.

Whatever the circumstances, I hope Newman's in good fettle.

Still tight-lipped

If Kate Hudson is dating Lance Armstrong, she's not ready to let the cat out of the bag.

Hudson was interviewed by Barbara Walters on The View this week, and came over all coy when quizzed about the alleged Armstrong hook-up.

That's neighbourly

Mark Wahlberg is fed up of living next door to David and Victoria Beckham.

The Boogie Nights actor says the constant press attention the couple attracts is driving him bananas.

Worst of all, the lens lizards have been snooping around his back garden trying to get snaps of Posh and Becks in action.

Asked if he'd met David, Wahlberg snapped: "No, but that f***** lives down the road from me, man!

"He has to go back to the UK, because he has the paparazzi all over my house."

He added, "I was in the UK for the last week and they don't want him back there. They said, 'Keep him over there!'"

Source: showbizspy.com

Breaking the 'silence'

Like there was a silence to be broken. Honestly, Hulk Hogan has done nothing but waffle since his wayward son Nick was, erm, thrown in the nick.

Anyway, the leathery beefcake made an appearance on Larry King this week - in an effort to clear the family name.

When asked about those vile audio tapes of him trashing his son's victim, he replied:

"It's in God's hands. Did I say things wrong? Yes. I said them incorrectly."

"This is in God's hands. I believe things happen for a reason. This is to make Nick a better person. In my belief, this is to make John a better person," he added.

Nice touch, Hogan.

Meanwhile...

Hulk Hogan's culinary career is also about to go up in flames.

The Hulk Hogan Ultimate Grill is about as volative as the former wrestling star himself.

Is the grill's fate in God's hands, too, Mr Hogan?

What's in a boob job?

A lot if you're George Clooney.

Word has it that the recent Larsen-Clooney split was all down to the former Vegas cocktail waitress' breast augmentation.

Larson reportedly had an op up on top in May of this year, and Clooney, apparently, wasn't impressed.

"George really didn't want her to get the boob job. She asked George if she could do her recovery at his house and he agreed," a snitch tells In Touch Weekly.

As for the break-up, Clooney opted for the silent treatment and let Larson find out the hard way - through the press.

The source adds, "They had a huge fight and he left the house. Sarah read in the media that they'd broken up and freaked out because George hadn't told her anything.

"He had to explain himself because she'd found out with the rest of the world."

Cease and desist!

Loopy YouTube star Tricia Walsh-Smith has just posted another rant on the video sharing website.

But this time she's not taking aim at her husband. Oh no, she's moved on...

Click here to watch the video. Warning: contains swearing (NSFW)

She's positively feral. I love her.

Quote of the Day 2

"I hope someone else has more luck with it." - Mick Jagger's ex-wife Jerry Hall, while auctioning her wedding gown in London this week.

Justin time

Justin Timberlake is currently doing the rounds to promote new flick The Love Guru, which he so happens to have a small part in.

Some cretin of a reporter interviewed the normally chirpy lad this week about his role in the Mike Myers film.

One small problem: The journo thinks he's the star.

Timberlake is not amused.

Hold the phone

Coldplay's had to postpone the opening of their North American tour - due to "production delays".

An updated itinerary is posted on the band's website. 

Update:
Turns out that Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has also stuffed up his knee during tour rehearsals.

The injury could delays the start of the tour even further.

A source tells The Sun, "Chris has been in absolute agony with his knee.

"He's had to strap it and has been hobbling around the place. He doesn't want to cancel the show so is going to fight through the pain barrier."

Dirty love

Brooke Hogan does not approve of her mother Linda's boymance with a 19-year-old.

The celebuspawn writes on her MySpage page:

"I'm totally freaked out. I personally don't like it at all or condone it, but she's my mom, so I have to show her support. ... I went to school with [my mom's new boyfriend]. He was a grade under me. Me and Nick know him well. Me and Nick are two years apart, and he was right between us (in school).

"I thought we were one of the normal Hollywood families. It's crazy watching it all fall apart, but I hope for the best."

A normal Hollywood family? Now there's an oxymoron.

Fast gossip
Get it while it's hot...

* Is Christina Aguilera's marriage in trouble? BC

* Jessica Simpson has a lingerie line: DS

* Heather Locklear thinks she's down with the kids: TB

* Scientology boat attacked by pirates: CNW

* Miley Cyrus has a new boyfriend: YH

* P. Diddy's car hit by a drunk driver: RO

* Witherspoon is turning Japa-Reese: NZH

* Jamie Lynn Spears' wedding is off! Popbytes

* Mischa Barton steps in dog poop: HR

* Paris Hilton has the munchies: CR

* The Trannycat Dolls are after Wino: Holy Moly!

* More bad news for Perez Hilton: Jossip

* nzherald.co.nz is not responsible for the content of external websites

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