Being Tom Cruise
"Being Tom Cruise" | |
---|---|
Title card | |
Episode no. | Series 2 Episode 2 |
Directed by | Elliot Hegarty |
Written by | Lee Hupfield, Bert Tyler-Moore, George Jeffrie |
Produced by | Philip Clarke, Lee Hupfield, Andrew O'Connor |
Featured music | Mark Thomas |
Cinematography by | Pete Rowe |
Editing by | Mark Davies |
Original air date | 2 August 2007 |
"The Church of Scientology Presents: Being Tom Cruise, Why Scientology Isn't In Any Way Mental" is a
The program received positive reception, and
Plot
The parody of Tom Cruise (
Meanwhile, Kidman decides to immigrate to the U.S. and marry Cruise to become “Hollywood king and queen”. When Cruise first meets
Production
Production on the second series of Star Stories was announced by Channel 4 in January 2007, and in addition to Tom Cruise, others set for parodying included Simon Cowell, Britney Spears and "the 1990s chart battle between Oasis and Blur".[9] The show was episode two of the second series of Star Stories.[10] The episode was first broadcast on Channel 4 on 2 August 2007.[11] On its website, Channel 4 promoted the episode with the description, "Hollywood's smallest actor (after Danny DeVito) expounds on Aliens from Outer Space and the best career choices ever."[11] In August 2007, the series was set to be remade into a new version in the U.S.[12]
Legal issues
Multiple publications commented on the potential legal implications of parodying both Tom Cruise and Scientology.
In an interview with The Northern Echo, Star Stories actor Kevin Bishop discussed the legal issues involved with making the series: "We're not allowed to say anything about anyone that isn't true. It can be quite tricky. Sometimes we've had to change lines even when the filming is all finished. We go back to the recording studio and put one line over another line. ... The only reason I reckon we've not been sued is because actually we've not said anything that technically we can't."[13] He said the series was "well looked after" by attorneys.[14] In a 2009 interview with The Independent, Bishop recounted an experience when he gave a copy of the program to television producers in the United States: "I gave some American producers the Star Stories DVD and those that could be bothered to watch it saw the Tom Cruise one. One guy went 'you can't do that it's Tom Cruise man? [we’ve done it] 'yeah but you can't do that on TV' [it's already gone out] 'what you’re talking about Scientology, are you fucking nuts?? [er, look we’ve done it it's been on telly and everyone loved and we've had no complaints] has Tom Cruise seen this?!"[15]
Reception
See also
- Relationship of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes
- Scientology in popular culture
- Tom Cruise: Unauthorized (1998)
- Tom Cruise: All the World's a Stage (2006)
- Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography (2008)
- Trapped in the Closet (South Park)
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Skegg, Martin (28 July 2007). "The Guide: Television Friday 3: pick of the day: Star Stories". The Guardian. Guardian Newspapers Ltd.
- ^ Evening Times. Newsquest Media Group Ltd.
- ^ The Daily Mirror. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g Segal, Victoria; Sally Kinnes; Sarah Dempster (29 July 2007). "Critics' Choice - Television". The Sunday Times. Times Newspapers Limited. p. Culture 72.
- ^ a b c d Adams, Cameron (14 January 2009). "Television - Top Choice". Herald Sun. Nationwide News Pty Limited. p. 087.
- ^ Blum, David (10 June 1985). "Hollywood's Brat Pack". New York: 40–47.
- ^ The Daily Mirror.
- ^ Waxman, Sharon (2 June 2005). "How Personal Is Too Personal for a Star Like Tom Cruise?". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 August 2006.
- The Daily Mirror.
- ^ a b The Advertiser staff (14 January 2009). "Star Stories". The Advertiser. Nationwide News Pty Limited. p. D04.
- ^ a b Channel 4 (2009). "Star Stories - Series 2, Episode 2". Channel4.com. www.channel4.com. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Gamasutra. Think Services. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
- ^ Pratt, Steve (2 August 2007). "Television - Star attraction". The Northern Echo. p. 05.
- ^ Scott, Sally (3 December 2007). "Hilarious tongue-in-cheek celeb peek". Tonight. Tonight & Independent Online (Pty) Ltd. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
- ^ The Independent staff (22 July 2009). "Kevin Bishop - Perfect comic timing". The Independent. Independent News and Media Limited. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
- Evening Times. Newsquest Media Group Ltd.
- ^ Smith, Aidan (5 August 2007). "Television Review: On the Box". Scotland on Sunday. The Scotsman Publications Ltd.
- ^ The Sunday Times staff (29 July 2007). "The best of the week ahead - Television". The Sunday Times. Times Newspapers Limited 2007. p. Culture 51.
- The Newcastle Herald. Newcastle Newspapers Pty Limited. p. 79.
- ^ O'Sullivan, Kevin (5 August 2007). "Big up". Sunday Mirror.
- ^ Hoggart, Simon (4 August 2007). "Misleading the public". The Spectator.
External links
- "Star Stories" The Church of Scientology Presents... Being Tom Cruise: Why Scientology Isn't in Any Way Mental (2007) at IMDb
- Star Stories - Series 2, Episode 2, at Channel 4