Raw Story
Executive editor of Raw Story, blogger at The Underground Bunker and author of the upcoming book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology Tried to Destroy Paulette Cooper; former editor at the Village Voice
PROFILE
Tony Ortega
Guest
FROM Tony Ortega
Which Way, L.A.?
Scientology, Hollywood and HBO Even before Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief began running on Sunday, Scientology was calling it " bigoted propaganda " from "admitted liars." Trailer The HBO documentary, directed by Alex Gibney and based on a book of the same name by Lawrence Wright, features former members and others attacking the multi-billion-dollar organization as a dangerous cult, despite its status as a religion exempted from taxes by the IRS.
To the Point
'The Master' and Scientology The new film, The Master , is based largely on the life of L. Ron Hubbard. Philip Seymour Hoffman dazzles as the founder of Scientology , a charismatic Svengali who convinces his acolytes of the power of his vision. As his son says in the movie, he makes it up as he goes along. We compare fact and fiction in film with a film critic and a chronicler of Scientology.
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Left, Right & Center
The week that wouldn't quit Will next week get even weirder? (Special one-hour episode)
To the Point
Trump's 'America First' goes missing abroad In the Middle East, President Trump is changing some policies of the Obama Administration—and reversing his own campaign attacks on Islam as a religion that "hates us." We hear about his visit to Saudi Arabia and what's at stake for the rest of his foreign excursion.
To the Point
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.