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Jeffrey Augustine joins me once again for an in depth discussion of all things Scientology. We begin by touching on Leah Remini and her headline making TV show Scientology and the Aftermath. We talk about her recent Television Critics Association award for best reality series and what a huge step this is in exposing Scientology to the world. Jeffrey and I also touch on Elizabeth Moss, who walked out of the award show in protest over this. We discuss the role that celebrity Scientologists play, and how these recent exposes have changed their attitude. Next Jeffrey and I discuss the latest Scientology front group Scientologists Taking Action Against Discrimination (STAND) and their social media campaign. I talk about my own personal experience with STAND on Twitter and Jeffrey talks about STAND’s crusade against Geico and other huge corporations.

Later we discuss the recent death of noted conspiracy researcher Jim Marrs and his bizarre connections to Scientology. Jeffrey and I discuss the claims made by Josh Reeves in his new documentary that Marrs himself was a Scientologist. Jeffrey tells us how several of Marrs books are included on the approved reading list for the cult, and Miscavige’s praise of Marrs’ work. We dive into how towards the end of his life he was taking Scientology money while hocking Battlefield Earth for the church. Jeffrey explains how Scientology flirts with the conspiracy culture and why many Scientologists are drawn into that world. Later Jeffrey and I address many of the myths surrounding the allegations that L Ron Hubbard was a CIA asset. We discuss the problems we have with L. Fletcher Prouty’s claims and his own deep connections to the cult. Jeffrey and I touch on how Scientology can maintain this schizophrenic mindset where Hubbard can be both a CIA asset and an enemy of the CIA. We also touch on the early history of Scientology and Hubbard and how this led the CIA to warn countries about the dangers of Hubbard and his group. Jeffrey and I also touch on people like Ingo Swann and the conspiracy theories and culture with in Scientology itself.

Download PPR episode 104

Show Notes:

Scientology Money Project

Surviving Scientology Radio

Scientology’s latest hypocrisy

Op Ed: Church of Scientology hires UFO/JFK/911 Truther Jim Marrs to promote Battlefield Earth

Leah Remini On TCA Award For Scientology Series: “I Had Hoped To Win For Comedy”

Scientologist Elisabeth Moss walked out of room as Leah Remini won reality award for “Aftermath”

Josh Reeves-The Spellcasters Preview-Scientology and The “Truth Movement” Section One

Laying to rest the obfuscations of L. Fletcher Prouty, Scientology’s conspiracist-for-hire

Porkins Policy Radio episode 99 National Security Cinema with Matthew Alford and Tom Secker

June 28, 2017 – 10:55 am

Tom Secker and Matthew Alford join me today to discuss their brand new book National Security Cinema: The Shocking New Evidence of Government Control in Hollywood. We begin by talking about the overall structure of the book and why Tom and Matt decided to write it. Matt and Tom talk about how this book is different from other scholarly books on the topic of government influence in Hollywood and entertainment at large. Tom and Matt talk about the wealth of new research that they discovered which shows that this influence has only increased over time. The three of us examine DOD entertainment liaison head, Phil Strubb, and critique his claim that he only plays a minor role in Hollywood. We look at films such Contact, who in exchange for a few military trucks altered every subversive comment on the military, or simply wrote them out of entire scenes. We talk about how powerful a tool this is not just in presenting a particular image, but in ensuring that a particular image is never know to the viewing public. We discuss how the Pentagon continually wants a benevolent representation of themselves even though they continually boast to the media that they are the most destructive force on the planet. We also talk about the Terminator franchise which manages to instill the message that nuclear war isn’t so bad and that the military will always be there to help afterwards.

In the second hour we continue looking at several other cases studies including Hotel Rwanda, Rules of Engagement, and Thirteen Days. In the case of Hotel Rwanda Matt explains how this movie followed all of the US State Department’s talking points about the 1994 Rwandan genocide with no direct influence from the government. Tom breaks down the numerous changes to the structure on Rules of Engagement which would eventually result in arguably the most racist American film about an Arab nation to date. We also focus on the corporatization of the film industry in tandem with the national security state. The three of us rant about the blatant use of product placement in films today and how this is another piece of national security cinema. We end on a slightly positive note by talking about what can be done to combat this pervasive and dangerous problem. Tom and Matt also give some examples from the book of filmmakers which have actively fought against the national security states influence in cinema.