Cruise tries to block Scientology video

A bizarre nine-minute video, in which Tom Cruise talks about the privilege of being a Scientologist against the soundtrack to his Mission:Impossible films, has been pulled from various blogs and internet sites including YouTube amid allegations that the Hollywood star is pulling his weight to protect his links with the controversial Church. "It's rough and tumble, and it's wild and woolly and it's a blast," says Cruise of the joys of Scientology. "It's a blast. It really is fun, because... there is nothing better than... going out there and fighting the fight and, suddenly you see, things are better."

Cruise goes on: "Being a Scientologist, when you drive past an accident, it's not like anyone else; as you drive past, you know you have to do something about it, because you know you're the only one that can really help." He also shows issues a call to "crush" all psychiatrists. "Crush these guys (psychiatrists)! I've had it! Psychiatry doesn't work," says the 45-year-old actor.

The appearance – and almost immediate disappearance - of the 2004 video clip came as Andrew Morton published his book Tom Cruise: An Unauthorised Biography, in which he claims that Cruise ranks second in command in the Church of Scientology. The Church responded with a statement saying the book was "a bigoted, defamatory assault replete with lies" and that Cruise "is a Scientology parishioner and holds no official or unofficial position in the Church hierarchy".

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Meanwhile, a row has developed over the easy ride Cruise's wife Katie Holmes was given on ABC's morning show on Monday. Despite the publicity surrounding Morton's book – and its extraordinary claim that her daughter Suri was created with the frozen sperm of Scientology's late founder L Ron Hubbard - she was asked no questions about it. In fact, anchor Diane Sawyer never even mentioned Morton's book, even though Cruise has threatened litigation over its publication.

Instead, Sawyer asked Holmes only inoffensive questions about Holmes's clothes, her baby and her new movie Mad Money. Holmes was later interviewed on Disney-owned ABC’s syndicated show Live With Regis and Kelly, where there was similarly no mention of the book.