I think it’s fair to assume that all of us have crushes on famous folk. Some, of course, are more predictable than others. Brad Pitt and George Clooney are obvious choices, and there’s the whole ‘scarlah’ spectrum of our crushes of shame. Erotomania sufferers aside, none of us are delusional enough to think that Brad or George are going to wander into our lives and want to run off with us. But what happens when you want to revoke your crush? One of my long-standing objects of lust is Giovanni Ribisi. Yes, him of Saving Private Ryan, Lost in Translation and, oh, Phoebe’s dimwit brother in Friends. But imagine my shock on discoving that he’s an active, enthusiastic Scientologist. Heck, my lust instantly evaporated. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a live-and-let-live kinda girl, but Scientology creeps the HELL outta me. How can a seemingly rational, cool guy like him be so taken with a cult that doesn’t believe in psychiatry?
So he’s off my “list”. Good thing I haven’t got it laminated.
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Beck married Ribisi’s sister. Now Beck’s a $cientologist too. It just grosses me out.
I know! Beck should know better – wasn’t he raised scientologist?
I assume a lot of them are in it for a) the tax breaks and b) the social club element. And Beck maintains that the Church has done an awful lot of good in his old neighbourhood, as regards drug abuse and so on.
oh shoot he was!. I just found that out , just now.
Ugh.
I really don’t understand it . We stayed beside the Scientology head quarters recently and I was very tempted to go in to see if I could get my head around the madness.
I did the sensible thing and went for a drink instead.
I used to quite like Mick Hucknall (it’s a red hair thing) until I heard him interviewed. He came across as sexist, elitist and egomaniacal. Crush OVER.
I used to fancy Joaquin Phoenix to the point of lunacy. Nowadays, he looks like he’s been pulled out of a skip after a vicious 12 rounds with a bout of chlamydia.
Ah fuck, what am I saying…I still would.
I don’t get the whole crushing on Brad Pitt thing. Aside from the fact that he has a horrible snub nose, he looks as fucking vacant as they come. I just watched the AWFUL “Burn After Reading” where he recycles the emphatic pointing tic that he used in “12 Monkeys.”
Yack.
Medbh, me neither. I just don’t see what a lot of women see in Brad.
I still love Giovanni Ribisi, Scientologist or not. I don’t understand how you can NOT like someone becuase of their religion. Doesn’t seem very live and let live to me.
I love Giovanni Ribisi!! Scientologist or not. He’s a brilliant actor. More so than Brad Pitt OR George Clooney. Personally, I don’t feel you should hold anything against ANYONE for their religious beliefs.
You say “I’m a live-and-let-live kinda girl” yet, you revoking your crush because of someone’s religion doesn’t seem to correlate that statement.
P.S. – this is the second time I’m posting this comment. guess if I don’t happen to agree with you, it doesn’t get posted, huh?
Lynn, apologies for the lack of reply, The Anti-Room was in semi-retirement until yesterday so a few comments got held up in our moderation queue.
Ribisi is great actor, easily better than Clooney or Pitt. I don’t have a problem with someone being religious. But I do have a problem with someone being in a cult. Frankly, there’s a huge difference between the two.
Leigh, i’m with you – those crazy green eyes, sexful lip and general hot mess thing he’s got – strike – had going on (damm him, the chlamydic vegan) … but oh-my-goodness was i spaz over him.
I even left my hometown in Oz to get a glimpse (read, meet and marry) of him in NYC whilst he was filming 2 lovers, a couple of years ago. Alas the whole dirt ball thing has turned me off … lucky, as i was becoming a maniac. Sis, i share your pain.
Fuck it … me too, I still would.
i am still completely in love with this man. he is the most beautiful and down to earth actor in hollywood. he is truly talented. i am much more upset about him going out with chan marshall than him being a scientologist.
[Sorry I am not an english native speaker... I am really sorry if what I say isn't undersood]
Yes, I know what you feel about Giovanni. I am feeling the same thing… I have a crush about him too. But I still love him… and I wonder now what the Scientology really is…
Before knowing Giovanni, I was totally against this cult. I hated it. In my land, the Scientology is a dangerous sect. I always see it like that. And, during my studies, I learned that there were a lot of victims of Scientology. And I have learned that Scientology did illegal things, like indirectly commited suicide. Or stealing money, handling weak people, lying to the members, to oblige their followers to utter threats, blackmail and many other things like that.
I know that they are illegal things about the Scientology…
But after knowing Giovanni, I saw many documentary about Scientology and the victims. And I wonder if this cult is really a bad thing. I mean, there are people who believe in it. There are people who defend Scientology against medias, journalists and scientology’s opponents…
Can this religion bring some comfort, love, peace ? I have no answer… and I think that nobody can judge this.
But you must know that Giovanni grew in Scientology… in other words, he probably didn’t have choice to be a scientology’s member… I guess. Don’t hate him because of what he thinks. Don’t see the scientologist in him, but the actor and the man. Because in reality, he is a funny person and a good guy. I am sure.