Kirstie Alley Rips 'Bigotry' on 'Today Show'

By Amber James Posted Mar 17th 2010 05:00PM

EXCLUSIVE: Kirstie Alley claims she was "ambushed" during a March 16 interview on NBC's 'Today Show' when reporter Meredith Vieira asked her directly if her Organic Liaison diet program is connected to Scientology. The question came right after her opening segment -- in which the Hollywood Reporter's Roger Friedman claimed Alley's company was made of top-level Scientologists. After denying the claims on national TV, Alley spoke to PopEater about the "lies and myths" he brought to the the forefront of the national media.

"If you Google Mr. Friedman, you'll see he has had longtime problems with Scientology. He has written numerous articles against them," Alley said at a private press event on Wednesday afternoon. "That I need to clarify or defend the intentions of my L.L.C. business corporation, in the year 2010 is indicative of the intolerance that we as a country need to overcome. However, after the 'Today Show' brought fringe bigotry and intolerance into the forefront of the national media, I feel compelled to clarify two issues," she said.

Alley, who has been a Scientologist for over 30 years, is one of several Hollywood celebrities, including Tom Cruise and John Travolta, who are members of the religion founded by L. Ron Hubbard. During the 'Today' segment, Friedman said claimed, "There are a lot of questions about how close these two groups are, and whether this isn't just a front for Scientology."

"There was a claim that my product is a front for Scientology. This is not true. Organic Liaison is its own L.L.C. and is not affiliated with The Church of Scientology or the World Institute of Scientology. The proof is in the numbers," she continues. "Out of the 25 approximate employees, there may be 26, of Organic Liaison, 4 are Scientologists. Organic Liaison does not discriminate in its hiring practices, including religion ... It boils down to roughly 10% of my company is Scientologists, 90% are non-Scientologists," Alley added.

Alley alleges that after the interview aired, Friedman posted the following message on Twitter: "Kirstie Alley lies on The Today Show about Scientology connection."

"After twittering that he was libelous and that I was going to have my attorneys get involved, he changed it to, 'Kristie Alley gets it wrong on Today Show about Scientology Connection,'" she said.

"What shocked me was I'm so proud of my show ['Kirstie Alley's Big Life'] and went on 'Today Show' to talk about it. It isn't that I can't answer a question about speculation. What threw me off was it was like, 'Do you still beat your wife?'" she said. "When I saw they were using [Friedman] as the source, [I knew] it was am ambush. And that is what led the introduction to my show."

Alley claims she didn't even know there was any speculation about her diet program being linked to Scientology. "I was sitting in a position where I didn't know this was being said. So when I was asked about it, I really didn't know it was being brought to the forefront... I was caught off guard. The truth always will prevail," she said.

Alley also claims that if she wanted this to be a Scientology company exclusively, she would "have made it that way." "I would have told the world and touted that," she said. She backs her company, saying her team includes the "best people I could find in the world" and that "[her] company and these products are going to help people."

Alley still remains unsettled by the continuous attacks on the religion and believes people are just curious about the "outspoken" believers. "It was odd. You would never ask like, 'What religion is Jenny Craig?' No one knows and no one cares. You'd never be like, 'Is this a front for the Methodist church?'" she points out.

"Why speculation goes mainstream is still beyond me. It's gone on forever. I've been a Scientologist for over 30 years. I think a lot of things are sensationalized. The media can throw 'The controversial Church of Scientology -- and the fat girl in their religion.' That's funny. I thought there were like eight f***ing million fat Catholics," she joked.

Alley continues to back her weight loss company, Organic Liaison, and says the attacks are "another form of fear and intolerance. If you look at the history of any religion, you see these huge moments of way intolerant persecution. This stems from that. It's a cheap shot."

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Kirstie Alley

Kirstie Alley leaves her hotel to go to "Late Show With David Letterman" March 16, 2010 in New York. More photos >>

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Kirstie Alley visits "Late Show With David Letterman" at the Ed Sullivan Theater on March 16, 2010 in New York City. Celebrity Arrivals At "Late Show With David Letterman" Ed Sullivan Theater New York, NY United States March 16, 2010 Photo by Marcel Thomas/FilmMagic.com To license this image (59924574), contact FilmMagic.com

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Comments

(90)

Saturday 20 March

By MarkTheSpark

Vote down Vote up Report this

What the hell is this fat, ugly, no talent a-hole even in the news for? her 15 minutes was up 15 years ago. And now she's into brutha's? You all can have her big ass. And whoever came up with a reality show about her should be smacked!!! She is the worst person in the world for any kind of weight-loss program. She's a born pig.

By Marcia

Good thing we have all of you good catholics and christians to tell us who the good guys are, right? As far as I know the scientologists don't buggar their children and then hide behind their god. If you ask me christianity is a cult.

By James

Has Kirstie Alley ever been as famous? The only bad publicity is no publicity.

Sunday 21 March

By Mike Allsopp

Looks like that weight loss program is really working for you, Kirstie...

By Lauren

Kirstie Fatty is full of crap. I watched that show and she should be grateful they let her plug the Scientology diet. For real one would think it's a front for Scientology because she is leterally in the same building as some big wig Scientologists. It's a legitimate question. Kirstie Alley has high blood pressure from being obese. Fatso!

By Sukie

Kirstie certainly doesn't look healthy to me. I don't care what religion she might be, whatever diet she's selling, I don't want it.

By shockatelly

Kirstie, Methodism is to Scientology as Warren Buffet is to Bernard Madoff.

By Duk

Well, maybe if the "religion" she belonged to wasn't as looney as Scientology, she wouldn't be attacked so much over it.

By Rhann Khalhd

I always dug you Kirstie. Thick or thin you is my baby. I love your countenance. Of course if you were to lose the weight you would definitely be more voluptuous and just as sexy as Hallie Berry. I would love to love you baby. I'm just and old Brother wishin for some good times before the final curtain call. If you like Jaime Foxx as much as you seemed to on Oprah, then you'd love me. Old man got what you need baby. Holla at me sometime......

Thursday 08 July

By Lisa

I want to know when we as human beings are going to learn look at each other for who we are, not what we look like, fat, thin, tall, short, etc., we all have something to offer and right now as a nation we truly can afford to overlook anybody, we all share the same boat and it’s leaking.

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