Jada Pinkett-Smith & Will Smith

[Time4me 0]

the word 'compund' makes me think of helicopters, dark-suited men and lots of intrigue

[TubaGirl 7]

the word 'compund' makes me think of helicopters, dark-suited men and lots of intrigue

It makes me think there's a bunch of Scientologists at their house.

[hedda_louella 1]

 

the word 'compund' makes me think of helicopters, dark-suited men and lots of intrigue

It makes me think there's a bunch of Scientologists at their house.

 

Me too, and I'm assuming that the new school will be a $cieno school with Suri Cruise as a student soon.

[ElleDriver 0]

Will Smith’s new private school is a Scientology school

 

Yesterday we ran a story about Will Smith’s new private school, New Village Academy, based on a piece that appeared in the National Enquirer that tied Smith to the school. Smith is not mentioned on the school’s website, but he told Regis & Kelly last year that he was starting a school, and the school’s director is Smith’s former personal assistantand is “Director of Philanthropy and Vice President of the Smith Holdings Group.”

 

After a superficial reading of the school’s website I said it sounded like a decent school. My conclusion was similar to saying Scientology is ok after reading three chapters of Dianetics. I didn’t dig deep enough, or have enough knowledge of Scientology schools, to make an analysis. Several commenters pointed out that Smith’s school uses the same materials as Scientology schools, mentions L. Ron Hubbards “Study Tech,” by name, and even employs teachers who are known Scientologists. The language on Smith’s school’s website is also loaded with words and concepts specific to Scientology, and the mission is straight out of the Scientology handbook.

 

The class materials are the same ones created by Scientology and used in Scientology schoolsThe Delphi Schools are Scientology-schools run for children of Scientologists, and for outside children with the purpose of converting their families to the cult. According to Wikipedia, Delphi Schools use their own Heron Basics language program along with Hubbard’s “tech.”

 

Smith’s school uses Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard’s “tech,” and the Heron Basics language program. Hubbard’s tech is mentioned specifically in their Glossary section, and the Curriculum overview states that they use Heron Basics.

 

Five out of seventeen teachers are easily identified as Scientologists

Director of Learning: Tasia Jones

Education Enrichment Program Supervisor: Andrea Beckham

Director of Qualifications: Sigrid Burgett

Artistic director: Sisu Raiken

Teacher: Marcia Perkins

Teacher: James Oliver

 

Unique words, phrases and concepts of L. Ron Hubbard’s “Tech” are found on the school’s websiteAlthough there more mainstream, proven and accepted educational methods mentioned on Smith’s school’s “Glossary” section, such as Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences and the Montessori Method, the methods outlined on the site are straight from L. Ron Hubbard’s “Study Tech” and show only a superficial influence from other educational philosophies. They are the same concepts described on Studytech.org, a critical site created by Scientology expert Professor David S. Touretzky of Carnegie Mellon University.

 

Smith’s Educational Philosophy: sequential learning with the example of building a robot, mentions being “out” of the sequential process:

 

Secondly, teachers are taught to teach sequentially, checking for prior understanding. When a student is required to perform a sequence of steps and he comes to a point where he doesn’t understand, the learning curve is too steep. If a teacher is showing a student how to make the robot and the student suddenly is confused, the teacher makes sure to go back to the place the student stopped understanding and re-teach that point. We teach older students to do this on their own – when studying they learn to recognize in themselves when they are “checking out”; they then learn to go back with no prompting to restudy their prior steps and the concepts they may not have grasped the first time around.

 

[From Newvillageacademy.org, emphasis added]

 

L Ron Hubbard’s Study Tech: gradient learning with the example of building a doghouse, mentions being “out” of the gradient.

 

An example from the critical site, Studytech.org:

 

There is nothing objectionable in the notion that complex ideas should be mastered by breaking them down into simpler steps done in a logical order. But Study Tech turns this sensible advice into rigid dogma, with a warning that violations can have unpleasant consequences. “If you have skipped a gradient you may feel a sort of confusion or reeling” (Learning How to Learn, p. 84.) The illustrations of this idea on pp. 84-85 show a boy who was trying to build a doghouse “seeing stars” as if he just got whacked in the head with one of the boards he was hammering…

 

Being “out-gradient” is actually considered an ethical violation in Scientology, because it is “out-tech“, or contrary to Hubbard’s teachings about how one should study.

 

[From Studytech.org, emphasis added]

 

Smith’s school: word definitions as the key to knowledge

 

NVA teachers make sure children understand the meanings of all of the words related to each lesson whether in math or in music, or as in the robot example – all of the words related to making the robot. What do the words, electro-mechanic, gears, and system mean? Often students (and adults as well) lose interest and stop paying attention when they get lost in explanations filled with words they do not understand. So many students think they are terrible in math; has the teacher ever defined words such as factor, geometry or exponent? Teachers therefore are trained to make sure they monitor the children for lack of understanding. Similarly, if the student is learning how to program the robot and comes across a word that he is unfamiliar with, the student must look it up in the dictionary or have the word explained by a teacher. Once the student understands the words related to a concept, there is greater understanding of the entire subject.

 

[From Newvillageacademy.org]

 

L. Ron Hubbard’s Tech: word definitions as the key to knowledge

 

The third principle of Study Tech centers on the concept of misunderstood words. They’re called “misunderstoods” in the books, and abbreviated as M/U or Mis-U in Scientology. Misunderstoods can be “cleared” by looking up the word in a dictionary. This is fine as far as it goes; students should certainly learn to use a dictionary. But according to Hubbard, misunderstood words are not a minor problem; they are in fact “the most important barrier to study” (Learning How to Learn, p. 101; Basic Study Manual, p. 49), and “the only reason a person would stop studying or get confused or not be able to learn” (Learning How to Learn, p. 114; Basic Study Manual, preface). In fact, “THE ONLY REASON A PERSON GIVES UP A STUDY OR BECOMES CONFUSED OR UNABLE TO LEARN IS BECAUSE HE HAS GONE PAST A WORD THAT WAS NOT UNDERSTOOD” (How to Use a Dictionary, p. 282; capitalization as in the original.) This sentence also appears in the frontmatter of all Scientology religious volumes.

 

[From Studytech.org]

 

Smith’s school uses terminology, phrases and concepts that are unique to Scientology

 

Smith’s School’s Mission:

 

We believe that an individual’s survival and prosperity are inextricably bound to the rise and fall of his or her family, social groups and humankind.

 

[From Newvillageacademy.org, emphasis added]

 

L. Ron Hubbard on Ethics:

 

Dishonest conduct is nonsurvival. Anything is unreasonable or evil which brings about the destruction of individuals, groups, or inhibits the future of the race.

 

[From Scientology.org, emphasis added]

 

Use of “Qual” as a test to judge understanding:

 

Upon completion of a subject chapter such as in math, the teacher sends the student to “Qual”, where he/she is given an test in various forms. If the student scores anything less than 100%, the Qualifications teacher will sit down with the student and go over the part of the exam that was not fully understood and make sure the student understands all of the words and concepts in the chapter. The teacher will also make sure the student did not skip any concepts which would inhibit learning. This is done to help students so that they gain 100% certainty.

 

[From Newvillageacademy.org]

 

The abbreviation “Qual” is directly from Scientology, and describes a concept unique to the cult. Scientology expert Dr. Dave Touretzky corresponded with me via e-mail, and provides this explanation:

 

I have not seen the term “Qual” used this way in the context of Scientology-affiliated educational organizations. It use here comes straight out of the Church of Scientology itself! “Qual” is where you go when you’ve completed an auditing action in Scientology, or completed a course in the Scientology church. How revealing. Also of note is the final phrase: “100% certainty”. Notice that they did not say “mastery” or “understanding” — the terms professional educators use. They said “certainty”, which is the standard profession of faith used in Scientology. Even the Delphi schools aren’t this blatant in their use of Scientology phraseology.

 

[E-mail received from Dr. Dave Touretzky]

 

Smith’s school’s definition of ethics:

 

An understanding of basic ethics helps students prosper as individuals while being a part of a group. Ethics is simply the choices and actions a person takes on himself, and the ability to take responsibility for his or her actions.

 

[From Newvillageacademy.org, emphasis added]

 

Scientology’s definition of ethics:

 

Ethics may be defined as the actions an individual takes on himself to ensure his continued survival across the dynamics. It is a personal thing. When one is ethical, it is something he does himself by his own choice.

 

[From Wikipedia and Scientologyethics.org, emphasis added]

 

Dr. Touretzky explained this clearly as a concept unique to the cult:

 

The strange concept of ‘actions’ one takes on oneself, and the phrase ‘ability to take responsibility for’ are all pure Scientology, and contrary to the usual definitions of ‘ethics’ in non-cult society, which are based on concepts such as ‘morals’ or ‘good vs. evil’.

 

[E-mail received from Dr. Dave Touretzky]

 

Smith’s school’s motto: Spiraling Up!

L. Ron Hubbard wrote about the “dwindling spiral” of society, and talked about “spiraling” down. The Scientology Handbook uses the word “spiral” frequently, and it’s one of their cult-speak words that serves to “load the language” as cult experts explain, or redefine words and invent new words and phrases that have a specific meaning to the cult.

 

Smith’s school doesn’t disclose that it’s Scientology-based

At first glance, these concepts seem helpful and even innovative, and I was fooled by the very detailed website for Smith’s school into thinking that it might be as progressive as he claims.

 

Dr. Touretzky maintains that Hubbard’s “Study Tech,” is really just Scientology religion disguised as education. With a philosophy and methods based primarily on Scientology founder Hubbard’s “Study Tech,” Smith’s school may strive to indoctrinate students into Scientology with no disclosure to their families.

 

The curriculum and details for the New Village Academy are straight out of Study Tech, but other educational philosophies are thrown in the glossary to make it seem like a balanced education. There is no mention that these are integral parts of the Scientology cult, or that children are being taught religious concepts under the guise of a secular education.

 

Study Tech has no proven effectiveness, is entirely based on Scientology, and is deemed harmful by education experts

If you’re interested in reading more about this, there is very useful detail on Studytech.org. Here’s a pertinent excerpt:

 

The contents of the Study Tech books are taken directly from Scientology scriptures published over a period of about twenty years between approximately 1960 and 1980. Not all of the material is reproduced in exactly the same form in the Scientology and Applied Scholastics versions. A number of significant changes have been made. Hubbard’s rambling lectures have virtually been rewritten, although their underlying message remains the same. Some of the wording of original Scientology materials has been modified, presumably to make it more readable to a non-Scientologist audience. All mention of Scientology has systematically been removed, although some Scientology jargon still remains. But despite these modifications, much of the text remains close to the original Scientology versions in word or spirit. Each chapter of the Basic Study Manual is drawn from one or more original Scientology works, often retaining the same or an abbreviated version of the titles.

 

[From StudyTech.org]

 

There is not a single study or independent educational expert who can vouch for the effectiveness of Hubbard’s Study Tech, and there are only vague and unsubstantiated claims by the Scientology organizations.

 

Many education experts maintain that Study Tech is “old” and “inadequate” at best, and can be harmful to children, because it’s based on one man’s unproven ideas that often run counter to established, tested practices in education.

 

Conclusion: A Scientology school disguised as a progressive private school

Will Smith has started a school that teaches Scientology principles and is touting it as if it’s based on the latest educational research. A similar Scientology school was started in Milton, Massachusetts 10 years ago, with many parents claiming that the primary objective of the school was to recruit new members to the cult. For a celebrity who needs to distance himself from Scientology in order to ensure public acceptance, this is not the wisest move he could make.

 

Here’s an excellent conclusion by Dr. Touretzky:

 

To summarize: what this looks like to me is a bunch of Scientologists got Will Smith to bankroll a school run on Scientology principles leavened with a touch of Hollywood “we are the world” liberalism. L. Ron Hubbard, who had nothing but contempt for black Africans, would not be buying goats for impoverished villages — unless he saw a way to milk it for PR value. But to make Will Smith and his crowd think the school is “hip” and promotes Hollywood values, they throw in some

plastic recycling and token third world charity along with the usual cult indoctrination stuff.

 

You can bet Will’s buddy Tom Cruise had a big part in all this.

 

[E-mail received from Dr. Dave Touretzky]

 

Credit for helping to come up with the ideas for this post goes to commenters Anonymous, LS, Mairead, and FormerSCN on our original post about Smith’s school. Dr. Touretzky helped find additional ties to Scientology and analysis

celebitchy.com

[NYCat 1]

Will Smith: 'Divorce Is Not An Option'

 

Ellen DeGeneres clearly has marriage on her mind.

 

The talk show host – who plans to wed girlfriend Portia de Rossi and has talked nuptials with recent guests John McCain and Jenna (Bush) Hager – was back to bride-talk with Will Smith.

 

On Monday's episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, DeGeneres noted that Will and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, have been married for 10 years, unheard of in Hollywood. "It's like dog years when you're married here," she said. "That's like 50 years, right?

 

"What I found is divorce just can't be an option," the actor explained. "It's really that simple. And I think that's the problem with L.A. – there are so many options. So a huge part of the success for [Jada] and I is that we just removed the other options."

 

The secret to their success? "We're like listen, we're going to be together one way or the other so we might as well try to be happy," he said.

 

DeGeneres also suggested that Smith consider politics for his next project – and join Barack Obama as his running mate.

 

"I do think about [running for office] sometimes," Smith admitted. "Right up until that Monday after the movie opens and I have a 100-percent approval rating. No politician is ever going to have that!"

[annabeast 24]

"I do think about [running for office] sometimes," Smith admitted. "Right up until that Monday after the movie opens and I have a 100-percent approval rating. No politician is ever going to have that!"

Freaking hilarious!

 

The only thing that makes me think that Will Smith isn't a Scientologist is: WHY? He's on top of the Hollywood heap; does he really need the patronizing Scienos to tell him he is the next Jesus? Oh, wait. GMD is the new Jesus. Maybe the office of John the Baptist is open.

[hedda_louella 1]

"I do think about [running for office] sometimes," Smith admitted. "Right up until that Monday after the movie opens and I have a 100-percent approval rating. No politician is ever going to have that!"

Freaking hilarious!

 

The only thing that makes me think that Will Smith isn't a Scientologist is: WHY? He's on top of the Hollywood heap; does he really need the patronizing Scienos to tell him he is the next Jesus? Oh, wait. GMD is the new Jesus. Maybe the office of John the Baptist is open.

 

Tough ending for that job.

 

I think it has to do with hiding the gay. Will Smith cannot afford to be outed and I figure that the $cienos have something on him or they have something on Jada. Either way, Mr. Box Office wants it to stay hidden. $cienos are masters of blackmail.

[annabeast 24]

 

"I do think about [running for office] sometimes," Smith admitted. "Right up until that Monday after the movie opens and I have a 100-percent approval rating. No politician is ever going to have that!"

Freaking hilarious!

 

The only thing that makes me think that Will Smith isn't a Scientologist is: WHY? He's on top of the Hollywood heap; does he really need the patronizing Scienos to tell him he is the next Jesus? Oh, wait. GMD is the new Jesus. Maybe the office of John the Baptist is open.

 

Tough ending for that job.

 

I think it has to do with hiding the gay. Will Smith cannot afford to be outed and I figure that the $cienos have something on him or they have something on Jada. Either way, Mr. Box Office wants it to stay hidden. $cienos are masters of blackmail.

 

Dang! Add Scieno blackmail to the list of cons of being famous. There really should be a list like that handed out to every aspiring actor/entertainer.

[electricmayhem 0]

"What I found is divorce just can't be an option," the actor explained. "It's really that simple. And I think that's the problem with L.A. – there are so many options. So a huge part of the success for [Jada] and I is that we just removed the other options."

"Also, we added some new options, like Jada's girlfriend can come over whenever she wants and I can bring my personal trainer on vacations. So you see it really is that simple!"

[ElleDriver 0]

FOXNews.com

Will Smith Funds Private Scientology School

 

Friday , May 30, 2008

By Jana Winter

 

 

 

Hollywood power couple Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith have won critical acclaim for pumping nearly $1 million of their own money into a new private school that will offer organic meals, laptops for every student and an environment of learning based on "equity" and "respect" to create "citizens of the world."

 

Here's what the parents of the school's pupils aren't being told:

 

The New Village Academy plans to use some teaching methods developed within the Church of Scientology and has hired a team of Scientologists to put them into action.

 

Pinkett-Smith, who currently home-schools the couple's two children, has long been talking about opening up a school where Jaden, 9, and Willow, 7, can continue to receive an education in line with their beliefs, friends told FOXNews.com.

 

So she and her actor husband are bankrolling the pre-kindergarten through sixth grade school in Calabasas, Calif., and they have selected a group of Scientologists, including the Director of Learning, Director of Qualifications and Artistic Director, to create that atmosphere.

 

But you won't find references to the Church of Scientology on NVA's Web site.

 

Ron Reynolds, executive director of the California Association of Private School Organizations, a consortium of the state's private and religious schools, said it's not the actual teaching of Scientology methods that raises a red flag for him. His concern is the school's non-disclosure about its apparent religious affiliation.

 

"School should be forthright about its purposes. And if it's a religious school, I don't see why it wouldn't wish to announce its religious affiliation loud and clear," Reynolds said.

 

While the Church of Scientology is never mentioned explicitly, some of its teaching methods and terms are not hard to find on the site.

 

Under the glossary of educational theories, it lists "study technology," an "educational model developed by L.R. Hubbard." That's L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of the Church of Scientology.

 

"tudy technology focuses on three principles," the curriculum reads. "First is the use of 'mass' to foster understanding — children need to see and feel what they are learning about," reads the posting.

 

Scientology supporters say study technology can be beneficial because it is individualized and helps students overcome things they don't understand by building one idea upon another. But critics say its concepts can be overly simplistic and brainwashes students with its covert religious instruction.

 

The site uses other Scientology terms, such as "spiraling" and "gradient," to describe how students master a level of learning before moving on to the next.

 

Scientology already runs its own semi-official network of schools called Delphi schools, which employ Scientologists and use teaching techniques like study tech — just like NVA.

 

While there has been much speculation about the couple's ties to Scientology, Smith has never publicly said he is a Scientologist.

 

Last month, Smith was quoted as saying, “I am a Christian. I am a student of all religions. And I respect all people and all paths.”

 

In December, interviewed on "Access Hollywood," Smith said of his Scientology connection: “I was introduced [to] it by Tom [Cruise], and I’m a student of world religion. I was raised in a Baptist household, I went to a Catholic school, but the ideas of the Bible are 98 percent the same ideas of Scientology, 98 percent the same ideas of Hinduism and Buddhism.”

 

In 2004 the couple donated $20,000 to the Hollywood Education and Literacy Program (HELP), the basis for Scientology’s home-schooling system.

 

There was never any mention of faculty members’ Scientology backgrounds on the school’s Web site. As if underscoring its secretive nature, the school's faculty member page on its Web site was suddenly taken down last week — but FOXNews.com learned at least three staff members have ties to Scientology.

 

Tasia Jones, NVA’s director of learning, graduated from the Scientologist Delphi School in Milton, Mass., according to her MySpace profile.

 

She was previously the Boston director of HELP, the same Scientology group to which Smith donated $20,000 in 2004, according to media reports.

 

On her Scientology Online blog Jones wrote, “I am currently teaching in a small private school. I have inspirations in the arts, particularly movies/films.”

 

On a page entitled “My Success,” Jones said, “My success in Scientology has been I have hope for myself and others that life can change for the better, all is not lost. I have a much more optimistic look than many of my peers.”

 

According to TruthAboutScientology.com, an online monitoring database that tracks the religion and its practitioners, Jones completed six Scientology courses between 2000 and 2006, including one entitled Hubbard Professional Metering Course. The official Scientology Web site wrote this about what skills are learned: “It is not possible to successfully do anything in life if one cannot control objects, situations and communication. This course teaches that skill.”

 

Sigrid Burket, NVA’s Director of Qualifications, is described on the school Web site's faculty page as a “Youth Specialist” and sports coach. In 2004, Burket was listed as the director of a school that practiced Scientology beliefs — an official list compiled by the Church itself.

 

According to TruthAboutScientology, Burket has completed eight Scientology courses.

 

Sisu Raiken, the NVA's Artistic Director and performance teacher, is also a Scientologist.

 

From her Scientology Web site she writes: “Without exaggerating, I can honestly say that Scientology has made EVERYTHING about my life seem better. I am more productive, making more income, have a happier family and doing EXACTLY what I want to do in life. When I first found out about Scientology I was a failed artist and about to give up. Today I am well-known in my field (performer and teacher), very well-respected and VERY happy.”

 

According to TruthAboutScientology, Raiken has completed 16 Scientology courses, including a course that teaches the evils of psychiatry and how to “detect and handle suppressive persons,” according to the official Scientology Web site.

 

Numerous e-mails and phone calls for comment on the school's faculty by Smith's representatives and NVA were not returned.

 

Reynolds said people are certain to be curious about what Smith's new school has to offer, especially due to its name recognition. But he balks at why NVA wasn't more upfront about the school's Scientology connection.

 

"I fail to understand why you would hide what you are. How can parents make informed choices if they have to struggle to ascertain what the purpose and philosophy of the school is?" Reynolds said.

[BobbyD 2]

Stars hit box office sweet spot

Will Smith among actors who have stayed hot

By ANNE THOMPSON

 

Call it the Fluke Zone. It's a place where a movie star can do no wrong. Audiences love you no matter what you do. The trick is to stay in the Zone as long as possible.

 

It's hard to get there. Few actors ever make it. Robert Downey Jr. and Shia LaBeouf are getting close this summer. But will auds put them over the top?

 

The rewards are huge at the top of the Hollywood food chain. You can cherry-pick the best and most commercial projects, and in theory, enjoy years of jet-set glory along with hefty cuts of the first-dollar gross.

 

But it's not easy. Beyond possessing the usual movie-star assets, staying at the top takes smarts, tenacity and an ability to tune in to what audiences want. Assuming you care.

 

Many stars fall out of the Fluke Zone when they lose touch with their fans. They tire of the limitations of carrying formula studio pics. Audiences see a star in the Zone as someone who delivers every time.

 

That was once true for Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, Tom Hanks and Mel Gibson. But not anymore. They're maturing, taking more chances, seeking just the right balance of commercial and quality, straying from what audiences want. That doesn't mean they can't score the occasional B.O. smash. It just means they no longer guarantee them. "If you expand past the audience comfort zone," says producer James Jacks, "you're not a brand name anymore."

 

Nicolas Cage and Bruce Willis seesaw between studio tentpoles like "National Treasure" and "Live Free or Die Hard" and more adventurous fare. Johnny Depp, for example, is never going to color inside studio lines. He followed up his three-"Pirate" $2.76 billion B.O. bonanza with the serial-killer Stephen Sondheim musical, "Sweeney Todd." Not surprisingly, it did not break box office records. But he nabbed an Oscar nom.

 

Looking at this summer's movies, there's only one star in the Zone: Will Smith.

 

The hardest-working man in showbiz is doing what it takes: picking blockbusters crammed with f/x and action such as the "Independence Day" and "Men in Black" series, "I Robot" and "I Am Legend," along with the occasional acting showcase, from the career-turning "Six Degrees of Separation" and "Ali" to his Oscar-nommed turn in "The Pursuit of Happyness." And Smith, borrowing a page from Cruise and Schwarzenegger, works long hours burnishing his press on global promo tours. All that elbow grease has paid off.

 

This summer, in Peter Berg's "Hancock," Smith plays a homeless superhero. Will his B.O. run continue? Nothing lasts forever.

 

Age is an enemy of the Zone, especially for muscle action stars. Schwarzenegger and Stallone could only last so long.

 

With a far wider range, Harrison Ford, 65, defined the smart action hero. He has resolutely stayed the superstar course in the three decades since he broke out in George Lucas' "American Graffiti" and "Star Wars." However, his insistence on $20 million-plus paydays in recent years has hurt him. He says he works too hard not to get paid.

 

He pushed hard for "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"; finally Lucas and Steven Spielberg came through, helping the star pull out of an eight-year slump that included "Six, Days, Seven Nights," "Hollywood Homicide," "K-19: The Widowmaker," and "Firewall."

 

It's tougher for women. While men grow into their masculine authority, reaching their prime in their 40s, women have a shorter shelf life in the Zone. Hollywood doesn't allow them much room for error.

 

But Angelina Jolie is breaking the mold. While she is not in the Zone -- "A Mighty Heart" proves that -- she could be. Jolie is Hollywood's first bona fide femme action star ("Alien" star Sigourney Weaver paved the way). Jolie mixes it up with the best of them. She can be tough, sexy, lethal, funny and heartbreaking, from her career-making Oscar turn in "Girl, Interrupted" to "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," in which she met her match and partner, Brad Pitt.

 

While Jolie's output is uneven, she can open genre flicks, forging a path for ambitious actresses to follow. Universal paid her $15 million to return to action in the fantastical R-rated thriller "Wanted," anchoring the pic with Morgan Freeman opposite the lesser known James McAvoy ("Atonement"). "She established the movie's quality and legitimacy," Universal Pictures co-chairman Marc Shmuger says.

 

A powerful character actress, Meryl Streep has never been a Zone star. But like Jodie Foster, she delivers something valuable: a stamp of quality (which means nothing with a movie no one wants to see, like "Lions for Lambs" or "Rendition"). Now 58, Streep proved her B.O. muscularity in "The Devil Wears Prada," which scored $125 million at the domestic box office. This summer brings the Abba movie musical "Mamma Mia!" which may not be as pre-sold as the movie version of HBO's long-running "Sex in the City," but still has a sizable global following of women of all ages from the traveling hit show.

 

Comedy stars also have a shorter shelf life in the Zone. Somehow they catch the zeitgeist for several years, only to be replaced by a newer, fresher comedy ethos. Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Robin Williams and Jim Carrey lost their link with the audience by taking big paychecks for bad movies or simply trying too hard.

 

Audiences turned instead to the likes of Steve Carell, who followed Carrey in the disappointing "Bruce Almighty" sequel "Evan Almighty" and stars in this summer's TV remake "Get Smart"; multihyphenate Ben Stiller, who directed and stars in this summer's "Apocalypse Now" spoof "Tropic Thunder"; and Will Ferrell, who also produces and co-stars with John C. Reilly in the Apatow factory release "Step Brothers." These stars like to take chances on risky material, and seem willing to slip on a banana peel now and then.

 

On the other hand, "Austin Powers" star Mike Myers seems under more pressure to stay a major money player. He is also battling a rep for difficult behavior. While Myers has been delivering in the animated "Shrek" universe, the comedy chameleon flopped in his last live-action pick, 2003's overwrought "The Cat in the Hat." Dumb-male comedy "Love Guru" will reveal the strength of his audience connection.

 

The exception to the comedy rule is master-of-disguise Eddie Murphy, who has stayed relevant through successive generations. Murphy doesn't play himself, as Adam Sandler does, repeatedly. Thanks to animated movies ("Shrek") and prosthetics, Murphy morphs constantly; his range is astonishing. In "Meet Dave," opening July 11, he plays a spaceship in human form.

 

"Any time we become too familiar with anything, it ceases to be interesting to us," says producer John Davis, who has made four movies with Murphy and is wooing him to play multiple characters in "Fantasy Island." "The smartest thing you can do is a family movie. Let the audience discover you. Murphy comes back every few years and builds a brand new audience. You can reinvent yourself. Other actors age up."

[FrenchDoll 0]

"What I found is divorce just can't be an option," the actor explained. "It's really that simple. And I think that's the problem with L.A. – there are so many options. So a huge part of the success for [Jada] and I is that we just removed the other options."

"Also, we added some new options, like Jada's girlfriend can come over whenever she wants and I can bring my personal trainer on vacations. So you see it really is that simple!"

 

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's the first thought that popped into my head also!!!

[GimmeSumSugar 0]

Will was on T4 yesterday being interviewd in the US and he was flirting up a storm with T4 presenter Steve Jones.

[BobbyD 2]

Scientology is focus of flap over Will Smith's new school

By Carla Rivera, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

June 29, 2008

 

In Los Angeles' rarefied world of private schools, where tuitions are high, academics are tough and educational philosophy is taken seriously, the newest member of the tribe is getting the kind of breathless attention reserved for a music or film star.

 

That may be because the founders of New Village Academy are themselves such stars: Will Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. Entertainers have long flocked to private schools on the Westside and in the San Fernando Valley, where campuses are comparatively small, offer a discreet environment and are close to studios.

 

The Smiths, however, will be among the few celebrities -- Oprah Winfrey, Andre Agassi and Tiger Woods among them -- to establish their own school or program.

 

It is one of several initiatives by the couple, including a new foundation that will give grants to young people in the arts and education. About 80% of New Village students will receive financial assistance in the fall.

 

But the school's Sept. 3 opening, on the leased campus of a former school in Calabasas, will be accompanied by a whiff of controversy. Some of its teachers are members of the Church of Scientology, and it will use teaching methods developed by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.

 

That has provoked a slew of headlines: On FOXNews.com, "Will Smith Funds Private Scientology School"; from Britain's The Guardian, "Will Smith funds school teaching Scientology creator's study method"; and on the religion blog of the Dallas Morning News, "Is Will Smith school a front for Scientology?"

 

Both Smiths have said they are not Scientologists.

 

In a statement, Will Smith said of the school: "About 10 years ago, Jada and I started dreaming about the possibility of creating an ideal educational environment, where children could feel happy, positive and excited about learning. . . .

 

"New Village Academy was born of a simple question, 'Is it possible to create an educational environment in which children have fun learning?' Jada and I believe the answer is 'Yes.' "

 

New Village Academy began about three years ago as a home school for the Smiths' youngest children -- Jaden, 9 and Willow, 7 -- and those of several other families. After an extensive search, Jacqueline Olivier, previously an administrator at private schools in Santa Monica and La Jolla, was hired to head the school.

 

Since joining the school a year ago, she has been responsible for hiring staff and preparing for the opening of the new campus.

 

Olivier responded to written questions about the school submitted through Will Smith's publicist. She said some staff members are Scientologists and others are Muslim, Christian or Jewish. The school has no religious affiliation, she said.

 

"We are a secular school and just like all nonreligious independent schools, faculty and staff do not promote their own religions at school or pass on the beliefs of their particular faith to children," Olivier said.

 

One teaching method the school uses is study technology, which was developed by Hubbard and focuses on students gaining hands-on experience, mastering subject matter before moving to the next level, and being taught not to read past words they don't understand.

 

"People tend to think study technology is a subject, but it is really just the way the subject is taught," Olivier said. "They then come to the conclusion that we are teaching Scientology when actually a methodology doesn't have anything to do with content."

 

The school, she said, will use many philosophies, including Montessori, Bruner and Gardner. Olivier said the Smiths would pay nearly $900,000 to lease the Indian Hills High School campus in the Las Virgenes Unified School District for three years. Fall enrollment is expected to be about 40 students and will eventually rise to about 100, she said. The school will include pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, with a top annual tuition of $12,500.

 

The school's executive director is Jana Babatunde-Bey, who worked as general manager of Smith's Overbrook Entertainment and is currently director of philanthropy and vice president of the Smith Holdings Group, according to the school's website.

 

New Village plans to have nonprofit status, as well as accreditation from the California Assn. of Independent Schools, which demands strict accountability and an on-site visit by a team of educators.

 

The success of a new school is not guaranteed, noted association Executive Director Jim McManus. Many fail after a few years, and it remains to be seen how the Smith cachet will affect enrollment.

 

Olivier is a respected educator, McManus said. "I think she's really energetic, hardworking and in tune with evolving research and responsible trends in education," he said.

 

The New Village curriculum includes literacy and math, and subjects such as living skills, Spanish, karate, yoga, robotics, technology, etiquette and art. Parental involvement is encouraged, as is limited access to television and sugary foods.

 

But critics contend that the school is not being honest about its links to Scientology. David S. Touretzky, a professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University, created a website that dissects study technology and asserts that it is Scientology religion disguised as education.

 

Touretzky said many phrases and concepts on the school's website are specific to Scientology. For example, the school lists a "Director of Qualifications" and another teacher who is an assistant in the "Qual" department. The "Qual," said Touretzky, is where people who have completed a Scientology counseling, or "auditing," session or a course in the Church of Scientology are tested by a qualifications teacher.

 

"There is no reputable educator anywhere who endorses [study technology]," said Touretzky, a critic of Scientology. "What happens is that children are inculcated with Scientology jargon and are led to regard L.R. Hubbard as an authority figure. They are laying the groundwork for later bringing people into Scientology."

 

A spokeswoman for the Church of Scientology, Karin Pouw, denied Touretzky's assertions and said the teaching methods are not religious and are widely used in schools around the world.

 

Ron Reynolds, executive director of the California Assn. of Private School Organizations, which represents primarily independent religious schools, said all schools should strive for transparency.

 

"I know next to nothing about Scientology, but if you're using some method or technology closely associated with Scientology and Scientology is characterized as a church or religious body, it raises a question if they proclaim themselves as other than religious," Reynolds said. He has not seen the school's website.

 

"I don't want to insinuate the school is failing to disclose anything. But as a matter of good practice, if a school has an affiliation, it would behoove it to expose it."

[kappy22 1]

What I find interesting is that they were home schooling their kids to begin with. With their kind of money, they have access to the finest schools in the world and they still weren't happy? Hmmmm . . . .

[hedda_louella 1]

What I find interesting is that they were home schooling their kids to begin with. With their kind of money, they have access to the finest schools in the world and they still weren't happy? Hmmmm . . . .

I think they've been $cieno'd for some time now. You know how they keep it hidden for years.

[Freckles 79]

From Ted today

 

Come Again?

 

Will Smith is H’wood’s biggest superhero of the moment—sorry Iron Man and Spidey, your places in the sun now belong to Hancock (at least for another week until Batman returns to the crime-fighting, box-office scene). But just 'cause Big Willie’s proven to be a sure thing at the megaplex, don’t let that fool ya into trusting this movie star in other PR respects. W.S. is a PG family man who refuses to utter a nasty word in his raps and who says he values his fam’s privacy more than any of the friggin' summer homes the Pinkett-Smiths prolly own. But then Mr. Smith chitchats to Fox News—'cause they aren't considered a tabloid, just like Vanity Fair, right?—about how he keeps his 11-year marriage as hot 'n' heavy as the honeymoon: “Lots of sex. All the time, every day. Just lots of sex keeps me going good!” 'Scuse us, but that ain’t exactly keeping it private, is it? At least Smithy didn’t specify any sexual positions between him and the wife. Hmmm...wonder why?

Lots of sex. Jada with her girlfriends and me with the flexible young men who are escorted to my trailer...

Edited July 10, 2008 by Freckles

[brooklyn 0]

you forgot the best part IMO

 

 

As long as you’re opening up, Willy, why don’t you really open up on your friendship with Tom Cruise? We suspect it’s a lot more than bitching about Jada's and Katie’s cooking.

[FrenchDoll 0]

http://rhymeswithsnitch.blogspot.com/2008/...-and-jadas.html

This was very interesting.........

[Freckles 79]

There are interesting dynamics to every marriage. I always love to hear what celebrities have to say about how they interact with their partners. Will Smith has just thrown me for a loop though. He says that if Jada Pinkett Smith wants to sleep with someone else, that's fine, as long as he knows about it ahead of time!

 

And Will, 39, reckons he'll tell Jada - and she'll tell him - if they ever feel the need to have sex with others.

 

Each will say: "I'm not going to do it if you don’t approve of it," he says.

 

If Jada actually did it though, that might be a different story.

 

"I don't know how I'd feel," he confesses. "But I know I would react better than if I found out about it afterwards."

 

He also adds that Jada has no problem with him checking out other women, and vice versa.

 

"Our perspective is, you don't avoid what’s natural and you're going to be attracted to people," Will explains.

 

"So sometimes we have the discussion: 'Wow, this or that girl is freaking gorgeous.' I'm not going to say anything to my buddies that's any different than what I say to my wife."

 

Yeah, ummm... What he doesn't mention is that Jada's the one saying that this or that girl is freaking gorgeous. Will just sits there and says, yes, and her shoes are Fierce, too!

[FrenchDoll 0]

[ElleDriver 0]

Will Smith, Cameron Diaz Named Top Hollywood Moneymakers

By Stephen M. Silverman

 

It's been a very good year for Will Smith. Not only is his Hancock a runaway box-office hit, but he also banked an impressive $80 million – making him Hollywood's top money earner last year, according to a new ranking from Forbes.

 

Cameron Diaz is no victim of the current economic pinch, either. Making $50 million last year, the Shrek and What Happens in Vegas star was Tinsel Town's top-earning female, reports the business publication.

 

Among others in the financial stratosphere: No. 2-ranked Johnny Depp, with a $72 million paycheck, and, tied for third place, Eddie Murphy and Mike Myers, with $55 million each – even though Myers's recent The Love Guru tanked.

 

Leonardo DiCaprio, with $55 million, rounded out the top five.

 

And while Atonement leading lady Keira Knightley earned $32 million, and Jennifer Aniston pulled in $27 million, Forbes notes that, once the gold dust settles, men make twice as much as women in Hollywood.

 

In terms of media personalities, Oprah Winfrey still owns the bank. Her earnings last year were a staggering $275 million.

 

As for other TV stars, Charlie Sheen was the top-earning male ($20 million), while Grey's Anatomy star Katherine Heigl – who's also been stepping into big-screen roles – deposited $13 million, making her the top-ranking female.

[sanlee 49]

Jada Pinkett Smith's Hollywood Advice

------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Jada Pinkett Smith has some advice for those looking to make it big in Hollywood - knuckle down.

 

Jada is married to one of the world's highest-paid movie stars, Will Smith.

 

And Pinkett Smith insists that, if you work hard enough, you will find success.

 

She explains, "I find that a lot of young people get enamored with the idea of being on TV and having a certain amount of notoriety but it takes a lot of work to be successful.

 

"My biggest piece of advice is to make sure that they are staying on top of their craft and really taking it very seriously.

 

"Then, when an opportunity comes, they're ready because there are a lot of people that want the same thing. You have to work very, very, hard and be very, very serious."

 

 

 

Source: showbizspy.com

[fykeylicious 1,099]

IUC has learned actor Will Smith has swung both ways for years. According to a notorious Hollywood Madame, Smith was a client of hers for years before she packed up shop and moved her operation to Manhattan earlier this year. She remembers the first time she ever spoke with Smith. “I had to reassure him over and over that I could guarantee discretion,” she said. “Once I convinced him I could, he placed his order. It was for a man. I had 14 women working for me and two guys. You’d be surprised at how many Hollywood stars requested the services of the guys.”

 

Could Smith’s proclivities account for his recent apparent conversion to Scientology, a religion that’s chief appeal in Hollywood appears to be its promise to turn gay people straight. At least according to long-time Scientologist Michael Pattinson, who sued the Church for failing to keep that promise after he shelled out $500,000 in auditing fees over a 25-year period but was never “cured” of his homosexuality as promised.

 

Smith has been palling around with Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes for over a year, although his publicist has denied that he has converted to the religion whose most famous adherent is his friend Cruise. But, according to the New York Daily News, Smith attended the wrap party for his recent film, Hancock, and handed out gifts to the crew members that consisted of a free personality test at their local Scientology center. Last December, in an interview with Access Hollywood, Smith addressed his apparent infatuation with Scientology. “I was introduced to it by Tom, and I’m a student of world religion. I was raised in a Baptist household. I went to a Catholic school, but the ideas of the Bible are 98% the same ideas of Scientology, 98% the same ideas of Hinduism and Buddhism.”

 

We know that Scientology has at least one thing in common with most of the world’s major religions - rabid homophobia. The religion’s founder, L. Ron Hubbard, believed homosexuals should be quarantined from society because he considered gays to be “quite ill physically” and homosexuality a “mental aberration.”

http://ianundercover.com/blog/2008/10/17/i...tutes/#more-322

[pitt-lover 0]

IUC has learned actor Will Smith has swung both ways for years. According to a notorious Hollywood Madame, Smith was a client of hers for years before she packed up shop and moved her operation to Manhattan earlier this year. She remembers the first time she ever spoke with Smith. “I had to reassure him over and over that I could guarantee discretion,” she said. “Once I convinced him I could, he placed his order. It was for a man. I had 14 women working for me and two guys. You’d be surprised at how many Hollywood stars requested the services of the guys.”

 

Could Smith’s proclivities account for his recent apparent conversion to Scientology, a religion that’s chief appeal in Hollywood appears to be its promise to turn gay people straight. At least according to long-time Scientologist Michael Pattinson, who sued the Church for failing to keep that promise after he shelled out $500,000 in auditing fees over a 25-year period but was never “cured” of his homosexuality as promised.

 

Smith has been palling around with Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes for over a year, although his publicist has denied that he has converted to the religion whose most famous adherent is his friend Cruise. But, according to the New York Daily News, Smith attended the wrap party for his recent film, Hancock, and handed out gifts to the crew members that consisted of a free personality test at their local Scientology center. Last December, in an interview with Access Hollywood, Smith addressed his apparent infatuation with Scientology. “I was introduced to it by Tom, and I’m a student of world religion. I was raised in a Baptist household. I went to a Catholic school, but the ideas of the Bible are 98% the same ideas of Scientology, 98% the same ideas of Hinduism and Buddhism.”

 

We know that Scientology has at least one thing in common with most of the world’s major religions - rabid homophobia. The religion’s founder, L. Ron Hubbard, believed homosexuals should be quarantined from society because he considered gays to be “quite ill physically” and homosexuality a “mental aberration.”

http://ianundercover.com/blog/2008/10/17/i...tutes/#more-322

 

Sounds like L. Ron was a big closet-case.

As for the article, I totally believe it, but I am sure Will will either adamantly deny it or not even acknowledge.