Vanity un-Fair, says Cruise

We’d better tread carefully with this one. It seems as if Tom Cruise is unhappy with a recent exposé in Vanity Fair concerning the Church of Scientology’s alleged involvement with his love life. The story rehashed an ancient rumour the church had “auditioned” women as replacement partners for Cruise when he separated from Nicole Kidman.

Cruise’s lawyer, Jeffrey K Riffer, addressing the article by Maureen Orth, said: “Ms Orth’s implications are demonstrably false. If she had considered for a minute the respective travel and work demands placed on both [Scientology leader] Mr Miscavige and Mr Cruise, she would have dismissed outright this ‘third-wheel notion’.” Riffer continued: “Bigotry and ignorance go hand in hand, and you are definitely and wilfully ignorant of the actual beliefs of Scientology.” With the relevant issue still on shelves, this is not going to do Vanity Fair’s sales any harm.