Rocketed off Oprah's couch, out the window:
Viacom Inc. chairman Sumner Redstone [announced] today that his Paramount Pictures is terminating its 14-year relationship with Tom “Crazy” Cruise's production company because the actor's controversial and erratic off-screen behavior hurt the theatrical grosses of "Mission Impossible 3. Of course, the studio's publicity department worked overtime all summer to dispel just that notion whenever entertainment business reporters questioned whether Cruise's loony tunes might affect his appeal. "As much as we like him personally, we thought it was wrong to renew his deal," Mr. Redstone said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. "His recent conduct has not been acceptable to Paramount."
Link. Another link to same story.
The article (which is PG for language, by the way) says Cruise will have a great lawsuit. I have no idea, but Redstone made his money as a savvy lawyer, so I doubt this decision was entered into rashly from a legal perspective.
It's nice to see Cruise brought low by his hubris (the Greek gods nod knowingly), but I'm concerned about how he's going to make a living. I don't like to see anyone reduced to poverty, and I'd feel horrible if he's reduced to taking bit parts in porn movies.
