December usually has news of celebrities attending the L.A. Celebrity Centre Christmas Stories, and I poked around to see who was willing in 2011, Scientology's worst year ever, to show their face. This would be Christmas Stories XIX, the 19th annual event. It showed up as an upcoming event* (Dec 2 and Dec 3) on the Celeb Centre Int'l website. Usually there is a press release or a celebrity-rag story, but I couldn't find stories or photos ! ! Not even preening Kelly Preston and grinning Nancy Cartwright photos. All I found was an impersonation skit by Jim Meskimen, who uploaded his own act on Youtube.** Anyone else hear or see anything?

The Celeb Centre has a whiff of desperation. The list of events* at the Celeb Centre mostly included classes like How to Get an Agent, Making it in Voice-Overs with Nancy Cartwright and others, and How to get Cast in Commercials. Is CoS charging for these courses? If so, part of the building should be taxable.

The Celebrity Centre website itself was a dud; one interview with Jason Dohring with a photo of him looking like a teen, when he turns 30 in March '12. Jason, you're a man, now, your second generation talk brings to mind a rich L.A. kid dragged into orgs by your Mommy. At least Kelly Preston has tales of a Hawaiian childhood, making her a little unique. Too bad you're forbidden to talk about past lives - that would be fun to read. The Celebrity Centre website used to have two or three "celebrity" interviews and now they're down to one.

The only December news hits mentioning CC Christmas Stories were like a Dec. 17, 2011 story from the Vancouver Observer - which looked like a pro-CoS press release. It mentioned the Christmas Stories and the Holiday Parade, as how "Scientologists celebrate Christmas," but with no details.****

If you Google "Christmas Stories" + "Celebrity Centre" you get lots of news stories and images from prior years, but not 2011. Strange.
* http://www.scientology.cc/en_US/events/index.html
** http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=854i1otpaZ8
*** http://www.scientology.cc/en_US/index.html
**** http://www.vancouverobserver.com/blogs/ ... e-holidays

It is strange.

And have you noticed how quiet it is generally from scientology the last while?

I hope this is a good thing.

Don't worry, they'll soon have something to scream about....
...in January: viewtopic.php?p=420729#p420729
...and February: viewtopic.php?p=417105#p417105

Thanks, Sponge. Eastgate obstruction of justice, and French fraud - put those trials on your calendar, Celebrity Centre! Update your events calendar while you're at it, CC- as of late December you still only list events from Nov 30, 2011 thru Dec. 15, 2011. Has your webmaster quit ? !

A Google-Image search for "Christmas Stories" + "Scientology" shows many celebs in prior years. I bet many D-list celebs would have shown up if John, Kelly and baby Benjamin had come in 2011. I didn't find Tom Cruise ever attending Christmas Stories alone or with any of his three wives or three children. Imagine what a big attraction to celebs if Suri was to attend.

No 2011 mention of Kelly Preston or Jenna Elfman, who in 2007 posed together with Jenna's cute baby.


2007 was well-attended:Efren Ramirez, David Carradine, and Elisabeth Moss of Mad Men; no mention of Efren Ramirez and Elisabeth Moss at Christmas Stories in 2011. David Carradine died "under unusual circumstances" in 2009, so his absence in 2011 can be explained. (1):


Chris Masterson & Laura Prepon in 2007 "Raggedy Relationship" skit. (2)

2007photo: Actors Kyle Howard, Jordan Masterson, and Elisabeth Moss performing (3)


Ella Bleu Travolta (left) in 2007 skit.(4)
This shows how the younger generation is pulled into this event.

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Carradine
(2) http://www.malcolminthemiddle.co.uk/gal ... photo=8919
(3) http://www.life.com/celebrity-pictures/ ... as-stories
(4) http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/B1Lq-1if ... u+Travolta

The 70's Show cast came to at least 2002-2005 Christmas Stories, so non-members Wilmer Valderrama, Ashton Kutcher, and Mila Kunis were dragged in like prize swordfish - they did not convert AFAIK.

2002 photo shows Mila Kunis, Danny Masterson and Wilmar Valerrama (1)


Wilmer Valderrama, Laura Prepon, Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher and Danny Masterson at 2003 Christmas Stories (2)

Laura Prepon, Marisol Nichols, Bijou Phillips, Danny Masterson and Mila Kunis showed up for 2005 Christmas Stories (3). Bijou Phillips is engaged to Danny Masterson (4). Again, I believe Mila Kunis isn't a CoS member, just being a friend. No news of any of them attending in 2011.

This is the downside of CoS celebrity peer pressure - if the "leader" or at least half of a group decides not to attend a CoS event, the rest will be reluctant to attend. They rightly fear the whole evening will be explaining why so-and-so didn't attend.

Laura Prepon was the girlfriend of Danny Masterson's brother Chris Masterson (5), so young celebs pulling away can bring with them other CoS actors and members. I don't know if Laura is pulling away - I can hope. She may be dating Scott Michael Foster now.(5a)


Actresses Denice Duff and Sofia Milos at 2004 Christmas Stories(6)


Danny Masterson, Ashton Kutcher and Wilmer Valderrama also performed at 2004 Christmas Stories (7)

David O'Donnell and Marisol Nichols at 2005 Christmas Stories, (8)

(1) http://www.life.com/celebrity-pictures/ ... und-raiser
(2) http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/celebri ... LyLVRKR6RP
(3) http://www.life.com/celebrity-pictures/ ... 05-day-two (Can't copy the photo)
(4) http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005194/bio
(5) http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0696059/bio
(5a) http://www.vegasnews.com/3075/laura-pre ... blush.html
(6) http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news- ... o/51826468
(7) http://www.life.com/celebrity-pictures/ ... es-benefit
(8) http://www.life.com/celebrity-pictures/ ... 05-day-two (can't copy photo)

2006: Kirstie Alley & Tait Rupert in a skit (1), also Lynsey Bartilson (2) No sign of them in 2011.
Can't copy the photos, links only.
(1) http://www.life.com/celebrity-pictures/ ... tories-xiv
(2) http://www.life.com/celebrity-pictures/ ... tories-xiv

COS christmas sucks!

John Travolta, pregnant Kelly Preston, and pretty Ella Bleu Travolta were the darlings at the 2010 Anniversary Gala at Celebrity Centre. Photos for this event (which is NOT a Christmas Stories event, but IS Celebrity Centre) include Erika Christensen, guest Buzz Aldren, Jenna Elfman, Nancy Cartwright, singer Elena Roggero and actress/singer Michele Henderson (1).

The same blogspot listed attendees at the August 2011 Anniversary Gala:


The most recent Christmas Stories that this blogspot covered was 2008 (3), and it listed, without photos

The "many more" in 2008 included Jenna Elfman's husband Bodhi Elfman (4) and Taron Lexton (5)

(1) Photos at: http://scientologist.blogspot.com/2010/ ... brity.html
(2) http://scientologist.blogspot.com/ This August story is so recent it's currently on the home page of the blogspot. The blogspot claims to only report on openly practicing Scientologist celebrities, and is silent on Mila Kunis, another sign she's not a member. It presents many CoS celebrity tidbits, but sadly just nice-nice stories and no dirt.
(3) http://scientologist.blogspot.com/2008/ ... rform.html
(4) http://www.life.com/celebrity-pictures/ ... tories-xvi
(5) http://www.life.com/celebrity-pictures/ ... tories-xvi

2010 Christmas Stories Celebrity List:


from Look to the Stars - The World of Celebrity Giving

This website is a thorough any-celebrity-doing-good website, not a Scientology-sponsored website. While it had the above 2010 Christmas Stories report, it didn't have a 2011 Christmas Stories report. I looked at all December 2011 pages through Dec. 30, paying special attention to page 5 (2), which covered the days around Dec. 2 and 3, when the Celeb Centre events calendar said the Christmas Stories would occur. Nothing.

(1) Celebrities Read Christmas Stories For Charity
http://www.looktothestars.org/news/5481 ... or-charity
(2) http://www.looktothestars.org/news?page=5

I watched the Jim Meskimen video for clues - The description said he had been Master of Ceremonies for this event for 19 years, which is likely why he couldn't wiggle out of this. The stage was small; no shots of the audience. The applause and laughter sounded like a small crowd. Except for Justin Bieber, his impersonations were of older singers, which likely matched the crowd.

Christmas Stories 2011
Impressionist Jim Meskimen Sings The Christmas Song in Celebrity Voices http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=854i1otpaZ8

2006:

A more complete 2006 list: Kelly Preston, Kirstie Alley, Carlo Rota, Catherine Bell, Chris Lowell, Christmas Stories, Christopher Masterson, Danny Masterson, Eric Balfour, Erika Christensen, Giovanni Ribisi, Jason Lee, Jennifer Aspen, Marisol Nichols, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Ryan Hansen (3)

Mary Lynn Rajskub likely attended in 2006 as a friend, not as a Scientologist.

Noelle North, notorious for trying to keep children out of a Subway shop, is a 2006 attendee.(4)

2009:

Other sources added Edgar Winter(6) and Judy Norton (7) to the 2009 performers.

(1) Why is Scientology celebrating Christmas?[/quote] by Rick Ross http://www.cultnews.com/?p=1885
(2)http://www.nowpublic.com/scientology_today_celebrities_tell_christmas_stories_to_benefit_needy_children
(3) http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases ... 64052.html
(4) http://www.chairmenofthechord.com/pics.php
(5) http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases ... 64052.html
(6) http://www.looktothestars.org/news/3524 ... or-charity
(7) http://judynorton.com/2010/12/performance-highlights/

At Risk Youth programmes - Commodores Messengers.

2008 Christmas Stories:
Erika Christensen, Jenna Elfman, Ethan Suplee, Eddie Steeples
Jason Lee and Eric Matheny also attended in 2008, photos on same site.
http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/xRTQkTwF ... e+Steeples

These photos are interesting to see who is buddies with whom in Scientology, although Jenna likes to be photo'd with lots of people.

Longer list of 2008 Christmas Stories celebs: from
http://socialitelife.com/photos/sciento ... -xvi-event

Tamasin, is there a link between Christmas Stories, at-risk youth and Commodore messengers?

2001: Actresses Jenna Elfman, Jennifer Aspen, Kate Ceberano and Catherine Bell perform at Christmas Stories

Photo won't copy. Link at http://www.life.com/celebrity-pictures/ ... es-benefit