Kareny

Stacy Francis, currently featured in the Celebrity Big Brother house in the UK, is a Scientologist. I had no idea who she was (not uncommon for "Celebrity" BB) so I googled her and realized that she was one of the star performers at the legendary Tom Cruise birthday bash that's been covered in many of the Scientology books/films. She was also a friend of Leah Remini before Leah split. Definitely makes me give her a little extra side-eye when she's whining about unfair treatment from the other housemates. I'm watching her with a very different eye now that I've realized that.

Oh, for sure, the poor neighbor is going to be audited like crazy until she disconnects from that dog now. Scientology does not joke around.

I read Mark Headley's book last month too. The cover art is hokey as hell, but given his background producing hokey promotional materials, I guess it's not a surprise. But I'm glad that he and Claire are getting more of a platform to talk about their escape, which really illustrates how batshit crazy and dangerous the Sea Org can be. Try reading his book and Jenna Miscaviage Hill's back to back, you really get a sense of how insane Sea Org life is. The "Church" isn't helping itself with the crazy disclaimers, either. Props to A&E for featuring them so prominently on the act breaks. Only someone who's been brainwashed would think that the things they're saying about their former members make them look good. If anything, they're helping Leah's case by demonstrating how crazy and controlling they are.

And James Barbour, Broadway actor. Barbour famously pled guilty to molesting a teenage girl, and I've always suspected that the online smear campaign that ensued against the girl had Scientology involvement, as did his ability to still work after that. It's hard to say, though, because there's a lot less open Scientology involvement in the theater world than in Hollywood, despite the big honking Scientology building across from the Richard Rodgers (current home of Hamilton).

There was also that thing where they did their pseudoscience detox program on September 11 first responders. That was supposedly "saving the world". In Andrew Morton's biography of Tom Cruise, he ties Cruise's awakening as a crazy Scientologist to his desire to save the world after September 11. Lotta good they did there though.

For some weird reason I've been reading a lot of Scientology exposes in the last few weeks, without even knowing this series was coming. I'm hooked. The stories coming out of Sea Org especially sound ridiculous, but they all fit the same pattern. Did anybody else go to the A&E site to read Scientology's letters? Good lord. Do they really think this helps them look sane and reasonable? It's just a further sign of how far gone the people running the "church" are, that they think anyone could read these kinds of letters and think that this looks like a normal, positive organization that should be treated like any other religion instead of the creepy, controlling, abusive cult that they are. I almost wonder if the letters themselves aren't a cry for help from within Sea Org.

Oh, that is funny. Small reality TV world. I've been listening to Mike's podcast with Eric Stein (of Big Brother "America's Player" fame). Had no idea he was working with Teen Moms. I might have to make myself watch this just to see what exactly this turns into.

Wait, really? Can Cappie sing? He's no Santino Fontana, but that's the best news I've heard all day.

This actually felt uncomfortably realistic to me. I can't tell you how many friends I've seen who seemed like the life of the party when we were younger, but then as we grew older their drinking became less of a fun, social thing and more of a problem. That is EXACTLY how it happens. I wonder how much the show is going to explore it with Greg and how much being sober will change him.

Really enjoyed this. Something about Micah Fowler felt familiar to me, and it wasn't til I googled him that I realized why - he's Kelsey Fowler's little brother! Just a few years ago, she was a big time Broadway kid actor. I can't remember any other kid actor who opened as many shows as she did (Bonnie and Clyde, Mary Poppins, Grey Gardens...) I saw her in a few things and had some limited interactions with her back then, and she always struck me as talented but also pretty grounded. Seems like she's moved on now as an adult, but has been able to help Micah break into acting. That's so cool. I expect great things from Micah, if it runs in the family at all. So far, looks like it does.

I mean... okay, I guess that could happen, but so what if she did? It's not like they're going to shoot her on sight. I'm sure her parents would be involved in making sure proper accommodations were made in advance. And maybe some of inclusion is about being okay with the risk that something like this could happen in a public space. It's not the end of the world, and it's not that likely. The payoff if it doesn't, which is far more likely, would be amazing to see. I'd personally like to see her dream come true.

Wow. They really saved the best stuff for the end of the season, didn’t they? I love that Angel’s mom was cheering Cristina on at the Emerald Ball competition. Their families are the cutest. Cristina’s dad was right, at least from the footage we saw, it’s not charity to say she was holding her own out there. I was able to find her results online, and it looks like she finished second for that heat and advanced to two more rounds. That’s pretty respectable for anyone’s first time out. I would genuinely like to see her on the next Dancing With the Stars. She might have a hard time with some of the quicker weeks, and her parents would have to prepare her for the disappointment of probably being eliminated at some point, but it’s a realistic dream, especially as this show starts to get more attention. I feel like a terrible person for rooting for a dude with Down Syndrome to get dumped by his girlfriend. I’m sure Brendan is a lovely guy, and we know that he has a good family. But he isn’t what Megan needs right now, and she and Steven have such a sweet chemistry. Any girl should want a guy to talk about her the way that Steven talks about Megan. He’s smitten. There’s no faking that. And from the preview, it looks like Kris is kind of shipping it, too. Three cheers for Mali Hunter. I loved the way she pushed John without patronizing him. I wonder if she has someone in her family with a disability. She seemed to really get it. She knew exactly how to keep challenging him and encouraging him to deliver a better and richer product, all the while making it clear to him that she had the confidence he could do it. Writing about his beloved late sister is much more fertile artistic ground than “Shake your booty booty”. I can’t believe this season is over next week. When is season 3??

Fun article on Megan and Kris. Though, warning - there may be a spoiler about in there.

I've wondered the same thing about whether Elena might really have Mosaic Down Syndrome or a similar variant. Statistically it's rarer, but I think that individuals who have it tend to be higher functioning on average, so if you're going to select a group of articulate, high functioning adults with Down Syndrome for a reality TV show, it's not out of the question that you could end up with two people in that category. I think they'd have to do a genetic test to determine if she does have the Mosaic version, it's really just about what the chromosomes show. I assume that Elena did see a doctor for the prescription and the talk with her mom was just for TV purposes. No doctor who values their license would prescribe psychiatric medication to someone they haven't met. I think some of what we see of Elena's narrative might be distorted because we never get to see her group home - most likely because there are other residents there and the cameras don't have permission to film. So anything that happens in the group home that's significant, like maybe going to the doctor and getting a prescription, has to be recreated by her family for the cameras. Have we ever even seen her group home staff? I think the reason why Sean and Steven are "rooming" together has a lot to do with the fact that their families live near each other. John's family lives up in Los Angeles proper, not really that close. I agree that John and Steven would probably be much happier together. They both have a degree of social awareness that Sean doesn't come close to reaching. It appears to me that Megan likes Steven back. She seems so relaxed and giddy when she's talking to him. Even more than with her mom. The only obstacle is poor, loyal, Colorado-bound Brendan...

Swim for those chili cheeseburgers, John Tucker! Having mental strategies to deal with challenging situations is a great adaptive skill. What a great swim coach, too, to notice and embrace John’s strategy. This was a good way to demonstrate real life skills for perseverance in the face of challenges, knowing that this show is drawing a big audience of viewers with Down Syndrome. John is becoming that role model that we saw him wanting to be last week. Similar for Rachel and her mom. Rachel is an interesting mix. She’s so capable in predictable environments like her office or her home, but she melts down in unfamiliar settings. I like how her mom scaffolds for her and encourages her to find ways to feel comfortable trying things she initially resists. At the end of the day it’s always Rachel’s decision to try it, which is the only way she’s going to have fun. Elena’s father, on the other hand.... I’m sure loves his daughter, but he doesn’t seem to be able to see the world at her level. Cristina’s father understands Elena so much better. I want the Sanzes to adopt the whole cast. And me, too. Poor Caroline. Did she know what she was getting into with Sean? I don’t think his promise ring carries the same weight as Angel’s. I hope Sean’s parents are in close touch with Caroline’s the way Megan and Brendan or Cristina and Angel’s parents are, to help guide and structure the interactions. I don’t know if that would help much in this case though. Sean’s just in a world of his own. I wasn’t sure about Sean C. last season, but he’s grown on me. I couldn’t figure him out at first, but I think he’s just a genuinely sweet guy who gets a kick out of spending time with Sean and appreciates his quirks and his humor. I hope we get to see Best Man Sean on camera. Maybe a bachelor party with a “50’s/90’s” theme? Mayda Del Valle! I remember seeing her in Def Poetry Jam on Broadway years ago. How cool to see her sharing her skills and experience this way. She’s a legit expert for Elena to learn from. The rest of the cast are doing a good job promoting Megology by sporting her pieces on camera. Megology was branded all over that camping trip. I wonder if some of the recurring cast like Caley and Jared are getting decent money from A&E. I hope so. I like how they round out the cast and make the group gatherings not feel so artificial and forced, even though I’m sure they were handpicked for this like all the other cast members. Angel’s romantic surprise for Cristina was adorable. I’m sure there was a lot of production help in making that happen, and for this show, I’m okay with that. The deeper dive into their relationship this season has demonstrated that they probably couldn’t do it by themselves, but they’re still a sweet and loving couple who will be able to overcome the roadblocks from their disabilities with the help of supportive and involved families. I’m really looking forward to watching-

There's a picture on Twitter - apparently it was two guys? I can't handle how adorable and talented Laurie is. I don't know how she's doing that and the Kellogg's gymnastics tour and being a 16 year old who probably has to go to school at some point, but get it, girl. I bet this will end up being a good move for her in the long run.

Oh, bless her heart. That must be why she missed getting the first picture. Looks like all the girls are sporting cute and sensible shoes, though. Another cute press piece on the show. Sort of hints at a spoiler though:

Born This Way won the "Best Unstructured Reality Program" Emmy at the Creative Arts awards tonight. The whole cast got to go onstage as part of the acceptance speech. Hopefully this is a good sign for a long, critically acclaimed future for the show.

Juicy! ...And yeah, I can totally see that, actually. Sarcastic green faced Facetime Megan is my new spirit animal. “Oh… okaaaay.” Her delivery of that line, every time, was A+. Are we getting hints that Brendan might be replaced by Steven sometime soon? Hmmm... I kind of hope Meghan Trainor’s people never hear about or acknowledge this show. Way to go Rachel for graduating from her job coach! That's no small feat. The goal of any job coach should be to make themselves redundant. I loved the moment of John putting his foot down about the party drama. He’s clearly aware that viewers might be making assumptions about people with Down Syndrome based on what they see on the show, and it matters to him. Unfortunately for him, the drama also makes for entertaining TV. And honestly, while everyone’s unique in their own way, etc, etc, the stereotypical stubbornness of people with Down Syndrome was on full display in that whole sequence, on pretty much everyone’s part. But that’s one of the potential charms of the show, and the reason it could run for years. Put this cast together in a room, turn on some cameras, and they WILL bring the drama. Whyyyyy did the editors keep inserting that blur/zoom visual effect in random scenes? It was the most awkward for me in the pancake scene. I had to check that there wasn’t anything wrong with my screen. Guys, it’s not artistic, and it doesn’t help.

I didn't realize that Lauren Potter from Glee was Sean's ex. That explains some of his reputation as a "ladies' man", I guess. I'm actually impressed. It's easy to sit back and criticize the families for this or that failing of the cast members, but ultimately, without having seen them throughout their whole lives, I think it's hard to judge. When you're facing a young child with a torrent of behavior problems and skill limitations, you have to pick and choose what you're going to prioritize, and it seems like all of these families have worked hard to give the cast members the best lives they can. We really don't know much about what they dealt with earlier in their lives and why they chose to focus on what they did. It's a process that never stops, and yes, clearly there are still behavior problems and issues to work on, but that hardly means they've failed as parents. It's just the reality of raising a young adult with Down Syndrome. On the contrary, it's impressive that this group is as independent and confident as they are - that doesn't happen without a lot of support from the families. I do hope that the show will eventually feel more comfortable dropping the fourth wall. It's obvious that the existence of the show and its financial benefits is an underlying issue whenever Megan talks about moving to LA or John Tucker talks about the potential for his rap career. And good for them, honestly. "Reality TV star" is indeed a legitimate career for a few in this day and age, like it or not, and these seven have found a way to harness their charms to do it, at least for now. Compared to some of the other options they have for being financially independent, heck, why not? I'd much rather watch this group succeed than the latest teen mom who got pregnant for the third time in the back of an overpriced luxury car or whatever. I don't think "Dancing With the Stars" is totally a pipe dream for Cristina, either. They enjoy their unconventional and groundbreaking contestants, and she's now as much a celebrity as some of the names they have on there. I don't see her bringing home a mirror ball trophy or anything, but just getting cast and participating on the show would be a huge dream come true for her, and one that I think is realistic with enough time to prepare. She certainly can't be that much worse than Mischa Barton or Kate Gosselin. Cristina for DWTS 2017!