Today host Sylvia Jeffreys was warned on Thursday of the potential consequences of criticising high-profile Scientologist Tom Cruise.
Jeffreys, 34, jokingly suggested Cruise was ‘madder than China’ during a segment about the actor’s meltdown on set of Mission: Impossible 7 in Hertfordshire, England.
Guest panellist Dan Rennie, a radio presenter for Brisbane’s 98.9 FM, said the breakfast TV anchor should be careful what she says because the Top Gun star has ‘got people that will come after you’.
Word of warning: Today host Sylvia Jeffreys (centre) was warned on Thursday of the potential consequences of criticising high-profile Scientologist Tom Cruise. Pictured with radio host Dan Rennie (right) and Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie (left)
Jeffreys, who is pregnant with her second child to Sky News anchor Peter Stefanovic, began a segment about Cruise’s tirade by saying: ‘If we thought China was mad, have a listen to Tom Cruise. He is not in control.’
After playing a snippet of the leaked audio, the newsreader continued: ‘So that was the secretly recorded audio of the Hollywood superstar unleashing on crew members filming Mission: Impossible 7.
‘He’s angry about them breaking Covid rules and standing less than a metre apart. Dan, do you have any sympathy for him here?’
Joke: Jeffreys, 34, jokingly suggested Cruise was ‘madder than China’ during a segment about the actor’s meltdown on set of Mission: Impossible 7 in Hertfordshire, England. Cruise is pictured on set of Mission: Impossible 7 in Rome, Italy, on November 26
Having his say: Guest panellist Dan Rennie, a presenter for Brisbane’s 98.9 FM, said Jeffreys should be careful what she says because Cruise has ‘got people that will come after you’. She replied, ‘Don’t mess with the Scientologists?’
Rennie replied: ‘Careful what you say, Sylvia. You called him mad. He’s got people that will come after you, so watch your back.’
‘Don’t mess with the Scientologists?’ asked Jeffreys, to which Rennie replied: ‘No, don’t mess them. They’re a freaky bunch.’
The pair were, of course, referring to the Church of Scientology’s well-documented reputation for litigiousness.
The organisation is known for its rigorous defence of its celebrity members, of whom Cruise is arguably the most famous, as well as its relentless pursuit of critics and whistleblowers.
Litigious: The pair were referring to the Church of Scientology’s reputation for litigiousness. The organisation is known for its rigorous defence of its celebrity members, of whom Cruise is arguably the most famous, as well as its relentless pursuit of critics and whistleblowers. Pictured: Cruise on set of Mission: Impossible 7 in Rome, Italy, on October 6
Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting Jeffreys or the Today show has defamed Cruise by reporting on his on-set tirade.
Cruise, 58, recently scolded crew members on the British set of Mission: Impossible 7 for flouting social distancing rules, reports The Sun newspaper.
Invoking the no-nonsense attitude of his spy character Ethan Hunt, he told the workers at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden: ‘If I see you doing it again, you’re f***ing gone.
‘And if anyone in this crew does it, that’s it – and you too and you too. And you, don’t you ever f***ing do it again. We are not shutting this f**king movie down.’
The publication claims the dressing down was recorded on audio tape, and was reportedly sparked when Cruise saw two crew members standing less than a metre away from each other at a computer screen.
Reports: Cruise, 58, allegedly scolded crew members on the British set of Mission: Impossible 7 for flouting social distancing rules. The dressing down was reportedly recorded on audio tape. Pictured: Cruise at the premiere of Mission: Impossible – Fallout in London in July 2018