Travolta’s new role is a drag for Scientology

Plus: Tom Cruise continues to jump the couch

	John Travolta won't be dressed like this in the film version of "Hairspray."
Tiziana Fabi / AFP - Getty Images file

By Jeannette Walls

msnbc.com

updated 11:33 a.m. ET March 9, 2006

John Travolta’s decision to play a woman in “Hairspray” has raised eyebrows among some Scientology watchers.

The actor will reportedly dress in drag to take on the role of middle-aged mom Edna Turnblad in the high-camp John Waters film — a part made famous by the notorious cross-dresser Divine. Edna was later played on Broadway by outspoken gay activist Harvey Fierstein.

A recent Rolling Stone article about Scientology reports that its founder, L. Ron Hubbard, felt that gays “should be taken from … society as rapidly as possible” because “no social order will survive which does not remove these people from its midst.”

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“If Hubbard had historically had his way there would be no John Waters films in America and no gay actors to play the part of Edna Turnblad,” notes Rick Ross on Cultnews.com, “which would of course leave Mr. Travolta with no new character role. And it’s doubtful that Scientology’s savior would find anything appealing about Travolta dressed in drag as Edna Turnblad.”

The couch jumping continues
Tom Cruise has a bit of an image problem.

In a recent poll, more people said they’d rather spend the night with Saddam Hussein than the “Top Gun” star. Stuff magazine asked its readers who they would least like to share a camping tent with, and 41 percent chose the couch-jumping star.

Deposed dictator Hussein came in close behind, with 39 percent, 15 percent said Pat O’Brien, and 5 percent chose comedian Kathy Griffin.

Notes from all over
Madonna says that Hillary Rodham Clinton should “go for it” and run for president. “In Europe and Asia and elsewhere, women have ruled over millions; it’s not an abstract or frightening or out-of-the-box concept. But in America, men are still afraid of women. And women, I don’t think, trust women. I find that amazing,” she said, reports ContactMusic.com. “[Rodham Clinton] should go for it, definitely. I don’t think maybe now is her time, or the Democrats’ time, but she should certainly go for it. You’ve got to start somewhere in terms of women leading the US.” . . . Matt Damon says that George Clooney really did get grouchy when he gained extra pounds. “He had put on all that weight, and he was really depressed,” Damon told IndieLondon.com. “Did you guys see ‘Super Size Me’? The guy puts all the weight on but he gets depressed. And George was like that, because he’s a really active guy and he couldn’t move around. He had to just sit there, and I had never seen him like that before. He’s normally like the life of the party, but he was just really depressed.” . . . Sharon Stone has risked her life for her art. “I have to say I really risked my life making the first four minutes of the film,” the "Basic Instinct star" said while promoting the sequel, due out later this month. “There’s something really interesting in that first four minutes.” Also while promoting the flick, Stone revealed that during her earlier bout with brain cancer “I was close to death at one point and saw the white light many people claim they see,” Stone told the Sunday Times of London. “I did see people I knew had died, as close and real as any living being. I felt I only had to step over a narrow line and I’d have joined them.”

Jeannette Walls Delivers the Scoop Mondays through Thursdays on MSNBC.com