The Beck, Theresa Duncan/Jeremy Blake story continues to evolve and somehow get even more bizarre and even a little scary (if Scientologists creep you out).
In short, Duncan and Blake were two artists that died this past summer (both alleged suicides) and shortly before their deaths, they claimed that the Church of Scientology were harassing and following them. In a very recent Vanity Fair article, Duncan claimed she had information that L.A. songwriter Beck wanted to leave Scientology and this info put her life at risk.
She also claimed that Beck was to star in her film project “Alice Underground” which allegedly has something to do with the “Alice In Wonderland” story.
“Beck and I met repeatedly to discuss the film,” Duncan wrote to a friend in early 2003 according to the VF piece. Beck countered and denied it all (more on that on our original story).
“We never met to discuss doing her film,” Beck e-mailed Vanity Fair. “I did read her script eventually.” But he said he never agreed to be in her movie.
Duncan also alleged that Beck wanted to desperately leave Scientology and he of course totally denied this.”That’s ridiculous. Totally false…Had we been closer and discussed anything as personal as religion, I would have only had positive things to say about Scientology.” The film project then fell apart and Duncan was distraught (she believed the Church of Scientology had intimidated Beck to renounce participating in the movie).
However, and this is the most recent twist, blogger Emmanuel Richards has a good memory and he is pointing out a 2003 Italian interview that states quite the opposite. The piece, roughly translated, talks about Beck set to embark on his first film project and the fact that John Waters had wanted him to act in an earlier project, but the timing wasn’t right.
Emmanuel writes: “my 2003 blog archive, which has a mention of a Beck interview for the Italian daily Corriere Della Sera, in which he says that he’s about to shoot a movie inspired by Alice in Wonderland. It sounds a lot like the Theresa Duncan movie that he doesn’t remember today as an advanced project. Is Beck’s memory a tad scrambled?”
From the 2003 interview:
What about [your debut] movie? “It will be full of energy and full of characters: some kind of Alice in Wonderland set in the 70s. It still doesn’t have a title. The director is a friend of mine and it will be her directorial debut. But I trust her. We will begin shooting in the Fall.”
Sounds like Duncan’s idea, no?
According to the Vulture blog the controversy is ongoing.
Blog SoMA reports that the Vanity Fair article’s original author, John Connolly, was pulled off the story, and it was given to Sales, who’s the ex-wife of Father Frank Morales, a friend to Duncan and Blake who was there when Duncan’s body was discovered in her East Village apartment.
Man, this is a weird-ass and surreal story.
Scientology. ugh. One of the worst things about living in LA… and I live close to one of their centers. Those people are such sheep it makes other religions look like they’re filled with anarchist free-thinkers.
I sold off all of my Beck CDs when I found out he was SciTi… my wife loves him, but I can’t help thinking he’s a real sucker.
This media manufactured scandal/conspiracy is totally ridiculous. If Beck wants to distance himself from some old shelved project, then let him. Theresa Duncan committed suicide. Hers was not a balanced, healthy mind. Any paranoid accusations she has laid against the Scientologist must be dismissed.
Leave Beck and Scientology alone.
Besides, there’s far more to be concerned about in the hate-churches of Romney, Huckabee.
You must be a celebrity centre regular
To be fair, it does look like this poor woman killed herself because she couldn’t handle getting older.
Oh, and Scientologists are pretty disgusting. I worry when all the weakest minds gather in one place.
It’s kind of strange, but like “the dude”, I couldn’t listen to Beck’s music seriously any longer when I found out he was a member of the “church” of Scientology.
It’s like finding out some artist you like is molesting kids. It just sort of spoils it for you.
Yes, sadly Beck appears to be lying, again. Lied about being a scientologist, lied about his parents being in and …
I’m sure he’s afraid of what will happen if he speaks up. Scientology has a policy that if one questions & disagrees with anything in scientology one is then regarded as an opponient and then subject to shutting up or facing having family and friends sever ties with you. The harassment stuff happens if you persist in publicly disavowing association with scientology after becoiming a full fledged member like he is now. Look what happened to Nicole Kidman and her children when she left Cruise and Scientology at the same time.
Scientology uses tactics to harass and silence critics and in like mostothers, this case is one of extortion and results in silencing critics.
Maybe she was just a little mest up and she thought if she killed her self we would be talking about her movie and it would finally come off the shelf, no?
As far as Beck being a Scientologist, well we are Americans and have the freedom to practice the religion we believe in. Maybe he did not want to come out in the open about it because of the negative responses he would get. If you are a true fan you would like him for what he offers not what he practices!
“If you are a true fan you would like him for what he offers not what he practices!”
Normally I would agree, but knowing that celebrity members donate huge amounts to that awful, totalitarian cult I will be boycotting Beck and encouraging others to do the same. Money to Beck is money to the cult.
“Maybe she was just a little mest up”
If you want to actually seem like an impartial observer and not blow your cover as a scifag stool, it might be helpful to avoid Freudian (Hubbardian?) slips like “MEST” instead of “messed.”
Oh, and save the “freedom of religion” B.S. for your pals at CCHR and “New CAN.”
Asshat.
Who cares if Beck is of a different religion than you? What happened to America accepting different people?
Scientology is odd, yes, but really it comes down to being about philosophy and humanitarian stuff. They have schools all over the world for kids who can’t afford to attend school, and they have the #1 drug rehab program in the world with an over 90% success rate.
And it’s not like Beck wanted these people to commit suicide. That was their sad choice, which had nothing to do with Beck I am sure. He’s not a murderer, people. The media just want some good gossip to float around.