# Poor Tom Cruise! Fired by Paramount! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 23, 2006, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-tom-cruise-fired-by-paramount/369881 "2006-08-23T13:38:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-tom-cruise-fired-by-paramount/369881/1 "2006-08-23T13:38:31Z")
> [@](#): > > LOS ANGELES, Aug. 22 — Citing Tom Cruise’s yearlong metamorphosis from pure box-office phenomenon to pop-culture punch line, Viacom’s chairman, Sumner M. Redstone, said Tuesday that Paramount Pictures was ending its 14-year relationship with the actor’s production company. After weeks of negotiations to extend a production deal, Mr. Redstone said Tuesday that Paramount had given up. “As much as we like him personally, we thought it was wrong to renew his deal,” Mr. Redstone told The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the studio’s decision on its Web site. “His recent conduct has not been acceptable to Paramount.” However will he and Katie be able to have little Pillow scotchguarded when winter comes? And we all know what happens when you leave Paramount: you wind up at MGM, where Irving Thalberg makes you costar with Kitty Carlisle or Nelson Eddy! ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-tom-cruise-fired-by-paramount/369881/2 "2006-08-23T13:48:46Z")
I imagine Tom must be feeling rather depressed. Maybe Brooke has some leftover Prozac. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-tom-cruise-fired-by-paramount/369881/3 "2006-08-23T13:52:08Z")
Too funny. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-tom-cruise-fired-by-paramount/369881/4 "2006-08-23T14:01:52Z")
It would be funny indeed if Tom looked at this and said, “Oh, right, wife, kid, family, career. Got it.” and cleaned up his act, went to another studio and made them eight hundred bajillion dollars worth of movies in the next ten years or so. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-tom-cruise-fired-by-paramount/369881/5 "2006-08-23T14:25:25Z")
He says he’s got hedge funds lined up to finance his films – no studio oversight. _Battlefied Earth2_, anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-tom-cruise-fired-by-paramount/369881/6 "2006-08-23T14:26:29Z")
Dang! _Battlefield Earth 2_ ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-tom-cruise-fired-by-paramount/369881/7 "2006-08-23T14:34:20Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > I imagine Tom must be feeling rather depressed. Maybe Brooke has some leftover Prozac. Brilliant! I hope Tom takes some acting lessons in his time off. I’m constantly amazed that he gets by on a glare and a smirk. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-tom-cruise-fired-by-paramount/369881/8 "2006-08-23T14:43:33Z")
Ha-ha! ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-tom-cruise-fired-by-paramount/369881/9 "2006-08-23T14:48:30Z")
Even given his eccentricities he is a good and professional actor for the types of roles he is called upon for, and his movies are generally pretty successful. It’s quite odd that a public rebuke like this would be made. Seems a bit bridge burning. Must be a lot of back story to it for it to come to this. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-tom-cruise-fired-by-paramount/369881/10 "2006-08-23T14:51:27Z")
I wish I knew how to spell “schadenfreud” - that German word for being happy for another’s misfortune. Couldn’t have happened to a better guy! Oh - and whoever mentioned the word “wife” above, please remember that he’s another celebrity setting the great example of have baby first, get married after (maybe). ---
**Author:** ![MostlyClueless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@MostlyClueless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyClueless)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-tom-cruise-fired-by-paramount/369881/11 "2006-08-23T14:53:44Z")
“Schadenfreude”. You got it almost right. ---
**Author:** ![Euthanasiast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Euthanasiast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euthanasiast)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-tom-cruise-fired-by-paramount/369881/12 "2006-08-23T14:54:18Z")
Yeah, he’s a douche. But come on, he really is a great actor. Look to the scene where he finally breaks down in front of his dying father in Magnolia for proof of that. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-tom-cruise-fired-by-paramount/369881/13 "2006-08-23T15:17:14Z")
I cry a tear of sympathy and regret. Actually, no, I don’t. Guy’s a pretty big jerkbag. ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-tom-cruise-fired-by-paramount/369881/14 "2006-08-23T15:22:10Z")
Now NOT coming this fall: **A Few Good Men 2: Fewer, Better Men** **Days of Thunder 2: Nights of Lightning** **Riskier Business** ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-tom-cruise-fired-by-paramount/369881/15 "2006-08-23T15:24:52Z")
He’ll know he’s really in the shit if they cast him as Jerry MacGuire’s brother in that sequel… ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-tom-cruise-fired-by-paramount/369881/16 "2006-08-23T15:31:14Z")
You forgot something: > [@brianjedi](#): > > Now NOT coming this fall: **Electric Boogaloo!** > > **A Few Good Men 2: Fewer, Better Men** : **Electric Boogaloo!** > > **Days of Thunder 2: Nights of Lightning** : **Electric Boogaloo!** > > **Riskier Business** : **Electric Boogaloo!** This post has been Electric Boogaloo’ed! by the Electric Boogalooer. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-tom-cruise-fired-by-paramount/369881/17 "2006-08-23T15:31:21Z")
Mostly Clueless - Danke schoen (hopefully correct spelling) ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-tom-cruise-fired-by-paramount/369881/18 "2006-08-23T15:41:49Z")
> [@Euthanasiast](#): > > Yeah, he’s a douche. > > But come on, he really is a great actor. Look to the scene where he finally breaks down in front of his dying father in Magnolia for proof of that. He has his moments, but I still say he’s more “star” than “actor”. And he managed to fuck that up, too. Imagine that nice boy dancing in his underwear to Bob Seeger turning out the way he has. ---
**Author:** ![Clockwork\_And\_Candy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b782af/32.png) [@Clockwork\_And\_Candy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clockwork_And_Candy)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-tom-cruise-fired-by-paramount/369881/19 "2006-08-23T15:46:12Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > …but I still say he’s more “star” than “actor”. Wait-- what’s the difference between the two? ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2006, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-tom-cruise-fired-by-paramount/369881/20 "2006-08-23T15:54:14Z")
Hmm. Scientologist pariahs earn less money. Who knew. Why didn’t they just say so? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poor-tom-cruise-fired-by-paramount/369881.md?page=2)