The Next Pay-Per-View Bout

NC pointed out this titanic battle of wits on NBC's morning show, as noted by Drudge...

NBC 'TODAY SHOW' host Matt Lauer was lectured by star Tom Cruise on the dangers of psychiatry and antidepressant during a promotional interview for WAR OF THE WORLDS.

The exchange aired Friday morning.

LAUER: TOM CRUISE CREATED A FIRESTORM WHEN HE CRITICIZED BROOKE SHIELDS FOR REVEALING THAT SHE WENT INTO THERAPY AND TOOK ANTIDEPRESSANTS TO DEAL WITH HER POST PARTUM DEPRESSION. AS A SCIENTOLGIST, HE DOESN'T BELIEVE IN PSYCHIATRIC MEDICINE. I ASKED HIM ABOUT HIS COMMENTS.

CRUISE: I've never agreed with psychiatry, ever. Before I was a Scientologist I never agreed with psychiatry. and when i started studying the history of psychiatry, I understood more and more why I didn't believe in psychology.

And as far as the Brooke Shields thing is, look. You gotta understand, I really care about Brooke Shields. I-- I think here's a-- a-- a wonderful and talented woman. And-- I wanna see her do well. And I know that-- psychiatry is-- is a pseudo science.

MATT LAUER: But-- but Tom, if she said that this particular thing helped her feel better, whether it was the antidepressant or going to a counselor or psychiatrist, isn't that enough?

TOM CRUISE: Matt, you have to understand this. Here we are today where I talk out against drugs and psychiatric abuses of electric shocking people (PH), okay, against their will, of drugging children with them not knowing the effects of these drugs. Do you know what Aderol (PH) is? Do you know Ritalin? Do you know now that Ritalin is a street drug? Do you understand that?

MATT LAUER:

The difference is--

(OVERTALK)

TOM CRUISE:

No, no, Matt.

MATT LAUER:

This wasn't against her will, though.

TOM CRUISE:

Matt-- Matt, Matt, Matt--

MATT LAUER:

But this wasn't against her will.

TOM CRUISE:

Matt, I'm-- Matt, I'm asking you a question.

MATT LAUER:

I understand there's abuse of all of these things.

TOM CRUISE:

No, you see. Here's the problem. You don't know the history of psychiatry. I do.

You know, I actually understand Cruise's overall point, but the entire conversation veers into the weird netherworld that's almost as uncomfortable as watching Barbra Streisand act. Then again, maybe that's just because there's approximately 14 brain cells between Cruise and Lauer. Who would have figured that the most inane stupidity on Today this week would occurred without Katie Couric anywhere near the camera?