http://news.yahoo.com/s/a...1107194040


Mon Nov 7, 2:50 PM ET



LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Superstar Tom Cruise has dropped his sister as his movie publicist and hired a top Hollywood flak after coming under intense media fire for publicly mixing his religious views with his movie-making.

Cruise, 43, announced Monday that his sister Lee Anne DeVette would hand over publicity for him and his production company to veteran spokesman to the stars Paul Bloch, following a tough summer in which his image took a beating.

DeVette will now exclusively oversee Cruise's soon-to-expand involvement in charitable causes, notably those linked to the Church of Scientology of which Cruise is a devout member.

"Lee Anne has done a wonderful job on behalf of myself and Cruise-Wagner Prods. over the last few years," Cruise said in a statement received Monday by AFP.

"But she has always expressed a desire to oversee and expand the day-to-day activities of my charitable endeavors," he said, announcing that Bloch would now handle his own publicity and that of his Cruise-Wagner Productions.

"I am thrilled at this new opportunity to oversee Tom's philanthropic endeavors," DeVette said in the same statement.

"I know how important Tom's charitable goals are to him, and I am looking forward to assisting in raising the profile of the good works that he does on behalf of children's health issues, mentoring, literacy and other social reforms, as well as the general betterment of the human condition," she added.

The switch comes 20 months after Cruise sacked his longtime Hollywood publicist Pat Kingsley and hired his sister, who had for years worked closely with the actor at his Cruise-Wagner Productions.

But Cruise's closely-protected image sailed into rough waters this summer when the usually very private actor began giddily expressing his love for actress Katie Holmes in interviews, including one where he boisterously leapt up and down on US talk show queen Oprah Winfrey's sofa as he told how much he loved Holmes.

The unusual antics sparked widespread speculation in the media over whether the expression of love was genuine or a publicity stunt.

He then used his "War of the Worlds" global media tour to announce his engagement to Holmes in June and then proceeded to talk publicly -- and sometimes combatively -- about his Scientology beliefs.

Cruise and Holmes, who have been dating since May, announced last month they are expecting their first baby.

How is his publicist the problem? He's the problem.

Spats said:

Only he can stop himself from looking like a fool.

TMPletz said:

He can't help himself, somebody else needs to stop him

I never really was a fan of Tom Cruise but I must say I did quite enjoy his antics over the summer.

If I ever get famous, I can only hope to fake a downward spiral half as well as the one he's actually going through.

HobbesLeCute said:

that would be excellent

HobbesLeCute said:

could i be your publicist?

Christopher said:

being a publicist would be cool you would be responsible for making up all kinds of rubbish

Christopher said:

That depends on whether or not you can secure me with enough blimps with the message "SHAQ IS A MAN-WHORE, EMAIL ME 4 PIX" to fly around every major city around the world 24/7.

HobbesLeCute said:

I should note that this will be around the time I am promoting my remake of Dick Tracy.

HobbesLeCute said:

done...i can also supply dick tracy party supplies

HobbesLeCute said:

Christopher said:

You also have to support my Today Show appearence where I ask Matt Lauer if he would sacrifice himself to power my Lightning Generator.

I'm going to call him a "fuck-eating shitbird" when he inevitably denies.

Man I'm gonna be the world's greatest celebrity!

HobbesLeCute said:

....ill make sure this happens and then oprah comes out of the back and gives you a new car.

Christopher said:

I am going to crash that car into a KFC not three hours later. I'll blame it on alcohol and yet be completely sober.

HobbesLeCute said:

shaq wanted to know if he could get some of that dick tracy merchandise?....hes got a party coming up or somethin.

youse lot would be very good at it. I am never going to believe a single thing I ever read about celebrities ever, ever again