NEW YORK - Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures unit is ending its 14-year relationship with Tom Cruise's film production company because of the actor's offscreen behavior, the company's chairman said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.



Sumner Redstone, Viacom chairman, said the behavior of the star of the "Mission: Impossible" series and "Top Gun" was unacceptable to the company, according to the Wall Street Journal story e-mailed to reporters.

Cruise, one of Hollywood's biggest stars, has been known more recently for his antics on U.S. television talk shows, including jumping up and down on Oprah Winfrey's couch to declare his love for Katie Holmes and criticizing the use of antidepressant drugs.

"As much as we like him personally, we thought it was wrong to renew his deal," Redstone was quoted as saying in the Wall Street Journal. "His recent conduct has not been acceptable to Paramount."

Cruise's representatives and officials from Viacom and Paramount did not have any immediate comment on the report

Funny, Cruise probably never thought this would happen BEFORE coming out of the closet.

NOOOOOsweet.

maybe fox will pick him up - they pick up anything

Tom Cruise has magic.

Oh my, Tom's e-meter reading today must be off the charts!

Good for Paramount!

WillyWonka said:

CortestheKiller said:

1. i doubt he'll have any problem being picked up by another production company.

2. i don't think his actions call for them not renewing a contract with him. that's just silly.

3. i don't understand why people want him to be gay so badly!?!?!? seriously. i just don't get it!

4. can he just go away for a while now please?

Paramount please, acting like the man is a contract actor. Tom Cruise is so bank.

CHIC0 said:

smart of paramount.

someone else will sign him. he's got box office mojo

Seeing as Comnedy Central is part of Viacom, I hope this means that SP can now fully degrade Tom in their shows

CHIC0 said:

The reason for not renewing his contract is stated in reason 4. I know many people boycotting his movies because he acts so rediculously. Not only is there hype over all the movies he does, but he adds to it with his antics and it simply tuns people off.

Kathy Griffin suggests that Tom is acting so crazy the gays no longer want him.

Why couldn't he have just stayed as that hottie from Top Gun. When he became God Tom is what all over for me. He was one of my first crushes and now I am embarrassed of and for him. Sad.

CHIC0 said:

Well said!

I'm not a Tom fan but I can't believe the press and all the giggles there getting out of this. Sumner Redstone should honestly be ashamed becuase it sounds like Tom Cruise left them to go independent (and make even more money). It's sad the way talent gets treated and the press is hanging on the word of "down to earth" Sumner Redstone. Very interesting how "liberal" the media really is....


BTW, that fat hump, Roger Friedman, was on Fox talking and some 500 pound housewife made some comment about Tom Cruise's baby not even being his....Ok, that was kinda funny!

What is all the Tom Cruise hate about, Sumner Redstone is the same guy who is being unfair to howard stern, and this is really no big deal.

lilgish said:

It's not a new practice for studio heads or CEOs of huge corprations to use people and then destory them when they are done but it seems to be more embraced now than ever with the "liberal" media doing it's best to trash star reputations. With Howard, it didn't work and frankly, CBS should be embrassed.

Now if only Katie Holmes follows suit...