Ironically, it’s the couch jumping incident three years ago that no doubt marked the genesis of the image-correcting TomCruise.com. It’s the watershed moment (and the cyberspace circulation of the video of that watershed moment), that invited the masses to declare open season on the once untouchable mega star. Talking smack about Brook Shields’ postpartum depression was one thing. But the “Oprah” exhibition suggested a personality ripe for a good old fashioned public shamin’.Couch jumping made it cool for a water-gun wielding fan to squirt Tom at the “War of the Worlds” U.K. premiere. It inspired a “South Park” skewering in an episode that questioned the star’s sexuality and belief system. And even though Tom’s been a known member of the controversial organization, it wasn’t until then that someone leaked those odd Tom Cruise-adoring Scientology videos, as memorably parodied by Jerry O'Connell. Nobody's forgetting that anytime soon.
Jerry O'Connell in the parody video Tom Cruise WANTS you to see! on FunnyOrDie.comNor will Americans forget that Tom’s first starring role was not in the breakout blockbuster, “Risky Business,” but in another movie released in 1983, “Losin’ It.” Okay, so only Americans with freakish memories for inconsequential trivia won’t forget. But while some may classify “Losin’ It” as an ensemble piece that also featured the under rated, and since-rediscovered Jackie Earle Haley, it was Tom’s character, “Woody,” who ended up “losin’ it” (i.e. his virginity) to Diane from “Cheers” (Shelley Long).
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