Sumner Redstone Speaks Out About Tom Cruise
November 4th 2006 14:48
"He was embarrassing the studio. And he was costing us a lot of money," says Sumner Redstone of Tom Cruise.
Sumner Redstone is Chairman of the Board and controlling shareholder of the Viacom and CBS Corporation media conglomerates.
"Confirming a Page Six exclusive, Redstone admits it was his wife, Paula, who first soured on Cruise, which resulted in his decision not to renew Paramount's megabucks deal with Cruise's production company.
‘Paula, like women everywhere, had come to hate him. The truth of the matter is, I did listen to her . . .’ Redstone says. ‘His behavior was entirely unacceptable to Paula and to the rest of the world. He just didn't turn one [woman] off. He turned off all women, and a lot of men.’
Redstone estimates that Cruise's antics - acting wacky, ripping into psychiatry, firing his professional publicist - were the key elements in the star's downfall: ‘When did I decide [to fire him]? I don't know. When he was on the 'Today' show? When he was jumping on a couch at 'Oprah'? He changed his handler, you know, to his sister [LeAnne Devette] - not a good idea.’
Redstone estimates that Cruise's bizarre behavior cost Paramount ‘$100 million, $150 million on 'Mission: Impossible III.' It was the best picture of the three, and it did the worst.’ He isn't sorry he embarrassed Cruise publicly: ‘The explosion was good. It sent a message to the rest of the world that the time of the big star getting all this money is over. And it is! I would like to think that what I did, or what we did, has had a salutary effect on the rest of the industry.’
Redstone, who recently booted Tom Freston from his job as CEO of MTV Networks, says he began losing faith in Freston when he turned down the job of CEO of Viacom. ‘That's really when my doubts about Tom began,’ he says. ‘That same evening, I offered the job to Les [Moonves]. And knowing Les - bang! - he takes it so fast.’
The next morning, Freston called to say he'd changed his mind and would accept the top job, so Redstone tried to make both men happy by splitting Viacom in two. Redstone recalls, ‘Let me tell you, Les wasn't too happy.’ But he's happy now."
Tom Cruise
Sumner Redstone is Chairman of the Board and controlling shareholder of the Viacom and CBS Corporation media conglomerates.
"Confirming a Page Six exclusive, Redstone admits it was his wife, Paula, who first soured on Cruise, which resulted in his decision not to renew Paramount's megabucks deal with Cruise's production company.
‘Paula, like women everywhere, had come to hate him. The truth of the matter is, I did listen to her . . .’ Redstone says. ‘His behavior was entirely unacceptable to Paula and to the rest of the world. He just didn't turn one [woman] off. He turned off all women, and a lot of men.’
Redstone estimates that Cruise's antics - acting wacky, ripping into psychiatry, firing his professional publicist - were the key elements in the star's downfall: ‘When did I decide [to fire him]? I don't know. When he was on the 'Today' show? When he was jumping on a couch at 'Oprah'? He changed his handler, you know, to his sister [LeAnne Devette] - not a good idea.’
Redstone estimates that Cruise's bizarre behavior cost Paramount ‘$100 million, $150 million on 'Mission: Impossible III.' It was the best picture of the three, and it did the worst.’ He isn't sorry he embarrassed Cruise publicly: ‘The explosion was good. It sent a message to the rest of the world that the time of the big star getting all this money is over. And it is! I would like to think that what I did, or what we did, has had a salutary effect on the rest of the industry.’
Redstone, who recently booted Tom Freston from his job as CEO of MTV Networks, says he began losing faith in Freston when he turned down the job of CEO of Viacom. ‘That's really when my doubts about Tom began,’ he says. ‘That same evening, I offered the job to Les [Moonves]. And knowing Les - bang! - he takes it so fast.’
The next morning, Freston called to say he'd changed his mind and would accept the top job, so Redstone tried to make both men happy by splitting Viacom in two. Redstone recalls, ‘Let me tell you, Les wasn't too happy.’ But he's happy now."
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