Lawrence Wright

Well, first of all, let me say that what happened to me and then later Alex Gibney, who directed the documentary, doesn't compare to what happened to our sources. Right. And for me, you know, I had... Tommy Davis was the spokesperson for Scientology when I started the story. And he had pledged that he would take me through Scientology. He was really excited.

Well, first of all, let me say that what happened to me and then later Alex Gibney, who directed the documentary, doesn't compare to what happened to our sources. Right. And for me, you know, I had... Tommy Davis was the spokesperson for Scientology when I started the story. And he had pledged that he would take me through Scientology. He was really excited.

Well, first of all, let me say that what happened to me and then later Alex Gibney, who directed the documentary, doesn't compare to what happened to our sources. Right. And for me, you know, I had... Tommy Davis was the spokesperson for Scientology when I started the story. And he had pledged that he would take me through Scientology. He was really excited.

It was going to be like the Labor Day weekend. It was a three-day weekend. And so I flew out on Thursday, and then Friday expected to hear from him. This is after the film?

It was going to be like the Labor Day weekend. It was a three-day weekend. And so I flew out on Thursday, and then Friday expected to hear from him. This is after the film?

It was going to be like the Labor Day weekend. It was a three-day weekend. And so I flew out on Thursday, and then Friday expected to hear from him. This is after the film?

You could have told me that on the phone. Anyway, they finally did come along with three lawyers to talk to me at the New Yorker after we'd sent in our first tranche of queries. They demanded it be in email. So we sent 960 questions, fact-checking questions, and there were more after that.

You could have told me that on the phone. Anyway, they finally did come along with three lawyers to talk to me at the New Yorker after we'd sent in our first tranche of queries. They demanded it be in email. So we sent 960 questions, fact-checking questions, and there were more after that.

You could have told me that on the phone. Anyway, they finally did come along with three lawyers to talk to me at the New Yorker after we'd sent in our first tranche of queries. They demanded it be in email. So we sent 960 questions, fact-checking questions, and there were more after that.

And suddenly, you know, here come this Scientology delegation, and they have brought along – I don't remember how many – Binders it was, but it stretched for seven or eight feet. And longer than this table that we're at, it was an impressive amount of literature, all designed to respond to these questions that we had and what was...

And suddenly, you know, here come this Scientology delegation, and they have brought along – I don't remember how many – Binders it was, but it stretched for seven or eight feet. And longer than this table that we're at, it was an impressive amount of literature, all designed to respond to these questions that we had and what was...

And suddenly, you know, here come this Scientology delegation, and they have brought along – I don't remember how many – Binders it was, but it stretched for seven or eight feet. And longer than this table that we're at, it was an impressive amount of literature, all designed to respond to these questions that we had and what was...

The assumption, I think, was we're going to drown them in information. But you can't drown a reporter in information. It's like pouring water on a fish. What is he going to do with it? He's just going to swim in it. And my editor looked at it and he said, you know what you got here, you smuck, you got a book. I said, I know, they're very kind to me.

The assumption, I think, was we're going to drown them in information. But you can't drown a reporter in information. It's like pouring water on a fish. What is he going to do with it? He's just going to swim in it. And my editor looked at it and he said, you know what you got here, you smuck, you got a book. I said, I know, they're very kind to me.

The assumption, I think, was we're going to drown them in information. But you can't drown a reporter in information. It's like pouring water on a fish. What is he going to do with it? He's just going to swim in it. And my editor looked at it and he said, you know what you got here, you smuck, you got a book. I said, I know, they're very kind to me.

So that happened, the article, there were, you know, constant legal threats. You know, we had, you know, one of their lawyers had been a federal prosecutor. And, you know, there was, you know, they brought some high power into the room.

So that happened, the article, there were, you know, constant legal threats. You know, we had, you know, one of their lawyers had been a federal prosecutor. And, you know, there was, you know, they brought some high power into the room.

So that happened, the article, there were, you know, constant legal threats. You know, we had, you know, one of their lawyers had been a federal prosecutor. And, you know, there was, you know, they brought some high power into the room.

we were always aware of the threat that we were going to be sued and it never happened in fact it never happened with um the book it never happened in in the united kingdom where we also sold it and they have these very uh you know aggressive libel laws there and it didn't happen there it didn't happen with the with the series with the television movie so um uh you know it was all empty threats

we were always aware of the threat that we were going to be sued and it never happened in fact it never happened with um the book it never happened in in the united kingdom where we also sold it and they have these very uh you know aggressive libel laws there and it didn't happen there it didn't happen with the with the series with the television movie so um uh you know it was all empty threats