Tom Returns to the Scene of the Crime
Tom Cruise went back to where it all began Friday.
We could mockingly lead you astray for pages and pages as to what that means, but you all know: The microscopically examined movie star sat down next to Oprah Winfrey today for the first time since…yeah, that.
And except for the fact that Cruise is now the remarried father of a 2-year-old daughterwho does, in fact, partly resemble himwith a recent flop under his belt rather than a box-office topper, not a whole lot has changed.
Speaking from the sanctity of Cruise and Katie Holmes' Telluride, Colo., manse on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the actor's breakthrough role in Risky Business, Oprah asked her pal about "the couch" and his relationship with Katie Holmes, Scientology and his beliefs, Brooke Shields, Matt Lauer and making movies.
This time, of course, she also got to ask about that in-house sonogram machine, whether he believes in God, whether Suri is his and whetherknowing that hindsight is 20/20he would now think twice about putting his feet (not to mention his heart and soul) on the furniture.
"That was a moment and it was real," Cruise said, referring to the infamous couch jump that seemingly set off the spiral of "What's with him?" gossip.
"But I don't know if I would…knowing what I do nowyeah, I get it," he said, referring to the 24/7 media frenzyof varying degrees of verisimilitudethat ensued. "I just felt that way [about Holmes]and I feel that way about her. That's just how I felt."
Besides, "You were egging me on!" he challenged the daytime queen.
So knowing what he knows now about the Internet's wily ways, Cruise might not have been so…expressive. But what about all those other things?
- On his feelings for "Kate": "I can't even articulate it, what it's like, that feeling and the connection and just who she is and what she means to me. It's very special and, I think you know, Suri was born a year to the day that I met her."
- And to those who say what they have isn't real: "That's laughable to me."
- On the sonogram machine he set up in-house to monitor his child in utero: "You just want the baby to be as safe as possible."
- On the especially freaky-deaky rumors that Suri is not his child: "Someone compares your daughter to Rosemary's Baby…It's one thing to say stuff about me…this is off the charts."
- His faith: "I believe in God. There's no way you can be up here [gesturing to his beauteous surroundings] and there isn't a God."
- On Nicole Kidman, and rumors that she's been pushed out of Connor and Bella's life: "That's ridiculous. We share custody." They don't exactly all gather round the table together due to everyone's busy schedule, but…"We share custody whenever."
- On his own relationship with Connor and Bella, who at times seem to belong to his former life: "They're good people, my children. I'm proud of them. I don't want them to worry. They know I'm there. No matter what, I'm always there."
Oprah's two-part interview with Cruise continues Monday from her Chicago studio, where the topic of conversation will revert more to his career accomplishments and what made him "Tom Cruise" in the first place.
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Tom Returns to the Scene of the Crime
Tom Cruise went back to where it all began Friday.
We could mockingly lead you astray for pages and pages as to what that means, but you all know: The microscopically examined movie star sat down next to Oprah Winfrey today for the first time since…yeah, that.
And except for the fact that Cruise is now the remarried father of a 2-year-old daughterwho does, in fact, partly resemble himwith a recent flop under his belt rather than a box-office topper, not a whole lot has changed.
Speaking from the sanctity of Cruise and Katie Holmes' Telluride, Colo., manse on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the actor's breakthrough role in Risky Business, Oprah asked her pal about "the couch" and his relationship with Katie Holmes, Scientology and his beliefs, Brooke Shields, Matt Lauer and making movies.
This time, of course, she also got to ask about that in-house sonogram machine, whether he believes in God, whether Suri is his and whetherknowing that hindsight is 20/20he would now think twice about putting his feet (not to mention his heart and soul) on the furniture.
"That was a moment and it was real," Cruise said, referring to the infamous couch jump that seemingly set off the spiral of "What's with him?" gossip.
"But I don't know if I would…knowing what I do nowyeah, I get it," he said, referring to the 24/7 media frenzyof varying degrees of verisimilitudethat ensued. "I just felt that way [about Holmes]and I feel that way about her. That's just how I felt."
Besides, "You were egging me on!" he challenged the daytime queen.
So knowing what he knows now about the Internet's wily ways, Cruise might not have been so…expressive. But what about all those other things?
- On his feelings for "Kate": "I can't even articulate it, what it's like, that feeling and the connection and just who she is and what she means to me. It's very special and, I think you know, Suri was born a year to the day that I met her."
- And to those who say what they have isn't real: "That's laughable to me."
- On the sonogram machine he set up in-house to monitor his child in utero: "You just want the baby to be as safe as possible."
- On the especially freaky-deaky rumors that Suri is not his child: "Someone compares your daughter to Rosemary's Baby…It's one thing to say stuff about me…this is off the charts."
- His faith: "I believe in God. There's no way you can be up here [gesturing to his beauteous surroundings] and there isn't a God."
- On Nicole Kidman, and rumors that she's been pushed out of Connor and Bella's life: "That's ridiculous. We share custody." They don't exactly all gather round the table together due to everyone's busy schedule, but…"We share custody whenever."
- On his own relationship with Connor and Bella, who at times seem to belong to his former life: "They're good people, my children. I'm proud of them. I don't want them to worry. They know I'm there. No matter what, I'm always there."
Oprah's two-part interview with Cruise continues Monday from her Chicago studio, where the topic of conversation will revert more to his career accomplishments and what made him "Tom Cruise" in the first place.
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Oprah Spills Secrets of Tom Cruise Interview
Oprah Winfrey went there with Tom Cruise.
I can exclusively report that Ms. Winfrey’s upcoming interview with Cruise includes questions about Scientology, his verbal smackdown with Matt Lauer on the Today show and, yes, the infamous couch-jumping incident.
Winfrey actually revealed these details herself during this weekend's Las Vegas taping of her joint interview with Tina Turner and Cher.
And that isn't all Winfrey shared.
The first of the two-part Cruise one-on-one has already taken place at his estate in Telluride, Colo., Winfrey said. “Oprah said Tom gave her a ride on a snowmobile,” one Vegas audience member told me. “She also said Katie and Suri were there for the interview, too.”
Before the Cher and Turner taping at Caesars Palace, a member of Winfrey's entourage hit the stage to ask everyone not to repeat anything they were about to see or hear. “She had everyone repeat in unison, ‘What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas’ several times,” my source said.
Come on, O! Did you really think everyone in the audience of 4,000 or so was going to keep a lid on it?
The Telluride segment is set to air Friday. Then on May 5, Cruise will return to Winfrey’s Chicago studio nearly three years after his couch-jumping fiasco. So why so much Cruise? It’s the 25th anniversary of his breakout movie, Risky Business.
As for Turner and Cher, that segment airs May 8.
I've got even more scoop on Winfrey's trip to Vegas. Make sure to check my videoblog below to hear what happened when Turner announced she was going on tour. Drama!
Cruise bouncing back to Oprah’s couch
Will he bounce up and down again? Can you stand the suspense? You know that’s what’ll be on everyone’s mind when Tom Cruise returns to the Oprah show for a two-part, special tribute to the box office star. The last time Tom knocked knees with Oprah was the day of his not infamous couch jumping episode. He was so excited about his then new love, Katie Holmes — who is now Mrs. Tom — that the box office king leaped up onto the couch. His spontaneous show of love (craziness, borderline mania?) has become part of pop culture. It’s been imitated on comedy shows, replayed on YouTube, and generally will be forever associated with both Oprah and Cruise.
Chances are lightning will not strike twice. Even if he wants to jump again, it’s been done. So, the Oprah producers have come up with something they hope will be as memorable. In honor of the 25th anniversary of Risky Business, Cruise’s breakout comedy hit, two episodes of Oprah will be devoted to Tom. In part one, on May 2, Oprah will go to Telluride to interview Tom in his Colorado home. That hour is going to be all about Cruise’s family, his life, a look at his home, and a general happy happy joy joy time.
Part two will air on May 5 and is going to be filmed at the Harpo studios. That means furniture will be involved. Things to sit on, like couches. Friends (ooh, does that include Rosie O’Donnell?) and colleagues (think they’ll snag Paul Newman?) will wax poetic in filmed tributes to Mr. Cruise. Save the dates on your calendar. Set those DVRs now.