The news from Los Angeles that the Danny Masterson Preliminary Hearing resulted in the judge ordering him to stand trial for rape was more than welcome. It was a relief to know the victims have finally been heard and taken seriously. It was also long overdue.
Tony Ortega did a magnificent job of reporting over 4 days of the hearing. It was amazing the level of detail he was able to take down and relay to all those unable to attend in person.
My message to the 3 women who took the stand: Brava. Brava. Brava.
And Brave, brave, brave.
It takes guts to testify before a court under any circumstances. It requires inordinate inner strength to do so when you are recounting details of a violent, physically and emotionally traumatic incident.
While the hearing was going on, there was a great deal of media coverage of Lady Gaga, after disclosing she was raped 16 years ago and the lasting scars and the huge impact it had on her. I highly recommend the Oprah Winfrey/Prince Harry series The Me You Can’t See on Apple TV+ where Gaga and Oprah discuss the ramifications of their own sexual abuse/rapes and the long term impact it has had. It is an insight into the incredible strength of women who expose sexual crimes.
Sadly, the cocky, “I’m too cool for school” attitude of Masterson during the hearing was not unexpected. It’s not just scientology celebrities who suffer from an inability to introspect. It is a characteristic of sociopaths everywhere. When confronted with horrific lies and heinous crimes they act as though the person exposing them is crazy/lying/vindictive. It’s a level of insanity and complete lack of conscience that most find difficult to comprehend. Unfortunately for scientology celebrities, they have the additional burden of being surrounded by the most fervent of all sycophants. A lot of celebrities and leaders have an entourage of yes-men and women who reinforce their brand of delusional self-assurance. The problem is magnified when they are all scientologists. This is especially dangerous to one’s mental health. No doubt the good scientologists around Danny Masterson are telling him “those women are being victims” (a terrible indictment in scientology — meaning “they have done terrible things which is why they are complaining”), “they are just SP’s,” and “you know, LRH says SP’s target artists” and a whole lot of other things they all agree are absolute truths that make Danny a victim and his victims the lowest of the low.
It is going to be the job of the District Attorney’s Office to put together a case that will convince a jury beyond a reasonable doubt that Masterson should be found guilty. Masterson’s lawyers are going to try to undermine the credibility of the victims with vicious attacks on their character and attempted distractions. As the old lawyer’s adage goes: when the facts are in your favor, argue the facts; when the law is in your favor, argue the law; when nothing is in your favor try to bamboozle them with bullshit.
The harrowing recounting of the rapes we witnessed during the Prelim Hearing reminded me of Danny Masterson’s “DJ name.” He apparently thought calling himself DJ Donkey Punch was a great joke. He was proud of it. Seems he was a cocky asshole long before now. I remember when one of my friends who had hung with Masterson first told me about it. I didn’t know what it meant. After I heard the descriptions of his victims, that he chose this name for himself took on a whole new significance. This is what his name refers to: “The Donkey Punch is a relatively simple maneuver. When engaged in anal sex from behind, simply punch your partner in the back of the neck so that the sphincter clenches up.”
I hope, as Masterson’s lawyers try to discredit his victims, that the jury sees him and thinks always of the name he chose for himself as an adult, not the name he was given at birth. It will be a constant reminder that the man sitting in the court room, charged with these horrendous crimes, is not a victim but a proud and cocky, self-proclaimed “Donkey Puncher.”
Cool loophole that was found that an ex-staff doesn’t have to do arbitration if they leave the church BEFORE making the complaint/suing. Nice.
I have an hilarious picture to contribute to this, but your blog doesn’t allow attachments! I’d love to share, if you’d like to have it! Let me know where to email and I’ll send over!
I have emailed you
On the topic of Danny Masterson (DM2) trial, I am keen to know: For the Still-Ins, how is this earth-shaking episode being spun? Are IAS ferocious fundraisers being deployed to orgs to corner and hold parishioners spellbound, demand they shell out money for “the fight of our lifetimes” as “our religion is being attacked in the Los Angeles court system” and unfairly maligned by The Los Angeles Times, a known “Merchant of Chaos”?
How is the C of S positioning Danny Masterson to its members? This story is sure to keep rolling and its media coverage broaden further.
Do people in this blog community remember when People magazine in the U.S. featured Leah Remini leaving Scientology on its cover? Orgs dispatched parishioners to show up at local grocery stores that, week after week, sell People and other popular magazines. C of S members were instructed to pull all the People magazines off the rack(s), then approach the store manager to explain, dramatically and tearfully, “Your store selling this magazine violates my freedom to practice my religion without harassment and bigotry!”
It was some crazy, skewed instructions to pop around and see how successful you can be at dramatizing “Victim.” As is frequently observed in this blog, not exactly a demonstration of an ability to “Confront and Make Shatter” purported “suppression”. [I have no real capacity to practice my religion so long as this magazine is on your shelves.] This, despite most group members, and certainly all org staff, doing the Potential Trouble Source/Suppression Person (PTS/SP) course one or more times during their Scientology career.
I will put my ear to the ground on this as well. Will this DM2 trial be milked somehow as a “new unit of time” fundraiser for religious protection and defense? Will Scientologists be asked to fly into Los Angeles, assemble daily outside the courtroom to protest, like the “Not One Thin Dime for Wollersheim” days, or the protests and vigils in the park for “religious freedom” in Portland in the 1980s? And if there is an attempt to do what I speculate on here, what kind of rational human being will commit to this and agree to show up? How does all this square with the church’s global endorsement of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights?
Even for the most fervent followers, the cognitive dissonance has got to be capturing some energy and attention—that is, if they are aware that these hearings have taken place and a trial is shortly to commence.
Thank you Mike. I had no idea! I honestly thought that Masterson was an ok guy. I did think it strange the way Ashton Kutcher seemed to quickly distance himself and those guys have been together for a long time. I am sick to my stomach now but thankful for the clarity.
I have a question – Does Scientology help the poor? And what if a poor person wants to become a Scientologist?
Thanks, put in the list for a future episode
Good article Mike. I remember back some time ago when the Donkey Punch moniker came out, that you (or was it Tony Ortega?) did a post on it and you showed a picture of Danny wearing a T Shirt he’d had made with the words “Donkey Punch” or “DJ Donkey Punch” on the shirt. If you can find that picture, it would be very good to show it in court and that he made the moniker for himself and even made a T shirt saying that and wore the T shirt. I think that is a important piece of evidence that speaks to his intent and his character and should be on the front of every newspaper and in court with the blow up picture on Power Point. Do you have that picture still?
You do know that promo piece at the top of the article is a picture of Danny Masterson right?
Duh, yes of course I do But that is a photo shopped meme and is not the original real picture of Danny wearing a T shirt he had made for himself some years back. If I recall correctly that photo T shirt was either blue or black with different color writing on the letters. It was published as the opening picture on your article or maybe it was Tony’s article. He was boasting with that T shirt. I’d love to see that leaked to the prosecuting attorney or the judge.
OK. But that is neither photo-shopped nor a meme. It is a photo of his promo piece. I dont recall seeing a photo of him wearing a T-shirt like that and I don’t find it on my blog or Tony’s or on Google images. Perhaps you can find it, I would love to have such a thing.
Wow, I thought for sure that was a photo shopped pic of him on your article. I stand corrected. I am not that computer literate to be able to find old pics. But I do remember it came out when the story broke about his raping more than one woman. I will ask among my friends if any of them are able to find it and will let you know. I am glad you did the article on Donkey Punch as that shows his mind set and cockiness. I hope your article gets to the victims’ attorney for use at the trial.
Yeah, that’s his self-produced backstage pass badge that was worn on a lanyard…super classy…
PS – his altered moniker after the bad publicity is now DJ Momjeans..
https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Public-Figure/DJ-Momjeans-51304412523/
Excellent Mike!!
I felt so nervous following the prelim last week on behalf of these poor women, so i can only imagine how they felt. Danny masterson MUST be held accountable. no matter your race, religion, status, age, gender, lifestyle, beliefs – RAPE IS RAPE! and as Scientology have not only enabled a rapist for the last how many years, they have encouraged him, witheld evidence of rape claims from law enforcement all the while bullying and intimidating these poor woman – they must be held accountable too
Very well said, Mike.
He will definitely get what he deserves when he’s locked up. I know. I worked in a maximum security prison for almost 15 years. He will get “donkey punched” and then some. He won’t be a happy camper.
I don’t know what mood David is in.
Maybe he just completed the next packed wagon for the RPF and feels better.
But it is possible that he is slightly annoyed as this case may not be contained and end up in all the media and light another big stadium beacon on the cult and on him.
This Danny thing and scn that protected him knowing he was at fault, could become their ‘Trojan donkey’ and get the IRS and other agencies to peek in and punch them.
danny has few recent acting accomplishments.
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005194/?ref_=nmnw_hd
This one is a stunning example of life imitating art or vice versa? Strange career choices for an upstanding cherch member 😉
**Spoiler Alert: Curiously… danny does get what’s coming to him.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4083572/?ref_=vp_back
Close second with other fam members
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1051241/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt
Justice will be served when he gets donkey punched and made someone’s bitch in prison.
Hah! Raw meat for his inmates to feast on.
I just googled donkey punch yesterday after finding a movie on the amazonian with the same name and realizing it had an actual significance in real life.
It made me sick.
Definitely should be brought up in the trial!
It should. I had no idea what it meant. I’m disgusted and angry all over again about this.
When I was in, I hated this sort of thing being blasted over the interwebs. I didn’t read the stuff because it was entheta, I knew it was false even without reading it. And it happened more and more.
It dented me though. Inside.
Four years I have been out.
These women are beyond brave. I hope they know they have our thoughts and love.
Evil is assisted in so many ways in the cult. It’s twisted. It twists people.
It must be stopped.
Do you think Tom Cruise will ever wake up? He strikes me as someone who either would never admit he was wrong or he doesn’t want the repercussions of getting out.
I do not think he will wake up, frankly.
Unbeknownst to him, he has had his “certainty” feature set to eleven.
Then they poured what would be lethal doses of KSW1 syrup down his throat while he was being hypnotized by the book and bottle process, while they played elleraich droning lectures about routine 69 criss-cross in masses and brackets.
Then to top it all off, at a COB party he was slipped some roofies in his Macallan, then they played “Thank You For Listening” until dawn.
Sadly, he’s a goner.
What is KSW1 syrup?
KSW refers to “Keeping Scientology Working”. This is an idea generated by LRH, and executed through policies written by him, or copied from others and approved by him, that ostensibly makes the followers themselves responsible for seeing to it that scientology “tek” works. Amongst the culties, having one’s “KSW In” means that you must be observant at all times that people are “obeying” everything that LRH says, for the betterment of everyone, and do something about it when you see something wrong. It creates a snitch culture as well as supplies a sort of rhetoric that entraps one in the myth of scientology. KSW1 is holy policy to the cult, it is in almost every course the cult sells, and it must be read. I myself have much of it memorized, and unfortunately can quote sentences and entire paragraphs of it. KSW1 “syrup” is my own feeble humorous attempt to make in sound as though it is a dose of medicine, as it has a similar hallucinatory purpose, in the eyes of the person that created it.
I can understand that. I know that we question how anyone could be sucked in by a cult but they operate no differently than pedophiles in that they groom their victims and then maintain control through fear. As a victim of sexual abuse I recall my father holding my mother’s irrational temper over my head. The day came though when I discovered he was harming my younger sisters. Love is so powerful. I would have clawed up Mt. Everest to protect them. And, carried guilt for many years as I was their protector and I had failed. So, I understand completely .
The big bizarre stages with all the lights and sound are wild. My son lived in St. Petersburg , FL for a while and met John Travolta a number of times as the hotel he worked at was immediately next to the St. Pete airport and there were often Scientologist staying at that hotel. Travolta was kind and personable and invited my son to see his plane. He thoroughly enjoyed touring the plane, enjoyed the chats but was wise enough to cut conversation off when any of them invited him to check out Scientology. I’m so thankful he was discerning.
What do they have on Cruise that he is so frightened? He gave up 3 marriages and his child for Scientology. Is he hiding something or just enmeshed in a cult?
Enmeshed in a cult that gives him a sense of self-worth and importance he cannot get anywhere else.
I’m allergic to freight locomotives, they’re always running into you.
— L. Ron Hubbard
No wonder I’ve been flattened. And more.
I think you mean steamrollers. Somewhere in one of your millions of reincarnations you were run over by a steamroller and the words “freight trains” triggers the engram associated with that incident. A couple of lids of the leaf and bottle or two of Fat Freddies Ol’ Freakout Bathtub Hooch will fix that problem.
I am still stunned that a judge LISTENED to these women and accepted them as the Victims they are.
I want to say more but I think I will continue to sit in stunned silence because I dont want to get my hopes up to have them dashed in the future.
Mike, please continue this fight. I know you will but thank you so much for standing bravely as a frontline fighter exposing Scientology. Exposing scientologies actions is what helped the judge understand. And, I think all of you front-liners are making huge waves so please pass on my gratitude to all
My only question is, do YOU think this wave might cause the tsunami that exposes DM and Scientologies illegal actions to have a RICO brought on them?
One can only hope. I’m all in!
‘cocky asshole’ is a great label for most ‘tone 40’ people. The close association between the CO$ and the coverup of the earlier investigation is just one more reason for a RICO suit against the CO$. The Cleb Center and others in the $cieno hierarchy suborned perjury, and they need to be held responsible for that crime.
As I recall, in earlier reporting on Mike’s blog, he posted a picture of Danny Masterson wearing a T Shirt he had made with the words “Donkey Punch” or “Danny DJ Donkey Punch.” I think in court the lawyer for the rape victims should post a huge picture of Danny wearing that shirt, and have the witness on the stand (either one of the rape victims, or a former friend of Danny’s who knows what that phrase means), and the lawyer asks, “Do you know what Donkey Punch means?” Yes. The the court what that means. He describes what it means. Then
Did Danny ever tell you why he refers to himself as DJ Donkey Punch? And the witness explains.
Have you seen Danny wearing this T Shirt with the words “…..” o it?
That is what should be done to make it real to the jury and judge how sadistic he is.
DRAFT
For inclusion at IAS Celebration speech at COBs discretion (DanS)
I am happy to announce that we have succeeded in getting a foothold into the last barrier to our explosive expansion into this society. One that has been under the suppressive control by the psychs and Government SPs. They have had their day and we are soon to step in and rule supreme.
I am referring to the minor bullbait in a wog court out on the west coast that attempted to suppress a Scientologist-in-good-standing™. Instead of them having their Bank controlled way we have attacked and struck a blow to their very core beliefs. We have forced a copy of ‘An Introduction to Scientology Ethics’ into their very proceedings. They can no longer suppress us. Their corrupted courts and judges will wilt with the truth that they must now confront. It is even likely that they will contact cancer and die if they read and repress our truth.
In addition, I will soon have our Scientologist-in-good-standing™, who has now safepointed the area, begin handing out TWTH booklets to all personnel in their court system. The flood of new public reaching for Scientology will be an expansion beyond 47 Extra Large.
But, BUT!, this is only the beginning. Through my Command Intention we will soon be disseminating HCOPLs and HCOBs into their courts system which will bring them to fall into alignment with Source’s fateful words: “Just make sure that when the time comes and someone asks if something is legal that it is a Scientologist who is the one to decide if it is legal.
HIP…HIP…HOORAY
COB: Approve_______ Disapprove_________
To @Jim Rowles – Your words here could make for a very nice, albeit very dark, “Regraded Being.” Your imagination here is along those same lines of how the weirdness just gets so weird, then transposed into (can this be?) the Church is somehow still right. But “right” only among themselves.
Holy cow, so glad to be out.
I have particularly found this entire post to be most sobering.
Of course, no “Scientologist in good standing” is going to refute the importance of going through the word clearing in whatever detail or “amount of times over” for this idiomatic term “Donkey Punch” because to use a Misunderstood Word, without first clearing, is a fateful Suppressive Act. The lawyer for the women bringing the suit should have the full Word Clearing steps at their disposal – derivation clearing for “donkey” and “punch” and “sphincter” and the whole 9 yards. Please, employ the Tech for it alone will save you.
Or will it?
Peridot. Thanks for acknowledging my twisted wierdness in action.
As to word clearing donkey punch . I do not think the prosecutor, Muller, will ask Masterson in court to ‘Demonstrate for the jury what ‘donkey punch’ means.’
THAT would sink Masterson, and enturbulate even the judge.
I think the People should have a Scientology Word Clearer testifying and insisting that the phrase “Donkey Punch” be cleared to full conceptual understanding by everyone in the courtroom including the Judge. I also suggest that as part of this trial’s Voir Dire the attorneys on both sides insist that prospective jury members clear this phrase and use it in sentences 🙂
And no dinky dictionaries, OK?
Alright I’m making jokes (in questionable taste) but, seriously, shouldn’t the jury be spared MU phenomena? It will be stressful enough for them serve on a triple rape trial case without forcing them to listen to testimony while experiencing “a vast panorama of mental effects”.
Actually a word clearer is needed in this courtroom only if Mesereau continues to pull Scientology into the case. less than one in 100,000 have ever been exposed to the multitude of ‘words’ created by Hubbard to isolate his thoughts from the rest of human lexiconology.
Hubbard-speak is not really needed in this situation. They do not have the word ‘rape’ in their dictionary; nor do they have a special meaning for drugging, assault, forcibly restraining, abusing, or objectifying his victims. Hell, they do not even have a special meaning for ‘cocky asshole’.
Oh, but they do 🙂 Its called a Kha Khan 🙂
@Aquamarine Yaaaas, we are on a same page. “Clear the idiom” to full conceptual understanding, exactly as Mike did in this blog post for all of us. It makes the blood curdle, for it says much about DM2’s proclivities and character. Also validates the women’s testimonies concerning their precise experiences. As someone once wrote, “[In an effort to restrain self from further bad deeds] The criminal wants to be caught and so will leave clues to assist law enforcement…”
Bang, zoom, TEXTBOOK LRH, yes!
His nickname may come back to haunt him when Bubba donkey punches him in the slammer.
A bit tragic but laughing loud.
I read that and all I could think of was:
Danny in his cell on the first night meets his his cell mate.
“So you’re DJ Donkey Punch, eh?”
“Um, who are you?”
“Ben Dover.”
Appropriate? Probably not, maybe gallows humour.
GL. Gallows humor? So funny. Maybe it’s okay after all. Using such violence on women is just evil.
It would be to put him in jail for life and throw away the key.
If DM (I mean Danny M not David M, at least not for now) is convicted there will be very little for him to laugh at.
As far as I know who has abused children or women, he is not exactly well liked by other inmates.
By the way, over there using the TRs and tone 40 to control others and stare into their eyes has very very opposite effects.
If, and hopefully when, he is convicted I’m betting Demento will drop him like a handful of hot bricks (inappropriate thought pops up: I was going to type “pricks” but that would be naughty of me) because it would be an affront to the clean and wholesome image that $camology keeps trying, and continually fails at, to portray.
GL. Right. If the cult wouldn’t be somehow involved or at risk to be called before the judge (there are too much records), Demento would have already dropped Danny in some deep hole. Let’s see.
Mr. Masterson should hope and pray that he gets put into solitary. Oh, boy, what he is in for, in prison. I almost pity him.
Aqua. Correct. Convicts don’t like who abused kids or women. Even though he gets in solitary it would be for a short time. And then back with the others and there some real fool can’t be avoided.
True, Loosing. Like I said, I almost pity him. And I’m thinking, if he gets scared enough; if it becomes real enough for him that he’s actually going to prison, I’m thinking he is gonna flip on Scientology. He is going to wrap himself in the flag and trot out EVERY possible defense including having been brainwashed by the cult – anything, just anything, to get his sentence reduced.
Aqua. I understand. In this case better have no mercy at all.
Abusing multiple women while on drugs really sucks and is evil. If he’s convicted and gets everything that comes after, they have a term, they call it ‘pull in’.
The judicial system here in Italy is perhaps a little different but from what I understand he should have confessed first to have a plea bargain.
Accepting the preliminary trial was like saying I’m innocent, prove I’m guilty.
The only thing Meserau can try to do is further gross: he will try to discredit these women in every way to make them look like liars.
Also DM is an old fox and I’m sure he has already prepared against any backfire especially from Danny.
Stay well.
Maybe Karma will come full circle and he’ll get “donkey punched” in prison.
Yes. I predict that will happen.
Any lawyers who can answer my question?
Given Scientology’s involvement in covering up/not reporting these crimes, can they be charged with aiding and abetting these alleged rapes? Are they some sort of an accessory since their members can commit these crimes without having to face justice?
I am curious also. Seems as if they RLH followers are just as guilty in Hiding such abuse and actually approve of it.
Aiding and abating?
I believe it is very brave for Lady GaGa to come forward with her story. Brave as it is something not easy to talk about I’m sure and something some of her fans can relate to. I only wish she’d had done not it on apple + because not everyone has it. Or may even want that service. And people shouldn’t have to get it in order to see and hear her story. If I hadn’t read your blog I’d not have even known about it.
Time and time again, as I read you, listen to you on your podcast with Leah or watch you being interviewed, I am impressed and in admiration of the strength, class and courage you display while standing up to this army of bullies. You are an exemple on how to stand your ground be tough without loosing your humanity. How you manage that after what you have been through is beyond me. Bravo bravo bravo to you as well Mr Rinder.
Completely agree.
I respect you immensely for your truth and fight for others.
I am disappointed to read that you think highly of Oprah. Where is the fallout for Oprah being a longtime supporter of Harvey Weinstein? She supported his brand for a long time. No one including Oprah has mentioned it.
Great news that Masterson is going to trial. Keep up the good fight.
What a complete sicko. I hope he gets what he deserves which is the rest of his life in prison.
Mike is there any chance any people from Scientology’s upper echelon get called to testify? The cross examination would be riveting.
None John T. as none were said by the victims to be present during the rapes.
There’s a chance they may be called in relation to the cover up, but not as witnesses to the rapes.
The women in this case are especially brave: they testified with the full knowledge that if their testimony was believed they would have to testify in full court AGAIN with the full glare of the world’s media intensely on them.
And, of course, they will have to deal with all the BS from Scientology.
And, still worse, the trial will be ongoing for a long, long time.
Roll these 3 things up together, and I can’t image a worse scenario for the women who are just trying to get justice. Brave indeed.