Church of Scientology

The Master's Scientology connections

The Master's Master: Paul Thomas Anderson talks 70mm, Joaquin Phoenix and researching Scientology for his sixth and most anticipated film

Church of Scientology's "Psychiatry: An Industry of Death" Exhibit Returns to St. Louis

Psychiatry buffs rejoice and praise Xenu! The "state-of-the-art international touring exhibit" Psychiatry: An Industry of Death, sponsored by the Citizens Commission on Human Rights is returning to Missouri for the first time since its appearance at the Jamestown Mall three years ago! You can catch ... More >>

Local Scientologists Close Ranks, Leaving Mother on the Outside

​Tony Ortega, editor-in-chief at our sister paper the Village Voice, has written extensively about Scientology for sixteen years. His latest look at the group's inner workings takes place here in St. Louis, and involves a long-time Scientologist leaving the fold, driving a wedge between her and he ... More >>

The 2011 Unreal News Challenge

Karina Longworth Picks 10 for '12

Interview: Troubadour Dali's New Album (Out Tomorrow) Is Not About Dinosaurs

Joanna Humphrey​There is a pretty brazen vacuum somewhere in the room next to where two members of Troubadour Dali are conducting a three-way phone interview. It would appear that the shoegaze-y psych-pop band is never far from its noise roots, though this time it's more obnoxious than it is d ... More >>

Get To Know R6 Implant: (Maybe) "The Most Intense Rock and Roll Experience of Your Life"

Photo courtesy of R6 Implant.​ The good thing about a band calling it quits in St. Louis is that its never really done. R6 Implant is playing a farewell-of-sorts show on Saturday at Cicero's, but this isn't goodbye forever. The bill is shared with the Lion's Daughter, Galaxicon and Iron Hills. ... More >>

Anonymous Takes On Monsanto, and Monsanto Responds

The Anonymous slogan: "We do not forgive. We do not forgive. Expect us."​In the latest of a string of increasingly ballsy attacks, Anonymous -- a loose collective of online ne'er-do-wells -- has trained its sights on the Creve-Coeur-based agri-giant, Monsanto. Anonymous got national attention for ... More >>

Is God The New Black?

Terry Richardson/Rolling Stone​A span of three weeks separated their respective Rolling Stone covers--apart from the quality of the writing and the, howyousay, dynamism of each subject, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry's profiles in the formerly legendary mag offered the same startling conclusion--for ... More >>

RFT Showcase 2011: Highlights (Part Two)

Pretty Little Empire. Photo by Steve Truesdell.​Ed: The RFT Music Showcase was Saturday. It was hot, it was crowded and you would have needed to be in ten places as once to see all the good stuff. Among those who tried was Diana Benanti -- she brings you part two of her highlights below. Read ... More >>

William S. Burroughs, Scientologist

image viaWilliam S. Burroughs: even weirder than we thought.​Picture it: Tangiers, 1959. William S. Burroughs, author of the newly published Naked Lunch (and, incidentally, scion of a wealthy St. Louis family), is visiting his friend Brion Gysin's restaurant when he meets John and Mary Cooke, ... More >>

Church of Scientology Announces L. Ron Hubbard Centennial Three Days Late

image viaHappy 100th birthday, L. Ron!​OK, it's true, the dateline on the press release the Church of Scientology sent us about the centennial of its founder L. Ron Hubbard was March 13. But it didn't land in Unreal's e-mail in-box until March 16. (Yes, we know, it's March 18 now, but we're st ... More >>

St. Louis' Very Own Oscar Winner

image viaSt. Louisan and Oscar winner Colin Firth in one of his most celebrated roles: Mr. Darcy in the BBC's Pride and Prejudice.​Unreal has learned the hard way that we should read our New Yorkers as soon as we get them, because if we had, OMG, we would have learned that Colin Firth, Oscar w ... More >>

Paul Haggis shows no improvement in The Next Three Days

Readers discuss who's to blame for the new Loop curfew, a teen's hanging death in Cahokia

Hump Day Slow Jam of the Week: Isaac Hayes, "Walk on By"

The Singer: Stax recording artist, Shaft theme singer, King of New York, voice of South Park's Chef and Scientologist: Isaac Hayes amassed quite the rap sheet before his death last year. He started as a songwriter for Stax Records and became a singer in his own right in the late '60s. Toda ... More >>

Are You as Poetic as Paris Hilton? Help Us Complete Her Latest Press Release.

www.parishiltonsite.netAmerica's favorite celebutante, Paris Hilton, returns to St. Louis next month (March 14) to promote her new fragrance, Fairy Dust. As you may recall, Hilton made a similar trip to the Gateway City last year when she touched down at South County Center to endorse a perfume call ... More >>

Oh, God! You Devil's Advocate: Bill Maher makes an adolescent case against religion

Rick Majerus: Have You No Decency?

Full-serve philosophy: A gas station attendant pumps out enlightenment.

Peaceful Warrior

Full-Serve Philosophy

A gymnast pumps advice from a gas station attendant

Talk Pretty

David Sedaris' publicist asks Unreal to bend the space-time continuum. Plus: the blog of a former Cards hurler, and an obituary for Jim Igoe, the Delmar Poet.

Head Cheesed

Unreal longs for the sexual adventures a Gravitizer can provide -- but, uh, not tonight; we have a migraine. Plus, more fun with Scientologists!

Unreal News Challenge 2005!

Time again to take the year-end quiz

Applied Pressure

Should St. Louis County grant tax breaks to Scientology-linked tutoring programs?

"The word ‘faggot’ seems to come very naturally to Mr. Crawford.”

Week of November 23, 2005

Exercise Is Like Opium

Unreal visits an anger-management expert. Then, feeling better, we scan the Bargain Box for a money-maker (note: not for shaking) and talk about psychiatrist-patient luv with a Scientologist (oops). Plus: the local blog of an alleged killer.

Week of November 9, 2005

"Scientology has answers to life's problems."

L Is for L. Ron

The state approves a tutoring program linked to Scientology, and everybody cries foul

Vodka and Grapefruit

Unreal gets the lowdown on the Dirty Dog, meets plants who love a free lunch and finds a blogger who can't get enough Favre. Plus, Scientology's "volunteer ministers" are bringing relief to hurricane victims -- but not the kind you'd think.

Cîroc martini

Lucas Park Grille, 1234 Washington Avenue, 314-241-7770

Everybody's Doing It

Unreal plays fair with an all-inclusive sex survey and celebrates the St. Louis Centre skybridge's dramatic relocation to the Loop

Chewing the Fat

A heaping helping of retorts to Unreal's "Lard Have Mercy"

If and When the Messiah Returns, Must It Be in Human Form?

Week of November 17, 2004

Rock Opera of Ages

Introducing Pyromania!, the show-stopping, arm-severing Def Leppard musical

Ultimate Rock Fantasy

Forget the office-football draft, dude. Here's a far cooler way to waste your time and your employer's money.

Look Away

Unreal covers it all: Funnylady Kathleen Madigan, a traveling preacher who lacks Judgment and Bob Horner's Fatkins diet; plus, a new sport for extreme St. Louisans!

Un-Cabaret's Ripping Yarns

Life with Dick

Hollywood Babble-On

Ron Shelton tries to mock the LA cop-buddy movie, but the joke's mostly on him

God and the 1040

Week of May 7, 2003

Film Openings

Week of March 26, 2003

Dead Again

There's fresh meat for the Reaper in Final Destination 2

"EXTREME" NOISE TERROR

The best loud stuff Japan has to offer

Breaking Down the Wall

A quiet revolution is taking place as religious groups begin ministering to the poor using government money -- and succeeding where government couldn't. But eternal vigilance may be the real price.

News Real