Aliens, Cruise & The News

Yeah, yeah. OT VIII Tom Cruise says he believes in aliens. I would have been more surprised, frankly, if Tom said he believes we are alone in the universe.

What did surprise me, though, was hearing the little news muffin on NBC's "Early Today" actually giggle while reading a story about this, and then wonder aloud to the little weather muffin whether Mr. Cruise's proselytizing might hurt the opening of "War of the Worlds."

First of all, muffins, you're playing right into the P.R. campaign for "War of the Worlds" with your breathless reporting of Tom's every utterance. It is no different than all the "controversy" over the arguably anti-semitic slant of "The Passion of the Christ."

But, even if you're going to report the fact that Tom Cruise is a faithful Scientologist as if that fact rises to the level of news, making fun of the guy crosses the line for somebody sitting at the anchor desk.

I know that the profession ain't what it used to be, but it is sad to see TV journalism actually growing dumber by the minute right before my very eyes.