Location: Mann's Theater Westwood
Event:    Premier of 'The General's Daughter' with John Travolta
Time:     I dunno.. hours or so :)
Picketers:Dr.Benwog, Zinjifar and Xenu
Signs:    Scientology is a threat to democracy
          Hubbard is dead - His fraud lives on
Flyers:   Xenu flyer; Lisa and Man on the Cross flyers from Jeff J.

Wog picked me up and we made our way through suprisingly light traffic to the Mann Theater in Westwood (Could the freeways have been so empty from all the fans who were *not* going to watch Travolta?).

I grabbed the old reliable X-E-N-U pole that Wog inherited from Don NOTs now graced with his fine (if somewhat large) sign.

Front: Scientology is a threat to democracy

Back: L Ron Hubbard is Dead - His fraud lives on

We made our way to the theater and met Xenu.. who quickly morphed from a fairly normal looking suppressive to a true Galactic Overlord and we did a little walking and flyering and entertaining of the entertainment TV reporters handy, then began a circuit that we continued for about a half an hour.

From the far side of the street we'd sign and wave to the (tiny)crowd and cameras.. then I'd lead a poor Xenu blinded by his alien internal heat across the street to pass by the red carpets.

As the moment of celebrity approached the security started trying to get us isolated to the other side of the street, but while I made it to the front of the (tiny) crowd behind the barricades poor blind Xenu was again exiled to the other side.

Benwog smuggled himself into the little media cage near me and began filming as we saw the rich and powerful (and surprisingly old and kind of sad looking) 'celebrities' make their way up the red carpet to the theater entrance stopping along the way to pose for the about 50 fans who stood around asking 'who's that?'

Victoria Principal was at least recognized.. I didn't see Carrie Fisher although Garry Scarff (whom I did *not* see there) said she was there. Mike somebody or other (Babe? Independence Day?) came over and gave some autographs.. and signed a baseball that was getting tossed to him.. as did some anorexic looking notable who I didn't recognize at all. (you may have noticed by now that I am not really much of a celebrity watcher)

James Woods finally showed up and signed more than any of the others.. seems like a nice guy and I heard Benwog congratulating him on his Howard Stern appearance as well as reciting OTIII for him.

I thought of asking him to sign my sign when he stopped in front of me, but actually I was mostly there for Mr 'I'm proof that scientology works Mr. President' Travolta.

And finally the big moment.. with lots of oohs and ahhhs.. Travolta himself makes his way along the street.. talking to the reporters and chit chatting (and getting his picture taken with my sign in the background if they had the focus right) but alas.. when he got to the fan section he turned a cool shoulder and walked inside with no more than a distant wave.

The fans were somewhat disappointed, but of course Travolta knows how to spot a suppressive and sent the security dick back out to explain to the crowd that Mr Travolta would unfortunately not be signing any autographs since 'that sign' was there and mayb they'd like to let *me* know about how unhappy they were about it :)

Surprisingly the people near me seemed more confused by the whole thing.. wondering what this guy really wanted and what the hell it was all about. So I got to explain about scientology and infiltration of government offices and it's interest in eliminating democracy and long roster of crimes.

Benwog got into character with boos and hisses, but actually only a fairly whacked-out looking profi-autograph dealer got really nasty, threatening to give me the NYPD pole treatment, but nobody myself included took him too seriously.

Somebody may have clued the security dick into it being bad form to incite crowds to assault people and he reappeared to explain to the crowd that I was just exercising my 1st ammendment rights and such, and it was just that the sign upset Mr. Travolta. I did say 'Oh well folks.. they're just words. Hope they don't upset him *too* much' but somehow the fever pitch of hatred he seemed to expect was missing.

I didn't actually hear any animosity from the fans, who seemed more confused by what the security dick had wanted them to do about me :) Got lots of favorable comments from some people as to somebody having to do something about scientology, and even more questions as to outside of being a nutso cult what they'd done wrong *this* time.

We hung out a bit till it was obvious they'd run out of stars and then went back across the street to pick up the waylaid Xenu and then off to split a pizza. Got followed for about half a block by somebody with a cellphone, but *everybody* in LA's got a cellphone so it probably doesn't mean anything.

To clarify somewhat, OSA wasn't in any obvious evidence, although I did get into a conversation with one buff young blond guy who wanted some flyers to read while he sat near us across the street from the theater and then tossed said fyers into the trash.

Lots of private security though and cops.

We had our pizza at BJ's pizza and brewery where they were friendly and curious about the sign and the pizza and beer were both very good.

We'd actually only planned on going home, having fulfilled our suppression quota for the day, but as we passed by the theater again it was obvious that the movie was almost over and people were lining up (further down the street this time) to catch the exiting elite.

I was already across the street when they closed off the crosswalk.. probably on purpose :) but got a great position across from the exit door with sign. Wog joined the fans next to the door.

Again the security dick appeared to tell the fans that John wouldn't be coming out because of me which got me some boos and hisses (most loudly from Benwog who was getting into character again) and some bloodcurdling screams from the frustrated autograph scalper.

A girl after a bit came across the street and asked me to leave (nicely) and I explained to her why I was there and that I was sorry for her if John couldn't come out. She did say she had come all the way from Colorado to see John and I did feel sorry for her.. but these OT's are kind of sensitive I guess.

A bit later a large guy came over and I was thinking OSA finally when it turned out to be a driver for one of the premier visitors and we had a nice talk about scientology and he got some flyers.

While talking to him Benwog ran across the street screaming at me (and filming) and finally sotto voce said he'd like to get some tape of john.. so I did leave and go around the corner.

No luck for wog.. while the crowd thought him a hero the security dick wasn't fooled and begane yelling at him that now John wouldn't come out because the mintoncam was there.. and all his heroworshipping fans turned on him until he left.

Meanwhile around the corner Xenu (now remorphed into human dimension) and I had a chat and were soon joined by a guy in a light-colored suit with a cellphone. OSA yet? I thought and asked him how Gail Armstrong was when he joined us up against the wall with his phone. This seemed to confuse him and he asked me if he'd seen me talking to somebody at the MTV Awards.. which confused me :)

Turned out he was a professional party crasher who with his crack team was planning on joining the post-premier party and having a little trouble getting his hirelings to do the spy game right.

We had a nice chat too and he offered to try to get us in, but that seemed to be pushing my luck for the evening. I got his e-mail if I remember it right and maybe we can get a report from the party from him.

Soon a black car moved along the blocked off street and stopped at the corner opposite us and was surrounded by fans, and yes, I'm pretty sure from the squeels that it was John himself inside.. but the windows were too black for me to see.

A cop pulled up in front of Xenu and me after our crasher friend had left to make his assault on the buffet and came over to chat.

I showed him both sides of the sign and he seemed fairly well educated about scientology and we gave him some flyers. He already knew about Narconon and Kirstie had personally lied to him at some SFV softball benefits for Narconon about their scientology affiliations, so he was not too pleased with them or any of the other front groups I mentioned to him.

Cop left and the reviled and expulsed Benwog showed up around the corner..

And off we were.

Sequel to follow?

Zinj