Watching the Philadelphia Eagles pull out a nail-biter victory over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots is enough to make anyone consider the possibility that a benevolent higher power is pulling the strings of our universe and hates Bill Belichick just as much as the rest of us.
And the fine folks at the Church of Scientology would like you to consider the possibility that that godlike being is a spaceman who wants to help you rid yourself of all the pesky alien parasites that have been infecting your body since birth.
Yes, amidst all of the anticipated dilly dillies and Dortito-hawking celebs came an unexpected spot extolling the virtues of the world’s most controversial “religion.”
Sadly, David Harbour didn’t pop up and reveal it to be a Tide ad.
Really a missed opportunity…
Scientology commercials have become something of an annual tradition, and this is the sixth straight year that the CoS has shelled out the $ 5 million for a 30-second spot during the Super Bowl.
And, just as in years past, fans reacted with a mixture of confusion and consternation.
For some, there were questions as to how a non-profit enterprise can afford such an exorbitant fee.
Others wondered why such a shady organization is allowed to continue operating in the United States, virtually free of government interference.
Hell, were it not for Leah Remini we might forget that the likes Tom Cruise and Elisabeth Moss have been sucked in and reprogrammed by an organization that’s been accused of human trafficking, targeted harassment campaigns, and systematic sexual abuse.
Fortunately, Leah’s war against Scientology wages on, and the actress was quick to offer her two cents on last night’s jarring Super Bowl ad:
“Yet again Scientology spends millions to buy #SuperBowl ads. Scientology continues to behave as a for-profit company rather than a tax-exempt religion. #NotCurious,” Leah tweeted last night.
And it seems she wasn’t alone in her lack of curiosity regarding just what the Cult of Xenu has to offer:
“WHOA…. @Scientology took all the money they scam from poor, vulnerable people and spent it on a Super Bowl ad try to convince people they’re totally normal. What a way to spend your tithes,” tweeted one viewer.
“A Scientology ad?!!!” wrote another. “I knew the Super Bowl would be boring but I was not expecting SCARY.”
Yes, it seems the folks who run Scientology’s massive marketing and recruitment division forgot the key tenets of Super Bowl advertising:
Keep it simple; make us laugh; and whenever possible, get Peter Dinklage to lip-sync to Busta Rhymes.
