Under-fire writer Andrew Morton defended his controversial Tom Cruise biography - insisting: "I stand by every word in the book." Morton has been under attack over the book, with Cruise and the church of Scientology rubbishing many of its most crucial claims - and attacking Morton for not interviewing key players in the story.
But Morton insists he knew well before starting the book that he would have to be able to stand by his book to avoid crushing legal costs.
"You can see how litigious Tom Cruise is," he told U.S. TV.
"This has been a very carefully researched book - I spent two years researching it - and as you know I'm known for my careful research.
"I wanted to explore Tom Cruise both as a man and as a symbol, and to find out what really made him tick.
"And quite frankly I've spoken to hundreds of people and as you know he's extremely litigious and, today, extremely angry."
One of the attacks is that Morton did not interview people who have recently worked with the Hollywood star - nor people from the church of Scientology.
But Morton insists he did - he just could not name them. "I spoke to people in the church, professional people, people who've known Tom Cruise for years, people who spoke to me off the record," he said
"Like any biography, of a political figure or a celebrity, you speak to some people on the record, some people off the record.
"And obviously some people will not go on the record to talk about Tom Cruise because they're scared of him."
He insists he did make formal approaches for interviews with Scientology's leaders. "I asked for an interview with David Miscavige, who's the head of the Church of Scientology - they refused," he told The Today Show.
"I formally asked for it - more than that I was instructed to ask for it by the publisher's attorneys."
Asked if he thought Tom Cruise was a liar, Morton said: "I think he's an unreliable witness to his past."
And asked if he thought Cruise was "dangerous:, Morton said: "Certainly he's one of the most powerful celebrities in the world
"I think in this age of celebrity, where celebrities get a free pass to assert as opposed to argue, where they get access to Presidents, Prime Ministers and politicians, not because of what they know but because of who they are, then that is a dangerous slide into an unreflective world
"We should be testing these people.
"Tom cruise is an advocate
"He's arguing for his faith. He's a poster boy for Scientology.
"He wants to change the way the education system is run in this country, the way the mental health system is run in this country.
"I feel that his views should be tested against the evidence."
By Owen Williams, Jan 15 2008 © Copyright 2008 - Showbiz Spy
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