Linkin Park are back together, but their reunion has already been marred by controversy. The band’s new co-vocalist Emily Armstrong was part of a group of Scientologists who showed up at the courthouse to support That ’70s Show actor Danny Masterson during his 2020 rape trial, where he was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison. The choice to have Armstrong fill in for the late Chester Bennington received quite a bit of backlash, notably from Cedric Bixler-Zavala of the Mars Volta/At The Drive-In. His wife Chrissie Carnell-Bixler was one of the four women who pursued rape charges against Masterson, and now, she has spoken out against Armstrong as well.
To be clear, she allegedly was told to support him, went to his first trial, and has not been in contact with him or spoken on his behalf since. It’s very possible the veil was lifted, so to speak, at that trial.
So I don’t have anything to say about Masterson other than he’s a monster. But to share a related personal anctodote.
A few years ago I started becoming more active with a friend I had grown distant with. She introduced me to her new circle of friends which included a guy named Barry. Who was awaiting trial for “something that was blown out of proportion”, this was an ongoing very long process since covid pushed his court date back like two years in total. So I met him a few times and heard him describe the case. But I was always skeptical of his story, how do you just wake up in a bush with a gun to a police dog with zero recollection of the night before?
But I let it slide in the moment because I was in a pretty vulnerable lonely place after a bad breakup, however I made DAMN sure to actually attend his trial. The only one of the friend group who did, and he was very thankful and called me a good friend. But I really just wanted to hear the story from the defense.
Barry didn’t mention the gun shots he fired as his ex girlfriend or the camera footage showing him stumbling around with a gun. He didn’t mention that he was shooting outside when his home is next to a school and it caused the school to close, also didn’t mention the threats he made. The lawyer for Barry couldn’t make much of a defense for him, just that he was in AA and doesn’t drink anymore.
Barry went to jail. And I made absolutely sure that everyone heard abiut what I learned. But the tradgey was that most people just thought I had a personal grudge against him. That I didn’t know how crazy his ex GF was and that she totally (probably) provoked him.
Long story short, it’s easy to talk around the truth to you friends, who of course will take your side. Going to a trial and hearing the evidence yourself can be a very eye opening experience.
Until she officially speaks out against the cult it is all speculation and cope from entitled fan apologists.
To each their own. I’ve watched a lot of movies with Tom Cruise and other shows with other Scientologist. The group is fucked, but I guess that’s not where I draw the line in who I choose to allow in my media life, but I get that others do, and that’s fine. I have my own moral lines with other things.
What a great idea, speak out publically against a cult she was born into who are well-known for harassing anyone who speaks out against them publically
Suck that Scientology dick some more. Her, and you, are part of the problem.
There is this - https://variety.com/2024/music/news/linkin-emily-armstrong-criticism-danny-masterson-1236135990/
That’s just an article about her weak ass PR statement. She didn’t mentioned her cult even once, and called her fellow cult member a “friend”. If that’s denouncing Scientology for you then you probably also believe in Santa.
I agree it’s a bit lacking in condemnation, but it is something. You seem to have some strong opinions about it, which is why I shared it. I wasn’t sure if you were aware of it or not
I agree it’s a super guarded response and doesn’t mention anyone (or thing) by name.
“A bit lacking” is an understatement when she didn’t even mention it once. I also find it distasteful to only condemn the things happening to female victims, when she replaces a well known male victim - all while her cult causes more and more victims everywhere.
Have you heard “emptiness machine”? As far as I can tell it’s a song about how she was ripped apart emotionally/psychologically by the Scientology cult.
Then why is she still doing things for them and why is she still a member?