shel_N.jpgAnd no, this has nothing to do with Katie Holmes and her alleged virginity. On a half-hour episode of Access Hollywood last week devoted entirely to the actor, Tom Cruise criticized psychiatry in general (which he claims is "not based in science"), and the use of psychotropic drugs by, specifically, actress Brooke Shields. Cruise says, "Here is a woman — and I care about Brooke Shields because she is an incredibly talented woman — where has her career gone?"


Shields apparently became dependent on Paxil after giving birth to a child; Cruise says, "These drugs are dangerous...When you talk about postpartum depression you can take people today, women, and what you do is you use vitamins."

Brooke Shields is, probably rightfully, fairly appalled that Cruise would drag her into his anti-psychiatry dialectic. "Tom Cruise’s comments are irresponsible and dangerous,” she said. “[He] should stick to saving the world from aliens and let women who are experiencing postpartum depression decide what treatment options are best for them.”

The Times quotes Mike Faenza, president of the National Mental Health Association, as saying, "Tom Cruise is a talented actor, but his comments were destructive.”

Cruise, a 20-year Scientology devotee, has been increasingly forthcoming about his religious beliefs of late, to seemingly only self-destructive ends. In a way, it all seems too messy and emotional to be the stuff of a pure publicity stunt - I'm starting to believe that he's, like, really on a crusade.