Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines for August 28
Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines for August 28 are here. Check out what’s clicking today in entertainment.
Danny Masterson’s ex-girlfriend Chrissie Carnell Bixler detailed in the series finale of A&E’s “Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath” how the actor allegedly raped her.
Several women have claimed the “That 70s Show” star sexually assaulted them in the early 2000s and reported their case to the LAPD in 2016 and early 2017.
Masterson, who has denied the allegations several times and is a well-known Scientologist, is the subject of an ongoing investigation into the matter by police. However, his accusers also took the step to sue the Church of Scientology alleging that it engaged in a cover-up of the star’s behavior.
Bixler, a former model who dated the actor from 1996 until 2001, spoke of an occasion in which she claims she blacked out after a single glass of wine at dinner with him and had to learn what happened from a callous Masterson the next morning. She explained it all in a 2017 interview for Remini’s show that was only recently released.
Danny Masterson and Chrissie Carnell in a 2001 file photo.
(Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
“Last thing I remember is getting up from the restaurant to go home. Complete blackout,” Bixler said, according to The Daily Beast. “The next day when I woke up the back of my head hurt, and I thought I’d fallen. I thought I was poisoned. I didn’t know where I was. He was downstairs sitting at his desk… I went downstairs and asked what happened. He just kind of chuckled. I said, ‘I’m in a lot of pain.’ I was ripped. I was injured. He started laughing. He said “Oh, I had sex with you last night.” I said, ‘Was I unconscious?’ He said, ‘Yeah.’”
Representatives for Masterson had no comment when reached by Fox News.
In a statement provided to People in 2017, Masterson denied the allegations through his representative saying: “We are aware of [redacted]’s 16-year-old allegations. It was only after [redacted] was in contact with Leah Remini that she made allegations of sexual assault by Mr. Masterson. The alleged incident occurred in the middle of their 6 year relationship, after which she continued to be his longtime girlfriend. When Danny ended the relationship she continued to pursue him … In fact, we are informed by the Church that the only demand [redacted] made of the Church after Danny broke up with her was asking for their help to intervene so the breakup would not be permanent.”
The statement concluded: “We are aware also that approximately 14 years ago a woman referred to in the blog made allegations of sexual assault and that the LAPD interviewed numerous witnesses and determined the claim had no merit. Based on reading the anti-Scientology blog that posted this story, these false allegations appear to be motivated to boost Leah Remini’s anti-Scientology television series since [redacted] only came forward after connecting with Leah Remini.”
Danny Masterson’s accusers criticized Netflix for airing “The Ranch,” which features the actor, despite him being fired from the series last year following rape allegations.
(Getty Images)
Masterson was fired from his role on the Netflix series "The Ranch" and dropped by his agents over the allegations.
The Church of Scientology is mentioned in the suit because the accusers, two of whom chose to remain anonymous and three of whom were former church members, claim they were targeted by the organization as retaliation after making their allegations public.
The church, however, denies the allegations and points to one of its biggest detractors, former member Leah Remini, as the one pushing the alleged smear campaign.
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“From everything we have read in the press, this baseless lawsuit will go nowhere because the claims are ludicrous and a sham. It's a dishonest and hallucinatory publicity stunt. Leah Remini is taking advantage of these people as pawns in her moneymaking scam,” litigation counsel for the Church of Scientology International previously told Fox News in a statement.
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