JULY
2016, WEST HOLLYWOOD: There is a new cult movie
coming about a Gay bodybuilder (left) who runs around in
his underpants and claims to be godlike in a cult he calls
"Buddafield." Although I, the Angry Gay Pope, appreciate
any cult leader who runs around in speedos showing visible
penis lines, it's still a cult! It all appears to be flakey
new age fun and games until the paranoia, forced plastic
surgery, thought control and attempted murders start happening. Amazingly,
a lot of this happened right here in West Hollywood where
I live. I even used to live on the same street as this group!
Hopefully the movie will put pressure on the cult, which
still exists in Hawaii in smaller form. Sadly, many
cults never seem to truly die, especially if they have money.
They just burn down to a tiny ember that just won't go away.
I wonder how Scientology will end.
Fortunately the
cult leader of Buddafield lacked Scientology founder L.
Ron Hubbard's money making genius, his ability to drag out
the con and constantly upsell upsell upsell. Buddafield
seems more about cult of personality rather than a giant
pyramid scheme of multi-level marketing that is Scientology.
Like a haunted house vs. a James Bond villain.

I
found out about the documentary from its exec producer Julian
Goldstein (right). I fix his family's computers. Yes
his biceps are huge but his heart is his biggest muscle
by far. He tells me that his experience with the group
was mostly positive which puzzles me because the movie is
called
HOLY HELL. But I refuse to
ask him more about it until I see the movie. I don't want
it spoiled. Julian has a fascinating life story.
After fleeing the group he, and multiple others including
director Will Allen, spent the last two years telling the
story of Buddafield. This is very commendable of them,
firstly because investigative journalism in America has
collapsed and if you don't tell the story yourself it won't
get told, trust me! But mostly, it is VERY HARD to
tell your own personal story about anything. But it
is even harder when you are decompressing and un-brainwashing
yourself at the same time. Rather like writing on the label
when you are still in the jar. It can also compromise
journalistic issues because the subject and the filmmaker
are one and the same.
Julian is a wonderful, caring
guy who founded
Thrive Tribe, a social and medical organization helping
men (such as myself) who are HIV+ but otherwise thriving.
He has worked in entertainment for many years, having sold
his first show to the Travel Channel and having served as
a host of CNN’s nationally syndicated Real News for Kids
for four years. In 2007, after 19 years, he left the group
and began a search for his identity outside of this community.
He traveled alone to New Zealand, Australia Europe, Asia
and the Middle East on a four-year journey.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
www.holyhellthedocumentary.com
COMING TO ITUNES: http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/holyhell/
I haven't seen the movie yet but feel confident in recommending
it to you, dear reader, because it got a good
review in the New York Times. The paper mentions
"No one gets punched in “Holy Hell.” But during a late scene
in this documentary, I thought its subject was about to
get socked in the kisser. Reader, forgive me — I even wanted
it to happen." The review does mention, however, that the
filmmakers were too close to their subject as I alluded
to earlier..