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Thomas William Davis (born August 18, 1972) is an American financial executive. From 2005 to 2011, Davis was head of external affairs and the chief spokesperson of the Church of Scientology International and Senior Vice President at the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International from the early 1990s. Between 2011 and 2013, Davis did not make any public appearances in the media. In June 2013, it was revealed that Davis and his wife had relocated from
Gold Base Gold Base (also variously known as Gold, Golden Era Productions, Int Base, or Int) is the ''de facto'' international headquarters of the Church of Scientology, located north of San Jacinto, California, United States, about from Los Angeles. The ...
in Riverside County, California to
Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
. He currently resides in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
. In 2016, he became the General Manager of
Consolidated Press Holdings James Douglas Packer (born 8 September 1967) is an Australian billionaire businessman and investor. Packer is the son of Kerry Packer , a media mogul, and his wife, Roslyn Packer . He is the grandson of Sir Frank Packer. He inherited contr ...
North America LLC, a private investment vehicle owned by Australian billionaire
James Packer James Douglas Packer (born 8 September 1967) is an Australian billionaire businessman and investor. Packer is the son of Kerry Packer , a media mogul, and his wife, Roslyn Packer . He is the grandson of Sir Frank Packer. He inherited control ...
, but his employment was terminated in July 2017.


Career in Scientology


Celebrity Centre

Davis previously worked for the
Sea Org The Sea Organization (also known as the Sea Org) is a Scientology organization, which the Church of Scientology describes as a " fraternal religious order, comprising the religion’s most dedicated members". All Scientology management organizatio ...
as a non-uniformed member. According to a Church of Scientology
press release A press release is an official statement delivered to members of the news media for the purpose of providing information, creating an official statement, or making an announcement directed for public release. Press releases are also considere ...
, in 2001 Davis was the Celebrity Centre's Vice President. He was the chief spokesperson of the Church of Scientology from 2005 to 2011, a position previously held by
Mike Rinder Michael John Rinder (; born 10 April 1955) is an Australian-American former senior executive of the Church of Scientology International (CSI) and the Sea Organization based in the United States. From 1982 to 2007, Rinder served on the board of ...
. On June 13, 2003, Davis went with actor and Scientologist
Tom Cruise Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (born July 3, 1962), known professionally as Tom Cruise, is an American actor and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actors, he has received various accolades, including an Honorary Palme d'Or and three Go ...
and Kurt Weiland, director of external affairs for Scientology's
Office of Special Affairs The Office of Special Affairs (OSA), formerly the Guardian's Office, is a department of the Church of Scientology International. According to the Church, the OSA is responsible for directing legal affairs, public relations, pursuing investigation ...
and Scientology vice president of communications, to meet with then-
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
Deputy Secretary of State The deputy secretary of state of the United States is the principal deputy to the secretary of state. The current deputy secretary of state is Wendy Ruth Sherman, serving since April 2021 under secretary of state Antony Blinken. If the secretary ...
Richard Armitage. In the half-hour-long private meeting, they raised concerns with Armitage about the treatment of Scientologists in
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and other countries. Davis was a senior-level Scientologist, spokesman for the Church of Scientology, and a member of the Church of Scientology's
Sea Org The Sea Organization (also known as the Sea Org) is a Scientology organization, which the Church of Scientology describes as a " fraternal religious order, comprising the religion’s most dedicated members". All Scientology management organizatio ...
anization or "Sea Org". He is a member of the
International Association of Scientologists Scientology is a set of beliefs and practices invented by American author L. Ron Hubbard, and an associated movement. It has been variously defined as a cult, a Scientology as a business, business, or a new religious movement. The most recent ...
, and as of 2006 was listed as a Patron in their publication ''Impact Magazine''.


Representative to the media

Davis accompanied ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' writer Janet Reitman along with former head of Scientology's
Office of Special Affairs The Office of Special Affairs (OSA), formerly the Guardian's Office, is a department of the Church of Scientology International. According to the Church, the OSA is responsible for directing legal affairs, public relations, pursuing investigation ...
Mike Rinder Michael John Rinder (; born 10 April 1955) is an Australian-American former senior executive of the Church of Scientology International (CSI) and the Sea Organization based in the United States. From 1982 to 2007, Rinder served on the board of ...
on a tour of the
Gold Base Gold Base (also variously known as Gold, Golden Era Productions, Int Base, or Int) is the ''de facto'' international headquarters of the Church of Scientology, located north of San Jacinto, California, United States, about from Los Angeles. The ...
in
Hemet Hemet is a city in the San Jacinto Valley in Riverside County, California. It covers a total area of , about half of the valley, which it shares with the neighboring city of San Jacinto. The population was 89,833 at the 2020 census. The foundi ...
,
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
in 2005. In 2007, Davis gained international attention from events surrounding the making of a documentary about Scientology entitled "
Scientology and Me ''Scientology and Me'' is a television documentary first broadcast on 14 May 2007 as part of the BBC's ''Panorama'' series. In it, reporter John Sweeney visited the United States to investigate whether the Church of Scientology was becoming mor ...
", screened as an installment of the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
public affairs series '' Panorama''. The ''Panorama'' reporter, John Sweeney, reported that he met with Davis early on and could not reach agreement with him on whether individuals attacking Scientology should be interviewed for the film, and whether the program should refer to Scientology as a "cult". As the BBC documentary was filmed, Scientologists made a parallel documentary, a camera crew shadowing Sweeney and chronicling his work. Davis made allegations against ''Panorama'' and the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
that they were "spying" on the church of Scientology and harassed Sweeney by stalking him to various meetings with critics. Nonetheless, he never filed a report against Sweeney. While Sweeney was visiting the Scientology exhibition " Psychiatry: An Industry of Death", Davis accused him of being biased and of having been too easy on one of his interviewees. Sweeney lost his temper. The Church of Scientology released the resulting footage, showing Sweeney becoming angry, on
YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
, and the counter-documentary attacking Sweeney's methods was posted to UK politicians and media organizations. ''Panorama'' responded by posting its own YouTube clip, showing Davis losing his temper and abruptly ending an interview when Sweeney used the words "sinister cult". The BBC subsequently stated it was happy that on the whole, Sweeney had performed his work in a fair and proper manner. In the same BBC documentary, Davis interrupted when celebrity members are asked about
Xenu Xenu (), also called Xemu, is a figure in the Church of Scientology's secret "Advanced Technology", a sacred and esoteric teaching. According to the "Technology", Xenu was the extraterrestrial ruler of a "Galactic Confederacy" who brought bil ...
, saying: "None of us know what you're talking about. It's loony. It's weird." In a May 8, 2008 appearance on
CNN CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...
, Davis was asked by CNN's
John Roberts John Glover Roberts Jr. (born January 27, 1955) is an American lawyer and jurist who has served as the 17th chief justice of the United States since 2005. Roberts has authored the majority opinion in several landmark cases, including '' Nat ...
if "... the basic tenet of the Church of Scientology is to rid the body of space-alien parasites, to clear oneself"; Davis responded: "Well, John, does that sound silly to you? I mean it’s unrecognizable to me." In response, Tony Ortega of ''
The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, th ...
'' stated "It’s also a grand tradition, among Scientology spokespeople, to act bewildered when they’re facing a camera and they’re asked about Xenu and space-alien thetans. Tommy Davis is just doing what other mouthpieces have said in the past." In March 2009 Davis was interviewed by
investigative journalist Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, such as serious crimes, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years rese ...
Nathan Baca for
KESQ-TV KESQ-TV (channel 42) is a television station licensed to Palm Springs, California, United States, serving as the ABC affiliate for the Coachella Valley. It is owned by the News-Press & Gazette Company (NPG) alongside five low-power stations: C ...
and was again asked about the OT III materials containing the Xenu myth. When read an excerpt from Hubbard's writing, Davis told Baca "I'm familiar with the material," and said that the issue at hand was "the confidential scriptures of the Church," and thus refused to elaborate on the issue. After the death of
Jett Travolta John Joseph Travolta (born February 18, 1954) is an American actor. He came to public attention during the 1970s, appearing on the television sitcom ''Welcome Back, Kotter'' (1975–1979) and starring in the box office successes '' Carrie'' (1 ...
, son of celebrity Scientologist John Travolta, the Church of Scientology came under fire from critical groups accusing it of being irresponsible; Jett had died of a seizure soon after being taken off his medication. Davis responded by denying that Scientology keeps people from taking medications, and also denying that it claims to cure disease. He stated in one interview, "The bottom line is that Scientologists seek conventional medical treatment for medical conditions." Davis was interviewed by journalist
Martin Bashir Martin Henry Bashir (born 19 January 1963) is a British journalist. He was a presenter on British and American television and for the BBC's ''Panorama'' programme, for which he interviewed Diana, Princess of Wales in 1995. Although the intervie ...
for the
ABC News ABC News is the news division of the American broadcast network ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast ''ABC World News Tonight, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir''; other programs include Breakfast television, morning ...
program '' Nightline'', in a piece called "Inside Scientology", which aired in October 2009. Davis ripped off his microphone and stormed off the set of the interview after he was questioned about whether he believed that 75 million years ago a galactic ruler called Xenu brought individuals to Earth and killed them in volcanoes. An hour before the segment aired he appeared at
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
headquarters and demanded that a security guard let him in. Security called ''Nightline'' representatives, and they met with Davis who demanded the segment not be aired and he be allowed to speak with Bashir. Davis was told that Bashir could not meet with him and that the interview was already edited and would air. The following week Hollywood film director
Paul Haggis Paul Edward Haggis (born March 10, 1953) is a Canadian screenwriter, film producer, and director of film and television. He is best known as screenwriter and producer for consecutive Best Picture Oscar winners ''Million Dollar Baby'' (2004) and ...
accused Davis of lying on
CNN CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...
, when Davis said disconnection did not happen, but Haggis and his wife were "ordered" by Scientology to disconnect from family. Haggis, in the same letter, announced he was leaving the organization. Davis responded that Haggis's claims were based on misunderstandings. In 2009, Larry Anderson, an actor, spoke with Davis about getting his money and leaving Scientology, which was reported in the ''
St. Petersburg Times The ''Tampa Bay Times'', previously named the ''St. Petersburg Times'' until 2011, is an American newspaper published in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. It has won fourteen Pulitzer Prizes since 1964, and in 2009, won two in a single ...
''. In July 2010 the Church of Scientology International publicized a "Scientology Newsroom" website tailored for members of the media; Davis was one of four international representatives for Scientology listed as spokespersons. John Sweeney and
Mike Rinder Michael John Rinder (; born 10 April 1955) is an Australian-American former senior executive of the Church of Scientology International (CSI) and the Sea Organization based in the United States. From 1982 to 2007, Rinder served on the board of ...
, a former Scientology relations officer stated in a BBC documentary, ''
The Secrets of Scientology ''The Secrets of Scientology'' is a documentary which was broadcast on 28 September 2010 as part of the BBC's '' Panorama'' documentary strand. Presented by John Sweeney, it is a follow-up of his 2007 investigation into the Church of Sciento ...
'', that Davis authorized the following of Sweeney in order to provoke a reaction by mental engagement. Davis was quoted as saying "I can drive him 'psychotic'."


Personal life

Davis is the son of real estate investor William Davis and film actress and Scientologist Anne Archer. He has a half-brother, Jeffrey Tucker Jastrow. His stepfather is an Emmy-award winning actor and producer, Terry Jastrow. Davis was raised as a
Christian Scientist Christian Science is a set of beliefs and practices associated with members of the Church of Christ, Scientist. Adherents are commonly known as Christian Scientists or students of Christian Science, and the church is sometimes informally known ...
, but his mother joined Scientology when he was 3 years old. Davis claims that after taking two courses at the Celebrity Centre, he became a Scientologist at the age of 17. He attended Harvard School For Boys in Los Angeles, a private Episcopal church-affiliated college preparatory school (now called Harvard-Westlake School). In 1990, he was accepted at
Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
. He attended college for a semester, but dropped out to join the Sea Org. Davis worked closely with actor and Scientologist
Tom Cruise Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (born July 3, 1962), known professionally as Tom Cruise, is an American actor and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actors, he has received various accolades, including an Honorary Palme d'Or and three Go ...
, frequently accompanying him on lobbying and diplomatic meetings for the church. He is a former friend of actor
Jason Beghe Jason Deneen Beghe (; born March 12, 1960) is an American actor. Since 2014, he has starred in the NBC TV series '' Chicago P.D.'' as sergeant Hank Voight. He is also known for starring in the 1988 George A. Romero film '' Monkey Shines'', play ...
, who left the church in 2007. He is independently wealthy as his family obtained success in the
real estate Real estate is property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this (also) an item of real property, (more general ...
business, and told ''Rolling Stone'': "I have enough money to never work a day in my life." Davis was married to Jessica Feshbach, who was a fellow spokesperson for the Church of Scientology but left that position in mid-2011. The pair divorced in 2018. They have two children. In 2019, he married Egyptian actress Maie Ibrahim.


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Davis, Tommy 1972 births Living people American Scientologists Former Christian Scientists Place of birth missing (living people) People from Riverside County, California Scientology officials People from Austin, Texas