Did Jennifer Aniston really fight to get out of a cult? According to one tabloid story, the Friends actress and Gerard Butler were drawn into the NXIVM sex cult and managed to escape unharmed. Gossip Cop investigates.
Aniston ‘Drawn In And Fought To Get Out’
According to New Idea, Aniston and “Butler unwittingly dabbled in the secret sex cult NXIVM.” The two “wound up at one of the introductory seminars,” according to a source. She and Butler “took to the cult’s courses,” which impressed some other members. The two “were turned off by the level of commitment expected of them,” the tabloid says, “and never returned.”
Not Exactly A Daring Escape
The main issue Gossip Cop has with this story is not the content exactly but the misleading title. It’s a bit of a stretch to say Aniston was “drawn in” by the organization, and she certainly never “fought to get out.” This is yet another bait and switch story from New Idea which promises a salacious story and delivers very little. This is just like when this tabloid said Bindi Irwin was having quadruplets only to immediately clarify in the actual article that she was only having one baby.
What Really Happened
Aniston and Butler never “became confirmed or active members in NXIVM.” A recent docuseries about the organization said the two did attend a class once, for the public side of this alleged sex cult was one of empowerment and self-help. The people within the organization would then say Aniston attended courses as a way of enticing people to join the cult.
Aniston was as much a part of NXIVM as the folks who attend a timeshare seminar for free food. It was a tenuous connection at best, but her fame means it’ll be in stories like this. Saying Aniston “fought to get out” mitigates the actual efforts from people like India Oxenberg and her mother Catherine who actually did fight to get out of NXIVM and continue to work to take it down.
Other Misleading Stories From This Tabloid
This tabloid recently ran an article saying Hugh Jackman was being recruited into Scientology against his wife’s wishes. Jackman is not being recruited by Tom Cruise to do anything, and a rep for the Logan star said there was “less than zero truth to this rumor.” It looks like Hollywood stars being recruited into organizations is just a story New Idea likes to print.
This tabloid should not be trusted when it comes to stories about Aniston either. It said her health was at risk because she feared what Matthew Perry may reveal in a tell-all memoir, but Perry isn’t writing a tell-all memoir. George Clooney was leaning on Aniston while his marriage was on the brink, but George and Amal Clooney are not getting divorced. Throw in a baseless story about her dating David Schwimmer, and we can clearly see that New Idea is only focused on selling magazines and not on telling the truth.