A handful of Church of Scientology members spent their morning milling in front of the 40 Times Square, handing out free copies of a Eustace Tilley-riffing issue of their church’s magazine, Freedom, to entering Condé Naste reporters.

Comedian Bill Maher appeared on CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS yesterday, and was asked by the host to share his thoughts on the Tea Party movement and its relationship to religion. “When you watched Glenn Beck‘s rally,” Zakaria asked “what’s fascinating is that it was mostly about religion.” Maher did not demur in his response, saying
“I think he’s doing what some people before him have done like L. Ron Hubbard, who’s a novelist and decided, you know what, it’s a much easier gig to be a religious leader.” <

How to make a perfect summer news story: Step 1- Have a bunch of women walk around topless as a way to protest the hypocrisy that guys can bare their chests but ladies can’t. Step 2- Have those same women all be from a religion that believes that humans were created by alien scientists. Step 3- Cross at least two selections off your “Words I Want to Use In a Headline Someday” wish list.

The Church of Scientology and journalists do not get along very well, it’s fair to say. Hard-hitting investigative reports with titles like “Inside Scientology” have become fast-track ways for journos to prove themselves; just a few weeks ago, a spokesman for Scientology stormed off the set of Nightline when Martin Bashir asked him about Emperor Xenu.

Last night’s episode of ABC’s Nightline included interviews about the Church of Scientology, one of which ended when Scientology spokesman Tommy Davis stood up, tore off his microphone and stormed off the set.