Meet John Travolta and Kelly Preston's New Baby

John Travolta and Kelly Preston had tried for another child for three years, so the surprise news last year that Preston was pregnant left them "completely blown away!" the actress told People Magazine in an exclusive interview.

Now, less than two months after Preston, 48, delivered Benjamin on November 23rd, the proud parents are showing off their little "miracle."

"He's given the house a renewed spirit and purpose," says Travolta, 56, who held Preston's hand during labor as their 10-year-old daughter Ella Bleu waited excitedly outside the room with actress Kirstie Alley, a close family pal.

These days, the Travolta home in Ocala, Florida, is filled with joy, lullabies from Dad ("A Bushel and a Peck," from the musical Guys and Dolls, is a favorite), readings of Good Night, Gorilla and hugs from big sister Ella. Best moment for both parents so far? Benjamin's first smile.

For the exclusive interview and family photo album, pick up the new issue of People, on newsstands Friday.

John Travolta Enraged by Gay Sex Claims

John Travolta is said to be furious after a gossip website published claims that he had sex with men in saunas.

Gawker.com published claims made by Robert Randolph, who plans to release a tell-all book about the star – and other celebrities – having alleged gay affairs.

According to Gossipcop, Travolta’s lawyer Marty Singer has demanded that the story be removed immediately and a prominent retraction issued.

In a letter sent to Gawker, Singer accused the site of publishing “blatant defamatory lies” from a “patently unreliable source” and said Randolph had admitted suffering “permanent brain damage” in 2003.

Singer said that Randolph’s claims “go back fifteen years, yet inexplicably, he has waited until now to peddle these phony tall tales”.

He added that the idea of Travolta committing adultery in public repeatedly was “absolutely ridiculous”.

Gawker, which is known for refusing to budge on contentious stories, listed Randolph’s claims in detail and said: “Most media outlets. . . were too shy to delve into the steamy details. We’re not quite as timid.”

Singer wrote that this claim was “significantly compounding the damages” incurred by Travolta. At the time of publication, the website had not removed the story.

The letter was sent shortly before Travolta’s wife of 20 years, Kelly Preston, gave birth to their third child.

The Secret Sex Life of John Travolta

[Editor's Note: This story appeared on Gawker.com a while back and was written before John Travolta's wife, Kelly Preston, gave birth to their third child, Benjamin.]

Author Robert Randolph has been talking to the tabloids about John Travolta's habit of hooking up with men at Los Angeles saunas. Most media outlets, however, were too shy to delve into the steamy details. We're not quite as timid.

Randolph, an interior designer by trade, says he first started visiting LA's City Spa in 1995. It wasn't long, he claims, before he encountered fellow member and notorious closet case John Travolta, who frequented the spa to hook up with other men. He's publishing an account of his run-ins with Travolta—and a number of other celebrities—on the spa scene in a self-published book entitled You'll Never Spa in This Town Again, which you can pre-order on his website. In recent weeks, Randolph has been busy talking with tabloids such as the National Enquirer and Star, about what he witnessed. (He says the Enquirer even subjected him to a lie detector test, which he says he passed with flying (rainbow) colors.) But mainstream tabloids have generally been skittish about printing some of the more explicit details from Randolph's days on the spa circuit.

Randolph says his first encounter with Travolta, who was then in his early 40s, took place in one of the spa's steam rooms.

"I walked in and the guy was giving John a blowjob and, like guys do, he pulled his head up when I walked in. Then they left the room," Randolph described Travolta's mate as a "very handsome, very hung" Middle-Eastern man. "I decided to follow them. There was an empty massage room upstairs where guys could go and have sex. I followed them up there and I went in the next room where I normally got my massages, and I watched them have sex. Full-blown sex. Anal." In case you're wondering, Travolta is a bottom.

It was after he'd seen Travolta getting it on with numerous men at the spa that Randolph had a run-in of his own.

"We were both next to each other in the steam room and he started stroking his dick. It was hard," Randolph says. "He undid my towel and said, 'Let's have some fun.' I said no. I told him I wasn't comfortable."

There's nothing wrong with hooking up with guys in bathhouses; we firmly believe that consenting adults should have as much sex as humanly possible. But Travolta's salacious trips to steam rooms are a little unusual considering the circumstances. Not only has he been married to Kelly Preston since 1991 (and fathered three children with her, including one that died and one that's about to be born any day now), he's also a prominent member of the Church of Scientology, which believes in "curing" people of their homosexuality. Critics of the church claim that information culled during "auditing sessions"—a process in which members clear themselves of "negative influences" and occasionally brings up details of sexual liaisons—is used to keep celebrities in the closet and in the church. Scientology's position on homosexuality, needless to say, is controversial. Indeed the church's hard-line stance has lost them a number of prominent members in recent years.

But Scientology's position of the issue hasn't stopped Travolta from leading a rather active gay sex life, according to Randolph. Travolta, he says, visited gay spas several times a week, and was always on the lookout for some man-on-man action. And Randolph claims he's seen Travolta in any number of compromising positions over the years.

"I've seen people sucking his dick. I've seen him sucking other guys' dicks. Anal wasn't always involved. But there was always action of some kind," he says. "It was often sucking, masturbating, and jerking off in front of everyone." Not the sort of behavior, in other words, that one would be expect from a member of an anti-gay group that many call a cult.

According to Randolph, Travolta definitely has a type. "His preference is Middle Eastern or guys with dark features," he explains. "His taste has changed over the 15 years that I've seen him visiting spas. First he strictly liked black guys. For the longest time if you weren't black, he didn't want you. Then he was into Middle Eastern men. Then it was Mexicans and other Hispanic guys. Then he moved on to Koreans. I guess he doesn't have much of a preference any more."

If there's one thing he likes, though, it's guys with big dicks, Randolph claims. Especially if the men in question are straight. "He does do more masculine gay guys, but his thing is straight guys," Randolph says. "He pulls them in because they're shocked and impressed that it's Travolta and that they're hooking up with him."

How on earth does the actor seduce all these straight guys? The lure of celebrity plays a big part. "In the beginning, he would come in and people would recognize him and he would let people approach him," Randolph says of Travolta's seduction technique. "He's very personable, and he would use the fact he's a star to reel guys in." Eventually, he took that for granted. "It got to the point where he wouldn't even look at a person's eyes, he'd just stare at their cock and then follow them off to a more secluded space. That's how he operates now. For the last couple of years, he's had no discretion."

While Randolph isn't afraid to get into some of the dirty details, there are a few things he didn't want to get into, like the size of Travolta's endowment or some of the more outrageous things he's seen him do over the years. "That's in the book. But he's over-the-top kinky," Randolph says. "Dirty, dirty, kinky, kinky. Stuff no one in their right mind would want to come out."

Speaking of never coming out, it's doubtful Travolta ever will—especially considering he has a pregnant wife and is devoted to an anti-gay "religious" group. According to Randolph, though, it's hardly a secret. "Everyone in LA knows."

John Travolta and Kelly Preston Welcome a Son

John Travolta and wife Kelly Preston are parents to son Benjamin, who was born Tuesday in a Florida hospital.

The baby weighed 8 lbs., 3 oz.

"John, Kelly and their daughter Ella Bleu are ecstatic and very happy about the newest member of the family," they say in a statement. "Both mother and baby are healthy and doing beautifully."

Preston, 48, said recently that the entire family was in major preparation mode for their new addition as her pregnancy neared its end.

"I've been cleaning out everything in the house," Preston said in September. "Ella has been helping too. She's looking forward to being a big sister."

Travolta, 56, and Preston's son Jett suffered a fatal seizure at age 16 in January 2009.

Dallas to Return to Televison

Beloved soap Dallas is to be updated for the small screen after efforts to turn the project into a major movie failed.

John Travolta and Jennifer Lopez were both attached to the film project, but now the entire idea has been scrapped - and instead, Dallas will be heading back to TV.

Network bosses at America's TNT have reportedly warmed to the pilot episodes of the updated Dallas and there are now plans to air them for fans.

Executive producer Cynthia Cidre, who tasted success as the writer of acclaimed film The Mambo Kings, plans to bring back the Ewings of Southfork in the oil-rich saga of family scandal and betrayals.

Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy, Victoria Principal and Linda Gray starred in the original series. It is not known if any of the original cast will be returning for the revamp.

John Travolta and Kelly Preston are Expecting!

John Travolta and Kelly Preston, who have lived through the tragedy of losing a son, can now announce the best news they've had in years.

Preston, 47, is pregnant, the family tells People magazine.

"It’s impossible to keep a secret ... especially one as wonderful as this," they say in a statement. "We want to be the first to share this great news with everyone that we are expecting a new addition to our family.
Love, John, Kelly and Ella"

Travolta, 56, and Preston are also parents to Ella Bleu, 10. Their 16-year-old son Jett, died of a seizure in January 2009.

The family also shared the news Tuesday on Travolta’s and Preston's wedsites.

John Travolta's First Interview Since Jett's Death

John Travolta was on “Ellen” Wednesday with his nine-year-old daughter Ella for an emotional interview.

Ellen didn’t ask him about the death of his son Jett last January or even really get the chance to ask John how he was doing. He started off right away with a heartfelt thanks to everyone for all the love and support that’s been sent his way, which was very sweet. He said it with such enthusiasm that you can tell it really has meant something and been helpful for John and his family.

The entire interview on “Ellen” was pretty emotional – John teared up when talking about how proud he was of Ella on her first acting role.

John Travolta says he is grateful for all of the support he has received since his son Jett died at age 16 following a seizure this past January.

“I just want to take one moment to thank each and every one of you throughout this country, through out the world for all your support and all your love for our family,” he says on The Ellen DeGeneres Show Wednesday. “Thank you very much.”

His 9-year-old daughter Ella, who makes her film debut with her dad in their upcoming comedy Old Dogs (out on November 25th), also appeared with him for her first talk show interview.

“You are so proud of her, aren’t you?” DeGeneres asks Travolta, 45, of his daughter.

“I’m holding back the tears…” he says as DeGeneres hands him a tissue.

Travolta also reveals his new hobby: tennis. “I play everyday,” he says. “I play at midnight, kind of vampire-style.” Who does he play with? His housing staff. “The house manager and the house maintenance person,” he says. “At midnight, we go to the local tennis court.”

John told a funny story about the first time he flew on an airplane at eight years old. While he’s always been a big aviation buff and had already been collecting everything plane-related that he could get his then-little hands on, he didn’t know that planes had bathrooms. He hadn’t gone, and was so excited that he wet his pants. It’s a funny story the way he tells it. Funnier still that he’d admit to it.

In the interview, John seemed to be doing fine after staying away from the public eye since Jett's death.

Mistrial Declared in John Travolta Extortion Case

After nearly four weeks in a courtroom, a Bahamian judge declared a surprise mistrial late Wednesday in the John Travolta extortion trial, leaving the actor and his attorneys mystified and upset.

Senior Supreme Court Judge Anita Allen declared a mistrial because of juror misconduct following an announcement from a local politician that one of the defendants had been acquitted – before the jurors came back with their verdict. Allen ordered a retrial, but did it remains unclear when, if ever, the case will be retried.

"This came out of the clear blue; this was so weird," Mike Ossi, one of Travolta’s Florida lawyers stated.

First Hint of Trouble

Ossi, an entertainment lawyer who was also a prosecution witness, says the first hint of trouble came when a police officer heard on TV that one of the defendants – a onetime Bahamian senator named Pleasant Bridgewater – had been acquitted.

"The police officer said, 'It looks like Pleasant got off,' " Ossi said.

News of Bridgewater’s so-called acquittal was on TV two hours before the foreman told the judge the nine-member jury was having difficulty reaching a verdict, Ossis said.

Bridgewater (who resigned her position as a senator with the Progressive Liberal Party in the wake of the scandal) and paramedic Tarino Lightbourn were charged with conspiring to extort $25 million from Travolta. The prosecution sought to prove they demanded money in exchange for not releasing information to the press in connection with his 16-year-old son's death last January. Jett Travolta died on January 2nd, following a seizure in the family vacation home on Grand Bahama island.

Travolta on the Stand

The paramedic claimed to have a medical document that Travolta signed, requesting his son be driven to the airport so he could fly the boy for treatment in Florida rather than go to the local hospital in Freeport. One of the more compelling moments of the trial occurred when Travolta stoically told the jury he did not read the document he signed because, "Time was of the essence."

At another point, he testified about helping a nanny perform CPR on his son.

"My son was autistic and he suffered from seizure disorder every five to 10 days," Travolta, 55, told the court. "He would suffer a seizure that would last 45 seconds to a minute, and sleep for 12 hours."

Lightbourn had kept the original form because it had the signature of a famous actor, another Travolta Florida attorney, Michael McDermott, testified. The paramedic ultimately enlisted the help of Bridgewater to sell the document, with the senator telling McDermott the document showed "Mr. Travolta either intentionally killed his child or was negligent, and that this document is evidence that Mr. Travolta tried to flee the jurisdiction with his child’s dead body," McDermott said.

McDermott proved central to the prosecution in that he helped capture the defendants talking about their demands on secretly recorded audio and videotape. On the tapes, the parties discuss various sums of money ranging from thousands of dollars to $25 million.

In one tape. McDermott says to Lightbourn: "You know what we're both doing here is a criminal offense."

Lightbourn nods and says: "Yes."

His attorney, Bridgewater, listening in on speakerphone, says nothing.

Slow to Decide

Despite this compelling evidence, the jury, which began deliberations around 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, moved ponderously. Around 10:30 p.m., the jury told the judge they were having difficulty reaching a verdict. Judge Allen instructed them to try to resolve their differences. But 10 minutes later, the judge called a mistrial.

"John [Travolta] was upset," Ossi says. "He wants to know more."

It's believed one of the jurors called a politician in Freeport and told him Bridgewater had been acquitted, Ossi said. That call would have taken place at the same time the jury was deliberating.

A mistrial came as no surprise to some court observers who predicted politics played a role throughout the trial. Bridgewater had been a rising star within the PLP when she was arrested in January. One of the prosecution's main witnesses, Allyson Maynard-Gibson, is a PLP senator and Travolta's Bahamian attorney. Gibson's involvement in the case caused a great rift in the party.

Prominent members of the PLP came out in force to support Bridgewater during the trial.

Accused Paramedic Convinced John Travolta 'Intentionally Killed' Son, Jett

The paramedic accused of attempting to extort $25 million from John Travolta was convinced the actor had "intentionally killed" his teenage son, according to the star's attorney.

Tarino Lightbourne and his lawyer, former Bahamian Senator Pleasant Bridgewater, are on trial in Nassau facing charges of conspiracy to extort millions from the grieving actor following Jett's death from a fatal seizure in January.

Travolta's attorney Michael McDermott took the stand on Thursday to testify and revealed the details of the bribery plot the defendants approached him with.

At the centre of the case is a Refusal of Treatment/Transportation form, which releases the medics from liability, that the actor had signed after requesting the paramedics drive the family to the airport. The actor initially believed it would be faster to fly Jett to a hospital in Florida, but subsequently changed his mind.

McDermott described how he received a phone call from Bridgewater on 12 January - 10 days after Jett died - threatening to release the document to the media if Travolta refused to meet their demands for cash.

According to McDermott, Bridgewater told him, "It's my client's contention that Mr. Travolta either intentionally killed his child or was negligent, and this document is firm evidence that he illegally tried to flee the jurisdiction with a dead body."

She allegedly admitted Lightbourne had kept the form because it was "signed by a celebrity", before going on to propose a "substantial" amount of money to keep the form out of the public eye.

Bridgewater allegedly told the star's attorney, "The documents can be Mr. Travolta's or it can be the world's."

Responding to Bridgewater's bribe, McDermott recalled, "I said, 'You are playing a very dangerous game lady... We are going to the police. You're going to be in big trouble.'"

Lightbourne's lawyer replied, "My client has already taken that into consideration and, frankly, he doesn't care."

The pair has pleaded not guilty. The trial continues.

John Travolta Cross-Examined in Extortion Case

A subdued John Travolta returned to the stand Wednesday in the ongoing trial in the Bahamas involving an alleged extortion plot following the January death of his 16-year-old son Jett.

Dressed in a charcoal gray suit and accompanied by wife Kelly Preston, the actor, 55, entered a Nassau courtroom in the morning to continue testimony in the case, in which prosecutors have accused former Bahamian Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater and paramedic Tarino Lightbourn of plotting to extort $25 million from Travolta in return for not making public a document relating to Jett's treatment. The pair have pleaded not guilty.

During direct examination, Travolta testified that he had first heard about the alleged extortion attempt from Ronald Zupancic, a friend and employee of the actor. "[Zupancic] was upset. He said that there was a threat and a demand of money that Mr. McDermott, my attorney, had alerted him to with a release paper that I had signed in the Bahamas," said Travolta.

"I spoke to my attorney, and he needed to investigate the matter. I gave him permission to go to the authorities based on the information he gave me," Travolta also said.

Quietly nervous and at times clasping his hands together, the star told prosecutor Bernard Turner that a demand was made for a sum of $25 million in regard to the document, which released the paramedics from liability for not transporting the patient to a hospital. (Later that morning, the decision was made to take Jett to the hospital.)

Turner then asked what would happen if Travolta did not meet their demands.

"If it were not met, then certain stories connected to that document would be sold to the press," replied Travolta. "They were stories that implied that the death of my son was intentional – that I was culpable in some way."

Vouch for Accuracy

Cross-examination followed, with attorney Murrio Ducille – who is representing Bridgewater – asking Travolta if he knew the former Bahamian senator.

"Do I know her? No," replied Travolta, who added that Bridgewater did not issue a direct demand or threat to him.

"So you acted based on what you were told by Mr. Zupancic?" asked Ducille.

"Yes," replied Travolta.

"So you really could not vouch for the accuracy of what he told you?" asked Ducille.

"No," replied Travolta.

A similar cross-examination of Travolta by Lightbourn's attorney then followed, in which Travolta acknowledged that "no direct demand" had been made to him for the $25 million but that he believed his advisors and that the information they had given him had been truthful.

At one point, Judge Anita Allen spoke up, asking Travolta, "Can you say categorically that what was said to you is what was said?"

"Categorically?" responded Travolta. "No."

Key Evidence Destroyed in Travolta Case?

On January 19th, Pleasant Bridgewater, who had been a Bahamian senator and well-respected member of the Progressive Liberal Party at the time, met with John Travolta's attorney to iron out payment for a document regarding medical treatment for the actor's son on the day he died.

Three days later, Bridgewater was under arrest for extortion and, according to a police report, admitted to the Bahamian authorities that she had destroyed a copy of the document in question – a "Refusal of Treatment/Transportation" form her client, paramedic Tarino Lightbourn, had insisted Travolta sign when he sought to have his son taken to an airstrip rather than a hospital on January 2nd.

What happened to the original – a key piece of evidence in the case of the two people who allegedly attempted to extort $25 million from Travolta shortly after his son's death – is the latest revelation in the case. The trial is now underway in the Bahamas. Travolta himself has already testified in court, recounting how he raced to save Jett, 16, last January.

Police Find the Candle

The nature of the document became so incendiary to Bridgewater that she allegedly set a match to her copy. According to a report written by Sgt. Deborah Thompson of the Central Detective Unit of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the police searched Bridgewater's law office in Freeport on Jan. 22, looking for the refusal form, but Bridgewater told them "she had already destroyed it," Thompson wrote in a Jan. 30 report. When asked what she had done with it, the report added, "she replied that she only had a copy, but after she noticed that the incident was about to explode, she used a candle at her home and lit the document on fire and flush(ed) the ashes in the toilet bowl at her residence."

The police later found the candle she used while searching her home.

"Whilst at her residence, she directed officers to a white candle in a glass, which when examined had what appeared to be ashes in it," Thompson added in her report.

Lightbourn was caught on a secretly recorded video stating he had the original document. On Jan. 20, Travolta's attorney, Michael McDermott, allowed police to secretly videotape his negotiations with the paramedic over payment for the document. McDermott had also secretly recorded his meeting with Bridgewater on Jan. 19.

Police were later unsuccessful in retrieving the original document, and Lightbourn says he doesn't know where it is.

John Travolta Testifies About Son's Death

In calm testimony Wednesday, John Travolta described in Bahamian court how he helped a nanny perform CPR on his 16-year-old son Jett, who died earlier this year.

"Jeff [Kathrein], the other nanny, was doing some compressions. I was doing the breathing," said the actor, whose son was in the downstairs bedroom of their condo in Old Bahamas Bay.

In the extortion trial that started this week, the prosecution alleges that paramedic Tarino Lightbourn – one of the first people to arrive on the scene last Jan. 2 when Jett Travolta died after suffering a seizure at his family's house – and his attorney, former Bahamian Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater, conspired to extort $25 million from Travolta in return for not making public a document relating to Jett's treatment. The pair have pleaded not guilty.

Travolta's Testimony

The actor stood before the court during his testimony, which is standard practice in the British system. At times he leaned forward on a podium when he spoke. He testified that his son had a history of seizures and – for the first time – publicly said that his son suffered from autism.

"My son was autistic and he suffered from seizure disorder every 5 to 10 days," Travolta told the court. "He would suffer a seizure that would last 45 seconds to a minute and sleep for 12 hours."

On the morning of his son's death, Travolta said he was awakened by nanny Eli Wheaton. "He was pounding on the door upstairs where we were sleeping," said the actor, who then quickly ran downstairs to find people already trying to save his son.

"I took the place of the woman who was doing CPR. She was an employee of Old Bahama Bay who I recognized as such," he said.

Efforts to Save Jett

After a brief recess, Travolta continued his testimony Wednesday on efforts to save his son. "We continued the CPR and my wife was holding my son's head at this point," he said, wiping his head as he spoke."

A defibrillator was used until paramedics arrived about 40 minutes later, he said. Jett was then put on a gurney. "I spoke with the ambulance driver and asked him if he would take us to the airport," Travolta said. The ambulance driver then gave him a document for release of liability and he signed it.

When the judge asked Travolta if he read the document before signing, the actor said he did not. "Because time was of the essence," he noted.

Travolta arrived hand-in-hand with his wife Kelly Preston in the courtroom Wednesday, soft-spoken and calm during his testimony. Both were described as "graceful" by a courtroom observer, who added that the couple did not get teary-eyed.

Case Against Paramedic and Attorney

On Tuesday morning, prosecutors made their opening statement to the nine-member jury. The first trial witness, police inspector Andrew Wells, testified that after Jett was placed in an ambulance that day, Lightbourn said that Travolta wanted his son taken directly to the airport instead of to a hospital.

Wells testified that Travolta signed a form that released the paramedics from liability for not transporting the patient to a hospital.

At some point that morning, the decision was made to take Jett to the hospital. Nonetheless, prosecutors allege that Lightbourn and Bridgewater threatened to release private information – including the signed release form – unless Travolta paid them $25 million.

Emotional Stakes High for John Travolta at Extortion Trial

As a court in the Bahamas convened Tuesday morning in the extortion case involving the January death of John Travolta and wife Kelly Preston's 16-year-old son, Jett, the grieving father had to summon all his strength to attend.

A friend of the actor's said that Travolta, 55, "had to dig deep" in order to return to the Bahamas and testify. "Going back was hard for him," says the friend. "The memories were too painful."

Still, says the friend, some good is expected to come out of the court proceedings. Referring to Travolta and Preston, the friend said, "This is something that has been hanging over their heads, so going and dealing with this matter will help them move on. This is going to be closure for them."

The prosecution alleges that paramedic Tarino Lightbourn – one of the first people to arrive on the scene on Jan. 2 when Jett Travolta suffered a seizure at his family's house in the Bahamas – and his attorney, former Bahamian Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater, conspired to extort $25 million from Travolta in return for not making public a document relating to Jett's treatment. The pair have pleaded not guilty.

On the witness stand Tuesday morning, Lightbourn's partner, paramedic Derrex Rolle, established, for the first time publicly, that Jett Travolta was unresponsive by the time the paramedics arrived and said "there was no sign of life" when they examined him.

"Jett was lying down on his back," Rolle testified. "And there was no sign of life. He was not responding. I checked him for carotid pulse. I checked ABC – air, breathing, circulation."

Asked by the prosecutor, "Was he breathing?," Rolle responded, "No sir."

Will John Travolta Renounce Scientology?

There's a rumor going around that one of Scientology's most powerful proponents, John Travolta, is looking to leave the draconian religion once and for all. After the year he's had, it would make sense.

According to the Daily Mail, it appears to be a very real possibility. To say Travolta's had a rough go of it recently would be putting it very, very lightly.

On the business side of things, Travolta's big role this year performed under studio expectations. A complete aside, when you consider his personal life:

His son Jett - reportedly autistic, a diagnosis the Church of Scientology refuses to dignify - passed away earlier this year. Travolta defied Scientology and acknowledged it. Some sleazy gossip website put together a theory that enlists the idea of Travolta not only having a gay lover, but the gay lover - his son's nanny - being a primary cause of his son's death. Which is besides the fact that someone tried to extort him over documents involved in his son's transportation, and his wife might've tried (successfully) to get Roger Friedman fired by going to the top brass at Fox over Friedman's comments on Scientology.

All of this gives the Daily Mail's report some ground to walk on, when they note:

His distress, say sources close to him, has been compounded by the first cracks in his 34-year relationship with the Church of Scientology, the cult-like religion of which Travolta is a prominent and generous benefactor. And there are dark mutterings that if he carries out private threats to leave, the organisation will go public with embarrassing details of his private life, including, it is claimed, allegations of past homosexual relationships. Sources in the U.S. disclosed to me this week that his son's sudden death has 'deeply shaken' Travolta's faith in the strange sect, which makes wild claims about its ability to cure a variety of physical and mental disorders.

There's more talk of Travolta taking late night drives by himself, and being in a "state of constant distress." There's the very evident weight Travolta's gained. There's the memory of Scientology's scary-ass leader David Miscavage slagging on Travolta's sexuality:

Earlier, the prestigious Time magazine also reported allegations made by Richard Aznaran, the former security head of Scientology, that the Church's leader, David Miscavige, had repeatedly joked about Travolta's 'promiscuous homosexual behaviour'.

And then there's the fact that Scientology has a well known history of intimidation of the physical and emotional stripe. This goes without saying, but: Travolta's donated millions of dollars, and what could only be thousands of hours to the church throughout his life. Shit, he made Battlefield Earth.

For a celebrity of Travolta's stature to renounce Scientology would be massive, for both parties. Even rumors of Travolta's potential departure from the religion are pretty damning. Granted, it'll be a difficult path if he chooses to take it - the resistance he'll encounter from the highest levels of the religion are potentially fiscally, emotionally, and physically dangerous to his livelihood - but one that could shake Scientology to its absolute core.

John Travolta, Defying Scientology, Acknowledged Son's Autism

Jett's death last year, Travolta acknowledged in his own words that "Jett suffered from a seizure disorder and was autistic." That's a big no-no in Scientology.

The report was obtained by the National Enquirer. Travolta's use of the term "autistic" seems to be a break from church doctrine, which teaches that pyschiatric diagnoses are fake ailments invented by Nazi psychiatrists so they can give people drugs to keep them from realizing their true potential of controlling the physical world with their minds.

Prior to Jett's death, his mother Kelly Preston attributed his problems to a rare disorder called Kawasaki disease and to "environmental toxins" from carpet-cleaners. She claimed that a Scientological detoxification regime had helped to ease his symptoms.

After Jett's death, Scientology representatives denied that the church has taken a stance on autism, saying, "It's medicine. The church deals with the spirit. If people have a medical problem or a physical ailment, they go to a doctor. It's church policy that they do so and they get that addressed." But autism is a psychiatric disorder described in DSM-IV, psychiatry's diagnostic bible. While a case could be made that Travolta was only using the term generally, to describe a disorder with physical roots that he thought could be explained, Scientology-style, by toxins, it's certainly unusual for a high-profile representative of the church to use the word.

John Travolta & Kelly Preston: How They're Coping

A few days ago, John Travolta and Kelly Preston threw a birthday party for their daughter Ella Bleu, who turned 9 on April 3rd, "just as they would any other year," says a close friend of the family.

And yet this year has been marked by deep tragedy for John, 55, and Kelly, 46, who are still reeling from the sudden loss of their only son Jett on January 2nd in the Bahamas. Since his death from a seizure disorder, the family has remained out of the spotlight, even keeping a low profile in their adopted hometown of Ocala, Florida.

"John is a strong man, but we want to leave him in peace," Olivia Newton-John, a longtime pal, tells People in its new cover story. "To lose a loved one – it's the worst time in anyone's life."

Still, they have slowly begun letting the world back in – starting by reaching out to those closest to them. "They aren't secluding themselves or paralyzed," says the family friend, who saw them recently. "[Seeing them] was like old times. Nothing awkward and no topics to dance around. There were smiles."

Another friend tells People that the couple are leaning on their strong Scientology beliefs and their close bonds to cope with losing Jett, who would have turned 17 on April 13th.

"They're relying on their faith to get them through this," says the friend. "Their faith is solid, and their family is solid." Adds their pal, actress Leah Remini: "How do you deal with the greatest tragedy in your life? I can tell you that they are handling it the best any parent could ever deal."

For more on this story, pick up the new issue of People, on newsstands Friday.

Bahamas Police Probe Travolta Extortion Allegation

Bahamas authorities are investigating a suspected extortion attempt against actor John Travolta, whose son died there this month, and a senator was under arrest, although no charges had been filed, police said on Friday.

Police Commissioner Reginald Ferguson said his officers were investigating an extortion complaint by Travolta.

Police would not elaborate on the nature of the allegation.

Media reports said it was a threat to sell pictures of Jett Travolta's body if the actor refused to pay for them himself.

Jett Travolta, 16, died on January 2 of a seizure disorder after being found unconscious at his family's home in the Old Bahama Bay resort on Grand Bahama Island.

Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater was arrested but no charges had been filed in the case, police said. Under Bahamian law, police can hold someone for 48 hours without charges.

Senior Assistant Police Commissioner Marvin Dames also said a medical worker wanted for questioning had appeared voluntarily before investigators, accompanied by a lawyer.

Member of Parliament Obie Wilchcombe, a former minister of tourism and a friend of the Travolta family, was being questioned at police headquarters in Freeport, where Bridgewater was under arrest, Dames said.

"Mr. Wilchcombe is one of those persons we need to talk to see whether he is able to help with our investigations," Dames said. "He was taken in but I don't want to suggest he was taken in and would be charged. Our investigations are fluid and so, as we go forward, there are persons of interest we need to see and talk to."

Bridgewater, a Freeport attorney, is a former member of the Bahamian parliament who was defeated in the 2007 general election. She was later appointed to the Senate.

Jett Travolta was found unconscious in a bathroom at his family's home after suffering a seizure. His father and paramedics tried to revive him but he was pronounced dead after being rushed by ambulance to a Freeport hospital. The teenager had a history of seizures.

The boy's body was cremated in the Bahamas and his ashes were returned to Florida, where Travolta and his wife, actress Kelly Preston, held a memorial service at their home near Ocala.

Source: Reuters.com

Private Memorial Service Held for Jett Travolta

Friends and family of John Travolta held a private memorial service on Thursday for the actor's son, Jett, whose sudden death last week brought an outpouring of grief from fans.

The service took place at the Ocala, Florida home of Travolta and his actress wife, Kelly Preston. Security staff outside the residence kept the media at bay and details were scarce.

The sudden death of Jett Travolta, 16, who passed away after a seizure six days ago while on vacation in the Bahamas, triggered a wave of condolences from fans of John Travolta, the popular star of "Saturday Night Fever" and "Pulp Fiction."

On Thursday, actor Tom Cruise discussed the family's loss. Like Travolta and Preston, Cruise is a member of the Church of Scientology.

"It's horrific," Cruise said in an interview for "The View" television show, which taped on Thursday. "It's just horrific. Here you have a man, both of them doting parents, they're wonderful people and..." His voice trailed off before finishing the sentence.

At the time of his death, a statement issued by the family said Jett had a history of seizures, but prior to that Travolta and Preston had said that their son suffered from the little-known Kawasaki syndrome when he was a toddler.
Friends said he had developmental disabilities that meant he was not heard speaking.

"I observed that (Jett) was significantly mentally handicapped," actress Anne Archer, a friend of Travolta, was quoted as telling People magazine in its Friday edition.

"But it was very apparent with the two of them that they treated him as if he was a completely normal child. ... It was a kind of sweet exchange where (John) was just happy with anything that Jett offered," Archer said.

Jett's remains were cremated in the Bahamas and his memorial was expected to follow guidelines of Scientology. Believers think that, while there is no heaven or hell, individuals live on as immortal spiritual beings.

The death has sparked controversy over whether the couple's Scientology beliefs affected the management of their son's condition. But on "The View," Cruise denied Scientology discouraged the seeking of medical care.

"That's just not true. It's actually false. They say 'Get your physical, get your medication, get your physical illnesses handled,'" Cruise said.

Source: Reuters

John Travolta's Teenage Son Dies

John Travolta's 16-year-old son Jett has died while vacationing with his parents in the Bahamas. Reuters reports that Jett suffered a seizure at the Old Bahama Bay Hotel on Grand Bahama Island. A spokeswoman for the local police said Jett banged his head on a bathtub Friday morning, January 2nd. TMZ broke the story this afternoon and Rand Memorial Hospital confirmed the death.

"At this point, we know that John Travolta and Kelly Preston's only son, Jett, had a seizure at around 10 AM this morning," the family's attorney Michael Ossi told CNN. "All attempts to revive him were unsuccessful."

The Travolta family has long denied rumors that Jett suffered from autism, claiming that the boy instead had Kawasaki Syndrome, an inflammatory disorder of the artery walls which often leads to heart disease. Jett, who had a history of seizures, was the eldest child of Travolta and Preston. The couple also have a daughter, Ella Blue, who is 8.