Fame isn’t for everyone. If you can’t handle anonymous mean comments online, malicious rumors, or obsessive stalker fans and equally obsessive stalker haters, being part of the general population is the way to go for you.
Like all other famous people, Hollywood A-lister Tom Cruise is also plagued with rumors of varying topics ranging from his religion to his network, to his romance and his wealth. But the most famous of these, as famous as the actor himself if not more, is the one regarding his sexuality.
Despite all his legal and social actions to maintain his privacy and his reputation, Tom Cruise keeps falling victim to these issues. The rumors that say the actor is gay and those that feed on them, both incidentally or on purpose, just would not let him go.
Such is the case of Chad Slater.
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Who is Chad Slater?
Chad Slater, who is also known as Phil Notaro, is mostly described in the news reports that followed as a adult content actor who specialized in nude wrestling.
However, some reports also say simply that he is a gay erotic actor. The rest is due to his work as an actor in a series of adult films and graphic gay-themed wrestling videos using the stage name Kyle Bradford.
In 2001, he was sued by Tom Cruise for his claim that they had an affair.
What Is Chad Slater Famous For?
Chad Slater had been famous in the adult industry in his own right, enough that he actually had magazine interviews.
But one particular magazine interview shot him to fame in mainstream media. Negative fame, yes, but fame nevertheless, in mainstream media.
What Is Chad Slater’s Relation to Tom Cruise?
It’s no surprise that famous actor Tom Cruise is constantly hounded by all sorts of tabloids and paparazzi waiting for any breaking news about him, regardless of the possible consequences to the actor.
That said, rumors of his sexuality have always been the media’s favorite topic. Decades may have passed by they have never once died down.
Even before the Chad Slater incident, Tom Cruise had already been slamming lawsuits to people or presses that claim he’s gay.
In 1998, Tom Cruise and his then-wife Nicole Kidman had already sued the British tabloid Daily Express. The tabloid said that their marriage was an elaborate pretense to hide Tom Cruise’s homosexuality.
The couple won the lawsuit. They were also awarded £100,000 for the damages, which they then donated to charity.
A few years after, Los Angeles-based publisher Michael Davis was also sued by Tom Cruise for $100 million. This is due to Davis’ claim that he has Cruise on video engaging in homosexual acts. However, the lawsuit was later dropped after Davis retracted his initial claim.
And then, in 2001, adult content actor slash erotic wrestler Chad Slater was interviewed by French magazine Actustar. In the interview, he told them a story saucy enough for Hollywood drama.
Chad Slater said in the interview that he had an illicit affair with the actor when he was still married to Nicole Kidman. Kidman apparently discovered the affair, resulting in her and Cruise’s divorce after 11 years of marriage.
Why Did Tom Cruise Sue Chad Slater?
Tom Cruise sued Chad Slate for $10 million after the interview, which the actor says is false.
According to Tom Cruise’s lawyer, while the megastar respects other people’s rights including their sexuality, he himself does not identify to be gay. He also claimed that he had no relationship, romantic or otherwise, with Chad Slater, and had not even known the man prior to this.
The actor repeatedly emphasized that he is very concerned and very protective of his reputation. He insists that suing those who spread unfounded and malicious rumors about him prevents other people from following.
According to Tom Cruise, he does not want his kids and future grandkids to come upon something written about him that was never true. Regardless, if need be, he has the will and means to push through with the lawsuits.
As an example to others, the Chad Slater incident became celebrity lawyers’ reminder to their clients that Tom Cruise does not mess around. One illustration of this is how South Park’s “Trapped in the Closet” episode never got rebroadcasted. (cosmopolitanme.com) The episode subtly referred to Tom Cruise as a closeted gay.
Creators of the animated sitcom, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, initially wanted to say Tom Cruise was gay. However, their lawyers stopped them since they could get sued.
Their first compromise was that they’d say the actor is a closeted gay but that got stopped by their lawyers too. They only got the green light when they suggested that the episode would be Tom Cruise literally trapped in the closet.
Of course, the actor never admitted to threatening Viacom, South Park’s production company into not rebroadcasting. At the time, they were also the producer for his Mission Impossible franchise.
What Happened to Chad Slater?
Later on, Chad Slater admitted that the story was false, leading to Tom Cruise winning the lawsuit against the actor.
Slater was then required to pay $10 million to Cruise for the damages. In actuality, it was difficult to collect since Slater had never been as well off as Tom Cruise.
In 2003, Chad slater decided to drop out of public life, selling his domains carrying his screen name Kyle Bradford. To this day, he hasn’t made a single public appearance yet.
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