Poison in the Beck?

Murky claims surface in Vanity Fair that Beck pulled out a film project, leaving the aspiring producer so bereft they took their own life.

Beck can hardly be held responsible for that - after all, you can't do business on the basis of worrying about how upset people will be if you didn't. What's murky, though, is the distance Beck seems to be putting between himself and the late Theresa Duncan.

The film, Alice Underground, was to be about a rock star kidnapped by schoolgirls who try to help him leave the Church of Scientology. Duncan told friends that Beck was keen on the movie - and on emulating the protagonist by also leaving the cult; and, when the Church started to get worried about the project, that he pulled out.

Rubbish, cries Beck:

"That's ridiculous. Totally false," Beck told the mag about his alleged agreement to work on "Alice."

"Had we been closer and discussed anything as personal as religion, I would have only had positive things to say about Scientology."

[...]

"We never met to discuss the film," Beck said. "I did explain to her I wasn't looking to act right then, and with the album, tour schedule, and a baby on the way, it wouldn't be feasible."

You have to wonder how one person can be sure they met and talked about working together when the other is equally sure they didn't. You'd have thought Beck would be comfortable, never having discussed the film, to talk about it:

A spokesman for the rocker told The Post last night that Vanity Fair's quotes from Beck were accurate.

But the mouthpiece said Beck didn't want to add any additional comments: "That's about as on-the-record as you're going to get from him."

But he isn't.