The Tom Machine

From People Magazine's Life&Style, July 25, 2005:

The couple recently had their first major fight--after Katie confessed that she had met with Tom's ex, Nicole Kidman, in New York at the end of June. Though sources insist the meeting was innocent, Katie kept it a secret for weeks--and wound up in a screaming match with Tom when she finally blurted it out.

Tom went ballistic," says a source close to him, "He kept screaming at her 'How could you do this to me?' Then he started crying. He felt betrayed and hurt--as if Katie had converted to the side of the enemy."

But Katie, who has seemed content to let Tom take the reins in their relationship battled back. "She told Tom she didn't enjoy feeling like a prisoner," says a friend of the couple. "She screamed back at him, "I'm not your property!" She punctuated the outburst with a threat, the first source says, "Katie told him that if he ever acted that way again with her, she'd be out he door in a flash."

According to the source, "Katie had a pleasant visit at Nicole's apartment. They had a few drinks and gossiped about Tom goodnaturedly." But it wasn't all generic girl talk; Nicole offered some advice. "Always stand your ground when you feel strongly about something," the source says Nicole told Katie. "Otherwise the Tom Cruise machine can run right over you.

Clearly, Nicole Kidman is fighting the good fight. And Tom is fighting like a 3 year old, who lost his hypnotising glasses. KatieKate thinking on her own? *gasp* Unheard of. Why would she dare to do such a thing. Next she might be asking him to stop gripping her so hard in public that he leaves bruises. Or she might go against his direct orders and stop slouching when they're together.

Maybe she stop giving Isabella tips on how to dress like her. I mean, am I the only one who can't tell them apart from a distance?

Dear lord, I just realized, Tom's daughter Isabella is adopted. Paging Woody Allen?