Scientologists Attempted to Recruit Phoebe Bridgers Fans in Line for Concert
A group of fans waiting in line for a Phoebe Bridgers concert were approached to join the Church of Scientology earlier this week.
When TikTok user @cottagecoreboyscout, real name Amelia, lined up for the "Moon Song" singer's Tampa, Fla. show at 9:30AM Tuesday (May 24) at The Cuban Club, she had no idea the queue would become an impromptu recruitment center.
"The Scientology building is next to the Phoebe venue and they have started infiltrating," she wrote over footage of a woman wearing a face mask approaching the line with a handful of pamphlets in tow.
The recruiter handed out "free personality tests" with a card that read, "Limited time: oxford capacity analysis." The pamphlet also promised that "in just one hour you can test the 10 key personality traits that determine your future success and happiness, and find out how to improve them. Give yourself the knowledge of you."
"Live Love Tampa. This is going in the scrapbook," Amelia captioned the clip.
Watch below:
In the comments section, other TikTok users alleged Scientologists often attempt to recruit new members outside of concert venues and other events. Many users shared their own stories.
"They also decided to infiltrate Tampa Pride last year," one user claimed.
"They once told me they’d hold my spot in line if I wanted to go check it out," someone else wrote, to which another user responded, "They tried to get us to come watch a film when I was waiting for BMTH ... they kept saying we have air conditioning! Come watch a short movie!"
In a comment, Amelia shared an update, revealing some of the fans in line ended up taking the test. "...It was scary," she wrote, adding, "They knew phoebe’s demographic and POUNCED."
Others discussed their experience at the same Bridgers show in the comments section, too.
"They handed out QR codes without saying a word around door time. [Cue] me screaming 'DO NOT SCAN THE QR CODE KIDS PLZ DO NOT!!'" one user wrote, while another recalled "that person handing out cards was STILL working that line even at almost 8:30. I turned my back when she walked up to me."
Scientology was created in 1953 by L. Ron Hubbard, who was a sci-fi author. Over the years, the religion has been likened to a cult. The King of Queens star Leah Remini famously created a documentary series concerning the aftermath of leaving the organization. Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath first aired in 2016.