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Religion & Philosophy
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Bohemian Rhapsody and Broken Bones: The Night Scientology Execs Played Musical Chairs for Their Lives
In 2004, Scientology leader David Miscavige forced top executives into a violent game of musical chairs to Queen's music. Held in a detention facility called 'The Hole,' the brutal game determined who would be expelled from the church, leading to chaos and fighting among the desperate staff.
Imagine a children's party game. Now imagine it's 4 AM, the players are high-ranking corporate executives, the music is Queen's Greatest Hits, and the prize for losing is complete banishment from your life's work, your family, and your faith. This wasn't a scene from a surrealist film; it was a real event in 2004 at a Church of Scientology compound, orchestrated by its leader, David Miscavige.
Welcome to 'The Hole'
Before the music started, you have to understand the venue. 'The Hole' was not a literal prison, but it might as well have been. Located at Gold Base, the Church's international headquarters in California, it was a set of repurposed office buildings used to confine and discipline dozens of the organization's most senior executives. For months, and sometimes years, these individuals were cut off from the outside world, forced to live in cramped, ant-infested quarters, perform manual labor, and participate in mass confessions designed to humiliate and break them down. It was in this high-pressure, desperate environment that David Miscavige decided to introduce a game.
A Queen-Fueled Purge
As recounted by numerous former executives who were present, Miscavige gathered the sleep-deprived residents of The Hole in the middle of the night. He announced a game of musical chairs would be played, with one sinister twist: when the music stopped, the last person left standing would be expelled from Scientology. For members of the Sea Org—the church's most dedicated clergy who often sign billion-year contracts—expulsion meant losing everything: their job, their housing, and often, their families, due to the church's policy of 'disconnection'. The music chosen for this corporate trial by combat was Queen's Greatest Hits.
'A Scene of Utter Pandemonium'
As Freddie Mercury's voice filled the room, the grim reality set in. Decades of camaraderie vanished, replaced by a primal survival instinct. Seasoned executives, some in their 50s and 60s, lunged for the dwindling number of chairs. The game quickly devolved into a violent brawl.
It was a scene of utter pandemonium... People were throwing themselves over other people, throwing people off of chairs. It was a violent melee. Everybody was fighting for a chair because their eternity, their future in Scientology, was on the line.
That description comes from Tom De Vocht, a former executive who was there that night. Reports from other witnesses like Mike Rinder, former chief spokesman for the Church, corroborate the story. Chairs were broken, people were shoved to the ground, and the atmosphere was one of sheer terror and desperation. The game continued for hours until only one 'winner,' Marc Yager, remained. He was allowed to stay. The event served as a brutal demonstration of Miscavige's absolute power and the lengths to which his followers would go to remain in his favor.
The Music Fades
The musical chairs incident is one of the most bizarre and disturbing stories to emerge from defectors of Scientology. It illustrates a culture of fear and psychological control where even the most powerful executives could be subjected to degrading and violent rituals at the whim of their leader. While the Church of Scientology has consistently denied the existence of The Hole and the allegations of abuse, the detailed, consistent accounts from multiple high-ranking former members paint a chilling picture of a night when a simple party game became a fight for survival.