Culture: Tom Cruise Night with the Lake Elsinore Storm

Further solidifying Southern California's reputation as the land of fruits and nuts (Hey, at least we have fun with it!) I saw this item. Excerpt:

The Lake Elsinore Storm has planned a salute to Tom Cruise tonight during its California League baseball game.

Besides giving away a Cruise bobblehead -- make that a "bobble-couch," depicting the star in full Oprah couch-jumping mode -- the San Diego Padres' Class - A affiliate will celebrate the "silent birth" of Tom and Katie Holmes' baby, Suri, with a "silent inning," during which no batters will be announced and no music played. "Silent birth," a Church of Scientology teaching, specifies no music and no talking during the birth.

Other planned activities include a couch-jumping contest, a Scientology information and sign-up booth and a retrospective of Cruise's movie career.

The Storm's opponent? The High Desert Mavericks, of course. No doubt in honor of Cruise's character in "Top Gun."

I decided I better check this out on the Lake Elsinore Storm web page.

Indeed, if you mouse and click to the promotions page, the event is scheduled for June 30, 2006. The blurb on another page says this:

TOM CRUISE JUMPS INTO MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
TOM CRUISE BOBBLE-COUCH GIVEAWAY

For years, the bobblehead has been the definitive giveaway at ballparks across the country. On Friday, June 30th, the Lake Elsinore Storm and Coca-Cola will introduce a whole new twist on the "bobble" theme with the Tom Cruise bobble-couch! Just when it seems like the whole world is against the Hollywood mega-star, the Lake Elsinore Storm offers their salute to Tom’s bizarre behavior, and has planned an entire evening in his honor.
In addition to the bobble-couch giveaway to the first 1,500 fans, the Storm has planned several Tom Cruise themed events and activities throughout the night.