Soul singer Isaac Hayes was strongly associated with Scientology in the later years of his life. He even quit his job as the voice of Chef on “South Park” over an episode of the show that mocked the religion. But it turns out that Hayes wasn’t willing to show the cult any financial love in his last will and testament. Looks like Kelly Preston got all dolled up for those funerals for nothing.
The last will and testament of the late superstar Isaac Hayes’s is being probated right now. And guess what? Hayes left nothing to the Church of Scientology.
This news must sting something awful, as numerous well-known Scientologists attended not one but maybe four different funerals and memorial services for Hayes in August after he died.
But according to sources who know the inner workings of Hayes’s estate, the “Shaft” composer divided his will in thirds. Portions go to his 11 elder children; his widow and young son; and his charitable foundation.
There was no provision for the Church, which ordinarily requires its celebrity members to pony up while they’re alive. Big donors include usual suspects Tom Cruise, John Travolta and Kelly Preston, and so on.
Preston, who knew Hayes only slightly through the church, carried on at both Memphis funerals, crying on cue and blubbering to anyone who’d listen about how much she “loved” Hayes. This amused to no end the Memphis musicians who’d known Hayes for 40 years.
While I’m sure the COS was able to suck quite a bit of cash out Hayes while he was alive, this news had to hurt them a little bit. In case you’re wondering, his charitable foundation was in no way affiliated with Scientology – it’s an organization aimed at funding the Stax Academy of Music, a music school located in Memphis, as well as global literacy organizations. His foundation helped impoverished schools in Ghana, Africa establish Internet links for students.
Isaac Hayes is shown in the header on 2/4/05 at the opening of Denzel Washington’s play “Julius Caesar” in NY. Credit: WENN He is shown below performing on 8/18/07 at Summer Soul Jam in Compton, CA. Credit: PRPhotos
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