John Stamos Recalls Being 'Kicked Out' Of The Church Of Scientology At Age 17

John Stamos recently opened up about his brief and unconventional encounter with the Church of Scientology when he attended an introductory session at age 17.

Despite initial intrigue, the actor's playful behavior led to his expulsion from the controversial organization.

John Stamos later described his short experience with the group as unsettling in his memoir, "If You Would Have Told Me."

During an appearance on the "Friends In High Places" podcast, Stamos shared a glimpse into his past, revealing that he once attended an introductory session for the Church of Scientology. However, his first encounter with the organization didn't quite go as planned.

Recounting his experience, Stamos revealed that his 17-year-old self, who was beginning his journey in the acting world, became interested in Scientology in 1980 for a couple of reasons.

According to the Daily Mail, the first reason was that a young woman from his acting class invited him to the church, saying, "You know we're all meeting at this [place] on Hollywood Boulevard; you should come after [class]."

Secondly, John Travolta, a prominent Scientologist since 1975 and one of Stamos's acting idols, also inspired him to join the group.

Reflecting on his motivations 44 years ago, Stamos shared," 'Seeing [Grease] was like, 'I wanna be that.'" He added: "I wanted to be John Travolta, I still do. Well, minus the whatever it is that they do."

At the time, Stamos was working at his father's restaurant. He recalled telling his dad, "I've gotta go," adding, "So, I went, and it was the Scientology building."

Stamos' encounter with the Church of Scientology was short, as he only attended that single introductory session and didn't pursue it further.

Recounting the brief moment with the Church of Scientology, the actor shared that he was taken into their building and introduced to a device known as the "E-Meter."

The church claims that this electropsychometer, made out of two cans, can detect changes in emotional states to identify stored engrams and "levels of spiritual distress."

However, Stamos didn't take the experience too seriously, as he quickly started playing around with the device, pretending to hold it like a fake phone.

"I was doing a 'Peabody and Sherman' [impression], and they didn't like that," he recalled, per the Daily Mail. "Then, I was just f-cking around so much, they said, 'Get out [and] get going.' They just kicked me out."

The podcast host, Matt Friend, joked that Stamos was "too annoying" to be accepted into the controversial organization, which has been described variously as a religious movement, a business, or a cult.

Reflecting on his behavior, Stamos admitted with a laugh, "That's pretty bad—I must have been terrible."

In his 2023 memoir, "If You Would Have Told Me," Stamos recounted a peculiar encounter with Scientology that began when a young woman named Mia handed him a workbook about the church, along with some books he had accidentally left behind.

During the session, Stamos recalled, "[One man] begins to question me about committing crimes, asks if I have negative thoughts about Scientology or [founder] L. Ron Hubbard, and probes into some strange sex inquiries."

The "Full House" alum described how the atmosphere became increasingly unsettling, with the experience feeling more bizarre by the minute.

He wrote: "The Wayback Machine needle jumps in the corner, and Mia looks disappointed. Apparently, I'm not Scientology material. Darn it."

Reflecting on the experience, Stamos admitted that while the initial intrigue led him to the church's venue, he quickly found the whole situation to be "creepy as f-ck."

On August 20, Stamos marked his 61st birthday by sharing a throwback video on Instagram of himself from his third birthday.

The heartwarming clip featured the actor sitting on his father, William Stamos' lap, and proceeding to blow out his three birthday candles.

Reflecting on the abundant love he's experienced throughout his life, the actor wrote: "On my dad's lap, at just three years old, ready to make a wish, I swear I could hear my dad's voice whispering in my ear, 'You'll have a charmed life, boy.'"

In his birthday message, Stamos further expressed his gratitude for the support of his loved ones and fans.

He wrote: "It's a moment captured on film, one that has stayed with me ever since. Every day feels like a celebration when you're surrounded by the kind of love I'm blessed with."

Stamos added: "Every moment, every hug, every laugh — each one reminds me of how fortunate I am to have such incredible people in my life. It's this love that fills my days with light and makes every single day feel like my birthday."

Concluding his lengthy post, he said, "Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the love you show me, not just today but every day. You all mean the world to me."