Viacom head criticizes Tom Cruise

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- The chairman of Viacom Inc., the U.S. parent company of Hollywood's Paramount Pictures, has blasted actor Tom Cruise for "embarrassing" his studio.

Viacom head Sumner Redstone, whose company cut Cruise's production company loose earlier this year, said his decision to not renew Cruise/Wagner Productions' deal was due to the actor's unacceptable conduct, said CBS' "The ShowBuzz Web site."

"He was embarrassing the studio. And he was costing us a lot of money," said Redstone, who added that the actor's behavior cost the studio $150 million for "Mission Impossible III."

Redstone claimed his decision was in no small part influenced by his wife Paula's negative opinion of the actor, whose behavior had become erratic over the past few years including his now-infamous appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

"Paula, like women everywhere, had come to hate him. The truth of the matter is, I did listen to her ..." said Redstone. "His behavior was entirely unacceptable to Paula and to the rest of the world."