For 25 years, Tom Cruise has been America’s sweetheart. He was born in the Reagan era, dancing in his underwear on the floor of his parent’s living room in “Risky Business”. He was the square jawed, taciturn fighter pilot in “Top Gun”. He was the helper to the autistic brother in “Rain Man” and fighting for justice in “A Few Good Men”. He couldn’t be purchased in “The Firm” and was gently and graciously corrupted by love in “Jerry Maguire”.

Then he started his franchise (how I hate that word) phase: “Mission Impossible 1,2,3” and his sci-fi, animatronics roles in “Vanilla Sky”, “Minority Report” and “Eyes Wide Shut”. “Collateral” was his evil assassin side and “War of the Worlds” restored him to the messianic hero.

He is still smoothed face at 44, probably using his billions of dollars to hire the most meticulous and undetectable plastic surgeons in the world. He is a front man for a gigantic fraud called’ Scientology” and he is now connected to Katie Holmes, possibly by love, money or fatherhood. Nobody knows the truth.

Diane Sawyer will “ask the tough questions” on ABC’s “PrimeTime”. No question will be a surprise. Mr. Cruise, courtesy of his publicists and lawyers, is more prepared and rehearsed than any performer on Earth.

Despite his weirdness, and the obvious disconnection between his earnest wholesomeness and his ruthless ambition and achievement, Cruise is an American hero. He embodies the dreams of millions around the world who believe that they too can hold onto speeding bullet trains as they escape killers and outsmart Armageddon. Cruise is immortal, and unlike the rest of us…. his celluloid soul will forever orbit the Earth…. transmitted by electronic and digital means not yet invented.