Trapped in the Closet, a South Park episode featuring a literally closeted Tom Cruise and a primer on Scientology, was abruptly pulled from Comedy Central's schedule, and replaced with an old episode of a cartoon show.

The network wouldn't comment on why "Trapped in the Closet" was shelved.

Tom Cruise's rep, however, did comment: "This has nothing to do with us," publicist Arnold Robinson said last week, as quoted by E!Online.

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"Trapped in the Closet" first aired November 16, 2005. In it, a cartoon version of Tom Cruise enters a closet, and doesn't come out for quite a while. Tom Cruise is eventually joined in the closet by fellow Scientologist John Travolta and R&B singer R. Kelly.

Video clips from the episode, including the bits with Tom Cruise and the closet, and Stan and the Scientologists, can be found on the Comedy Central Website.

Tom Cruise, an avid Scientologist and reportedly a church's leader, has staunchly defended his religion and an avowed heterosexual who has successfully sued people and publications that have suggested he is in the metaphorical closet.

Tom Cruise is next to be seen in Mission:Impossible-3 which is due to be released in May by "Paramount."

"Paramount Studios" is a corporate sibling of "Comedy Central," and both of them are owned by Viacom.

Specifically responding to Tom Cruise's reputed corporate power play, rep Robinson said: "That is not true."

This is not the first time Tom Cruise has been linked to the closing of "Closet."

In January 2006, Britain's Sun reported the episode would "never" air in the United Kingdom because TV executives there were "scared [Tom Cruise] will sue."

The episode apparently aired without incident in Canada a few days later.

"So, Scientology, you may have won THIS battle, but the million-year war for earth has just begun!" South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone said in a statement not mentioning Tom Cruise.

"Temporarily anozinizing our episode will NOT stop us from keeping Thetans forever trapped in your pitiful man-bodies."

Earlier this week, Parker and Stone publicly parted ways with Isaac Hayes, a Scientologist and the longtime voice of Chef.

South Park begins its 10th season next Wednesday. 

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