mauveine
Know what you're doing yet?
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2019
- Messages
- 187
- Likes received
- 1,064
"Cuntcast"
Fair enough. Sometimes it's good to hate something
...so long as it's a good thing to hate, and the hating is productive
-
An addendum to Rule 3 regarding fan-translated works of things such as Web Novels has been made. Please see here for details.
-
We've issued a clarification on our policy on AI-generated work.
-
Our mod selection process has completed. Please welcome our new moderators.
-
Due to issues with external spam filters, QQ is currently unable to send any mail to Microsoft E-mail addresses. This includes any account at live.com, hotmail.com or msn.com. Signing up to the forum with one of these addresses will result in your verification E-mail never arriving. For best results, please use a different E-mail provider for your QQ address.
-
The rules regarding NSFW links have been updated. See here for details.
Behind The Spotlight
- Thread starter Pujimaki
- Start date
...so long as it's a good thing to hate, and the hating is productive
Chapter 206
New
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2022
- Messages
- 1,270
- Likes received
- 21,411
Behind The Spotlight Chapter 206
When Collin confirmed that it was a talk show, he was elated. His expectations instantly rose.
"Then—"
"Although we are still negotiating the contract, and I'm not the one who represents this business deal, the authority lies elsewhere."
"Who is it?"
The agent who made the deal with Nation TV would naturally have the strongest authority in the production team. Collin had to meet the agent in charge and talk to him or her about Jennifer Robs becoming the host of the show before the positions were locked.
"It's Salvador Manuel."
"..."
At first, Collin was excited, but when he heard the name of the agent in charge of the negotiation, his smile gradually faded.
He knew Salvador Manuel. Although they rarely met each other, he knew about the agent.
Salvador was a veteran agent in the company, even having worked under the last CEO, with decades of experience. He was in his 50s and had strong influence in the film department as one of the executives and also one of the biggest shareholders in the company. He was basically the biggest boss in the film department, the head of the department.
Salvador was also the agent who was eager to take Lawrence Terrence's contract from Collin. They only met a few times, but Collin could see the greed in the old man's eyes.
If Collin was right, Salvador was still interested in Lawrence and waiting for an opportunity, especially now that Lawrence had been recognized as the Romance Box Office King in these past few years. Lawrence's box office appeal didn't downgrade, it became much stronger, and his salary increased year by year. It was obvious that Salvador wanted the actor because of the money he could earn from Lawrence.
On top of that, Salvador had stronger influence in Hollywood and could bring better projects to Lawrence. Salvador had connections in the Big Six production studios.
In terms of status and influence, Salvador was a better choice compared to Collin on paper.
However, Collin had a talent that Salvador didn't have, something unique. Collin could "recognize" a person's talent innately.
The reason why Lawrence kept making box office hit after box office hit was because of Collin's strategic planning.
If not for Collin choosing romance movies, Lawrence would probably never have achieved his current status.
'Lawrence is good at romance and comedy genres, with rom-coms being a natural extension of his strengths. Even with longer work experience, Salvador won't help much with Lawrence's career.'
Especially when all of the projects that Lawrence worked on involved talented directors. This was a double safety measure that Collin prepared so that Lawrence's movies would always have great box office performance.
Talented actor + talented director.
A proven formula.
Collin was the only one who could provide that constant assurance to any actor and deliver consistent results.
Still, Collin was in a dilemma. He had to face Salvador sooner or later.
Lila could see through Collin's expression even though the agent was acting nonchalant. She was the CEO of the company, and she also knew about the politics happening inside.
In fact, just yesterday, someone from the music department visited her. It was Griffith Goodhope, an ambitious executive. Griffith said that Princess Chantal and the new rock band, Pulse Static, which Collin and Arnold signed respectively, should be transferred to the music department because they were better at handling this kind of job.
There had been rumors about Pulse Static's potential to become a superstar band, and Griffith was eager to take advantage of the opportunity to steal them along with Princess Chantal.
So before things became difficult to handle, Griffith talked to Lila about Princess Chantal and Pulse Static. He knew that once Pulse Static became famous, it would be impossible to transfer the contract to the music department, just like what happened with Princess Chantal.
Actually, an agent from the film department signing a music artist was nothing new in the company. Most of the time, the music department just let it be because these music artists didn't really have good runs in their careers.
But Princess Chantal was different. The singer was earning hundreds of millions per year. Her album sales went five times Platinum. And it seemed that Pulse Static also had the same potential.
Lila listened to Griffith's opinion, but she didn't give him any answer about transferring the contract, not when Princess Chantal and Pulse Static had signed record deals with Moonrise Music, a record label that Lila was a co-owner of.
In her opinion, it would be better to let Collin and Arnold handle Princess Chantal and Pulse Static because their goals were aligned.
If another agent acquired Princess Chantal's or Pulse Static's contract, that agent might look for a different record label, which could jeopardize the deal.
So, Lila didn't promise Griffith anything. She said that Griffith should talk to Collin and Arnold about these matters, redirecting the responsibility.
And now, her opinion regarding Collin, Salvador, and Lawrence was also the same. Let them handle these things themselves.
"Thank you, Lila."
Once Collin found the agent responsible for the business deal regarding the talk show, he bid farewell politely. He needed time to think about his next step.
Lila watched Collin leave the office.
"As expected, he didn't even invite me to dinner or something."
She slightly pouted. She answered his questions and helped him identify who to talk to, yet Collin didn't even offer anything in return.
.........
......
...
Collin sat in his office and thought about the matters seriously. He was in a dilemma.
'I should meet Salvador sooner rather than later, or else someone might take the position of talk show host.'
He knew how tough the competition was. An agent would do everything to make sure their client became the talk show host. Even though the project was just starting with no clear direction yet, becoming a talk show host was always a good thing.
It didn't matter whether it was a late show or a morning show. As long as the client became a talk show host, it was considered a stable career with a stable source of income.
In fact, Jennifer Randon's salary per episode of The Singing Voice Season 3 was $50,000. If she became a talk show host and the show had a great run, Jennifer's salary would be even higher.
Collin heard that Ray Reno's salary on The Tonight Show was over $400,000 per episode, and that was a few years ago. His salary was probably higher than $400,000 now.
For Collin, that amount was worth talking to Salvador Manuel.
'But I have nothing that can interest Salvador.'
---
[Thank you for reading this novel.]
When Collin confirmed that it was a talk show, he was elated. His expectations instantly rose.
"Then—"
"Although we are still negotiating the contract, and I'm not the one who represents this business deal, the authority lies elsewhere."
"Who is it?"
The agent who made the deal with Nation TV would naturally have the strongest authority in the production team. Collin had to meet the agent in charge and talk to him or her about Jennifer Robs becoming the host of the show before the positions were locked.
"It's Salvador Manuel."
"..."
At first, Collin was excited, but when he heard the name of the agent in charge of the negotiation, his smile gradually faded.
He knew Salvador Manuel. Although they rarely met each other, he knew about the agent.
Salvador was a veteran agent in the company, even having worked under the last CEO, with decades of experience. He was in his 50s and had strong influence in the film department as one of the executives and also one of the biggest shareholders in the company. He was basically the biggest boss in the film department, the head of the department.
Salvador was also the agent who was eager to take Lawrence Terrence's contract from Collin. They only met a few times, but Collin could see the greed in the old man's eyes.
If Collin was right, Salvador was still interested in Lawrence and waiting for an opportunity, especially now that Lawrence had been recognized as the Romance Box Office King in these past few years. Lawrence's box office appeal didn't downgrade, it became much stronger, and his salary increased year by year. It was obvious that Salvador wanted the actor because of the money he could earn from Lawrence.
On top of that, Salvador had stronger influence in Hollywood and could bring better projects to Lawrence. Salvador had connections in the Big Six production studios.
In terms of status and influence, Salvador was a better choice compared to Collin on paper.
However, Collin had a talent that Salvador didn't have, something unique. Collin could "recognize" a person's talent innately.
The reason why Lawrence kept making box office hit after box office hit was because of Collin's strategic planning.
If not for Collin choosing romance movies, Lawrence would probably never have achieved his current status.
'Lawrence is good at romance and comedy genres, with rom-coms being a natural extension of his strengths. Even with longer work experience, Salvador won't help much with Lawrence's career.'
Especially when all of the projects that Lawrence worked on involved talented directors. This was a double safety measure that Collin prepared so that Lawrence's movies would always have great box office performance.
Talented actor + talented director.
A proven formula.
Collin was the only one who could provide that constant assurance to any actor and deliver consistent results.
Still, Collin was in a dilemma. He had to face Salvador sooner or later.
Lila could see through Collin's expression even though the agent was acting nonchalant. She was the CEO of the company, and she also knew about the politics happening inside.
In fact, just yesterday, someone from the music department visited her. It was Griffith Goodhope, an ambitious executive. Griffith said that Princess Chantal and the new rock band, Pulse Static, which Collin and Arnold signed respectively, should be transferred to the music department because they were better at handling this kind of job.
There had been rumors about Pulse Static's potential to become a superstar band, and Griffith was eager to take advantage of the opportunity to steal them along with Princess Chantal.
So before things became difficult to handle, Griffith talked to Lila about Princess Chantal and Pulse Static. He knew that once Pulse Static became famous, it would be impossible to transfer the contract to the music department, just like what happened with Princess Chantal.
Actually, an agent from the film department signing a music artist was nothing new in the company. Most of the time, the music department just let it be because these music artists didn't really have good runs in their careers.
But Princess Chantal was different. The singer was earning hundreds of millions per year. Her album sales went five times Platinum. And it seemed that Pulse Static also had the same potential.
Lila listened to Griffith's opinion, but she didn't give him any answer about transferring the contract, not when Princess Chantal and Pulse Static had signed record deals with Moonrise Music, a record label that Lila was a co-owner of.
In her opinion, it would be better to let Collin and Arnold handle Princess Chantal and Pulse Static because their goals were aligned.
If another agent acquired Princess Chantal's or Pulse Static's contract, that agent might look for a different record label, which could jeopardize the deal.
So, Lila didn't promise Griffith anything. She said that Griffith should talk to Collin and Arnold about these matters, redirecting the responsibility.
And now, her opinion regarding Collin, Salvador, and Lawrence was also the same. Let them handle these things themselves.
"Thank you, Lila."
Once Collin found the agent responsible for the business deal regarding the talk show, he bid farewell politely. He needed time to think about his next step.
Lila watched Collin leave the office.
"As expected, he didn't even invite me to dinner or something."
She slightly pouted. She answered his questions and helped him identify who to talk to, yet Collin didn't even offer anything in return.
.........
......
...
Collin sat in his office and thought about the matters seriously. He was in a dilemma.
'I should meet Salvador sooner rather than later, or else someone might take the position of talk show host.'
He knew how tough the competition was. An agent would do everything to make sure their client became the talk show host. Even though the project was just starting with no clear direction yet, becoming a talk show host was always a good thing.
It didn't matter whether it was a late show or a morning show. As long as the client became a talk show host, it was considered a stable career with a stable source of income.
In fact, Jennifer Randon's salary per episode of The Singing Voice Season 3 was $50,000. If she became a talk show host and the show had a great run, Jennifer's salary would be even higher.
Collin heard that Ray Reno's salary on The Tonight Show was over $400,000 per episode, and that was a few years ago. His salary was probably higher than $400,000 now.
For Collin, that amount was worth talking to Salvador Manuel.
'But I have nothing that can interest Salvador.'
---
[Thank you for reading this novel.]
Chapter 207
New
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2022
- Messages
- 1,270
- Likes received
- 21,411
Behind The Spotlight Chapter 207
Being the boss of the film department, Salvador Manuel had a higher status than Collin, and it was because of his clients who consistently generated revenue for the agency.
Salvador had two directors, both of whom were good at their jobs.
One was an action movie director who had directed many box office hits that dominated both domestic and international markets.
The other was a TV show director who directed many game shows such as Who Likes To Be A Millionaire, Deal Or Don't Deal, and What's the Price?, programs that enjoyed long broadcast lifespans and positive ratings. If Collin was right, this director would probably direct the talk show unless there was another candidate.
On top of having two high-performing directors, Salvador also had three famous actors (two actors and one actress). They were celebrities who starred in many films and were quite famous. One of his clients was Shawn Jacob, a famous action star who was the face of the Fatal Trigger franchise, a movie franchise that already had five sequels.
Furthermore, Salvador was friends with many producers from different major studios.
Collin had nothing to offer Salvador because this veteran agent could get it anyway… except for one thing.
'My clients…'
The only thing Collin could offer was his clients. But doing that would be stupid, borderline self-destructive. His clients were the most important part of his career, the foundation of everything he had built.
He had no intention of transferring any contract to anyone. Not even Jennifer Randon, who currently had the lowest output in his lineup.
He discovered them and recognized their talents long before anyone else did. He wanted to be there when they reached success.
So now, Collin had to think of a way to convince Salvador. His brain slightly ached as he thought about it.
.........
......
...
Days passed.
Axel Gunner, Brody Paige, and Cross Pinger signed their contracts in front of many reporters, cameras flashing relentlessly.
The reporters took countless pictures, particularly of Axel and Brody, who were famous and drew the most attention. As for Cross, he was mostly just there in the background.
Aside from the three lead actors, CEO Berry Cruz was also present to handle the matters and sign contracts as the representative of Uni-versus Pictures.
Actually, the entire contract-signing event was just for show, nothing more than publicity, a standard industry practice. The actors had already signed the real contracts a few days ago, and those documents were much thicker than the ones placed on the table.
Still, the actors treated the event seriously and maintained professionalism. They shook hands with one another, then shook hands with CEO Berry Cruz.
The old man smiled and glanced around. He spotted Collin quietly standing in a corner, behind the spotlight.
Berry's opinion regarding Collin East had completely changed now that he knew more about him.
When Berry first met Collin, the agent was just a nobody. Back then, Collin and Wyatt held a screening in the auditorium at ANT to attract a distributor for their movie. Berry Cruz was the one who handled that negotiation, and The Accidental Wedding Crashers was distributed by Uni-versus Pictures. It was a good business deal, as both sides earned a substantial amount of money.
Since then, the two sides had many collaborations. It could even be said that Director Wyatt Bray was practically an employee of Uni-versus Pictures because he worked with the studio almost exclusively.
At first, Berry thought Collin's career would peak at being Wyatt's agent. Being a director's agent already carried high status in the industry, especially if the director had box office hits. Berry knew Collin had potential, but potential was nothing more than potential. It depended on whether Collin could fully realize it and go beyond.
Yet, Berry's expectations of Collin had long been surpassed. Even the potential Berry once envisioned had been exceeded by a wide margin.
Collin was no longer a simple talent agent. He was different from the man Berry Cruz met five years ago. Five years was enough to completely change a person's life.
Now, Collin was an executive at Apex Network Talent, one of the few who owned company shares and wielded real influence in the industry.
Berry stared at the man who kept a low profile despite his strong aura.
'Indeed, people can change.' He thought.
As the interview continued, Berry remained seated and answered questions from reporters. However, most of the questions were directed at the three actors. Berry was merely there as the representative of Uni-versus Pictures.
Most of the reporters at the contract signing were under Cumcast. As always, Cumcast owned news networks, TV stations, newspapers, magazines, and even tabloids. With a single command from higher-ups, they could promote Week On An Island all over the world.
"Mr. Paige, is your role in this movie just another handsome guy with no substance?"
Unfortunately, the first question came from a female reporter representing a newspaper that had no connection to Cumcast.
"Indeed, my role is nothing more than a handsome guy again. This is a comedy film, it doesn't need substance."
Brody Paige seemed to handle it well. He had already been briefed by the PR team. The actor glanced at Arnold, who was also standing in the background. Arnold nodded at Brody, assuring him that he would step in if things went south.
"Instead of choosing this kind of role, shouldn't you be looking for a serious and heavy role? Something that could elevate your status in the industry. Why did you accept this project?"
The female reporter pressed further. She was actually a fan of Brody Paige, but she was disappointed with his choice of projects. In her opinion, Brody had a chance to win at the Academic Awards if he pursued more serious roles.
"I chose this role because it's fun. My last role was a bit too heavy, and I wanted to take on something lighter to adjust my mentality."
"Fair enough," the female reporter accepted the answer and stopped asking questions, allowing the other reporters to continue.
Of course, the biggest reason Brody Paige accepted the role was money, simple as that.
The contract signing revealed nothing about salaries, and only those directly involved knew how much money had been negotiated.
The three lead actors continued answering questions to the best of their ability, carefully avoiding anything controversial.
Unfortunately, some reporters had no intention of keeping things civil. All they wanted was to see the world burn and cause trouble for everyone. All they chased were headlines.
And this time, a reporter aimed a troublesome question at Axel.
"Mr. Gunner, do you think Hollywood is fair to minorities?"
A trap question had arrived.
---
[Author's Note:]
You can read more on my Patreon with:
80 advance chapters of Behind The Spotlight
62 advance chapters of Reincarnated as a Fisherman and Dad
Patreon link: https://www.patreon.com/Puji_maki
Being the boss of the film department, Salvador Manuel had a higher status than Collin, and it was because of his clients who consistently generated revenue for the agency.
Salvador had two directors, both of whom were good at their jobs.
One was an action movie director who had directed many box office hits that dominated both domestic and international markets.
The other was a TV show director who directed many game shows such as Who Likes To Be A Millionaire, Deal Or Don't Deal, and What's the Price?, programs that enjoyed long broadcast lifespans and positive ratings. If Collin was right, this director would probably direct the talk show unless there was another candidate.
On top of having two high-performing directors, Salvador also had three famous actors (two actors and one actress). They were celebrities who starred in many films and were quite famous. One of his clients was Shawn Jacob, a famous action star who was the face of the Fatal Trigger franchise, a movie franchise that already had five sequels.
Furthermore, Salvador was friends with many producers from different major studios.
Collin had nothing to offer Salvador because this veteran agent could get it anyway… except for one thing.
'My clients…'
The only thing Collin could offer was his clients. But doing that would be stupid, borderline self-destructive. His clients were the most important part of his career, the foundation of everything he had built.
He had no intention of transferring any contract to anyone. Not even Jennifer Randon, who currently had the lowest output in his lineup.
He discovered them and recognized their talents long before anyone else did. He wanted to be there when they reached success.
So now, Collin had to think of a way to convince Salvador. His brain slightly ached as he thought about it.
.........
......
...
Days passed.
Axel Gunner, Brody Paige, and Cross Pinger signed their contracts in front of many reporters, cameras flashing relentlessly.
The reporters took countless pictures, particularly of Axel and Brody, who were famous and drew the most attention. As for Cross, he was mostly just there in the background.
Aside from the three lead actors, CEO Berry Cruz was also present to handle the matters and sign contracts as the representative of Uni-versus Pictures.
Actually, the entire contract-signing event was just for show, nothing more than publicity, a standard industry practice. The actors had already signed the real contracts a few days ago, and those documents were much thicker than the ones placed on the table.
Still, the actors treated the event seriously and maintained professionalism. They shook hands with one another, then shook hands with CEO Berry Cruz.
The old man smiled and glanced around. He spotted Collin quietly standing in a corner, behind the spotlight.
Berry's opinion regarding Collin East had completely changed now that he knew more about him.
When Berry first met Collin, the agent was just a nobody. Back then, Collin and Wyatt held a screening in the auditorium at ANT to attract a distributor for their movie. Berry Cruz was the one who handled that negotiation, and The Accidental Wedding Crashers was distributed by Uni-versus Pictures. It was a good business deal, as both sides earned a substantial amount of money.
Since then, the two sides had many collaborations. It could even be said that Director Wyatt Bray was practically an employee of Uni-versus Pictures because he worked with the studio almost exclusively.
At first, Berry thought Collin's career would peak at being Wyatt's agent. Being a director's agent already carried high status in the industry, especially if the director had box office hits. Berry knew Collin had potential, but potential was nothing more than potential. It depended on whether Collin could fully realize it and go beyond.
Yet, Berry's expectations of Collin had long been surpassed. Even the potential Berry once envisioned had been exceeded by a wide margin.
Collin was no longer a simple talent agent. He was different from the man Berry Cruz met five years ago. Five years was enough to completely change a person's life.
Now, Collin was an executive at Apex Network Talent, one of the few who owned company shares and wielded real influence in the industry.
Berry stared at the man who kept a low profile despite his strong aura.
'Indeed, people can change.' He thought.
As the interview continued, Berry remained seated and answered questions from reporters. However, most of the questions were directed at the three actors. Berry was merely there as the representative of Uni-versus Pictures.
Most of the reporters at the contract signing were under Cumcast. As always, Cumcast owned news networks, TV stations, newspapers, magazines, and even tabloids. With a single command from higher-ups, they could promote Week On An Island all over the world.
"Mr. Paige, is your role in this movie just another handsome guy with no substance?"
Unfortunately, the first question came from a female reporter representing a newspaper that had no connection to Cumcast.
"Indeed, my role is nothing more than a handsome guy again. This is a comedy film, it doesn't need substance."
Brody Paige seemed to handle it well. He had already been briefed by the PR team. The actor glanced at Arnold, who was also standing in the background. Arnold nodded at Brody, assuring him that he would step in if things went south.
"Instead of choosing this kind of role, shouldn't you be looking for a serious and heavy role? Something that could elevate your status in the industry. Why did you accept this project?"
The female reporter pressed further. She was actually a fan of Brody Paige, but she was disappointed with his choice of projects. In her opinion, Brody had a chance to win at the Academic Awards if he pursued more serious roles.
"I chose this role because it's fun. My last role was a bit too heavy, and I wanted to take on something lighter to adjust my mentality."
"Fair enough," the female reporter accepted the answer and stopped asking questions, allowing the other reporters to continue.
Of course, the biggest reason Brody Paige accepted the role was money, simple as that.
The contract signing revealed nothing about salaries, and only those directly involved knew how much money had been negotiated.
The three lead actors continued answering questions to the best of their ability, carefully avoiding anything controversial.
Unfortunately, some reporters had no intention of keeping things civil. All they wanted was to see the world burn and cause trouble for everyone. All they chased were headlines.
And this time, a reporter aimed a troublesome question at Axel.
"Mr. Gunner, do you think Hollywood is fair to minorities?"
A trap question had arrived.
---
[Author's Note:]
You can read more on my Patreon with:
80 advance chapters of Behind The Spotlight
62 advance chapters of Reincarnated as a Fisherman and Dad
Patreon link: https://www.patreon.com/Puji_maki
Chapter 208
New
Pujimaki
Padoru padoru
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2022
- Messages
- 1,270
- Likes received
- 21,411
Behind The Spotlight Chapter 208
Celebrity reporters were hated by celebrities, especially the paparazzi who called themselves "reporters."
News reporters were one thing, but even then, reporters had agendas they fought for, some were bad and some were good. They were often shaped by sponsors, editors, or personal beliefs.
Anyway, reporters loved asking tricky questions. These questions were traps that could implicate people regardless of intent or context. As for why they did it, reporters just wanted to make interesting stories. It didn't matter if it could destroy a celebrity or not, they were selfish and driven by exposure.
In the next two decades, reporters would no longer be respected. Simply because this occupation was no longer about the truth, but about narratives.
Tricky questions were loved by reporters because no matter how a person answered them, they would suffer.
Just like now…
"Mr. Gunner, do you think Hollywood is fair to minorities?"
This question could be answered with Yes or No.
If Axel answered, "No, Hollywood isn't fair," he would immediately be blacklisted by studios and directors and labeled as problematic. It would imply that Hollywood was racist, discriminatory, and didn't care about minorities. That would be a bad answer.
But if Axel answered, "Yes, Hollywood is fair," it would also be a bad answer. Because Hollywood was inherently unfair, a well-known reality. It discriminated against minorities. How many Asians do you see in movies or TV shows? And when they appear, are they typecast or not? Do they have accents even though they can speak English fluently in real life? What about Latinos? Blacks? Were they typecast or not? Why do they mostly get mafia, cartels, or gang-related roles?
Let's not even talk about pay gaps and underrepresentation. Hollywood was always unfair.
If Axel answered Yes or No, the reporter would have a follow-up question ready to destroy him.
So no matter what kind of answer Axel gave, he was at a dead end.
Of course, there were ways to answer these kinds of questions safely, but Axel was not an expert in this field. He was an actor, not a debater or a politician.
Furthermore, why the fuck did these reporters ask actors these kinds of questions anyway? They should be asking studios and executives, the real decision-makers. Leave the actors out of this mess. Their job was to act, not to lead rallies against inequality.
Axel knew he was trapped, and he didn't know how to get out of it safely. The question wasn't on the list the PR team prepared him for. The best answer he could give was "No comment," but even that was a bad answer, often interpreted negatively.
Silence followed as Axel thought about how to respond.
Just as the reporter was eager to push further, a sudden commotion broke the tension.
"Hey! Watch where you're walking! Don't you know these shoes cost $50,000? You creased my shoes!"
A loud interruption.
A tall, handsome man raised his voice, immediately catching the attention of everyone in the venue.
"The fuck did you say to me!? I didn't even touch your shoes!" the other man retorted angrily.
"Fuck you. Don't even try to lie. I saw you step on my shoe." The handsome man pointed at his black shoe. There was no crease or stain, perfectly black, yet he acted as if he had suffered a grave injustice.
"I said I didn't step on it!"
"Pay up! These shoes cost me $50,000!"
"You know what? How about we settle this outside?"
"That's exactly what I've been waiting for!"
At that moment, security personnel rushed in and escorted the two men out of the venue. Reporters immediately snapped photos, some already excited about writing articles about the disturbance. A few reporters followed them outside, but the two men simply walked away.
There was no fistfight, which left the reporters disappointed.
As for the tricky questions, everyone forgot about them, and the event ended peacefully without further issues.
When Axel reached the underground parking lot, he found Collin waiting for him. Axel chuckled as he recalled what happened earlier. Collin and Arnold made a scene to distract the reporters.
"Thanks, Collin. But honestly, I feel like answering that question wasn't really dangerous. Who would take it seriously anyway?"
"Don't underestimate reporters. If they work together, your career could be in jeopardy," Collin warned him sternly.
Even though what Collin and Arnold did was an overreaction, they took it seriously. Agents would do everything to protect their clients. It didn't matter if they caused trouble or made a scene, as long as their actors were safe. Fortunately, Uni-versus Pictures let it slide and didn't blacklist them.
"By the way, were your shoes really worth $50,000?"
"Hell no. Do I look crazy enough to spend that kind of money on a pair of shoes?"
"I thought so." Axel laughed.
That day, reporters wrote about the commotion, but it didn't gain much attention. If the two had actually gotten into a fistfight, they probably would've made the front page of many newspapers.
.........
......
...
"I'm surprised. I thought you were avoiding us? I heard from Griffith that you've been very busy." Salvador Manuel wore a smug expression as he looked at Collin, clearly testing him.
Collin's secretary coordinated with Salvador's secretary to arrange the meeting. For this meeting to happen, Salvador's approval was required. After all, he had the upper hand, and Collin was the one asking for a favor.
"Griffith is right, I'm really busy. Why would I avoid you? You're my boss."
Salvador smiled faintly. He had been in the industry far too long to not understand how business worked.
'You're avoiding us because you don't want to transfer your clients' contracts.'
Of course, if Salvador were in Collin's position, he would probably do the same.
Why would anyone hand over the fruits of their hard work and let others harvest them? Fuck that.
"So, what's the real reason you're here? For clarification, I'm also busy, and I adjusted my schedule just to meet you. We don't need to lie to each other."
Agents used flattery, deception, truths, lies, and more. Words were their strongest weapon. If they talked aimlessly, this meeting would be worthless. It was better to get straight to the point.
Besides, Salvador already had a good idea why Collin wanted to meet him.
---
[Thank you for reading this novel.]
Celebrity reporters were hated by celebrities, especially the paparazzi who called themselves "reporters."
News reporters were one thing, but even then, reporters had agendas they fought for, some were bad and some were good. They were often shaped by sponsors, editors, or personal beliefs.
Anyway, reporters loved asking tricky questions. These questions were traps that could implicate people regardless of intent or context. As for why they did it, reporters just wanted to make interesting stories. It didn't matter if it could destroy a celebrity or not, they were selfish and driven by exposure.
In the next two decades, reporters would no longer be respected. Simply because this occupation was no longer about the truth, but about narratives.
Tricky questions were loved by reporters because no matter how a person answered them, they would suffer.
Just like now…
"Mr. Gunner, do you think Hollywood is fair to minorities?"
This question could be answered with Yes or No.
If Axel answered, "No, Hollywood isn't fair," he would immediately be blacklisted by studios and directors and labeled as problematic. It would imply that Hollywood was racist, discriminatory, and didn't care about minorities. That would be a bad answer.
But if Axel answered, "Yes, Hollywood is fair," it would also be a bad answer. Because Hollywood was inherently unfair, a well-known reality. It discriminated against minorities. How many Asians do you see in movies or TV shows? And when they appear, are they typecast or not? Do they have accents even though they can speak English fluently in real life? What about Latinos? Blacks? Were they typecast or not? Why do they mostly get mafia, cartels, or gang-related roles?
Let's not even talk about pay gaps and underrepresentation. Hollywood was always unfair.
If Axel answered Yes or No, the reporter would have a follow-up question ready to destroy him.
So no matter what kind of answer Axel gave, he was at a dead end.
Of course, there were ways to answer these kinds of questions safely, but Axel was not an expert in this field. He was an actor, not a debater or a politician.
Furthermore, why the fuck did these reporters ask actors these kinds of questions anyway? They should be asking studios and executives, the real decision-makers. Leave the actors out of this mess. Their job was to act, not to lead rallies against inequality.
Axel knew he was trapped, and he didn't know how to get out of it safely. The question wasn't on the list the PR team prepared him for. The best answer he could give was "No comment," but even that was a bad answer, often interpreted negatively.
Silence followed as Axel thought about how to respond.
Just as the reporter was eager to push further, a sudden commotion broke the tension.
"Hey! Watch where you're walking! Don't you know these shoes cost $50,000? You creased my shoes!"
A loud interruption.
A tall, handsome man raised his voice, immediately catching the attention of everyone in the venue.
"The fuck did you say to me!? I didn't even touch your shoes!" the other man retorted angrily.
"Fuck you. Don't even try to lie. I saw you step on my shoe." The handsome man pointed at his black shoe. There was no crease or stain, perfectly black, yet he acted as if he had suffered a grave injustice.
"I said I didn't step on it!"
"Pay up! These shoes cost me $50,000!"
"You know what? How about we settle this outside?"
"That's exactly what I've been waiting for!"
At that moment, security personnel rushed in and escorted the two men out of the venue. Reporters immediately snapped photos, some already excited about writing articles about the disturbance. A few reporters followed them outside, but the two men simply walked away.
There was no fistfight, which left the reporters disappointed.
As for the tricky questions, everyone forgot about them, and the event ended peacefully without further issues.
When Axel reached the underground parking lot, he found Collin waiting for him. Axel chuckled as he recalled what happened earlier. Collin and Arnold made a scene to distract the reporters.
"Thanks, Collin. But honestly, I feel like answering that question wasn't really dangerous. Who would take it seriously anyway?"
"Don't underestimate reporters. If they work together, your career could be in jeopardy," Collin warned him sternly.
Even though what Collin and Arnold did was an overreaction, they took it seriously. Agents would do everything to protect their clients. It didn't matter if they caused trouble or made a scene, as long as their actors were safe. Fortunately, Uni-versus Pictures let it slide and didn't blacklist them.
"By the way, were your shoes really worth $50,000?"
"Hell no. Do I look crazy enough to spend that kind of money on a pair of shoes?"
"I thought so." Axel laughed.
That day, reporters wrote about the commotion, but it didn't gain much attention. If the two had actually gotten into a fistfight, they probably would've made the front page of many newspapers.
.........
......
...
"I'm surprised. I thought you were avoiding us? I heard from Griffith that you've been very busy." Salvador Manuel wore a smug expression as he looked at Collin, clearly testing him.
Collin's secretary coordinated with Salvador's secretary to arrange the meeting. For this meeting to happen, Salvador's approval was required. After all, he had the upper hand, and Collin was the one asking for a favor.
"Griffith is right, I'm really busy. Why would I avoid you? You're my boss."
Salvador smiled faintly. He had been in the industry far too long to not understand how business worked.
'You're avoiding us because you don't want to transfer your clients' contracts.'
Of course, if Salvador were in Collin's position, he would probably do the same.
Why would anyone hand over the fruits of their hard work and let others harvest them? Fuck that.
"So, what's the real reason you're here? For clarification, I'm also busy, and I adjusted my schedule just to meet you. We don't need to lie to each other."
Agents used flattery, deception, truths, lies, and more. Words were their strongest weapon. If they talked aimlessly, this meeting would be worthless. It was better to get straight to the point.
Besides, Salvador already had a good idea why Collin wanted to meet him.
---
[Thank you for reading this novel.]