Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Chapter 1279 Letterman’s biggest bargaining chip

"David, I'm ready. Let's go fishing for trout on Staten Island. This set is yours."

At the weekend, Ronald and a group of people picked up David Letterman and headed towards the nature reserve in their territory.

"Oh, man, I really like a little time away from the crowd. I've been approached by so many people lately that I can't even hide..." David Letterman was wearing a sports suit and a pair of sunglasses. If you are not familiar with him, no one would know that this middle-aged man with wild hair and a lot of talk is the host of the second-highest-rated talk show in the United States.

The car drove for more than an hour and finally arrived at the house on Staten Island where "The Godfather" was filmed.

"Is this where the Godfather sits?" David Letterman, a fan of imitations, would not pass up the opportunity. "If you had come to me as a friend, your enemies would have suffered. Like you Honest person, if someone wants to go against you, he will become my enemy..."

He imitated a Marlon Brando line, and it must be said that the level of performance was beyond the sky. "How was it? How was my performance?"

"Hahaha, David, you can't play the role of The Godfather, don't worry. The Godfather is a story of Italian descent. For a typical Southern boy like you, you can't possibly be from an Italian family in New York. Why don't you play Rhett from Gone with the Wind? Pretty much.”

"Hahahaha..." Letterman was very happy to be praised. He and Ronald, as well as a group of bodyguards and drivers, changed into fisherman's clothes and went to the wetland to start throwing poles.

The two spent a lot of time fishing together. In the protected wetland opposite Ronald's house, the trout were very easy to catch. Letterman was very proud and even argued with Ronald about who caught more.

The two felt a little damp, so they went to the nearby fisherman's hut to rest and eat. After finishing the sandwiches and hot coffee in thermos cups, they both felt that today's fishing was very successful. That's when Letterman told the truth.

"Mr. Letterman, I'm so glad to see you. Can you sign your autograph for me?"

"I definitely haven't watched it. I don't have time to watch other people's talk shows, and I don't really watch Johnny Carson's."

"Ricky Lake, now on my TV station in New York, is the host of a teen show. You may have seen..."

"I have left my agent, assistants, and senior managers in the house. I will have to deal with a lot of trivial matters with them when I go back. It's better for you to be comfortable. There are not so many things to make decisions for you."

"No, she has acted in a musical before, Hairspray. The director and the Drag Queen who played her mother were on your show..."

Moreover, if Jay Leno succeeds in intercepting the draw in the end, Letterman may not necessarily have a good impression of those who come up and say, "I told you so...".

"Hahaha, that's what being a host is like. If you concentrate on being a director, it's probably about the same." Letterman felt very happy.

"Who is it?" Letterman was originally not interested in meeting outsiders, but he was in a good fishing mood, and he was about to become the number one host in America. There was a colleague who was actually his fan. At this point in time , he is less private.

"Oh, it's her, I remember, a little chubby girl."

Anyway, according to the news from Ed Bastian, it is difficult to ease the relationship between him and NBC executives. It is better to wait until afterwards and they will come back to help in times of need.

"Hey, we all have similar identities. I know what troubles you have, so I came to you to relax." Ronald thought that it was indeed good, Ovitz would not miss this rare opportunity. I must also think of various ways to get on the line with Letterman, and then try to persuade him to hire CAA for public relations counterattack to ensure that Johnny Carson's show will be continued.

"Hahaha..." Letterman thought that he would take over Johnny Carson's show soon, and he would no longer be second, but first.

"By the way, some people from my TV station will also come today. If you don't mind, there is one of your loyal fans who is also a talk show host who wants to meet you. She likes your program very much. , always imitating your style..."

This is human nature. Most people are unwilling to admit that their mistakes have caused irreparable consequences. Those prophets who clearly spell out the future tragedy will not have any good results.

Ronald called the driver, Little Bud, and asked him to drive the car over and prepare to go back.

"No, the director still has to deal with the box office pressure of the producer and company, or the pressure of winning awards. Hosting is indeed a good profession, especially for a program of your scale."

If they try to persuade, not only will they fail to win over David Letterman, they will bore him.

After discussing with Richard and Ed Bastian for a long time, I still felt that Letterman, after nearly ten years of successful hosting career, no longer had any sense of crisis towards Jay Leno's methods.

"It's really exciting. I've also received a lot of calls from other people, but only one of them didn't want to talk to me about Carson's Tonight Show... and there wasn't a bunch of people surrounding me, trying to get away from me. What benefits have you gained..."

Rather than competing with Ovitz and the people at several other brokerage firms for this opportunity, it would be better to try another approach. If it really fails, David Letterman prefers to communicate with someone who, like him, doesn't see the crisis and can complain about God's unfairness.

…

Fat girl Ricky Lake has also been working as a host for a long time. She tried every means to lose weight before but the effect was not obvious. After working as a host every day, it may be due to the pressure, but she has lost some weight.

It's true that she admires David Letterman. Although she can't say that she is as obsessed with celebrities as a movie fan, but professionally, she watches Letterman and Carson's shows after work, trying to figure out some skills in mobilizing the audience's emotions and coping with emergencies. She still admires these two people. .

"Oh, God. When I was watching the movie, I had no idea that you would be my castmate." Letterman was visibly pleased and hugged Ricky Lake. Then the two of them chatted about some daily gossip.

Anyway, the so-called skills can be studied over and over again after recording the usual programs. Ricky Lake did not ask Letterman for any advice.

"She hosts a talk show for teenage audiences, which is different from your rating..." Ronald took the initiative to come over and introduce Ricky Lake's show, the number of viewers, etc.

"Oh, very good. Is there anything you want to ask me?" Letterman raised his eyebrows. This number is actually very good for a local TV station.

"I mainly want to meet you. It was after watching your show that I came up with the idea of ​​becoming a host." Ricky Lake thought to himself, your show is a late-night adult talk show, and mine is an afternoon youth show. Those jokes of yours are always "beep" dropped on my show. Is there anything you can ask me?

"Ronald? Where are you? Ed and Richard are here and want to talk to you about work..." Helen Slater's voice came over.

"I'm in the study. Just ask them to wait for a while. I'll start working soon." Seeing that the person who had arranged the arrangement had already arrived, and seeing that Letterman was also chatting happily with Ricky Lake, Ronald put Richard and Ed Bastian came over.

"Ronald, where are your documents?" Helen, who was Ronald's secretary, was very unfamiliar with doing this kind of thing, so she had to call him over.

"Just in time," Ronald thought, and then he said to Letterman, "This is Richard, this is Ed, this one needs no introduction... Just wait for me, I'll go take care of things." Once it’s done, come back and let’s go to Manhattan together.”

"Mr. Letterman, how was today's catch?" Richard adjusted his glasses. He had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time.

"Haha, not bad. Let's take a look at my photos. I caught more fish than Ronald..." Letterman took out several Polaroid photos of himself and trout.

"Oh, it is indeed a very good trout. This photo is really good." Richard and Bastian both came up, pretending to be fishing enthusiasts.

"I remember you. Are you Ronald's agent? Are you also from CAA? Aren't you going to ask me something? Why did Ovitz come to you to talk to me?" David Letterman is not stupid either. Suddenly I felt a little uncomfortable.

"Hahaha, CAA is a partnership company, we each have our own business."

"What, you don't want to sign me as a client?" Letterman was dubious.

"Yes, of course I do. Who doesn't want to be the agent of the number one talk show host in the United States? This is one of every agent's ultimate dreams..." Richard was not polite and admitted that he had the idea to sign a contract. Get off him.

"However, I don't very much agree with Mr. Ovitz's approach. In my opinion, the Tonight Show already has a suitable successor, and there is only one, and that is you, Mr. Letterman."

"Haha, that's not entirely accurate, but that's what I think, hahaha. Your Ovitz is always bothering me, asking about someone trying to rob him, or doing public relations... You tell me, I really have Is this a risk?"

"In my opinion, even if there is a risk, their approach is wrong and they have not grasped the key to the problem at all." Ed Bastian interjected and took the question that Richard was not comfortable answering, "I am Bastian Stian is the president of the station where Ricky Lake works.”

"Oh, what do you think is the crux of the problem?" Letterman was interested.

"The most critical bargaining chip in any negotiation is not how strong your work ability is, nor how much salary you ask for, but the right to leave the negotiation at any time and not talk to the other party. With this, it is better than any public relations Actions work... Which TV station wouldn’t want to have a host like you?”

When David Letterman heard this, he felt very proud. Indeed, now in America, besides Johnny Carson, who is about to retire, who else can have such a large audience and such a big influence?

"Ah, David. I've finished it over there, you can go." Ronald walked into the room at the right time. He looked at Ed Bastian and Richard and saw them nodding slightly, so he smiled and said, "We are going back to Manhattan. Where do you want us to take you? Is it the NBC building, or are you in North Surry?" Mu’s home?”

"Oh, let's go to North Salem. Or you can put me in Manhattan. I have a driver assigned to me by NBC and will be on standby in Manhattan. How about that, isn't it good?"

"Of course...if you want to go back to Los Angeles, I can take you back. My plane is parked at the airport in New Jersey."

"Oh? Your private plane?" Letterman's financial resources still put pressure on the plane. He has recently been considering buying the land around his house in North Salem and getting a private plot like Ronald.

"Yes, the latest model of Gulfstream, which can fly across the Atlantic. I also have a retired pilot from the Navy..." As soon as Ronald talked about the plane, he immediately became interested. No matter how old a man is, he is very interested in this kind of toy.

"It's a pity that it's not parked here, otherwise I can borrow it. It's more convenient for me to go to JFK airport." David Letterman heard that the plane was still in New Jersey, which was even farther away from his home in northern New York.

"Uh..." Ronald was choked. There is no airport on Staten Island that can dock business jets like Gulfstream. It seems that one should be built? Otherwise, it will take several hours to fly to New York and return to his hometown in the future...

When he walked out the door, David Letterman still indulged himself in the chair where the Godfather sat. Americans always have a special feeling for The Godfather. When they go to the filming location of the original film, they all want to try Marlon Brando's lines.

"Very good, maybe one day in the future, maybe this day will never come, but when it really comes, I hope to get your help!"

"David, I still think you are suitable to play the role of a southern gentleman. You know, the best actors are those who play themselves."

"Hahaha..." David Letterman laughed wildly again.

Ronald and the others sent him out together. He was the last one to close the door. When he was about to close the door, the light in the room dimmed. He remembered the opening scene in The Godfather and the lines repeated by Letterman...

Interesting, maybe quite appropriate. Ronald smiled and closed the door.

In the evening, in a high-rise apartment on Fifth Avenue, Ronald smiled and had a French dinner with Helen. The red wine and food, plus the beautiful woman playing a jazz song she wrote at the piano, made Ronald feel like the owner of a Hollywood studio in the 1920s, asking the actresses in the company to perform for him privately.

"Great, you should make an album, Helen." Ronald applauded after the song ended.

"Really? Hehe, but I still prefer acting." Helen played a city girl who went to a ranch tour with Billy Crystal in "City Cowboy".

Because she was teased by a cowboy, the biggest supporting role in the movie, the real cowboy played by the famous villain, Jack Palance, was introduced. It can't be considered a very important supporting role, but it is in a key position. The audience is likely to remember this role.

"Then be an actor..." Ronald hugged Helen in his arms and touched her all over.

"Ring, ring, ring..."

The phone rang, and Ronald picked it up to listen.

"Ronald, I checked the New York State Environmental Protection Act. If you want to build a private airport on Staten Island, you must indeed pass the review of historical and cultural heritage protection... In total, your cost..., don't you consider renting a helicopter to allow you to commute between home and the airport?" His private lawyer Lindsay Doll called.

"This number is not bad. You don't know that the parking fee for private jets is also very expensive. I have to pay almost half of this amount every year in Los Angeles. I can fly directly to Staten Island in the future, which will save me some money."