Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Chapter 1280 Where is the Godfather?

After applying to the New York City Hall to start construction, Ronald also found the real estate developer who renovated the movie theater for him and asked him to take over his airport construction business.

"It's not easy to work in your place. Many of them are classified as nature reserves. Have you opened up all these joints? No one understands these New York bureaucrats better than me. Some of them like money, and some like women, but The most troublesome ones are those who only like fame..."

Real estate developers came to Staten Island and started talking about it on the hillside next to the house. He has been fighting with the Manhattan Land Planning Commission for many years. The most troublesome ones are the people under former Mayor Koch, no one else, because they are targeting popularity, that is, establishing a reputation among citizens to prepare for future elections. Prepare for politics.

"My lawyer is helping me handle this application. This is Staten Island. Many New Yorkers think this is New Jersey. Doesn't it matter?" Ronald felt that the other party was exaggerating a bit. This place is so desolate that it has been turned into a protected area. The number of voters on the island is not large, and most of them support the Elephant Party. Any politician who wants to enter politics in New York will not be so stupid as to want to join the Elephant Party to get the votes of these people.

"Well, whatever you want. Maybe you are right. As long as you get the application, I will build it for you quickly and well. No one knows how to build in New York better than me. Mayor Koch has done five Years, even spending millions..."

"The Wollman Ice Rink in Central Park is regarded as a miracle by us New Yorkers. You have given our young men and women a good date place." Ronald quickly took over. This real house builder Not bad, but he talks a lot.

The developer did not shake hands with Ronald this time. He nodded and got into Ronald's car and went back. The divorce lawsuit between him and his wife was very ugly. Every day, the four major newspapers in New York published their gossip drama, which turned him from a young and promising entrepreneur into a fool that everyone could laugh at. .

His willingness to take over Ronald's project this time was also related to Ronald's good payment conditions. Now, in addition to the debt hole of the Taj Mahal Hotel, he is also preparing to pay 20 million in alimony to his ex-wife... He is full of confidence in his future and would rather pay it off in one lump sum.

…

"Hey, why isn't it Johnny Carson today?"

"Honey, here I come..." Looking at Helen, who was posing like a girl with a slit in a magazine, Ronald yelled and rushed towards her...

…

As usual during the break, Ronald went to get a Coke. Helen turned on the TV and saw that on the Tonight Show, the host had been replaced by Jay Leno.

Just like Letterman, a boy from a small southern town, none of his team members are the kind of people who grew up in New York and Los Angeles. Even when Letterman usually goes to nightclubs, he has to find a person to help him book seats and make selections. Suddenly, Letterman finds that he seems to be excluded from the ranks of Johnny Carson's successor?

Johnny Carson was retiring anyway, and he had no motivation to quarrel with his successor. But Letterman felt uncomfortable. Although he was the second-ranked host in the United States, he was not even mentioned by name in the Tonight Show game. This gives people the impression that it is impossible for him to take over...

Sure enough, the next day's "New York Post" published a commentator's opinion article "NBC dumps Johnny Carson for Jay Leno."

It's a big change, and if Jay Leno's Monday shift with Carson off in the past few months can be considered a common measure, then today Johnny Carson's unreasonable In his absence, Jay Leno's hosting clearly sent a signal...

At that time, Letterman, who had encountered a major blow in his life, must have wanted to find someone to talk to who would not laugh at him, surrounded by "I told you so".

Moreover, NBC seems to be sure that he will not leave, and they can't even find anyone to talk to him. Only after Jay Leno substituted on a non-rotation day did he understand that NBC had made a decision.

This article was very accurate. It did not mention David Letterman, but directly compared Jay Leno to Carson, the number one talk show leader.

Ronald had a phone call with the New York Daily News, and they knew quite clearly that Kushnick was the man behind this article and was also Jay Leno's agent. However, she does not work in a group like CAA's agent. This very fierce woman works alone.

Ronald and Richard spent some time on the phone with Ed Bastian, and luckily everything worked out the way they envisioned it. It is estimated that in some time, NBC will find an opportunity to officially announce Jay Leno's successor internally.

At this time, the benefits of having a broker come to light. If Letterman had an agent like Kushnick, Jay Leno would never have cornered him so easily.

"Isn't today Johnny Carson's regular break time?" Ronald looked at the calendar, and sure enough, Jay Leno began to replace Johnny Carson in the daily program as host of The Tonight Show.

"David, I'm begging you. Ronald is not bad, but the way he told you has no chance of making you become Johnny Carson's successor."

"Helen Kushnik? Who is this?"

Now, even David Letterman, who was as steady as a rock, couldn't sit still. He didn't have an agent, but he had a lawyer named Jack Bloom. As soon as this report came out, Bloom went around the world, hoping to find the right person to negotiate with NBC.

"Hey, Richard, pay attention to the movement over there these two days. David Letterman will want to talk to someone..."

"I should call Ronald. He is the one who understands my mind." When lawyer Jack Bloom begged him to find an agent to turn things around, Letterman was still unwilling to face Ovitz, the largest agent in the United States. How embarrassing it would be to be told by him, "I told you a long time ago that you can't do it without an agent...".

In the evening, Helen Slater changed into a denim outfit again, with a jacket with decorative straps and a cowboy hat. She looked even sexier than she did in the movie, because she didn't wear a shirt inside, and the texture of the suede rubbed against her body, which also aroused Ronald's interest.

After hanging up the phone, Ronald turned around and Helen was still looking at him with resentment. Although the first round was very good, after a long separation, he still expected to work harder in the second round...

"Why, Ronald's agent is also a partner of CAA. He told me that the best way to negotiate... um..."

"Yes, you want the host of the Tonight Show, not a fat contract..." Jack Bloom smiled bitterly. Ronald's method was good, but it couldn't give him what he wanted most...

"Okay..." Letterman thought again and again, and compared the dream job in his heart with his own face for a while, and the dream still prevailed.

...

"Jay, how is the situation at NBC?"

In the best office in the five-star building designed by I.M. Pei, Michael Ovitz was chatting with a handsome young man. His name is Jay Moroney, a confidant of Ovitz and a disciple he personally trained.

This man has a charming temperament, and his clients are all Hollywood beauties, including sexy actresses like Sherilyn Fenn.

"Everyone says that Brandon Tartikoff, who is in charge of TV drama business, has become the biggest obstacle to David Letterman because he was ridiculed by Letterman. But the news I got is not like this. Warren Littlefield is the one who insisted that Jay Leno take over. As for NBC, the one who has the most influence now is actually their financial director, Bob Wright. He doesn't want to make a choice and wants to keep both." Jay Mulroney took out a pill from his pocket and swallowed it. He adjusted his glasses and said. "How is David Letterman?" Ovitz turned a blind eye to the little action of this apprentice. "Like any entertainment star who doesn't believe in agents, his contract is very bad, it's simply a slave contract. Even if he doesn't take over Carson, he will work at NBC until February 1993, and he is not allowed to negotiate with any potential employer before then. Moreover, I heard that his show, the Late Show, although it is a midnight show, can bring NBC 55 million US dollars in advertising revenue a year. And..." Jay Mulroney has a temperament like the boy next door, and all middle-aged women like him very much. So Ovitz likes this apprentice the most, and he will send him to inquire about any important information.

"And he has nowhere to go, no wonder Bob Wright wants to keep him." Ovitz responded with a smile. Johnny Carson's Tonight Show has beaten other TV programs of the same time. So it is not easy for Letterman to leave for other competitors.

Ovitz received a call, "Jay, come with me to the elevator to greet Letterman... He is already here."

...

"Where will Mr. Ovitz meet us?" At the front desk on the ground floor of the CAA building, David Letterman and lawyer Jack Bloom were waiting there in agony. The people here did not give him special treatment because of his status. He was still waiting for the permission of the master above to meet him.

After waiting for about ten minutes, Letterman was looked at by CAA employees, as if they were all humiliating him for not wanting an agent back then. He felt very uncomfortable. Since he had his own late-night show, he rarely received such insults.

"I say, where is the Godfather? How long do I have to wait to see him?"

Lightman couldn't stand it anymore and started to make a pun to the front desk. Ovitz was like a Godfather, delaying to see him. Was he waiting for him to make an offer?

"Mr. Lightman..." Ovitz's smile bloomed the moment he walked out of the elevator. He invited Lightman to visit his Andy Warhol paintings.

"I bought all of them back then, and they have appreciated a lot now..." Ovitz was very confident in his collection, and every important guest had to be brought here to show his vision.

Lightman answered vaguely, and the two walked in front, passing through the long corridor, and were looked at by senior brokers in various offices along the way.

Finally arriving at Ovitz's office, he began to show off his Giaco Metti chair and the Joseph Hoffman chair for guests.

"I know David's situation. So I know why you are here. David is a striking star, and frankly, this makes me personally angry that he found himself being mistreated in this way.

At CAA, we develop a career plan for our clients that both protects and enriches them. David had such high professional standards and yet he was not rewarded. This doesn't make sense at all. This is bad business practice.

I told you a long time ago that there should be an agent to protect your interests..."

Ovitz got right to the point, offering to sign an exclusive representation agreement with David Letterman. In addition to his job, he also had to give him a host of celebrities to appear on his show. Of course, this also gave Letterman more rewards.

Typical Ovitz-style packaged cooperation.

David Letterman felt a buzzing in his ears. He couldn't help but think of the scene where he saw the filming location of The Godfather in Ronald's house on Staten Island.

Ovitz is like Don Corleone, who promises to help him fix everything after something goes wrong, but in return he has to pay a price that may be difficult to pay in the future.

"Of course, my promise also includes giving you a talk show at 11:30 p.m...."

David Letterman's mind suddenly woke up from the buzzing, and Ovitz's last words reached his ears.

Ovitz did not commit to returning to NBC's The Tonight Show to take over Johnny Carson's time on the show. He just talked about a program at 11:30 p.m. in general. What is the difference between this and what Ronald's agent promised?

"Ok, I see……"

"Then can we..." Ovitz smiled happily and took out a folder containing the contract he prepared for Letterman. Once signed, he can help Letterman find a suitable network and give his star more stage opportunities.

It's a win-win situation, of course, I'm the one who wins the most.

Of course, a lot of psychological speculation and negotiation skills are required in the process...

"Okay, I understand. I will consider it..." David Letterman stood up and said expressionlessly, signaling his lawyer with his eyes to get the contract.

"We can drink some champagne. I'm here... No, what did you say?" Ovitz went to get the champagne to celebrate the signing according to his old habit. He was caught off guard and discovered that Letterman was not talking about the signing.

"I said I would think about it, and remember to listen to the phone when the time comes..." Letterman turned and walked away. Ovitz was left on the spot.

"Mr. Letterman, David..."

Ovitz chased him to the door, and the sound spread outside, scaring all the agents into retreating into their offices and pretending not to hear anything.

David Letterman did not respond. When he walked back to the corridor, he happened to see Richard and Niceta there. They had not opened the door just now and stretched out curious eyes to see his joke.

But now everyone closed the door and pretended that it was none of my business. Only the two of them came out and nodded slightly to themselves, which was a silent greeting.

"Hello, Ronald? I need your help now..." After returning to the car, Letterman immediately called Ronald, completely unaware that his request for help was also the same as the cake at the beginning of the Godfather movie. The store owner is pretty much the same.

However, this godfather is kinder than Ovitz, without any arrogance, and will not say to himself, "I told you a long time ago..."

"Ha, I just came back. What do you want to eat tonight? I can make Chinese and Italian food here. If you want to eat other dishes, I will ask someone to book a room." Ronald smiled and put down the phone, "Wang Ma, Call XX restaurant and ask them to deliver the best Japanese food, yes, a complete set.”