America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 163. I'm going to abuse my power too, sisters, let's do it together!

"Hello everyone, I am Andrew Adams, Mayor of Santa Barbara. The main purpose of this press conference is to respond to the unfair treatment Michael Jackson suffered."

"Two days ago, Mr. Jackson was summoned by the police and Neverland Ranch was searched. However, the law enforcement process was somewhat irregular and caused some damage to Mr. Jackson's property and personal safety."

"As the mayor of Santa Barbara, I offer my sincere apologies to Mr. Michael Jackson on behalf of the city government and am willing to compensate for all losses."

Click! Click! Click!

Flashbulbs went off incessantly, and cameras were pointed at the scene for a live broadcast. Behind the reporter, a large number of protesters were watching intently.

"Regarding Tom Schneider, following a collective resolution of the city government, it was decided to remove him from his prosecutorial appointment and transfer him to judicial proceedings to investigate issues of police brutality and to examine whether there was any abuse of power."

"Regarding Police Chief Brown Howard, it has been decided to suspend him from his duties as chief and to appoint a joint task force to investigate whether he was involved in the incident and whether there were any issues such as failure to report or dereliction of duty."

"Regarding the eleven police officers who participated in the search of Neverland Ranch, it has been decided to suspend them from duty. We will hold them accountable based on the video footage and the value of the property damaged by each of them."

"All investigation results will be released in due course. The Santa Barbara city government assures everyone that it will severely punish any lawbreakers and restore fairness and justice to Mr. Michael Jackson."

Finally, I would like to express my sincere apologies once again to Mr. Jackson!

At Dream Manor, watching the live broadcast on TV, the group nodded silently.

"See that? This is the power of public opinion. In peacetime, public opinion is as powerful as swords and guns; it can kill without drawing blood."

Mike certainly has firsthand experience with this, but in the past he only received slander, while this time he received sympathy and apologies.

He said with satisfaction, "As long as we take down Tom Schneider, at least we can guarantee that there will be no interference from public authorities in the subsequent trial, which is good enough."

Eric smiled slightly: "Well, having seen what happened to Tom Schneider and Brown Howard, no one dares to tamper with your case."

"Then we'll see what each side does. With the evidence we have, we have enough to shut Janet Avizo up in court."

He looked around as he spoke, then got up and closed the door.

"What's wrong? Why are you closing the door?" Michael asked curiously.

"Just in case the walls have ears, I'll tell you something: I've got Jody Chandler on board. He's agreed to attend the trial and clarify what happened in 1993."

"What! Really?" Mike's eyes widened instantly.

"Of course it's true, so we will definitely win, and not only this case, but also the 1993 case."

"Michael, it's been ten years. You've endured more than you should have. It's time to be free."

"call"

Michael took a deep breath and patted his face repeatedly to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

The 1993 case remained a thorn in his side. Although he did not plead guilty, the out-of-court settlement led many to misunderstand that he was guilty.

If you have nothing to hide, why did you give them money? Giving them money means you definitely did it, but these people don't understand the power struggle behind it.

"Eric, how did you do that?"

"Hehe. Remember what I said before? We should make good use of the resources we have. The wealth and power we control are resources."

"When you decide to use them, these resources become powerful weapons, just like they are now."

"Michael, you also wield enormous power, but you haven't learned how to use it."

"You mean copyright?" Mike asked back.

"That's right, it's the 50% copyright you hold in Sony Music. It can determine a lot of things. If I remember correctly, you hold the copyright to the lyrics and music, right?"

"Yes, the distribution rights are exclusively held by Sony Music; I only control the copyrights to the lyrics and music."

Eric said coldly, "That's enough, Michael. With just one order from you, most of the artists under Sony Music, except for the singers in Japan, will be unable to make a sound."

"Commercial performances? Concerts? Haha, all activities will have to be suspended. This is the trump card you hold in your hands."

"If Sony still refuses to let you leave when pushed to the very end, then this is the only option left: a desperate, all-or-nothing move!"

Listening to Eric's cold analysis, Mike frowned.

Then he waved his hand, saying, "No, I can't use that tactic. Many of Sony's singers are my friends; they'll hate me!"

"I'm afraid not only the singers will hate me, but their fans will hate me too. I will become a public enemy."

Eric grabbed his hand suddenly, his eyes turning ruthless as he said, "We're not the public enemy. Sony forced us into this situation. Otherwise, you would have been controlled by those people to death because of your kindness."

"And it's not that we have to take this step. This is just a bargaining chip for us to force Sony to compromise."

"As a listed company, Sony has a responsibility to its shareholders, to its investors, and to the market. Once the tug-of-war begins, you can afford to drag it out, but they can't."

Mike hesitated, "Actually, I can't afford to delay either. In fact, due to the issue of shareholding, every time Sony expands and acquires some brands or companies, if I don't want my equity to be diluted, I have to co-invest."

"So over the years, I have borrowed a lot of money from banks. In addition to the expenses of Neverland Ranch and other aspects, I also have to rely on Sony's income to maintain my expenses."

"If it really comes to that, it will probably be a lose-lose situation."

Upon hearing this, Eric understood the crux of the problem.

"Mike, how much money do you have left? How much debt do you have?"

"I'm not entirely sure myself, I'll need to ask my accountant."

"Okay, tell me the numbers after you've found out. I'll prepare some working capital for emergencies and help you get through this difficult time if necessary."

Before he could finish speaking, Michael shook his head and refused: "No, that's not good. I heard that your MGM is still in debt and owes the bank a lot of money."

"Hehe. I don't need the money I owe the bank right now, and MGM's business is doing very well. The bank would love for me to owe it for a few more years so they can earn more interest."

"And you don't think I only have MGM in my hand, do you? I have plenty of other chips."

"In short, this is just a contingency plan, better safe than sorry."

"Oh well."

Squeak!

The door opened, and Citi walked in carrying a tray: "Have a cup of coffee, Mike."

Eric picked up the remote and changed the channel. When he switched to NBC Entertainment, Madonna's image flashed across the screen.

Eric stopped pressing his fingers and looked on with interest.

"Ciconi, you look beautiful today," the reporter asked.

In the picture, Madonna confidently opens her mouth and says, "Of course, I'm this beautiful every day."

Standing next to Madonna is her husband, Guy Ritchie, the director who made "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" famous worldwide.

"What do you think about the Michael Jackson incident? Especially the discovery of your Playboy cover in his bedroom."

Madonna laughed and said, "I think this shows that Michael is really infatuated with me. Maybe he's had a crush on me for years, ever since we met."

"But if you want it, you can just tell me, and I can show you more private information."

Although everyone knows Madonna has a free-spirited personality and is an old friend of Michael Jackson, your husband is right there feeding you.

Guy Ritchie could only shrug and remain silent, looking both aggrieved and amused.

With the Santa Barbara city government's statement, this event symbolizes a victory for Mike.

At Eric's behest, MGM began to shrink its reach.

However, although he has stepped down from the limelight, the protests and demonstrations he sparked have not stopped.

There are still plenty of fans, righteous people, and people who like to join in the fun.

The online outcry has only just begun, and Mike has started giving interviews, discussing the matter and subtly steering the conversation toward child molestation, gaining public understanding and sympathy.

In this era where the internet is not yet very developed and there are relatively few topics to discuss, the event's popularity will likely continue for at least another two weeks.

Eric quietly returned to Los Angeles after spending three days at Neverland Ranch.

Casting for House of Cards is still ongoing, but Eric is too lazy to deal with the remaining supporting roles and has left Andrea and the others to handle it.

He simply set the start date for July 17th.

Eric continued to refine "Blue Is the Warmest Color," repeatedly refining the use of certain shots, resulting in differences from the original in detail.

July 10th arrived in the blink of an eye. The offline protests and demonstrations finally subsided, but the media and the internet continued to pressure the Santa Barbara city government, demanding that the truth be found out as soon as possible and the punishment results be announced.

The summer movie season continues, with "Pirates of the Caribbean" opening yesterday and the Black Pearl making a strong debut in theaters across the country.

In just one day, it garnered widespread praise.

The Purge has ended its large-scale screenings in North America, ultimately grossing $97 million, unfortunately falling short of the $100 million mark.

However, thanks to the strength of the Japanese market, overseas markets surged to $6000 million.

It is estimated that the overseas box office will be around another $1500 million, with the final global box office expected to reach $1.8 million.

In any case, it has already surpassed "Sharknado" and become AK Films' new flagship title.

Compared to the $300 million cost and negligible marketing, it made a fortune.

Eric finally finished editing "Blue Is the Warmest Color," completing a version he was satisfied with.

The MGM Grand building, inside the cinema.

Eric and the Olsen sisters were sitting among them. The cinema was not open to employees today; the owner was conducting an internal screening.

Some might think that more people should be involved in the film review process, right? Feel free to offer your opinions.

But today's screening is for the director's special edition, which is even rarer than the edited version and is not available for public sale.

Eric only planned to keep one copy for himself, and give one each to Ashley and Mary.

In the dark hall, the howls of wolves rose and fell.

"ohFuc!"

Ashley sat on Eric's lap, swaying back and forth, the two entwined affectionately.

Mary looked at the big screen, the content of which made her blush.

The two sisters are seen exploring art in the frame, and close-up shots clearly capture their expressions.

On the smooth skin, the lines and veins, mixed with the heavy breathing, exuded the tension of love.

In her seat, Mary kept opening and closing her mouth, her fingers moving nimbly back and forth.

Eric grabbed her hand and pulled her close, looking at Mary's shifty eyes, and asked, "Tell me, what do you want?"

Mary gently stroked Eric's chest with her small hand, then grabbed his fingers and put them in her mouth to suckle.

Her eyes involuntarily turned to her sister and Eric.

Her golden hair was covered with dewdrops, exuding an eerie allure.

Nearly three hours later, with the release of the movie's end credits, this exhilarating battle finally came to an end.

Eric held the two sisters in his arms, one on each side. All three of them were exhausted and lay on the floor, panting.

He kissed each of the two women on the lips. Although the Olsen sisters were not top-tier beauties, they were young.

Their firm, supple skin and energetic movements showcase their vibrant vitality.

Of course, the most important thing is that twins bring a stimulus that is not simply 1+1=2.

Moreover, the two would frequently bring up little Elizabeth, which further provoked Eric, causing him to be "drained" four times in total.

As for the movie content, what's the point? Who's in the mood to watch the plot?

Just like some people watch Ang Lee's "Lust, Caution" for the plot, Eric watched the whole movie several times, but still couldn't remember the plot.

My attention was completely drawn to Tony Leung and Tang Wei, especially Tang Wei's night hair, which was really eye-catching.

Have you finished reading the script for "Mean Girls"?

"I've finished watching it."

"Yes, I've seen it."

"Do you have any ideas? This is actually a movie with two female leads, only one has a slightly larger role. But the so-called female villain is actually quite likable."

After a pause, Eric saw the two women drawing circles on his chest and then he understood.

"You guys don't want to make teen campus dramas anymore?"

Ashley stuck out her tongue and licked his ribs: "We've both acted in arthouse films like 'Blue Is the Warmest Color,' so it just feels awkward to go back to doing teen dramas."

"It feels like you've already bought an airplane, but you still want to..."

Mary chimed in, "Exactly! And we're getting a little tired of teen movies. Shouldn't we be choosing more challenging roles?"

"Eric, didn't you say before that you were also preparing a wedding movie with two female leads?"

Eric smiled and said, "Yes, there is, but you're only 17 years old, which is the prime of your youth."

"Blue Is the Warmest Color" certainly helped you grow a lot, but there's no need to look down on teen movies.

"Many award-winning actors and actresses, after proving themselves, like to make cameo appearances in all sorts of mindless movies, and the audience doesn't hate them; instead, they smile."

"And the script for 'Mean Girls' is really good; you'd better consider it."

"Of course, if you don't want to act, that's fine too. There's no shortage of young actresses in the market."

After hearing Eric's advice, the two women could only say they would consider it further.

(End of this chapter)