America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 205, Section 204: Explosive Public Opinion, Soaring Box Office, and Cries for Best Actress

"Honey, what happened? Your brow is furrowed so deeply."

Theron appeared behind Eric without him noticing, gently massaging his temples. She knew her man hadn't fully recovered from last night's ordeal.

Feeling the warm, smooth skin, Eric sighed, "Disturbing my sleep, nothing good comes first thing in the morning."

"Yesterday in Massachusetts, an extreme anti-gay guy set fire to a movie theater."

"Oh my god! Someone's dead?" Theron's eyes widened in surprise.

"We were relatively lucky. A dozen or so people suffered injuries of varying degrees, but no one was burned to death. The movie theater and the surrounding houses were burned to ruins."

"Is it that serious? Why would they set a fire? Is it from a movie?"

Eric shook his head slightly in exasperation: "We have to admit that there are indeed a group of lunatics in the world whose minds have been warped."

"This guy didn't flee after setting the fire; instead, he brazenly waited there for the police and media to arrive."

"After the reporters arrived, they held up signs and shouted slogans such as 'Homosexuality is shameful,' 'Oppose homosexuality,' and 'Homosexuality is blasphemy.'"

"They even claimed that they wanted to set fire to this movie theater because it was showing 'Blue Is the Warmest Color,' and that they wanted to burn down the gay people and the perverts who support them."

"A madman! An absolute madman! God did not teach him to set fires and hurt others."

Theron sighed. "If it were Massachusetts, I wouldn't be too surprised. Have you heard about what happened last month?"

"What is it?"

"November 18th, right, that was the premiere of Transformers, and you were busy with that."

"Also in Massachusetts, the state Supreme Court heard a case concerning same-sex marriage, in which seven same-sex couples, including Julie and Goodrich, filed a lawsuit against the Department of Public Health, demanding that they be allowed to register their marriages like heterosexual couples."

"This issue has been very heated, with many members of Congress involved, including President Bush, who explicitly opposes same-sex marriage. The state Supreme Court has yet to issue a ruling."

"If you pay more attention to the news in Massachusetts, you'll find that there are protests and demonstrations every few days, with both those supporting and opposing same-sex marriage."

"At such a sensitive time, the release of 'Blue Is the Warmest Color' must have triggered the anti-LGBT community, leading to this extreme incident."

After listening to Theron's explanation, Eric pondered to himself.

"Honey, there's been an arson incident. The media will definitely report on it extensively, and someone will definitely try to smear you."

"I know that The Independent will definitely not miss any opportunity to smear me."

"So what do you plan to do?"

Eric looked up at Theron: "My beautiful lady, tell me, do you have any ideas?"

"My advice is, since you can't escape it, you'd better strike first."

"You want me to fly over and visit those patients?"

"Well, it would be best to cover their medical expenses as well. It might cost a million or two dollars, but it will earn you, the movie, and MGM a good reputation."

"By standing on the moral high ground, one can rationalize the criticism of others."

"I didn't say the second half, but at least it will shut up many of your critics, help with the film's promotion, and turning around the word-of-mouth will benefit the box office, right?"

Eric couldn't resist pinching her pretty cheek: "Smart woman, interested in working for my company? In PR, public relations, or some other position?"

Boo!

Theron kissed Eric on the forehead: "Can I keep the job? I can go back when I'm older and tired of acting."

"No problem, it'll always be reserved for you."

uh-huh

The two kissed passionately, and it felt like Eric's little brother was getting hard again, so Theron quickly got up and moved away.

"You've only slept for a little over three hours, don't you feel tired?"

"Hehe. When I work with you, I never get tired."

"I give up, stop messing around, let's go now, the sooner the better."

"Um."

Around noon, Eric brought the Olson sisters to Boston, the capital of Massachusetts, and then went straight to the hospital.

On the way, Eric received a call from Chen Xing.

"Sure enough, public opinion has already taken hold, and the media and the internet are all hyping this up. Some media outlets have already begun criticizing us."

"What did those guys say?"

Mary's voice was filled with anger; she and her sister had been woken up early that morning by a fit of rage.

"The same old story: they say this kind of movie shouldn't be made during a sensitive period, they demand MGM pull it from theaters, they demand all major cinemas refuse to show it, and they demand audiences boycott it."

"Then they demanded that we issue a public apology, or something like that."

"Damn it! These demands are outrageous! It wasn't us who set fire to the movie theater, shouldn't the perpetrators be severely punished?"

"Ignore these people. You can't reason with them. When we get to the hospital, we'll go through the formalities and give an interview. Don't make any extreme remarks."

"Understood. We are businessmen, not politicians. Businessmen can't afford to offend any group if they want to make money. We just need to do what we should do."

An hour later, the car arrived at the hospital gate, where it was surrounded by vehicles from various television stations.

As Eric and his two companions stepped out of the car, they instantly attracted the attention of all the reporters. A group of people, like sharks that had smelled blood, swarmed over and surrounded them, shoving cameras and microphones in their faces and bombarding them with questions.

"Mr. Cooper, why are you at the hospital at this time?"

"Ashley, can you answer a question? Do you think the arson attack is related to the movie?"

"Mr. Cooper, what exactly prompted you to make this film, and to use sisters as the two leads?"

"Mary, look here, look here! What's your attitude towards homosexuality?"

"Ashley, Mary, there are rumors circulating that you two sisters have a friendship that goes beyond familial affection. Can you explain this?"

Fortunately, Eric anticipated that the operation would not go smoothly and hired five bodyguards in advance. The media was secondary; the main concern was the possibility of further attacks by extremists.

He, as a transmigrator, lacked a system and superpowers, making him somewhat weak.

Eric said loudly, "Please be quiet, everyone. We were deeply saddened and saddened by this tragic news, so we flew in immediately from Los Angeles. Please allow us to go in and visit the victims, is that alright?"

After saying that, the five burly men forcefully parted the crowd, clearing a path for the three of them.

Upon entering the building, we were first led by hospital staff to the lounge, where the victims' families were gathered.

Many people had mixed feelings upon seeing the three.

Eric knew that part of them must be resentful of him; after all, if you hadn't made this movie, my child wouldn't have seen it, and if he hadn't seen it, he wouldn't have suffered such misfortune.

"Everyone, I hope you understand that I am very sorry that this happened; it was not our intention."

"We only wanted to make one movie, nothing else. We are deeply sorry for what happened to you!"

"Of course, we understand that no amount of apologies can make up for the suffering you have endured, so in the spirit of humanitarianism..."

"MGM and DoubleStar Entertainment have decided to cover all medical expenses for the victims in the hope of alleviating your pain and burden."

Upon hearing this, friendly looks appeared in everyone's eyes.

Money may not be able to prevent tragedy, but it can at least make up for the pain it causes.

The three stayed in the lounge for a while, then met with the victims who had suffered minor injuries one by one, took photos, signed autographs, gave them small gifts, and said many words of encouragement.

Three of the more seriously injured patients are still in critical condition and are receiving emergency treatment. The hospital has stated that it will do everything possible and that the chances of a successful treatment are still very high, which puts Eric at ease.

The best outcome is that no one dies and public opinion doesn't worsen.

After doing all that in front of the camera, Eric and the Olsen sisters walked out of the building to give a formal interview.

A Fox News reporter was the first to step forward and ask a bombshell question.

"Mr. Cooper, did you choose to make this film because you support homosexuality?"

Instead of answering directly, Eric asked, "Sir, have you read 'Blue Is the Warmest Color'?"

"Not yet," the other person replied somewhat awkwardly.

"Then I suggest you take a serious look. After watching it, you'll find that 'Blue Is the Warmest Color' only uses the perspective of a gay couple. The core of the film is actually love and life."

"Whether you're gay or straight has nothing to do with it. Everyone experiences love, right?"

Not getting the answer he wanted, the Independent reporter continued to press, asking, "Mr. Cooper, what are your views on homosexuality? Do you think it violates the Bible?"

Eric shook his head: "I'm sorry, I'm not a believer and can't answer that question accurately, but I respect everyone's beliefs."

"Let's talk about it briefly; everyone wants to know," the reporter pressed.

"Well, actually my mom is a devout believer. She goes to church every week, and sometimes she takes me with her."

"She often taught me that God created us in His own image, that God created humankind in His own image."

"Then I can't help but think, if we are all incarnations of God in some sense, wouldn't that mean that same-sex feelings are also a part of God?"

"After all, a person's sexual orientation is innate, don't you think?"

A rhetorical question left the Independent reporter speechless, and he couldn't help but admire Eric Cooper's sharp tongue.

I knew this kid would be tough to deal with, but I never expected him to be this skilled.

Every time they try to cause trouble for the other party, they never succeed. They can only resort to blatant slander, which only results in them being criticized by users.

"Of course, I'm not a religious person, so this interpretation might be incorrect. If I'm wrong, my mom will definitely scold me when I get home and give me a good lesson."

Ha ha ha ha

Eric added another sentence, which drew chuckles from many people, and the subsequent questions became more harmonious.

After a ten-minute interview, the three reiterated their stance: we represent love, not any particular group.

After finishing these tasks, the three hurriedly returned to Los Angeles.

That same evening, reports appeared online, praising the three for their impartial attitude and willingness to cover medical expenses unrelated to themselves.

Even the media outlets that are at odds with Eric dared not report recklessly this time, in case there were extremists again.

Subsequently, the victims' families began to give interviews, and the victims with minor injuries also posted updates on Facebook, showing photos of themselves with the Olsen sisters and small gifts.

Various words of praise further confirmed the good deed.

Several Republican lawmakers praised the move, as did Democratic lawmakers who commended MGM and DoubleStar Entertainment for their humanitarian spirit.

Within a few days, public opinion underwent a complete reversal, and the police began to increase patrols around the cinema. The few extremists who continued to clamor were unable to cause any significant trouble.

The improved public opinion was most directly reflected in the box office.

When the box office results for "Blue Is the Warmest Color" came out after one week, many people exclaimed that they didn't understand it.

Even those who have no interest in art films still went to the cinema under the influence of public opinion, and watching them seems to have become a trend. Many people have begun to call on local cinemas to release them as soon as possible.

The 500 theaters grossed nearly $2100 million in a week, with each theater earning over $4, ranking second in this week's box office charts.

The top spot naturally belongs to "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," which grossed $1.08 million in its first week. Although it unfortunately did not break the records of "Transformers" and "Spider-Man," it still ranks third in North American film history, and its momentum has been even stronger.

The third place naturally went to "Transformers," which achieved a respectable box office of $1660 million, with $4100 million coming from overseas and a total global box office of over $8.5 million, just half a step behind "Finding Nemo."

Just when everything seemed to be looking up, the Massachusetts Supreme Court delivered its verdict.

Seven judges ruled 4-3 that the state government did not have sufficient grounds to ban same-sex marriage, and that the current marriage law violated the state constitution's provisions on liberty and equality. The Supreme Court gave the state legislature 180 days to amend the law.

In other words, six months from now, Massachusetts will not only allow same-sex cohabitation, but will also legally recognize their marriage, making it the first state in the United States to allow same-sex marriage.

The verdict was like a bombshell, immediately sparking discussion throughout the United States.

However, due to the recent serious incident, the opposition has significantly weakened, and the Massachusetts Supreme Court definitely seized the opportunity to make this decision.

The Olsen twins also expressed their congratulations on Facebook and in media interviews, saying it was not about gender, but simply because of love—this is a great love.

The LGBTQ+ community and those who support them celebrated, and supportive voices and laughter could be heard everywhere.

An event was launched calling on everyone to watch "Blue Is the Warmest Color" to celebrate this joyous occasion.

It's clear to anyone with eyes to see that while the film's influence wasn't the deciding factor, it did objectively contribute to the passage of the verdict.

The Olsen twins' Facebook account saw a surge in followers, gaining over 180 million in a single day, more than doubling their total number.

Many people declared themselves die-hard fans of Ashley and Mary, with calls for them to win the Golden Globe and Oscar for Best Actress becoming increasingly loud.

(End of this chapter)