America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 218, Section 217: I am Jay Chou

"Eric, I just found out that China has a mascot every year."

"Tiger, snake, rabbit, cow, sheep, tortoise, cheetah."

"Wait! Who told you that, the tortoise or the cheetah?"

When Michael started explaining things to Eric by pointing with his fingers, Eric felt a wave of dizziness.

"Huh? Aren't they turtles and cheetahs? I don't remember very well. They said there were twelve kinds of animals, each representing a year, and that was a twelve-year cycle."

"And then there are dragons. Can dragons be considered animals? Aren't dragons fantasy creatures?"

"Tell me first where turtles and cheetahs come from?"

"No tortoises or cheetahs? What about cats and dogs? Looks like I remembered wrong."

Eric waved his hand: "There are dogs but no cats. The twelve animals are rat, cow, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, chicken, dog, and pig."

"They are arranged in a fixed order, using a very ancient counting method that I can't express in English, called the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches."

"Eric, you have a truly profound understanding of Chinese culture. Now, can you help me figure out what my mascot should be?"

Michael was born in 1958, but Eric doesn't know how to use the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches system. Although his junior high school teacher taught him, he didn't use it much and had long forgotten it.

He used the most basic method: since this year is the Year of the Monkey, he would deduce it year by year.

A super-rich man and a world-renowned pop icon were sitting in a car, counting on their fingers.

After thinking for a while, Eric finally said with certainty, "Dog, Michael, your mascot is a dog."

Hearing this, Mike nodded with a smile: "Dogs are great too, although I think gorillas are even better."

Eric chuckled. He knew that Michael loved gorillas very much, and he had even set aside several million dollars for that pet gorilla in case something happened to him and no one was left to care for it.

"What's its name?"

"What?"

"What's the name of that mascot dog?"

"It doesn't seem to have a name, but it must be a good dog."

"Um."

As they were talking, the car arrived at the Spring Festival Gala rehearsal site.

At this point, there were only three days left before the broadcast of the Spring Festival Gala for the Year of the Monkey. Several rounds of rehearsals had already been conducted, and performers from all walks of life had participated in several rounds as well.

Some were successfully selected, while others were eliminated after going through several rounds of screening.

So the actual program list has not yet been released. It's the old tradition that it will be announced on Lunar New Year's Eve, a few hours before the show starts.

Some of these shows were taken down just hours before.

So the process behind this gala that brought laughter to audiences across the country was actually extremely arduous and difficult.

Those who made it to the broadcast of the gala were already exhausted despite their excitement.

It was a live broadcast, so even a single mistake would be magnified, putting immense pressure on the actors.

In language-based programs, there are often disputes over who goes on stage first.

Firstly, the pressure of being the first to appear on TV is high, and secondly, many people haven't finished eating yet and aren't focused on watching TV at that time.

Having finally made it onto the Spring Festival Gala, they naturally hope to receive the most attention.

This heavy responsibility often falls on the shoulders of veteran artist Feng Gong.

Feng Gong explained that he has a good mindset, can withstand pressure, and wants to finish the performance early so he can go home to spend the New Year with his elderly mother.

Outside the venue, a large number of media outlets were waiting in ambush. Since the program list was not released, they could only judge the program based on the celebrities who came to rehearse.

There have been rumors that an international superstar will be invited to participate in this year's Spring Festival Gala, but it is unclear who it will be.

Some say it's Leonardo DiCaprio, others say Michael Jackson, and there are even rumors that it's Celine Dion.

The most outrageous rumor is about Beckham. Many people online are wondering if Beckham will be invited to play football on the Spring Festival Gala stage.

Thinking about that scene, it seems too strange; at most, it's just inviting someone to send their blessings.

Until recently, rumors have been growing louder about Michael Jackson, but CCTV has yet to respond.

Upon seeing several unfamiliar license plates, the reporter keenly realized that something new was going on, and perhaps the mystery was about to be solved. All eyes were drawn to the car doors.

squeak

The car door was pushed open, and Eric stepped out.

"Huh? Foreigner, quickly identify which big star this is."

"Wow, he's so young and handsome!"

"Who is this? Does anyone recognize him? He looks familiar, but I can't quite place him."

"Xiao Zhang, aren't you supposed to be an expert on Europe and America? Here's when your hobby comes in handy! Quick, take a look and see who this young man is? A singer or a movie star?"

"Brother Wang, it looks like Eric Cooper."

"What kind of pants? What does he do?"

"Not pants, Eric Cooper. He won Best Screenplay at the Golden Globes recently."

"A screenwriter? From the film and television industry, huh? No, what would CCTV hire a screenwriter for? To write scripts? To perform calligraphy on the spot?"

"Brother Wang, screenwriting is just a hobby for him. His main job is as the boss of MGM, a top Hollywood mogul, you know, the MGM of the East?"

"I know, isn't it because they're making a big fuss about choosing the female lead for the Megalodon movie? Wait, MGM and Oriental MGM, are those companies this kid co-founded with China Film Group?"

Xiao Zhang nodded: "That's him. Don't let his young age of 20 fool you, he has a net worth of over 50 billion US dollars and ranks 77th on the world's rich list. He's a true super tycoon."

"Brother Wang, those celebrities you just mentioned are, strictly speaking, only good enough to carry his shoes."

"Holy crap! That's awesome!"

"That's awesome! But since he's showing up, I'm pretty sure Michael Jackson will be there too."

Why?

"As anyone who follows the Western entertainment scene knows, these two are best buddies, they're so close they'd share a pair of pants."

Ah!

Ah!

"Michael Jackson!"

"Michael Jackson!"

"It really is Michael Jackson!"

"CCTV actually managed to get Michael Jackson to come! My God!"

"Wow, the rumors were true! CCTV really went all out this time, managing to get Michael Jackson to perform on the Spring Festival Gala! Holy crap!"

As soon as Mike got out of the car, the reporters who had been observing rushed over in a swarm.

Xiao Zhang and Brother Wang exchanged a few words with their heads down. When they looked up and realized what was happening, there were no seats left to squeeze in.

"Brother Wang, Brother Wang, hug me and lift me up so I can take a picture."

"You little rascal, I'll let you get away with this once."

"Hehe... I knew it was Michael Jackson! This year's Spring Festival Gala is something to look forward to. Besides Zhao Benshan, there's another surprise."

A group of reporters surrounded the area, snapping photos and asking questions in Chinese.

Unfortunately, Michael couldn't understand a word they said, and could only smile and nod at them.

Eric could understand, but he was too lazy to answer. Once he answered one question, a barrage of questions would follow.

If you really want to be interviewed, it's not too late after rehearsals are over.

Seeing that the boss was surrounded, a dozen tall and burly dancers tried to come to his rescue.

Eric waved his hand, indicating that they didn't need to worry about it, and couldn't do anything about it anyway. In this small territory, CCTV was still the most useful.

Sure enough, a few moments later, several men and women wearing work badges rushed over.

"Make way, everyone make way!"

"Everyone, stop pushing and let people out first."

"Which newspaper are you from? Why are you pushing?"

But Mike's popularity and status are so great that for many people, the opportunity to see him in person may only come once in a lifetime.

So the reporters ignored all instructions and continued snapping photos incessantly.

Seeing that speaking politely was not working, the bespectacled man who was in charge shouted.

"Everyone, get out of the way! Otherwise, you'll never be allowed to set foot on CCTV again. Think it over!"

Only after uttering this harsh remark did order gradually return to the scene.

"How can you be so unruly? We're busy rehearsing right now, do you know how tight the schedule is inside? Who's going to take responsibility if we cause any delays!"

Some people smiled obsequiously, while others bowed and scraped.

"Teacher Zhou, I'm so excited! CCTV's move this time is huge. I never dreamed that I would be able to stand face to face with Michael Jackson one day."

"Yeah, yeah, that's Michael Jackson, not a domestic star. We're never excited when we see domestic stars."

"I acted impulsively, Teacher Zhou. Please forgive me."

Teacher Zhou thought to himself, "I never thought I'd get to meet Michael Jackson one day. He's the King of Pop! Who knows how they managed to get such a big name on me?"

It's said that it only cost 10 RMB, which is unbelievable, simply unbelievable.

Under Teacher Zhou's guidance, the group finally left safely.

As soon as he entered the building, he attracted the attention of countless people.

"Michael Jackson, it's Michael Jackson!"

"So the rumors were true! He even brought backup dancers. There really is a show."

"Come on, come on, let's go get autographs and photos! What are you standing there for?!"

Seeing that the situation was about to get out of control again, Teacher Zhou hurriedly called out, "Teachers, the leaders are in a hurry. Can we talk about our requests later? Don't delay things!"

Hearing that their leader was in a hurry, everyone stopped and stared intently as Eric and Michael left.

"Michael, do you see that? Wherever you go, you cause riots."

Mike smoothed his hair: "I still wanted to visit the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. Everyone online says that you must visit these two attractions when you come to Yanjing, but now it seems that might be in trouble."

Following Teacher Zhou into the studio, a children's program was being rehearsed.

Dozens of children, dressed in colorful festive clothes, danced to the music.

On the large screen behind him, a medley of theme songs from "Shuke and Beta," "Journey to the West," "The Legend of Nezha," and "Black Cat Detective" instantly evoked Eric's childhood memories.

"These children are dressed so beautifully." Mike's heart was instantly filled with affection.

"When we go back, let's buy some traditional Chinese clothing as gifts for Paris. She'll definitely like them."

"That's a good suggestion."

After the children's performance, the leaders, judges, and choreographers sitting below exchanged a few words, and then dozens of children left the stage.

As I passed by Michael, I watched with great curiosity as a group of foreigners shouted in front of me, some of them even opening their mouths in surprise.

"Mr. Jackson, Mr. Cooper, it's our turn."

Led by Teacher Zhou, Eric and Michael came to the group of leaders. Several young people in their thirties and older people in their fifties hurriedly stood up to greet them.

In front of ordinary people, they are leaders and big shots from CCTV, but in front of Eric, they are all insignificant nobodys.

Before long, another well-off man in his fifties walked over. Upon seeing him, the others quickly made way for him.

"Mr. Cooper, this is Director Chen from CCTV."

Teacher Zhou whispered a reminder, and Eric, upon hearing that the person's surname was Chen, couldn't help but think of Chen Ou.

Could the two be related? Otherwise, why would Chen Ou have pleaded with him on his behalf?

Director Chen shook hands with Eric and Michael respectively.

"Mr. Cooper, it's a pleasure to meet you. I've long admired your name, and it's great to finally meet you today. I must thank you properly for being able to invite Mr. Jackson."

"Mr. Jackson, I'm a huge fan of yours! I listen to many of your songs at home all the time. After all these years, I'm finally meeting you in person! Hahahaha!"

"Tonight I'm hosting. I'll invite Lao Han and Lao Zhou to join us. We must do our best to be good hosts."

After chatting with Director Chen for a while, Mike's rehearsal began.

Eric wasn't familiar with what was happening on stage, so after watching for a while, he stopped participating and started wandering around the studio.

Several groups were rehearsing at the same time, making it a lively and busy scene.

However, many people couldn't help but stop and take a second look at him, especially women.

He also noticed many familiar celebrities: Xie Xiaodong, who hadn't yet faded into obscurity; Mei Ting, who starred in "Don't Talk to Strangers"; Sun Li, who hadn't yet become a big star; and Huang Yi, who hadn't yet had her dramatic affair with Huang Yiqing. They sang a song together.

When I was a child, I didn't notice that unprofessional actors had been singing on stage since so early on. Fortunately, sketch comedy hadn't become so prevalent.

I also saw singing performances by the casts of popular TV dramas from last year, such as "Pink Lady," "The Story of a Noble Family," and "Liu Laogen." When he saw Yan Xuejing, he smiled helplessly. It turns out that her acting style has been fixed since the beginning of the millennium.

There are also many comedians, including Guo Da, Guo Donglin, Yan Shunkai, Hong Jiantao, Hou Yaowen, and Shi Fukuan. Of course, the iron triangle of Zhao Benshan, Fan Wei, and Gao Xiumin is also indispensable.

The skit they performed was called "Renting an Old Partner." Eric looked at the name for a long time and couldn't remember that the three of them had ever worked together on this skit.

After taking a couple of glances, I realized that the song "Rent a Partner" was just too cheesy, so they changed it to "Water Delivery Man" for the stage.

"The moonlight shines before my bed, and frost easily covers the glass; if I don't wipe it clean quickly, it'll get dirty!"

Eric can still recite the rhyme.

Uncle Benshan probably never imagined that his sketches would decline to such an extent after he left the Spring Festival Gala stage.

"Hello, may I ask if this is Mr. Eric Cooper?"

Suddenly, a voice sounded from behind, the voice of a young man.

The Mandarin was spoken with an accent, clearly from Taiwan, and it sounded very familiar; Eric could already guess who it was.

"Hello Mr. Cooper, I am Jay Chou."

(End of this chapter)