America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 227, Section 226: Goldfish Seron

"Jenny, Mike told me you're going to be performing with Justin Din Black at the Super Bowl, right?"

Inside the lounge, everyone else was sent away, leaving only Eric and the Jackson siblings.

Jenny nodded: "That's right, it should be before The Voice of China starts airing. By the way, has the airing date for The Voice of China been set yet?"

"Yeah, it premieres at the end of March, the same time slot as American Idol. I'm going to go head-to-head with Fox and beat them."

"This year's Super Bowl is scheduled to air at the end of February, which is a bit later than before, but as long as it airs before The Voice, it will always be a plus."

"Have you been rehearsing with Justin Black for a long time?"

"Of course, this is a big moment. I've only been busy with three things for the past six months: recording my new album, The Voice, and the Super Bowl."

"Just ask me if you have any questions, Eric. It's okay, Jenny," Mike said bluntly.

"Okay, let me clarify first that I'm not trying to find out the inside story of the performance, nor is it related to leaking secrets or anything like that. I just want to know a detail about the performance."

"Have you designed any daring or sexy elements?"

"The sexy part? You mean kissing or touching? I don't quite understand."

"More daring, such as exposing private parts, breasts, or other areas?"

Jenny was completely bewildered: "What? Why design such a move? It's the Super Bowl, tens of millions of people across the country are watching at the same time. Is exposing your private parts in that kind of setting suicidal? It's not an underground performance."

"Nobody would dare do that at the Super Bowl, not even Madonna!"

"So that means you don't have it?"

"Of course not, who would be that stupid! I certainly wouldn't. If Justin Black has that kind of fetish, that's his business, but I'll warn him."

Eric breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Jenny was still quite lucid. So the question was, how exactly did this biggest accident in Super Bowl history happen?

They can't have been drugged and foolishly cooperated, can they?

A mystery, an unsolvable mystery.

"I'm relieved that you have this thought. I'm worried that you might be framed, and then it will be too late to regret it."

Jenny felt completely confused and looked at her brother, "Michael, what's going on? You two seem worried about something? Is something big about to happen? Does it have anything to do with me?"

Eric nodded: "I've received word that someone might embarrass you at the Super Bowl, or even use this show to end your career."

He deliberately exaggerated the situation to get Jenny's attention. Regardless of whether it would actually happen, taking preventative measures would always be protective.

Upon hearing this, Jenny looked surprised.

"Who is it? Who wants to get me, Eric?"

She asked hurriedly, her brother's ordeal still fresh in her mind.

"I've only heard this rumor, but I don't know the source. However, it's always good to be safe than sorry."

"After thinking it over, the most likely person to embarrass you is your partner, Justin Black."

"Let's imagine that if you were performing on stage and he suddenly did something unexpected, like tearing off your clothes, the consequences would undoubtedly be disastrous."

"Justin Timberlake could easily excuse himself by saying I was too excited or that I was just too hyped up, but you'll be the one taking the blame."

Recalling the rehearsals over the past few days, Jenny hesitated and said, "That can't be right. Justin is a really nice guy. We didn't have any conflicts during the rehearsals, and everything went very well."

"No, you can know a person's face but not their heart. Okay, I'll tell you some more secrets about Justin Black."

Eric recounted the gossip he had with Mike on the plane, and Jenny stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

"No way, I never would have guessed he was this kind of person. And after enduring so much injustice, why doesn't Britney tell the truth?"

"Because she's silly! We have to admit, there are silly girls like that in the world."

"They're love-struck, they're willing to be infinitely humble for love. Think about it, Britney Spears tolerated Justin Blake's multiple infidelities, what else can't they tolerate?"

"By the way, did you guys see that guy's interview? After the breakup, Justin Black was still bragging about how he took Britney's virginity, even describing the details in detail. He was just making fun of that silly girl and trying to get attention."

Jenny nodded: "I know about this. It caused quite a stir at the time because Britney had always maintained a cute and innocent image, and this incident dealt a significant blow to her image."

"But many people have always thought that it was just a slip of the tongue by Justin Black, or that he was misled, and that he didn't intend to ruin Britney."

"But after hearing so many horrific details from you, if it's all true, it's absolutely disgusting. This man is the most disgusting scoundrel in the world."

"Vulgarity and filth are insufficient to describe the extent of his inner filth; he was like a sewer rat."

"Jenny, I assure you the information is absolutely reliable. That's why I'm worried that bastard will do the same thing to you as he did to Britney," Eric solemnly promised.

Michael also advised, "You must trust Eric. He's never made a mistake. This concerns the rest of your life, Jenny."

Eric and Mike were working together, and Jenny had no reason not to believe it.

As a woman herself, Britney's experience infuriated her even more. She never imagined that she would have to work with such a scumbag, and that she would be happy about it. The thought alone made her want to vomit.

She calmed herself down and said, "I understand. Don't worry, we will definitely not let those guys succeed."

"As for Justin Black, hmph!"

"If he just performs honestly, then fine. But if he dares to do anything, I'll definitely teach him a lesson."

Having successfully persuaded Jenny, Eric was relieved, assuming the Super Bowl incident would not occur.

Arc Cinema, Los Angeles.

Eric attended the premiere of "The Hangover" held here today.

The film's investment of only $30 million is considered low to mid-range, and it certainly doesn't reach $50 million, so it can't be called a big production. Only if the cost exceeds $100 million can it be called a blockbuster.

Eric openly brought Charlize Theron to the event, which could be seen as a way of indirectly promoting "Monster" for its award quest.

The film's three main actors are Ryan Reynolds, who plays the lovable but irresponsible teacher Phil; Jack Black, who plays the chubby Alan; and Adam Sandler, who plays the dentist Stu.

Of the three, Adam Sandler was undoubtedly the most famous, a veteran of comedy films for many years.

However, it's hard to say now; Ryan Reynolds is fully qualified to be compared to him.

Eric greeted several people with hugs or handshakes, and then watched the main cast and crew go on stage to share anecdotes about filming and the process of making the movie.

As the clock struck midnight, a lion roared, and the MGM logo appeared, marking the start of the film.

Within the first few minutes, the cause of the matter is clearly explained.

Doug, who is about to get married, decided to take a bachelor party, so he invited his brother-in-law and two good friends to go to Las Vegas for a fun-filled trip.

So-called bachelor/bachelorette parties are frequently featured in American TV shows and movies, and they are indeed quite popular in real life.

To say goodbye to their last days of single life, the bride and groom decided to have one last crazy celebration.

Typically, the groomsmen and bridesmaids host a party for their respective male and female friends. The party may last for one night, or it may last for a week or longer.

Some of the more adventurous ones are indeed quite wild, while others are more conservative and it's really just a party; it varies from person to person.

Once the trio appears, their personalities are explained, and the comedic moments begin.

In order to raise funds, teacher Phil openly swindles money from students; honest dentist Stu is a coward who doesn't dare to fight back even when his girlfriend openly cheats on him; and chubby Allen is somewhat neurotic.

Theron gently pinched Eric's hand: "With a friend like this, it seems impossible for this trip to be anything but unlucky."

"That's right, the audience will only be happy if they suffer. That's what comedy is all about."

"Building one's own happiness on the suffering of others?"

"Bing go! You've found the gem! But your face is just too beautiful; you're destined to never be in a drama."

"What! You don't believe in my acting skills? I can become ugly and fat for a villainous role, and I can also become ugly and unlucky for a comedic role." Theron was somewhat dissatisfied.

I pinched myself. Why did I have to say the second half of that sentence?

Charlize Theron has indeed acted in comedies, such as "A Million Ways to Die in the West," but her character really didn't have much of a purpose, or rather, any pretty actress could have made the role work.

This face would work in any genre of film, including fantasy, magic, thriller, suspense, science fiction, romance, and school films, but it doesn't work in comedies. Just one look at her takes you out of the movie, or rather, seeing her makes you lose all desire to laugh.

"Of course not, darling. You should understand that every actor thinks they can handle all kinds of roles, but in reality, they really can't."

"Especially comedies, which are more difficult than any other type of film; making the audience laugh is ten times harder than making them cry."

"You mean comedy is more sophisticated than other genres?"

"There is no distinction between high and low quality in movies, but their purposes are different."

"To put it simply, it's like archery. Other movies can set the target at different distances according to the difficulty level, closer for easy ones and farther for difficult ones, but as long as you hit the target, the movie is a success."

"But the rules of comedy are different. It doesn't require hitting the target, but rather hitting the bullseye. If it deviates even slightly, the movie is a failure."

Theron frowned: "Are you too smart or am I too stupid? Why can't I understand your simple analogy?"

"Then let me give a real-life example. We've all seen Titanic. Some people were moved by the love between Jack and Rose, some felt sorry for the iceberg disaster, and some admired the brilliance of humanity shown during the sinking."

"No matter what kind of emotion it is, as long as it stirs up the audience's emotions and touches their hearts, everyone will think it's a good show. What kind of emotion it is doesn't matter."

"But comedy isn't judged by that standard. No matter how natural the actors' performances are, how good their delivery of lines is, or how reasonable the plot is, if the jokes don't make people laugh, then the movie is a failure. That's why comedy is the hardest to perform, understand?"

"I think I understand." Theron puffed out her cheeks, looking just like a goldfish.

Eric couldn't help but poke her with a finger, and she immediately spat out a mouthful of something, making a "plop" sound, like a leaky sack.

"Hmm? You see, this is a very natural comedic scene."

"You mean we should openly flirt and banter?"

"Uh, this scene isn't funny at all."

"Hmph! Coward!"

On the big screen, a group of friends wake up to find their hotel room completely transformed.

Several chickens were walking around in the room; some had two arms and two legs, while others had wings.

Stu's hapless appearance with a missing tooth drew laughter from the audience. The addition of a tiger and a baby was even more perplexing, but the most important character, the groom Doug, was nowhere to be seen. Something must have happened.

A subsequent investigation revealed that they had arranged a wedding for Stu the previous night, where he married a prostitute with a child.

"OMG! If my girlfriend finds out, she'll castrate me!" Stu shouted in despair.

"No, no, no, this might not be a bad thing. Anyway, your girlfriend isn't good to you. She's cheated on you many times. You can use this as an excuse to break up," Phil said with a hint of schadenfreude.

"But damn it, she's a prostitute with a child, what's the difference between her and his girlfriend!" Fat Allen delivered the fatal blow.

Hahahaha

A burst of laughter erupted in the movie theater.

After another round of searching, they still couldn't find the groom, Doug, and the group was somewhat dejected.

Little Alan was heartbroken: "Sigh! If I can't find my brother-in-law, I'll lose another family member, just like when I lost my grandfather. I was very sad."

"How did your grandfather die?" Phil asked casually.

"During World War II."

"I see. He died on the battlefield; he was a hero."

"No, I mean he went skiing in Vermont during World War II and accidentally fell to his death."

"Well"

Then the appearance of boxing champion Mike Tyson took the movie on a wild run down the path of toilet humor, with scenes of peeing into a swimming pool, having sex with a tiger from behind, and being a Splatoon fighter appearing one after another.

Tyson even joked about his prison experience, where he was imprisoned for six years in 1992 for rape. He ended up having an affair with a female prison guard while incarcerated, proving that novels and movies aren't just made up.

The numerous jokes filled the movie theater with a joyful atmosphere, and everyone knew the movie was a success when they heard the laughter.

Comedy movies are arguably the most word-of-mouth type of films; if one person likes it, they'll recommend it to another. And laughter is a necessity in everyone's life, so many people will unconsciously go to the cinema.

The ending takes another leap forward: dentist Stu has an epiphany, dumps his girlfriend who cheated on him, and bids farewell to his past cowardice.

The film also reaches a heartwarming ending through a series of photos of Las Vegas.

(End of this chapter)