Comedic debut

"Welcome back! The band's performance almost took up all of Hugo's time, which is truly regrettable." Jay sat comfortably in his seat and said, triggering a collective groan from the audience. Jay couldn't help but smile triumphantly and said, "Don't worry, we'll figure something out. Recently, he stunned countless people in the outstanding film "Scent of a Woman", including Al Pacino. It also reminds us of his eventful past year. Let's welcome Hugo Lancaster!"

Although the studio only accommodated less than two hundred spectators, at this moment, everyone began to scream, whistle, and applaud, turning the entire studio into a carnival scene. Hugo waved his hand as he appeared at the entrance on the left side of the studio. As the curtain opened, his tall figure could be seen. He wore a simple gray checkered suit with a white shirt, leaving the top two buttons undone, exuding youthful vigor as he walked into the studio.

In an instant, the screams escalated like the ascending notes of a piano, making one wonder if either the roof was collapsing or throats were going hoarse. Hugo finally realized that the fans he encountered at the studio entrance were not a dream. This was all real. Although his fanbase couldn't be considered large at the moment—maybe just a dozen or so—this beginning was already quite impressive. Could Hugo ask for more? Perhaps he could, but not right now, at least. Hugo had only taken two steps when he noticed a gigantic golden statue standing in the center of the stage. He involuntarily stopped in his tracks and looked up at the statue. It turned out to be an oversized raspberry! In short, it was an enlarged version of the Golden Raspberry Award trophy. A smile instantly bloomed on Hugo's face. It was truly incredible.

Ascending the stage, Jay welcomed him with a hug, but Hugo's gaze still couldn't divert from the enormous raspberry. "It's great to see you, my friend," Jay said with a smile. As soon as he finished speaking, another wave of screams erupted from the audience.

Hugo sat down on the sofa, facing Jay across the table. There was a microphone placed between them, but Hugo hadn't had a chance to carefully observe the surroundings. The overwhelming screams from the crowd made him feel a bit embarrassed. He still wasn't accustomed to such a situation. Everything seemed to be happening too quickly. Hugo felt like he was floating, as if a gust of wind could lift him up. "Wow, are all these screams because of me?" Hugo asked in astonishment.

"Oh, no, we should blame that gigantic raspberry. Everyone just loves it too much," Jay teased, causing the crowd to burst into laughter, including Hugo.

"Yes, these enthusiastic cheers are all to welcome you," Jay replied.

"This is truly unexpected," Hugo said, taking a deep breath. "When I came in earlier, a lady hugged me and it made me feel much more at ease. But I didn't know if it was specially arranged for me or if it was a treatment for all the guests present." Hugo pointed in the direction of the entrance. "Look, there's a sign that says 'Hug Here'."

Indeed, a lady in the audience held up a sign about half a person's height, which read "Hug Here" with a downward arrow. As Hugo and Jay followed their gazes, the lady excitedly stood up with a smile on her face, and everyone around her applauded, creating a lively atmosphere.

"I thought it was specially made for me," Jay said self-deprecatingly. "Thank goodness I didn't take any action, or I would have received a lawyer's letter tomorrow." Jay's remark once again sent the audience into fits of laughter, including Hugo.

"Yes, the cheers here are all for you," Jay said, turning his attention back to Hugo. "In "Scent of a 'Woman", you delivered a brilliant performance that reminded us of your tearful appearance in January. How does it feel?"

Hugo shrugged. "I think it's all really wonderful. Do I need to... shed some more tears? The screams here have made my eyes feel a bit warm."

Hugo's self-deprecating humor sparked laughter throughout the audience, and even the host, Jay, had a smile on his face. "That must be difficult. Going from a terrible situation a year ago to a strong comeback a year later."

"Yes, indeed," Hugo nodded, took a long breath, and tried to calm himself amidst the intense gazes converging from all directions. Unfortunately, the effect wasn't very noticeable. "I think finding a job is more of a struggle than filming a movie. You know, employment has never been easy, especially when you start selling raspberries."

"Hahahaha..." Jay couldn't hold back and burst into laughter before continuing, "That's right. But in my opinion, this job is not that easy. You know, you have to face Al Pacino, wow, Al Pacino! He's the Godfather!"

"Yes, that's true. The first time I saw Al, I was very nervous and kept thinking, 'I'm a good person, please don't hit me, please...' As the conversation deepened, Hugo's nervousness finally subsided a bit, but his brain was still in an extremely excited state. So, he continued speaking at a faster pace than usual, quite rapidly.

"Oh, he won't hit you, he'll just feed you to fish," Jay sarcastically imitated the style of the Italian Mafia. It was a joke derived from "The Godfather", which immediately triggered another round of laughter from the audience. "But what I mean is, working with Al is not an easy task, right? If it were me, I would always be thinking, 'Oh God, he's Al Pacino, what should I do, what should I do...' to the point where I wouldn't be able to work at all. I even doubt if I can speak normally."

Jay's spot-on imitation made Hugo burst into uncontrollable laughter. He smirked and said, "I know what you mean, but that's the job of an actor, isn't it? Once I immerse myself in the character, I become the person in the story, and Al is not the great actor we know in real life. So, once I fully commit, things become a bit easier. Of course, Al provided a lot of help."

"Al offered you help on set?" Jay continued with Hugo's words. "I thought it would come with 'terms and conditions' or that only family members would get assistance." This was a joke using a reference from "The Godfather".

Hugo immediately understood and chuckled, "I did have 'terms and conditions'. I couldn't tremble while acting opposite Al, otherwise, the movie footage would look very strange, you know, for a movie to be successful, that's absolutely not allowed." Hugo was also joking, causing Jay to laugh heartily, even banging the table.

"Yes, Al gave me guidance in my performance. He's a great actor, and working with him, I really learned a lot," Hugo said.

"Wow, I'm sure he taught you a lot, from "Hudson Hawk" to "Scent of a Woman". That's a huge step," Jay said, pretending to wipe non-existent sweat off his forehead, eliciting laughter from the audience once again.

Hugo laughed along and said, "Yes, it took a lot of effort." The self-deprecating humor always enhanced the effect of the jokes.

"Working with Al is already incredible, and not long ago, you also collaborated with another great actor, Jack Nicholson," Jay said, and the audience immediately erupted in whistles, clearly showing the elevated status of Jack Nicholson in the hearts of American viewers.

"Jack Nicholson!" Hugo also cheered along with everyone, "Yes, it was truly an honor, and it even made me ponder about this little thing," Hugo pointed to the raspberry statue in front of him, causing the audience to burst into laughter again. Jay even ended up lying on the table from laughter.

"Jack, Jack, Jack. Didn't you tremble with nervousness when you saw Jack Nicholson? You know, that's Jack!" Jay continued excitedly, and one could feel his genuine respect for Jack Nicholson.

"Of course, especially when I was late, I was simply terrified," Hugo honestly confessed his mistake on the first day of shooting. "I wasn't just trembling with nervousness, I even felt my muscles go stiff, unable to move." At this point, Hugo gradually returned to normal as he got fully engaged in the conversation. The nervousness no longer dominated him, but his faster-paced speech showed his excitement.

"Late? Wow, that's not good news," Jay exclaimed repeatedly. "Did it affect your collaboration with Jack afterward?"

"Um, are you sure it's appropriate for me to discuss another project here?" Hugo wrinkled his nose, feeling hesitant. He came here today to promote "Scent of a Woman", and it seemed inappropriate to talk about "A Few Good Men". Although "A Few Good Men" had been confirmed for a release in December, it would involve a different round of promotion.

Jay shrugged, "Well, are you sure it's appropriate to work with Al and Jack within a year after winning a Razzie Award? It's enough to make countless actors jealous, including me."

"Hahahaha..." a series of laughter erupted again, and Hugo smiled and said, "Thanks to the Razzie Award." The underlying message was that it was thanks to the Razzie Award that Hugo had the rare opportunity to work consecutively with Al and Jack this year. His statement prompted laughter, followed by applause from the audience.

Not everyone has the courage to face the Razzie Award, let alone the courage to face the fact that they have won it, with the right and tolerant attitude.