The Greatest Showman #897 - Total Fall

William-Taylor's mind felt like a tangled mess, and he couldn't think clearly:

Just a few days ago, they were watching the live broadcast of the Grammys, the Yahoo community alive with excitement, filled with praises, gasps of awe, and heartwarming comments. The discussions about the song "Beast" were everywhere, all over the Yahoo community!

But how did things turn so quickly? Everything changed in an instant, catching him completely off guard.

It was just a slanderous, baseless article. How could it spark such outrage? Why is it gaining so much traction and trust? Don't these people know Renly? Haven't they been following him all this time? Haven't they listened to his album Don Quixote?

"God damn it! What the hell happened to you? Are you all insane?"

William's hands flew over the keyboard, his emotions spiraling out of control. Anger, disappointment—immense disappointment—swept over him. His chest felt tight, heavy with frustration.

"Is this the first time you've encountered Renly? Have you forgotten his brilliance in 'Pacific War'? The madness in 'Buried Alive'? The strength in 'Fast & Furious 5'? The subtlety in 'Crazy in Love'? And what about 'I'm Fighting Cancer'? Each role, each performance he gave, have you forgotten that?

I'm not talking about the personas he plays on screen. I'm talking about the dedication, the struggle, the persistence, and the talent behind every character. He's not like Sean Penn, who punches his way into the news again and again. He's not like Robert Downey Jr., whose relapses make headlines. Now everyone's condemning Renly for malicious hype?

Malicious hype? That's the most absurd joke I've ever heard."

Have you ever seen any behind-the-scenes footage? Any scandals tied to the movie's promotion? Any constant media exposure? Have you seen Renly leaking news or talking to the press outside of official campaigns?

No! No! None of that!

From the beginning, Renly has stayed out of the spotlight. He immerses himself in his craft, quietly, like Daniel Day-Lewis. Is he an artist? People can argue that. But is he an actor? There's no question.

Can't you see you're losing your minds? You're going crazy over nothing. Just the wild speculations from Entertainment Weekly? These unfounded theories, with no proof to back them up?

You've conveniently forgotten the last two years, and you're choosing to believe Entertainment Weekly?

For God's sake, it's Entertainment Weekly, not The New York Times!

At least wait until Renly speaks out. At least wait for the people directly involved to share their side. At least let other credible outlets weigh in. Show some patience, some trust! This is Renly we're talking about. He's not just another celebrity; he's the actor we've all gotten to know."

His fingers pounded the keys, a fire of frustration burning inside him. But no matter how much he typed, the anger that gripped him only grew stronger. William still couldn't believe it: Why had all the supporters turned on him overnight? Why was this happening?

He remembered the premiere of I'm Fighting Cancer at Lincoln Center, the uproar of excitement from the audience still fresh in his mind. He recalled the emotional responses from the crowd during One Man's Concert, the genuine appreciation they showed. But now, where was that support? No trust, no patience.

It felt like the entire world had turned against Renly. William could feel his eyes stinging with tears, but he held them back.

Hope-Baze gritted her teeth, her jaw set in determination. She believed that Renly's innocence would eventually be proven. Not because she doubted Entertainment Weekly, but because she trusted Renly. Accusations could be true, but this whole "hype" theory? It was too ridiculous to be real.

It was like the situation with Keanu Reeves. He'd faced similar media criticism in the past. His "low-key" image was often ridiculed, with people calling it a calculated stunt. Yet, his reserved nature only helped him gain more fans.

This was the same pattern being applied to Renly now.

Did Entertainment Weekly forget that, unlike Cornell's words, One Man's Concert had no publicity? All the fans kept quiet, and even Hope hadn't learned of the news until much later. She had blamed William for keeping quiet. If this was all just a publicity stunt, then Entertainment Weekly had played its part in creating the hype. But did they mention that? No. Instead, they poured scorn on Renly.

The truth was, this whole thing mirrored the media frenzy in Seattle just last year.

Hope wasn't surprised by this tactic. What angered her was how easily the fans had been swayed. She didn't expect everyone to blindly support Renly or wait for his official statement. But she had hoped they would at least wait for other outlets to confirm the story, wait for further developments. Instead, people were too quick to distance themselves.

The real anger should be Renly's.

Hope held back her tears, but they kept falling. Seeing the bitter comments flooding the Yahoo community, she couldn't help but feel that Renly's carefully built world was crumbling around him. It was devastating.

When Fast & Furious 5 became a box office hit, they celebrated Renly's commercial breakthrough. When Crazy in Love and My Cancer Me saw incredible success, they applauded his growing influence. Don Quixote was hailed as a masterpiece, Pioneer Village Night was a huge success, and they heard Renly's voice as an artist. One Man's Concert marked his transformation, from actor to artist, from dream to reality.

But now, all of that felt like an illusion. Like a sandcastle washed away by a wave.

"Did anyone truly listen to the heart of the young master? From the album Don Quixote, to One Man's Concert, to his three Grammy wins—did anyone really hear the dreams, the struggles, the cries of a lone traveler on a road full of thorns? Did anyone hear the roar of an artist breaking through his own limits, in both pain and joy?

If you really understood his soul, you'd know that all the accusations and focus were unfounded. Just another media stunt from Entertainment Weekly. It's the media that hyped things up, but Renly is the one being blamed for it.

Don't you see? Renly turned down an Oscar to focus on his craft. He chose experimental art over commercial films. He dedicated himself to creating an intimate experience with Don Quixote. He's never sought publicity, and now they call him a 'hype artist'? It's absurd.

In Hollywood, there are countless actors who hype themselves relentlessly, and no one cares. But the moment Renly, the quiet one, has a newsworthy moment, the world loses its mind? And they accuse him of hyping himself just because he's respected in his field?

This is the world we live in, much like the bizarre, twisted society of 1984.

Renly is like Don Quixote—he keeps fighting, alone, believing in his dreams. But now, the world accuses him, mocks him, and abandons him, throwing stones as he falls. It's madness.

Look in the mirror. See how ugly, how foolish, how ridiculous you've become. Only then will you realize the damage you've done."

The anger burned inside Hope, relentless and fierce. Her tears kept flowing, but she wiped them away. She couldn't afford to be weak; Renly needed her strength now.

From the speaker, Renly's lazy, moving voice drifted out, the melody of "Be Sure of It" slow and ironic.

"Say something. Say you love me. Or turn away from this mess. I don't know if I still believe. I don't even know if I want to believe everything you said to me."