Chapter 38: Celebrity Haters
[Chapter 38: Celebrity Haters]
"I heard that Link is an orphan, didn't go to school for long, and used to be a petty criminal in El Monte. But look at him on stage, so relaxed, speaking clearly and coherently, delivering one inspirational line after another. How could a guy like that come from the projects?"
In a Los Angeles bar, Al Simmons, an entertainment reporter for the Los Angeles Times, pointed at the man on the TV, dressed sharply in a suit, handsome and polished, and spoke to a group of colleagues.
"What do you mean?" a reporter from USA Today asked.
"Do you think the success of Buried is all a scam, just a great publicity stunt?"
"Publicity stunt? How would that work?" inquired another from the same publication.
"Maybe Link isn't from a poor background at all. Maybe he grew up in a wealthy household, got a good education, especially in directing and acting, with professionals guiding him from a young age. Perhaps the people behind him orchestrated the entire Buried phenomenon to create an image of Link as a 'genius director,' crafting this film to first fool the studios and then stage a challenging release, leading to record-breaking worldwide box office returns. Such a stark contrast would generate a lot of buzz, and, with media promotion, Buried would continue to be a hit, thrusting Link into stardom. Doesn't that sound reasonable?"
Al Simmons squinted, slowly sharing his theory.
"Al, have you lost your mind trying to chase a scoop? Buried succeeded because it's a solid film. It started in just one theater, but word-of-mouth led to it being supported by more theaters -- not some cheap marketing trick. You're confusing cause and effect," said a reporter from The Hollywood Reporter.
"Is it possible that Buried wasn't really directed by Link, or that it wasn't just him and one other person, but rather a whole team of more experienced filmmakers guiding him? That could explain the quality of Buried. Honestly, I just can't believe Link, with his first film, could have produced something that brilliant," Al Simmons stroked his chin, contemplating the potential of that speculation.
After speaking, he expected to hear back from his colleagues but turned around to find them all gone.
He glanced around and noticed they had gravitated towards veteran reporter Thomas Miller from the American Forum, who was recounting a strange incident that had recently happened in Connecticut.
...
According to a report by the Forum last year, a couple from New York, the Campbells, had moved to northern Connecticut to be closer to the hospital to treat their son's illness, where they found an old house that had just become available for rent.
The house was nice but was said to be haunted at night, with all sorts of strange sounds echoing through the halls. It turned out this old house used to be a funeral home. Initially breaking in local news, Fox News picked it up and captured some questionable footage.
The incident sparked a major buzz last year and was dubbed the "Connecticut Ghost House Incident." The Forum sent people to cover it, and Thomas Miller was one of them. Now everyone crowded around him, eager to hear more.
...
Al Simmons thought the whole thing was dull and returned to the bar, went back to watching the talk show on TNT hoping to find some useful news material.
On TV, host Billy Crystal interviewed Link. With Buried being a massive hit, the media labeled him the "genius director" and the "highest-grossing director of all time." Billy asked him if he felt any pressure.
Link's response was no. He said instead of worrying about whether he could handle all that praise, he preferred to focus on his current work because, regardless, a director's abilities were best showcased through their films, not merely due to a title like "genius director."
"Ugh!" Al Simmons grumbled, taking a sip of his beer. Link was only 20, speaking flawlessly, and there was no chance of digging up news material for fluff pieces.
"Link, after Buried's success, many critics claimed that what you achieved can't be replicated and has a lot of luck involved. They say your future films won't perform as well. What are your thoughts on that?" Billy Crystal asked.
Hearing this, Al Simmons perked up to see if Link acknowledged any luck involved in Buried's success. There's always something worth digging into in that acknowledgment.
"Success? How does one define a film's success? Is it solely based on box office returns or total earnings? The awards it garners? Its place in film history? There are several metrics to consider. Only judging by box office ratios is indeed difficult to replicate; however, if we take those other factors into account, I might surpass Buried in future projects," Link stated.
Applause erupted on TV.
"Shit! He just dodged the question so smoothly," Al Simmons muttered, banging his fist on the bar.
Just as he was about to leave the bar to seek out other stories, he suddenly caught a mention of Robert Downey Jr. in Billy Crystal's next question.
...
During the third week of Buried's release, its North American box office exceeded Chaplin's, making it the fourth highest of the week. Robert Downey Jr. publicly lambasted Buried, calling it a bad film and mocking Link for riding on the red carpet for Chaplin's premiere. Al Simmons had been present for that interview.
The incident stirred major controversy in Hollywood, and Robert Downey Jr. faced backlash, affecting Link's public image as well. Many media outlets tried to get Link's take on this and his opinion on Downey's behavior, but Link had consistently evaded the topic.
Now that Billy Crystal had brought it up, even though it was old news, if Link could reveal something new on air, it would definitely make a tasty scoop.
Al Simmons took out his notebook, focused intently on the screen, and just as he listened to the host's question, he felt a sudden crowding around him, with lots of bodies pressing behind him.
When he turned around, he was taken aback to see all those who had gathered around Thomas Miller now standing right next to him with ears sharper than a dog's.
...
"Link, when Buried was trending, Robert Downey Jr. and many other filmmakers publicly criticized the film, claiming it was subpar and shouldn't have grossed so much. They also mentioned how you used the premiere of Chaplin to launch Buried. I'm sure you've seen this news. What was your reaction at the time?" Billy Crystal asked.
"Is this gossip time?" Link joked.
"Quit stalling and answer already!" Al Simmons shouted at the TV, growing impatient.
"Alright, it was amusing. Robert Downey Jr. is a famous movie star, one of the best of his generation, arguably in the top three. I was just some unknown at the time. When that news broke, a friend yelled at me while holding up the Los Angeles Times, 'Link, check this out! Robert Downey Jr. slammed Buried as a bad movie and mocked you for walking the red carpet at Chaplin. You're going to blow up!'"
Laughter erupted at Link's mimicry of his friend's shout.
"That was my article! Link must have read what I wrote," Al Simmons laughed, clapping his hands.
"Shh, let him speak," reminded a few journalists around him.
"So when you saw that news, you didn't feel angry, but rather happy?" Billy Crystal pressed.
"There was no happiness about being insulted for no reason -- obviously, I wasn't thrilled. But I wasn't angry either, since the paper reported that Mr. Robert Downey Jr. was a bit inebriated while making those ridiculous comments. It would be petty to argue with someone in that state. I also never brought the incident up. The only letdown was that even after sobering up, Robert Downey Jr. has yet to offer an explanation or an apology."
"Do you wish Robert Downey Jr. would apologize to you?"
"That would be great. After all, we're all part of the same industry, and sooner or later, we'll cross paths or even collaborate. Maintaining good relationships is important. However, if he chooses not to apologize, that's fine too. Having a major celebrity as a hater is a rare and amusing experience. At least, Billy, you probably don't have a high-profile hater among your fans."
"Not at all. My fans love me. But I admit I'm jealous you have such a big-name hater," Billy laughed again.
The audience roared with laughter.
"Link's got quite the sense of humor," Al Simmons remarked, stroking his chin.
"Not just funny but also pretty sharp," another chimed in.
"Right? He knows Robert Downey Jr. has a significant influence in the industry, with numerous fans. The Downey family has deep connections, and he's a VIP at CAA. Going head to head with Link, a newcomer in the industry, wouldn't play well in the long run. Link smartly sidestepped the film dispute and chose to focus on Downey not issuing an apology, managing to appear very rational. It's quite impressive for someone his age; he's clearly not just another young filmmaker."
"Now all eyes are on Robert Downey Jr. Do you think he'll apologize?" Al Simmons asked his colleagues.
*****
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