**Chapter 23: The Tonight Show**
**"The Tonight Show"** is one of America's most famous talk shows and a flagship program for NBC.
With the cast of *Titanic* making an appearance, the show's producers naturally placed great emphasis on the segment. Given the recent wave of rumors surrounding the movie, the producer had already privately advised host **Jay Leno** to dig up as much as possible.
*"The Tonight Show"* has long been the ratings king among U.S. talk shows. However, since ABC was acquired by Disney, its dominance has been challenged. This was the perfect opportunity to ride the *Titanic* hype wave and solidify its industry-leading position.
The combination of *The Tonight Show* and *Titanic*? A win-win.
Jay Leno—nicknamed "Big Chin"—was an outstanding host, known for his humor, fearlessness, and no-holds-barred approach. He wasn't afraid to poke fun at anyone, even the President.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome *Titanic*'s director, **Dunn Walker**… his rumored girlfriend, **Kate Winslet**… and his rumored girlfriend's star-crossed lover, **Leonardo DiCaprio**!"
With that opening line, Jay Leno instantly set the recording studio ablaze.
The audience erupted into applause, their enthusiasm proving just how big *Titanic* had become.
Leonardo was the first to step out, and the moment he appeared, the studio was filled with deafening screams. Regardless of age or gender, everyone strained to get a glimpse of him, their faces flushed with excitement.
Leo adjusted his suit jacket, flashed a charming smile, waved to the crowd, then did a playful spin before striking a confident pose.
Kate Winslet followed, greeted by another wave of thunderous applause—especially from the male audience members, who clapped so hard their hands turned red.
"Hello, everyone," she said with a warm smile, tucking a strand of golden hair behind her ear. Unlike Leo's high-energy entrance, she was much more composed and elegant.
Dunn Walker was the last to appear—exactly as planned by the show's producers. He had a feeling there was a setup waiting for him.
Sure enough, Jay Leno wasted no time.
"Hey, kid! Who are you?" he shouted dramatically. "This is *The Tonight Show*, not some bar or nightclub! What are you doing here?"
The audience roared with laughter.
Dunn played along perfectly, putting on a panicked expression. "Wait, what? This is *The Tonight Show*? Oh no! I'm on the wrong set! I was supposed to be on *Late Night Live*! Ugh, I hate that big-chinned guy from *The Tonight Show*!"
Jay Leno's prominent chin was a running joke among guests, and Dunn had just thrown the first punch.
Leno's eyes lit up with amusement. Keeping a straight face, he shot back, "A big chin is still better than an empty head! Fine, fine, you must be a fanboy, right? As host of this show, I'll allow you to take a photo with these two superstars."
"Oh really? There are celebrities here?" Dunn teased, then turned toward Kate Winslet with a dramatic look of surprise. "Wait a second… isn't this my rumored girlfriend?"
The studio burst into laughter. Even Jay Leno couldn't hold back a chuckle. *This is gonna be a great show*, he thought.
It had been a while since he'd seen a director with such a strong comedic presence, but Dunn's next line took things to another level.
"Whoa, I didn't expect my rumored *boyfriend* to be here too!"
In 1997, that kind of joke was definitely bold. It would've been more commonplace ten years later, but at the time, it was unexpected.
For a moment, both Leno and the audience were stunned. Then, the studio exploded with applause and cheers.
Dunn Walker—turns out he was witty, humorous, and full of charm!
In North America, public figures who could laugh at themselves and embrace humor were always more likable. And Dunn Walker? He fit the mold perfectly.
With the ice broken, Leno raised his voice, drawing out his words for dramatic effect: "Now, let's give the warmest welcome to the director of *Titanic*, Dunn Walker!"
The audience rose to their feet, clapping thunderously. It was a show of respect and admiration.
Once everyone was seated, Leno received a note from his producer via earpiece: *Push the 'rumored girlfriend' angle as much as possible.*
Since Dunn was such a good sport, Leno decided to go all in.
"So… are you two actually dating?" he asked bluntly.
Dunn smiled, looking completely at ease. "Right now, *Titanic* is the hottest movie in the world, and Kate has become every man's dream girl. I wouldn't dare have any unrealistic expectations."
Leno put on a serious face and deadpanned, "Good call. If you so much as *think* about tarnishing my dream girl, I'll make sure your face is blurred out for the entire episode!"
Another wave of laughter swept through the audience.
"But you two do seem really close," Leno continued. "For a second, I thought you were actually together."
Leo jumped in, grinning. "Honestly, the three of us are all really good friends. But more importantly, Kate is actually *engaged*, so these rumors can stop now."
Before Leno could say another word, Kate suddenly interrupted, "No, no, Leo, you're behind on the news—I called off my engagement."
"WHAT?"
Dunn, Leo, and Leno all looked at her in shock.
Especially Dunn—he and Kate had discussed her relationship before, but she'd never outright confirmed anything. Yet, here she was, dropping this bombshell on live TV.
"Can you tell us why?" Leno asked cautiously.
Kate answered candidly, "Well, as you all know, filming *Titanic* was tough. There was even a moment when I nearly drowned. I got really sick, running a high fever for days. Dunn, Leo, and our castmates all took care of me. But *he*… the person I was engaged to… never showed up. And that was very disappointing."
It was a half-truth, but with Kate's acting skills? Completely believable.
The audience erupted into a mix of sympathy and disapproval.
Dunn blinked and suddenly quipped, "So… does this mean my 'rumored boyfriend' status might turn into *real* boyfriend status?"
Kate immediately crossed her arms and shot him a dramatic eye-roll. "Dunn, that joke isn't funny at all. The rumors are bad enough already—do you really have to make them worse?"
But the way they joked around so casually only reinforced the fact that they were just friends.
Leno's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Kate, you mentioned nearly drowning on set. Can you tell us more about that?"
"Of course!"
Kate cheerfully recounted the behind-the-scenes struggles, giving special thanks to the cast and crew who helped her during tough times.
Leno seized the opportunity. "So, you're saying Dunn wasn't the *only* one visiting your room at night?"
Kate laughed. "Of course not! I was sick—lots of people checked in on me."
Leo raised a hand. "I spent an *entire* night taking care of her. And let me tell you, Kate might seem gentle now, but when she's sick—"
"LEO!" Kate shot him a playful glare, as if he'd just revealed her deepest secret.
Dunn watched them bicker with amusement. *These two could win Oscars for this performance.*
But then Leno's tone shifted. "Almost drowning sounds terrifying, but Dunn, you said that wasn't even the worst thing that happened during filming. What could possibly be worse?"
Leo's expression turned serious. "There was an incident in Mexico. Someone poisoned the crew's food. Dozens of people ended up in the hospital."
**"What?!!!"**
On set, everyone except Dunn and Kate widened their eyes in shock, gasping in disbelief.
Poisoning?!
Something this terrifying, this horrifying, actually happened?
Even Jay Leno, who was rarely caught off guard, was stunned. He took a deep breath before asking, "What exactly happened? Has it been investigated?"
Dunn sighed. "The details... are probably going to remain a mystery."
Jay Leno frowned. "Wasn't it reported to the police?"
Dunn smirked and shook his head repeatedly. "Mexican police..." He trailed off before adding, "Besides, our shooting schedule was incredibly tight. The production couldn't afford a long shutdown over this. So, without disrupting the filming, we left the investigation to Fox Studios."
"No progress at all?"
Jay Leno was sharp—he knew this was a major scoop and was determined to dig out something juicy.
Dunn shook his head. "You know, if this matter isn't handled properly, it could impact the film's production, release, and box office. So the investigators haven't disclosed many details."
Kate chimed in at just the right moment. "Yeah, we were all confused back then. Why wouldn't the company release any details? Instead, they just fired a producer."
"A producer got fired?" Jay Leno's eyes lit up—he immediately caught on.
Nobody here was stupid. With just a few words exchanged between Dunn and Kate, they had already set a trap.
And Jay Leno happily walked right into it, leaning forward eagerly. "Would you mind revealing the name of that producer?"
Dunn didn't hesitate. He said it outright: **"Jon Landau."**
Jay Leno's heart skipped a beat. **"I knew it!"**
Who didn't know that the person leading the smear campaign against Dunn Walker and Kate Winslet was Jon Landau himself?
Once this episode aired, the entire country would know the **"truth."**
Jon Landau, unable to handle the pressures of the production, had resorted to poisoning the crew's food out of frustration. Fox Studios, wanting to protect the film, chose not to disclose the details and simply terminated his contract. But instead of reflecting on his actions, Landau doubled down, fabricating lies to slander Dunn and Kate—all out of pure revenge.
With a reputation like that, could a man like him still survive in Hollywood?
**"This is huge! This is going to be a nationwide sensation!"** Jay Leno could barely contain his excitement. As long as this story made waves, who cared about the fate of one movie producer?
Even if Jon Landau was a top-tier producer, so what?
**The Tonight Show** was backed by one of America's **Big Three** television networks—NBC. And NBC's big boss? General Electric.
Watching Jay Leno's almost gleeful expression, Dunn gave him a small smile. But in his heart, he was ice-cold.
**"Jon Landau, you've dug your own grave."**
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