Chapitre 957: Chapter 959: The Grand Celebration
[Chapter 959: The Grand Celebration]
Although the celebration party was initiated by Drew hoping for a lively affair, the atmosphere today felt different due to the overwhelming presence of executives from MGM and two television networks. The party, while featuring music and people dancing in the designated area, had attendees gathered in small groups, quietly chatting over champagne.
"The rise of cable television has become a major trend. While E! Entertainment and Bravo have lagged a bit in comparison to Lifetime, we still have plenty of time compared to many cable operators who haven't yet caught on. What you need to do is ramp up your investment in original content and enhance the marketing efforts of the network before other channels awaken to the potential," Eric addressed the group from a balcony overlooking Los Angeles, where he and Amy Pascal had taken a prime vantage point to discuss their networks' future development.
"Eric, with the success of Desperate Housewives, didn't you mention there was another reality show concept that would be perfect for Bravo?" asked Kris Jenner, the producer of Beverly Girls, eager to interject as soon as Eric finished speaking.
Although Amy Pascal and the others thought Kris was a bit too eager, they were keenly waiting to hear about Eric's other reality show idea.
In Hollywood, creativity was never in short supply, but both studios and networks often held a superstitious reverence for authority. Once a project achieved success, future ideas would garner widespread attention. If you were a newcomer without credentials, even the wildest concepts struggled to gain recognition in Hollywood.
Eric nodded. "This reality show concept is similar to Beverly Girls and is also focused on lifestyle. The participants and target audience would both be housewives. If you start filming in Beverly Hills, you could call it Beverly Housewives. However, unlike Beverly Girls, this series could expand significantly. Just within Greater Los Angeles, you could have Beverly Housewives, Orange County Housewives, Malibu Housewives -- all the way up to New York, San Francisco, and Chicago, and even extend overseas to London or Paris."
After listening to Eric, Amy Pascal and the others exchanged glances. They realized that if Eric's idea could indeed grow into a massive housewives franchise, it could be the backbone of Bravo's original content.
However, reality shows typically had a life cycle, and they remained skeptical about the longevity of such a series.
Amy Pascal recalled something and asked, "Eric, you mentioned this Housewives series could expand significantly, unlike Beverly Girls. Why is that?"
"Young people love novelty," Eric explained. "After Beverly Girls, we might be able to develop several shows like Manhattan Girls or Chicago Girls, but these would likely bore young audiences quickly."
He understood the allure of reality shows in gaining high ratings, yet they could just as easily cause audiences to lose interest. "However, the Housewives series is different. It targets a demographic -- housewives -- whose daily lives are very routine. Many housewives lead nearly identical lives for decades. Once they become accustomed to a show, they'll keep watching out of habit. So, I believe the Housewives series will have a much longer lifespan compared to Beverly Girls. Plus, this type of reality show is low-cost and could see multiple versions in various regions airing at different times."
With that, Eric added with a smile, "Of course, this is just my speculation. Reality will ultimately determine the outcome."
In his original timeline, the Housewives franchise grew immensely, and Eric's reverse reasoning based on results was becoming a fact.
Kris Jenner, feeling particularly excited, said, "Eric, if this comes true, as a producer, this one series could secure my position in the television industry for over ten years!"
As Eric listened to Kris's veiled compliment, he shook his head and laughed. "That's definitely not the case. A hit television show might temporarily boost a network's visibility and ratings, but it won't be enough for substantial growth. Great television programs are like sparks; if you want to keep the fire burning, you must keep adding fuel."
In recent years, shows like Sex and the City, Project Runway, and America's Next Top Model became the cornerstones for Lifetime. The network consistently invested in developing new shows and acquiring programming rights. This led to a sustained rise in its overall ratings and revenue, even allowing Lifetime to launch two sister networks.
This cycle of continuous content investment, viewership growth, and rising revenue formed a beneficial loop. As long as the management team avoided making foolish decisions, Lifetime would continue to thrive in this steady state.
Eric hoped E! Entertainment and Bravo would also develop into a similar model of stable growth.
The three networks catered to different demographics: one aimed at urban elite women, another at housewives, and the last attracted teenagers interested in entertainment and gossip. Thus, the chances for internal competition among the networks were minimal, allowing them to complement one another.
...
Since it was a celebration, discussing business felt a bit out of place. After exchanging pleasantries for a while, everyone soon dispersed to chat with other guests of interest.
Eric lingered on the patio for a bit with the girl before preparing to leave. Just then, Kris Jenner and her three daughters approached, saying, "Eric, let me introduce you. These are my daughters, Kourtney, Khloe, and of course, you've met Kim."
It was Eric's first time encountering the Kardashian sisters in person. All three girls were under twenty, their appearances youthful with seemingly minimal cosmetic enhancements.
Eric had changed many things. The success of Beverly Girls and the future Housewives series would be enough to satisfy Kris Jenner's ambitions. She would clearly have little time to focus on her three daughters. A savvy woman like her understood that elevating her three comparatively average daughters to stardom would be quite challenging. It's likely that reality shows like Keeping Up with the Kardashians wouldn't exist in the future.
After exchanging polite hugs with each sister, Eric turned to the familiar Kim Kardashian and asked with a smile, "So, what have you been up to recently?"
"School," Kim replied, glancing at Drew and her mother and stepfather, who were cheerfully walking away. In a somewhat playful tone, she continued, "I'll be graduating high school this year, and my mom plans to send me to USC's film school."
"Oh," Eric motioned to a passing waiter and took a glass of champagne from the tray. Leaning comfortably against the patio railing, he teased, "Do you think you'll get in?"
While USC's film school was known for catering to the wealthy, those without connections or financial resources rarely set foot there. Yet, if someone's academic performance was too poor, it was likely that USC would still have some standards to uphold.
"Eric, that's so hurtful," Kim feigned hurt, waving her hand, though she didn't dare hit him. She admitted, "But I don't have much confidence; I really want to study fashion design instead."
"That seems more realistic," Eric agreed with a nod, glancing over at the other two sisters. Among them, the youngest, Khloe, was the tallest, naturally drawing Eric's attention. He asked, "Are you Khloe?"
Khloe had just seen her second sister chatting animatedly with Eric, feeling a bit envious. She eagerly nodded, "Yes, Mr. Williams, I really like your movies."
"Oh? Which one?"
Khloe smartly replied, "I love them all, starting from Home Alone."
Feeling slighted, the eldest sister, Kourtney, chimed in, "Khloe, you got it wrong. Mr. Williams's first movie was 17 Again."
"I know that," Khloe rolled her eyes at her sister. "But I was only four when that came out! I later watched 17 Again."
Seeing her sisters bickering in front of Eric made Kim a bit embarrassed. She quickly turned to Eric, asking, "Eric, may I invite you to dance?"
"Oh, of course," Eric glanced at Kris Jenner and her husband nearby, engaged in conversation with E! Entertainment's president. They seemed unconcerned about him, and he wondered what she was thinking in introducing her daughters to him.
Although he had little interest in the three ordinary-looking girls, the current situation was amusing and even a bit stimulating.
Upon hearing Eric's agreement, Kim Kardashian gleefully shot a glance at her sisters before extending her hand to link arms with Eric as they headed toward the dance floor.
...
Watching Eric walk away with her sister, Kourtney and Khloe exchanged glances, each glaring at the other in unison, whispering, "This is all your fault."
As soon as that was said, Khloe quickly added, "It's your fault for starting it. Now we've probably left a bad impression on Mr. Williams."
Kourtney, feeling a bit guilty, turned her gaze to the city lights of Los Angeles below, leaning against the railing. After a moment of silence, she sighed, "I wish I had a villa like that."
Khloe shared the same thought but still held some resentment toward Kourtney for calling her out. She sarcastically replied, "Do you have any idea how much that villa costs?"
Kourtney had just visited Drew's mansion for the first time, yet she'd heard Kim talk about it before. Although the mansion wasn't too large, its location made it exceedingly valuable. The current conservative estimate would be over $15 million, and given Los Angeles's property appreciation rate, it might even increase to $20 or $30 million in the coming years.
Despite having wealthy biological and stepfathers, the sisters knew they couldn't afford such a villa.
As thoughts swirled in her mind, Kourtney rubbed her hands over the smooth railing, turning her attention back to the dimly lit dance floor. However, she couldn't spot her sister and Eric among the shadows.
"I read in a magazine that Mr. Williams might be worth around $150 billion. I wonder what it's like to have that much," Khloe said, rolling her eyes at Kourtney.
"While it's definitely over $100 billion, there's no way it's $150 billion. Were you reading tabloids again? But, if it's true, then we could buy 100 villas like that without blinking an eye," Kourtney retorted.
Kourtney, feeling a bit dreamy, couldn't help but ask, "100 villas? How much would that cost?"
Khloe thought for a moment and confidently shook her head, "How would I know? You do the math."
Kourtney glanced back at the dance floor again and still didn't see her sister and Eric, expressing disappointment, "If I could just be Eric Williams's girlfriend, he could buy me a villa with just a wave of his hand."
Khloe recalled what had just happened and said, "He's with Kim now. Just go on dreaming; it's all your fault."
"I didn't do it on purpose. You were the one who got it wrong!" Kourtney shot back.
"I pointed it out because you made a mistake! You're still my older sister, right?" Khloe retorted.
Kourtney sighed, "I don't know about that."
Khloe perked up like an agitated cat. "You dare say that in front of Mom? Let's see if she doesn't slap you."
"I'm too lazy to argue with you," Kourtney said, realizing she had gone a bit overboard.
Whether biological or stepfamily members, the sisters weren't afraid; growing up, they were just wary of their strong and fiery mother. If what Kourtney just said reached their mom's ears, they would surely get a slap in return.
Noticing Kourtney backing down, Khloe smirked, "Ha, watch out! I'll tell Mom."
"Go ahead," Kourtney shrugged, unfazed. It was clearly surprising that she would address such sensitive matters with her mom.
Of course, Khloe didn't dare make the threat. Seeing her tactic failed, she turned to the dance floor, her voice now filled with excitement, "Let's head over there! Who knows, we might get to dance with Mr. Williams!"
Kourtney nodded, "Did you hear that? Kim directly called him by his first name! What do you think, should we do the same?"
"I have no idea. You say it first!" Khloe nudged.
Kourtney felt a little tempted but quickly shook her head and found a reason for her hesitation. "Mom said we should be polite."
*****
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État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
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