Bab 205: Chapter 205: Making Things Difficult
Sandra, upon hearing this, moved closer to Simon and asked curiously, "What is Jenny doing in France?"
"I'm planning to purchase some properties in Europe," Simon explained. As he saw Terry Semel approaching through the party crowd, he stood up in surprise to shake hands with him, saying, "Terry, I didn't expect you to come tonight. What a pleasant surprise."
"Mel is here too; he's chatting with Pascal," Terry Semel smiled as he shook hands with Simon, then greeted Sandra, "Good evening, Miss Brock. You look beautiful tonight."
"Thank you, Mr. Semel."
As Simon stood up, Sandra noticed Terry Semel seemed to have something important to discuss with Simon, so she made an excuse to step away for a bit.
Terry Semel sat down with Simon and said, "I heard 'Scream' is having some difficulties with its rating?"
Simon picked up his cutlery and looked at Terry Semel's genuinely concerned expression, nodding slightly, "It needs some adjustments, but it's not a big issue."
Unlike the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), which is dominated by a few major Hollywood studios, the situation 'Scream' faced in its rating could hardly be said not to involve Warner Bros.
Terry Semel sensed Simon's calm demeanor and realized this young man couldn't be treated as a novice. Still, he added, "Let me know if there's anything I can help with."
Simon nodded politely, "Of course."
Despite saying this, Simon had no intention of seeking Terry Semel's help. If Terry really wanted to 'help,' it could certainly be effective, but Simon did not want to owe him a favor. Daenerys Entertainment was not a one-off deal; owing a favor now could mean having to continue in the future.
Simon preferred a permanent solution to this problem.
Terry Semel suddenly regretted bringing up 'Scream' and switched topics to 'Batman,' "About the studio, Simon, I know you're renting from Fox Studios because it's closer to your home in Malibu, but Warner's stages could offer you more support and cooperation."
Simon had previously declined Terry Semel's offer to buy the Culver City MGM studios. Now, whenever Daenerys Entertainment needed to shoot a movie or TV show, they had to temporarily rent studios from the major studios.
Since Simon returned from Australia, preparations for 'Batman' had accelerated. He had recently rented a special studio at Fox Studios for 'Batman's' shooting tests and actor rehearsals.
Terry Semel bringing this up allowed Simon to momentarily forget their previous topic and discuss the preparations for 'Batman.' Later, Mel Gibson and his wife Robin Moore came over to greet them, leading to a discussion about 'Braveheart.'
As the party went on, Simon, having had his fill, stood up intending to mingle with some guests. Sandra quickly joined him, unceremoniously taking her place as his companion for the evening.
Shortly after, as Simon was chatting with Robert Egger, who had flown in from the East Coast, Madonna appeared beside him in a white low-cut evening gown, straightforwardly suggesting, "Simon, I heard you're preparing Lawrence Kasdan's 'The Bodyguard.' How about I play the female lead?"
Simon nodded to Robert Egger, then directly and politely declined Madonna, "Not really."
Madonna was displeased, "Refusing a lady so bluntly is really ungentlemanly."
Simon looked around and asked, "How come I don't see Sean?"
Upon hearing Sean Penn's name, Madonna's tone lost its flirtatious edge, "He obviously has his own things to deal with. We're not joined at the hip."
At that time, Madonna had just signed an acting contract with CAA, likely connecting with Hollywood's top bachelor Warren Beatty and possibly starring in his next film 'Dick Tracy,' leading to the end of her marriage with Sean Penn.
Hollywood's frequent breakups and makeups were not Simon's concern. Returning to the previous topic, he regretted, "It's a shame, Maddy. We've already settled on the female lead for 'The Bodyguard.'"
"Can I know who it is?" Madonna, thinking Simon was just brushing her off, glanced at Sandra and said, "It's not Sandy, is it?"
"Of course not," Simon shook his head, "You definitely know her, Whitney Houston."
Despite the choice being years ahead of its time, Whitney Houston, who debuted around the same time as Madonna, was soaring in the music industry and also interested in venturing into Hollywood. Daenerys Entertainment's contact with her was almost instant agreement.
Madonna scoffed at the mention of Whitney Houston, "Simon, Whitney Houston is black. Even if you don't want me for the role, there's no need to choose a black person. I've read the script, 'The Bodyguard' is a romance."
Racial prejudice was deeply ingrained in the country, and Simon was not surprised by Madonna's overt racial bias. Sandra also showed a similar probing expression.
"Whitney Houston's fame is enough to compensate for any perceived disadvantages of her skin color," Simon explained, "Besides, the romance in the movie is subtle. Having Whitney Houston as the female lead is perfectly fine."
"Whatever, it's not my money being spent on the movie," Madonna said indifferently. Before leaving, she remembered an earlier promise, "By the way, Simon, do you remember our agreement from the 'Pulp Fiction' set? You promised to be a guitarist for one of my concerts."
Simon remembered the promise to get Madonna's cooperation for a scene by agreeing to play guitar at one of her concerts.
"You don't seem to have any concerts planned, do you?"
"Not at the moment, just reminding you so you don't forget," Madonna said, reaching towards Simon's chest, "Having a billionaire play guitar at my concert is quite exciting."
Simon, not quite thrilled, pushed away Madonna's hand, "If you're too excited, there are plenty of rooms in the mansion; find a bedroom and entertain yourself."
Madonna, unfazed by Simon's jest, flirtatiously suggested, "Want to watch? We could find a room, and I'll show you."
Simon firmly declined, "No, thanks."
"Ah, such a hypocrite," Madonna labeled Simon self-righteously, blowing him a kiss before cheerfully walking away.
As Simon watched Madonna leave and was about to mingle with other guests, three elegantly dressed women approached him and Sandra. They were three of the six main actresses from 'The Beverly Hills Wives.' Unlike their counterparts in the original timeline, Daenerys Entertainment's selections had not undergone extreme cosmetic surgeries and appeared quite normal.
In the 1980s American society, which had not reached the openness of a decade later, and being on public television, Simon made significant adjustments to the new version of 'The Beverly Hills Wives.' The show reduced the catfights among the housewives, focusing more on their daily lives in upper-class society.
Of course, a show purely about daily life would struggle to keep viewers engaged for long. Each of the six housewives in the reality show had their own 'storylines,' ranging from starting a fashion brand to dealing with family business issues, rethinking their children's education, or facing marital crises.
With a large demographic of full-time homemakers in America, 'The Beverly Hills Wives' targeted them specifically.
Simon's ideal goal for 'The Beverly Hills Wives' and potentially other 'Wives' series was to make them trendsetters in fashion, recipes, home decor, and travel for North American homemakers.
Previously, due to his busy schedule and doubts about the show's success, Simon had not planned in detail. Now, with the show achieving good ratings and CBS announcing a renewal, Simon could explore its commercial potential further.
Although 'The Beverly Hills Wives' had the lowest viewership among the reality shows, its potential for syndication in domestic and international markets was the highest. Once viewers know the outcome of 'Survivor' or 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,' they might lose interest in reruns. However, 'The Beverly Hills Wives' could encourage repeated viewing.
To follow these upper-class housewives' exquisite lifestyles more closely, viewers might even purchase videotapes, an advantage other reality shows couldn't match.
The women, none of whom were simple-minded, became more enthusiastic when Simon detailed his branding strategy for 'The Beverly Hills Wives.' They realized if Simon's goals were achieved, the show could significantly boost their families and careers.
Noticing the engaging conversation, the other three housewives left their husbands to join in.
After about half an hour, the women left satisfied.
In the mansion's courtyard, Sandra watched the elegant women leave and noticed Simon trying to put his hands in his pockets. She quickly grabbed the business cards from his palm, trying not to attract other guests' attention, and stuffed them into her purse, glaring at him.
Simon, unfazed by Sandra's glare, smiled, "At least leave me one, right?"
"Don't even think about it," Sandra refused, then realized even without the cards, Simon could easily obtain the women's contact information. She playfully slapped him with her purse, calling him a "jerk."
As the party wound down, guests began to leave around ten o'clock.
Sandra stayed patiently until the end, overseeing the cleanup like a hostess. After the party company's team left, the mansion quieted down by one in the morning.
After inspecting the mansion, Sandra joined Simon at the cliffside railing in the backyard. They quietly admired the sparse city lights beside the dark bay, enjoying the serene atmosphere.
After a few minutes, Sandra broke the silence, "Hey, are you thinking about how to send me away?"
Simon, pulled back from his thoughts, looked at her not-so-beautiful but definitely appealing young face, touched it gently, and said, "Of course not. As a man, I naturally hope for as many women to like me as possible."
Sandra, slightly moved, leaned in closer.
Simon kissed her lightly on the lips but quickly pulled away, "That's enough. Don't be too greedy."
"You were the one being greedy just now," Sandra retorted, though she didn't press further. She leaned on the railing beside Simon, waving the purse with the business cards, "These are still here. Do you want them back?"
Simon shook his head, "I'm not used to being the target of seduction."
Sandra laughed at the realization.
Hunting for romance wasn't exclusive to men. In the eyes of those housewives, a young man like Simon, who had amassed a fortune and fame by his early twenties, was far more appealing than any fitness coach or waiter, making him the perfect target for their affections.
With this thought, Sandra asked, "So, what do we do tonight?"
Simon replied, "Ever seen 'When Harry Met Sally'?"
"Of course," Sandra nodded, "I wouldn't miss your movie picks."
"Maybe, like Harry and Sally, we can just be friends. If we ended up in bed, we might not even be able to keep what we have now."
Sandra found the idea frustrating but realized it probably was for the best.
If something happened between them tonight, she wouldn't mind, and she believed Simon wouldn't either. However, she also knew she couldn't just take him away from Janet, and advancing their relationship might make things awkward.
However, Sandra quickly grew dissatisfied, "Like Harry and Sally? But you have a girlfriend, and I don't have a boyfriend."
Simon acknowledged, "Yes, that is a problem."
Sandra glanced at him, "Aren't you going to suggest I find a boyfriend?"
Simon honestly shook his head, "I'm not in the habit of telling women who like me to find other men."
Sandra pinched him lightly, not really hurting him, "You're really a jerk."
"How about," Simon suggested with a smile, turning to her, "you try finding a girlfriend?"
Sandra was momentarily confused before understanding and pinched him harder, "Jerk, why don't you find a boyfriend?"
"Of course not. Two men together is too brutal, but imagine two beautiful girls together, Sandy. Think about it," Simon said, more excitedly, but seeing Sandra's anger, he quickly defended, "Wait, I think it's a great idea. You should really try it."
"Go away."
"Be a lady, or it really won't be easy to find a girlfriend."
"Jerk."
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