章 436: A good show

Truly, the theater of life was a continuous series of masterful acts.

Initially, the masses believed that after the voting concluded and before the awards ceremony commenced, a brief period of quietude would descend upon Hollywood—an interlude to gather strength and prepare. Yet, destiny had other plans, and the waves of captivating acts continued without respite.

Doubts about Renly's lineage and background had spread like wildfire across the digital realm. This subject had been dissected extensively in the Yahoo community before, yet now, the ember of speculative gossip had been ignited once more.

Of particular note was the revelation from the "50/50" production crew regarding Renly's ethical dilemmas. This gave rise to a singular query: What propelled Renly's meteoric rise, especially considering his recent Oscar nomination for his debut performance?

Within the span of mere hours, the Yahoo community regained its liveliness. A discussion thread accumulated over thirty thousand comments in the blink of an eye, and the tally was escalating rapidly. Speculations regarding Renly's family background took flight, with some even daring to propose that he might become Hollywood's next Edward Norton.

Edward Norton, scion of a venerable and affluent Hollywood dynasty, was renowned for his prosperity. His grandfather was the proprietor of a publicly traded company, engaged in collaborative urban projects with governments in Baltimore, Norfolk, Boston, and other cities. Norton's grandparents owned another multinational conglomerate with global outreach. His father, a lawyer and former federal prosecutor, was complemented by a mother who taught literature.

The Norton lineage was steeped in history, each eldest son across generations bearing the name Edward. Effectively, both he and his father were known as "Edward Norton". This tradition was rooted in European aristocratic heritage.

In aristocratic circles, the recurrence of identical given and family names was by no means unusual. The first name was handed down through lineage, while the middle name added a distinctive personal touch, particularly for the eldest son. Interestingly, within the familial context, the middle name was often more frequently employed.

Nevertheless, certain individuals eschewed the use of their middle names due to potential religious associations. In such instances, they might adopt a second or even third middle name. Edward's middle name was Harrison.

Following his graduation from Yale University, Edward eschewed conventional theatrical training. He worked for his grandfather's company in Japan for two years before deciding to embark on an acting career. Returning to New York, he took on the lead role in his inaugural performance, "Primal Fear", a portrayal that garnered him an Oscar nomination due to his extraordinary depiction.

Does the narrative sound somewhat familiar? Renly's trajectory bore striking parallels. Springing from obscurity, he headlined "The Pacific", clinching an Emmy Award in a single decisive blow.

Edward Norton's era preceded the advent of the internet, yet he weathered considerable pressure and censure. Two years after starring in "Primal Fear", he transitioned to Off-Broadway productions, meticulously refining his acting prowess. Through sheer talent and unyielding dedication, he eventually solidified his position in Hollywood's pantheon.

Now, Renly seemed to be traversing the path Edward once trod, experiencing all the circumstances of his past. However, under the fermentation and catalysis of the digital era, Renly's situation was tenfold, a hundredfold more severe than Edward's.

The entire Yahoo community was set ablaze, the chorus of discussions steadily crescendoing, without any sign of abating.

"The rich second generation remains the rich second generation, a smidge of talent and they're praised to the heavens. They might as well skip the Oscars and hand him the little golden man straight away."

"With such terrible character, how does he keep landing new roles? What's this sorcery? Are those critics secretly striking deals behind closed doors?"

"I just don't see his talent. "Buried" clearly rode on the director's skills, yet he arrogantly claims it's all his doing. Shameless. I've seen shameless people, but never this shameless."

"We better not jump to conclusions. Look, even Sundance gave him an award. His backing must be formidable. And that's an independent film festival. Who knows, one day we might all be silenced? I don't get it, what's there to expect from a romance flick? "(500) Days of Summer" didn't show any exceptional qualities either."

"Without influential connections, this would be absolutely impossible. Three consecutive exceptional performances? Ha, maybe Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg picked his roles for him, and then paved the way themselves."

"Just how powerful is his support? Half a year ago, he was unheard of, and now he's skyrocketed directly to the top. Could he be related to the Queen of England or something? And also the 147th in line for the throne?"

"Look at those people, they all address him as 'young master.' Who knows, this guy's backing might be even stronger than Edward Norton's. It's all bought and paid for with money. Watch, soon our discussions will vanish too, because we'll all be bought off by money, haha."

"Who here has watched "Like Crazy"? I think Sundance must have gone mad. Such abundant praise for a romance movie is truly eye-opening. I used to think "Buried" was decent, better than James Franco, but now I'm starting to think things are more complicated than they seem. Who would've thought, really."

"Disgusting! Acting holier than thou!"

...

Discussions grew and multiplied, initially focused on the recent "Like Crazy" and the Oscar nomination, but soon escalating into a raging storm.

What added another layer of absurdity was the surge in searches for "Renly Hall" on Google. The keywords "Cleopatra" and "Ophelia" featured prominently in the public eye, and subsequently, iTunes downloads and Spotify streams rode a rocket, shooting skyward.

And then...

"Cleopatra" joined the top ten of the Billboard singles chart.

Indeed, so inexplicable, so unbelievable, so surreal. Yet, that was the reality. After 38 weeks on the Billboard chart, the folk single "Cleopatra" secured a place in the top ten, ranking sixth. It tied with Jason Mraz's renowned single "I'm Yours", reaching the highest record, and became one of the finest folk songs since the millennium.

46 weeks since release, 38 weeks on the chart, first entry into the top ten. How astonishing was that?

A simple example would demonstrate that with the advent of the internet age and widespread use of smartphones, music sales were increasingly slanting towards singles. People were more willing to purchase singles they liked, with lower costs and clearer intent compared to albums. This made the competition on the Billboard singles chart fiercer, and the demand for refreshing singles more intense.

"I'm Yours" resided on the charts for a staggering seventy-six weeks. Later, in 2014, a track named "Sail" held its position for seventy-nine weeks, followed by "Radioactive", which set a new record by extending its stay to an astonishing eighty-seven weeks.

The issue lay in the explosive power of these singles. "Sail" peaked at seventeenth place, "Radioactive" at third, and coupled with "I'm Yours" at sixth, none of these three singles ever managed to secure the top spot. They were playfully dubbed as "grinding the charts" by some.

Then, in 2015, Billboard revamped its ranking system to adapt to the changing times. If a single remained on the chart for more than twenty weeks and its highest rank was higher than fifty, but its current rank was below fifty, it would automatically drop off the chart. If it stayed on the chart for over fifty-two weeks and its highest rank was higher than fifty, but its current rank was below twenty-five, it would also be automatically removed.

If we were in 2015, "Cleopatra" had already stayed on the chart for thirty-eight weeks. As long as its rank fell below fifty, it would be automatically delisted. For most singles, remaining on the chart for such a prolonged period was not a certainty. Of course, it was still 2011, and Billboard hadn't changed the rules yet. However, the shock remained undiminished. Not only did "Cleopatra" endure, but it also surged into the top ten with an earth-shattering momentum!

Inconceivable! Absolutely inconceivable!

Not long ago, following an episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, due to a chain reaction, "Cleopatra" made its way into the top twenty on the Billboard chart. This alone was mind-boggling, leaving people utterly astonished. And within a few weeks, "Cleopatra" managed to go even further, entering the top ten. This trajectory of development was something even the boldest of fiction authors wouldn't dare write.

Indeed, there was an old saying in China that held true—fortune and misfortune are intertwined. Who could have foreseen that this torrent of doubts would contribute to the rise of "Cleopatra"? Even the pioneers in the village were left with question marks, unable to comprehend the myriad changes of the era.

In the age of the internet, everything was interconnected, the good and the bad, the positive and the negative.

However, historically breaking into the top ten on the Billboard chart, tying the highest rank record of "I'm Yours", was not good news for the current situation.

Because the Yahoo community exploded once again.

"Evidence, this is evidence! Shameless!"

"If there's no support, no one pushing things behind the scenes, how is this possible? Absolutely impossible!"

"Top ten on the Billboard? You've got to be kidding me! If this guy is just an ordinary person, I'll use my head as a soccer ball!"

"An actor isn't enough; he wants to make a name for himself as a singer too? How much money did his family spend? $100M? $200M? It's truly terrifying!"

"Still spewing lies with eyes wide open! The facts are right in front of us! What's next? The Oscars? Or the Grammys? It's so obvious, even if you want to promote yourself, there's no need to be so urgent. Your desperation is really unattractive. Aren't you just putting a shiny coat on yourself and denying it?"

"King's new trick."

"I'm even more curious. Just who possesses such immense power that their invisible hand can extend across both the music and film industries? Young Heir, Young Heir Renly, could he really be some sort of prince?"

...

In a bustling and chaotic atmosphere, the cacophony of curses was unending. However, hidden amidst these condemnations, they forgot that the hands pushing the waves were their own; the ones opening iTunes and Spotify were also their own. The same people achieved both the glory and controversy of the internet era, yet people often forgot about this fact.

Only when residing on this mountain can one comprehend the true visage of Mount Lu.