Chapter 179: Blacklisting

During Simon's call with Robert Iger, ABC sent over more detailed viewership data via fax.

On its premiere day, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" reached 13.65 million viewers, with a rating of 13%. Moreover, the rating among the core audience of 18 to 49-year-olds, which is most important to networks and advertisers, reached 5.9. This means that 5.9% of all North American core viewers aged 18 to 49, regardless of whether they turned on their TVs, watched the show last night. Given that this demographic totals about 120 million people, the specific core viewership number reached 7.1 million.

All these numbers far exceeded ABC's expectations.

Due to viewing habits, the audience numbers in North America during the summer are only equivalent to 60-70% of the popular autumn season. Therefore, ABC set a benchmark of 6.5 million viewers for "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire."

The reality, however, was that the show's core audience of 18 to 49-year-olds alone had already reached this level. Even if the viewership numbers for the week-long trial episodes remained at Monday's 13.65 million, by the autumn season, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" was destined to become a hit program with viewership numbers reaching 20 million.

Seeing the first day's viewership numbers for "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," ABC's executives began to regret not having finalized all cooperation conditions beforehand. Now, although they held some initiative, at least Daenerys Media couldn't sell "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" to other networks, but ABC would have to pay a high price to secure the program.

Robert Iger expressed on the phone that ABC wanted to have a meeting immediately to finalize more details of the cooperation. However, now that the program was successful, and perhaps would become even more so, Simon naturally wasn't as eager as ABC.

After declining Robert Iger's meeting invitation, Simon flew back to the West Coast as planned.

In the following days, as the show's popularity further spread, the viewership for "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" continued to climb.

After reaching 15.5 million on Tuesday and 16.8 million on Wednesday, the trial episodes peaked on Thursday with 17.3 million viewers, a rating of 18%, and an impressive 18 to 49-year-old core audience rating of 8.2 (10.2 million).

If calculated based on the summer season's viewership being equivalent to 65% of the autumn season's, June's 17.3 million viewers would equal 26.6 million in the autumn season.

Even in an era when cable television was emerging and public television networks still dominated, a TV program reaching 26.6 million viewers was extremely rare.

Thus, as "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" began to sweep through the audience groups, North American media also immediately noticed this explosive new reality show.

The New York Times openly marveled, "Simon Westeros seems to have created a miracle overnight, even a cultural phenomenon that comes once in many years. In just a few days, Regis Philbin's nerve-wracking multiple-choice questions have become the most concerned topic among all Americans. Some of my friends have even suggested that George Bush and Michael Dukakis abandon their boring debates and decide the next U.S. president by participating in 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.'"

ABC's recent operating conditions had not been good.

After Warren Buffett and Tom Murphy acquired the network in 1985 for $3.5 billion, internal turmoil due to the change of ownership led to losses of $70 million in 1986 and $30 million in 1987 for ABC.

Without the emergence of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," due to the Hollywood writers' strike, ABC was destined to continue incurring losses this year.

For a large media conglomerate, a loss of tens of millions of dollars was within their capacity to absorb, but the continuous drop in the stock price of ABC's parent company, Metropolitan-ABC Group, due to losses, was not something the shareholders and management wanted to see.

As the trial episodes became more successful, ABC's eagerness to finalize a cooperation plan intensified. ABC's executives also hoped to make "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" a regular program on the network from July, not just the originally planned 69 episodes intended to fill the schedule and address the lack of programs in this year's autumn season.

Thus, after some hesitation, on Thursday, Daniel Burke, president of Metropolitan-ABC Group, personally came to Los Angeles to discuss the specific cooperation details regarding "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" with Daenerys Media.

In a casting room at Daenerys Media's headquarters in Santa Monica, Simon and Terry Semel sat in the center, with other staff members standing or sitting around.

On the other side of the casting table, a man and a woman were performing.

The woman, already confirmed to play Catwoman Selina Kyle, was Valerie Golino, and the tall man was Adam Baldwin. Mentioning the surname Baldwin often brings to mind the famous Baldwin brothers of Hollywood.

However, Adam Baldwin was not a member of the Baldwin family.

Adam Baldwin, 26 years old this year and debuted in 1980, was previously best known for his role as a savage soldier in Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket."

In Simon's memory, this Hollywood actor, known for his "bar face," also appeared in "Independence Day," "Firefly," "Serenity," and other films, albeit in supporting roles. Adam Baldwin was primarily a TV actor in the original timeline, with regular roles in well-known series such as "The X-Files," "Bones," and "CSI."

Among the last batch of candidates for the male lead in "Batman," Adam Baldwin's advantages were very clear: he debuted at 18, had rich acting experience, no bad habits, and his appearance, image, and age all matched most of Bruce Wayne's characteristics.

Therefore, today was the final audition for "Batman." If confirmed, Bruce Wayne would be definitively cast.

Inside the audition room, Adam Baldwin and Valerie Golino were both well-prepared, meticulously interpreting a performance segment provided by Simon.

The audition piece depicted Batman just after a battle with a villain, with Catwoman stepping in to help Batman at a crucial moment. After multiple encounters, Batman had developed feelings for Catwoman but stubbornly refused to accept them, and Catwoman also harbored feelings for Batman.

Even in plain clothes, both actors were deeply immersed in their roles.

Adam Baldwin, following the script, lifted a staff member acting as a "prop" and placed him on a chair in the corner, representing a criminal Batman had just captured.

Valerie Golino followed suit, her expression and demeanor showing signs of fatigue after the battle. Seeing Batman ignoring her, she couldn't help but feel resentful and mockingly said, adopting Batman's persona, "Thank you, Selina, for your timely assistance. Your actions were truly heroic."

"Batman" remained in place, hesitantly turning around, and uncharacteristically defended, "Everything was under control."

"Catwoman" approached like a little wildcat, placing her hand on "Batman's" shoulder, saying, "Yes, yes, now, be a good girl and give your fearless hero a kiss."

After saying this, "Catwoman" leaned in to kiss "Batman," but was firmly pushed away. The previously affectionate "Catwoman" instantly turned hostile, embodying the capricious nature of a cat, extending her "claws" to scratch "Batman's" face, only to be easily caught by the wrist.

Subduing "Catwoman," "Batman's" tone remained cold, looking down at the struggling little wildcat, saying, "Not bad acting."

"Catwoman" leaned in again, her voice turning seductive, "Then why don't you act along?"

"Batman" released "Catwoman's" wrist, stepping back to distance himself, shaking his head slightly, "No, I wasn't acting, and I never will."

"Catwoman" watched "Batman" turn away, stepping forward but then stopping abruptly, her voice tinged with mockery, "Oh, what does that mean?"

"It means, Selina, this is where we end," "Batman" said, facing away from "Catwoman," before turning back, "It means, we can't, I can't... Gotham needs a guardian, and I need to protect this city."

"Catwoman," hearing "Batman's" words, stepped closer, gently placing her hand on "Batman's" shoulder, her demeanor now soft and sympathetic, "But I don't need your protection."

"Batman" raised his hand, unsure whether to touch "Catwoman's" hand on his shoulder or to push her away again. After a pause, he lowered his hand, saying, "Selina, I have to go."

"Catwoman" caressed "Batman's" shoulder for a moment before withdrawing her hand, saying, "Alright, we'll meet again next time."

"I hope we never meet again."

"Ha, how is that possible? You're Gotham's vigilante, and I'm a villain. The police are supposed to catch villains, right?" After saying this, without waiting for "Batman's" response, "Catwoman" walked away, with "Batman" watching her disappear before also leaving.

The performance ended, and the audience in the audition room applauded softly.

Simon also clapped, and after Adam Baldwin and Valerie Golino nodded to the audience before temporarily leaving the audition room, he asked Terry Semel beside him, "Terry, what do you think?"

"Outstanding," Terry Semel affirmed, then added, "But, Simon, for a $50 million production, isn't it a bit hasty to choose them? Valerie Golino is acceptable, but Adam Baldwin, honestly, if you hadn't put his information in front of me, I wouldn't know who he is."

"Don't you know him now?" Simon said with a smile, "And by the end of next year, everyone will know this name, just like Christopher Reeve did with 'Superman.'"

Terry Semel knew Simon had made up his mind, and Warner had no say in this matter. After a brief discussion, he stood up to leave.

Adam Baldwin and Valerie Golino were waiting in another conference room. After Simon saw Terry Semel off and dismissed the other staff in the audition room, leaving only Jonathan Friedman and the two agents, Matthew Steedle and Ilian Boleman, for the male and female leads of "Batman."

WMA had tried to strengthen its collaborative mechanisms through reforms in recent years, but change was not easy for a talent agency established even before the big seven. Adam Baldwin and Valerie Golino each had their agents, and although Jonathan Friedman was the vice president of WMA, he wouldn't receive a cut from this collaboration.

However, to expand his influence and vie for the next president of WMA, Jonathan Friedman, after failing to push his client Matt Dillon for the role of Batman, still took the initiative to mediate, naturally bringing the other two agents into his faction.

The four didn't sit down again. Standing by the audition table, Simon asked Adam Baldwin's agent, Matthew Steedle, "I heard Adam is getting married soon?"

Matthew Steedle nodded, "Yes, he has a girlfriend of five years."

Simon was direct, "Ask him to postpone the wedding for two years. I don't want to see incidents like Robin Williams, who skyrocketed to fame and then immediately divorced his long-time wife. If Adam still wants to marry his girlfriend after 'Batman' is released, Daenerys Media will give him a generous wedding gift."

Robin Williams had divorced his first wife of ten years after his rise to fame with "Good Morning, Vietnam" last year.

Matthew Steedle agreed, "I'll talk to him about it."

Simon shook his head, "Talk tonight, and give me an answer tomorrow. Tell him to consider it a test of their relationship. Of course, if he insists on marrying his girlfriend, Daenerys Media won't object. But, as I said, I don't want to see any scandals about divorcing right after becoming famous. So, have him sign a generous prenuptial agreement with his girlfriend, the kind that would make a man too heartbroken to consider divorce."

Jonathan Friedman and the others couldn't help but smile bitterly at Simon's words.

Simon didn't negotiate further, and as they were about to leave the audition room, Amy Pascal hurried in, glancing at the others before saying to Simon, "Simon, the Producers Guild just issued a blacklist. They announced they will no longer purchase any TV programs from production companies that have signed contracts with the Writers Guild in advance."

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