Chapter 357: Neither Support Nor Oppose

"I came to ask if you're going to the Oscars."

"Why would you say that? I don't have a film in the running. Are they planning for me to present an award?"

"You really do have a point. Mr. & Mrs. Smith is sure to be nominated, yet you're not even competing."

"Ah, Lucas, if I win too many awards, it would be a blow to the Oscars' credibility, even though they don't have much to begin with. Next year, I'll submit Dancing with Wolves; even if I win Best Original Screenplay, it won't raise any eyebrows."

Lucas paused. William White made a good point. Mr. & Mrs. Smith didn't need any more accolades; their seven hundred million dollar box office was proof enough, far more reliable than any Oscar.

"I get it, your media outlet?"

"They'll promote it, without going overboard or completely ignoring it."

"Okay, I understand."

...

The Oscars' organizing committee finally recognized the harsh reality. Their last couple of years were about as miserable as they could get.

On March 16, the award ceremony was still lukewarm. NBC had abandoned its previous indifference, not promoting it with undue hype. The conflict between William White and the Oscars seemed to have reached an end.

The Last Emperor was a major success, where it won nine Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director for Bernardo Bertolucci, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, and Best Sound.

"Barry, focus our coverage on the Best Picture this year."

"Got it. What about Mr. & Mrs. Smith?"

"Don't cover that. Otherwise, the Academy will think I'm holding a grudge."

"Sure thing, sir. Understood."

In fact, the big shots at the Academy were relieved. That troublesome brat was finally under control.

..

"Sir, there's increasing volume in the market for Japanese stocks, and prices are soaring."

"John, what's so strange about that? Could it be our wealthiest citizen is dumping shares?"

"Not exactly. We haven't seen any clear signs of them selling. That's Japanese territory; we can't get too in-depth there."

"Hmm, keep an eye on it. This time we need to be cautious. His assets have gained a lot already. Sigh, we're a step behind at Morgan."

"By the way, what about that GSM deal? Is it still up in the air?"

"Sir, our allies seem really agitated. A few times, we nearly split apart."

"Looks like what William White mentioned about a hundred million users isn't just hot air. Otherwise, they wouldn't be so stubborn."

"Yes, sir. Even without a hundred million users, fifty million would still be significant. Just the call fees alone are staggering, not to mention all the towers and equipment. No wonder William White threw out that cake; that guy has no ability to swallow such a feast."

"Heh, having some self-awareness is a good thing. It seems he understands that trying to bite off more than he can chew would provoke backlash from multiple forces."

You had to admire the old man; he had an eye for talent. William White was transforming virtual assets into real industries and naturally wanted to avoid disruptions, sacrificing some profits was unavoidable.

...

"Sir, Toshiba spent so much on advertising; should we take it?"

"Why not? Barry Diller, we're a television station, not the Department of Justice. Without a court ruling, we can only say what a suspect is. The only problem is with the Machinery. Of course, to avoid damaging our reputation, you might drop a hint to slightly increase the advertising cost. I believe our friends from Japan will be teary-eyed with joy."

William White said this with righteousness, but Barry Diller silently mocked himself, feeling like he was living a dog's life at his age. Still, the boss's shamelessness continued to refresh his understanding.

The significant interest rate cut made the United States very happy. So, whether or not they could locate the Soviet nuclear submarines didn't seem very important anymore.

In fact, the Soviets hadn't been pleased for long before their nuclear submarines were once again pinpointed. The reason they couldn't be found was merely due to sonar identification problems; noise was nothing but a cloud of smoke.

...

"President, NBC can take the ads, but they want 15% more. From what I gather, some soft ads might also work, but they'll be pricier."

"Damn those foreigners. Whatever, let 'em earn that money. Just leave me with a mess; it's too much."

"President, a five-year ban on entering the U.S. market is a severe blow. Those damned Sony folks must be pretty happy, right?"

"Haha, that old guy may have lived in the U.S. all this time, but it hasn't been easy for him. He's worried, too. If this fire spreads to all Japanese companies, we might as well apologize by falling on our swords."

...

William White knew the high command in the U.S. intended to ease up. Using this opportunity, he naturally could make some money. With so much cash in Japan, if they didn't raise prices, that would be a slight against them.

"Sir, the Japanese stock market is surging, and real estate prices are skyrocketing. Should we speed up our sell-off?"

William White thought it was still too early. The Japanese stock market was uncertain, and at least the property prices still had to double. As for land? That was just inconceivable.

"No need to rush. I suspect they might cut rates again. Don't be surprised; our economy needs them to cut rates. Besides, if we sell too quickly, it will attract the attention of other consortiums."

Filson was speechless; with the economy this hot, did they really think they could keep up?

*****

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