Chapter 172: Naive and Simpleminded

[Chapter 173: Naive and Simpleminded]

After two days of filming and three days of post-production, the first episode of In Paris' Company was successfully completed.

At the same time, Rooney Chasen and the Hilton Group's lawyer in Los Angeles jointly announced that Paris Hilton was suing Rick Salomon for invasion of privacy.

In line with Hawke's advice, they also engaged in media skirmishing, resulting in a flurry of attention on both sides.

Rick Salomon gave an on-air interview stating, "Filming was Paris's strong desire. I disagreed at the time, and she threatened to break up with me!"

Hawke advised Paris to respond with a foolish yet naive approach.

Through Twitter, Paris replied: "I was coerced; he told me that if I didn't let him film, he would find another woman. I didn't want to lose my love."

She even borrowed a line from Shakespeare, "I was too young then, very foolish and naive..."

The naive persona quickly sprang into the public eye.

This strategy reignited the interest that had begun to cool from previous videos and news stories.

...

After finishing the first episode, Paris, following Hawke's suggestion, continued her wild lifestyle as she and Britney wreaked havoc in nightclubs.

Leaving the club one night, in high spirits, Paris boldly lifted her skirt in front of the paparazzi, flaunting herself without shame.

Much like Nicole Kidman's scandalous skirt lift at the Venice Film Festival, Paris Hilton caused waves on Sunset Boulevard.

Under Hawke's influence, interest surged once again.

With popularity came potential profit.

Hawke promptly reached out to Natasha, introduced by Megan Taylor, while Catherine arranged connections with her contacts at FOX.

For the past two years, Paris had been a hot topic, but this year, a single scandalous video eclipsed even the biggest Hollywood stars' controversies.

The parties quickly agreed to hold a test screening in the FOX screening room.

...

That afternoon, Hawke, Rooney, and Catherine brought the sample footage over.

On the FOX side, Megan joined them to watch.

She introduced Natasha, a friend of hers from the channel, around thirty with long brown hair.

Natasha introduced two others, "This is the show's associate producer, York, and this is the director, Cole."

Hawke shook hands with each of them.

These three held decision-making power.

After some small talk, Hawke said, "Shall we watch the show first? Let's see it before discussing anything else."

"Sure," Natasha also seemed like a straightforward person.

Handing the storage disk to an assistant, they immediately connected it to a digital player.

Megan didn't sit with Hawke but chose to sit next to Natasha instead.

...

The show began, the title In Paris' Company shining on the screen.

A beachside mansion came into view, and then Paris Hilton burst into the frame, taking the camera on a tour of her luxurious Los Angeles home.

This woman, decked out in opulent attire, stepped into an even more lavish mansion, showcasing her wealth in every frame.

Natasha frowned slightly; while there was some entertainment value, it could seriously discomfort viewers.

York and Cole exchanged glances, feeling the wealth-showing concept was a bit tiresome, especially since this genre had been done extensively by various channels, leaving the audience jaded.

However, as the scene shifted, Paris became hungry, and with the housekeeper absent, the affluent heiress prepared to cook herself, petrified with the thought of having to.

She changed into what she perceived as a suitable outfit for cooking: a sequined mini skirt adorned with diamonds and a rose gold headband.

To protect her hands while cooking, she also donned a pair of specially designed fingerless gloves, shimmering under the lights, fully covered with diamonds and rubies.

Then, she started creating her first dish -- bacon ironed with an electric iron.

Amid the clumsiness, she burned her hands a couple of times, but thankfully the diamond-studded gloves kept her from injury.

This super-rich heiress, trying to cook skillfully while dressed to the nines, created an immediate contrast that piqued the interest of York and Cole.

Cole leaned in, "This show could be quite interesting."

An experienced York seized upon the essence: "A blend of luxury and naivete -- a perfect embodiment of the typical rich girl in the public's mind."

Paris showcased her remarkable culinary skills in front of the camera along with her top-tier kitchen equipment.

There was a pink potato peeler decorated with sapphires, and sparkling glitter salt, but unfortunately, when adding salt, she dumped half a bottle into the pot.

While whipping the cream, she got batter all over her clothes, and several gems from her gloves slipped into the cream.

The syrup turned dark like asphalt, and a once-white cake morphed into an odd gray.

York suddenly whispered, "This cake looks delicious."

Cole shot him a skeptical glance, "You're actually considering eating this dark cuisine?"

York lowered his voice even more, "If you eat it, you can make a fortune! At least five gems over one carat fell in!"

Cole immediately shifted his stance, "I want a bite too."

Towards the end of the show, Paris decided to prepare something simple: pan-seared steak.

Everything seemed fine until she revealed a diamond-encrusted spatula!

By the finale, the heiress managed to eat a somewhat overcooked steak.

What she ate wasn't that crucial; what mattered was that the heiress adorned herself with utmost extravagance from beginning to end.

She crafted a persona of a "barbie-like fool unharmed by the world."

Before concluding the program, Paris took off her diamond fingerless gloves and expressed gratitude for their protection.

...

As the credits rolled, featuring Director Eric and Producer Catherine, Megan looked over to Natasha. Natasha did a slight nod and offered a faint smile, implying some things didn't need words.

Once the screen went dark, York and Cole glanced at Natasha and stepped forward to shake Hawke's hand.

York commented, "That was an impressive episode. Honestly, it exceeded my expectations; what appeared on the screen was an entirely different Paris Hilton."

Hawke smiled, "The media has vilified her; in reality, she's just a girl in her early twenties with a side that feels quite ordinary."

Natasha approached, stating without preamble, "The show is intriguing; I want it. Let's discuss collaboration elsewhere."

This trip's primary goal was to get the show on air.

Sales terms or advertising shares didn't matter much to Hawke; after all, Paris was footing all costs.

Rooney Chasen, the diligent publicity manager, ensured that the show's rights remained with Paris.

He called Catherine and Rooney over to follow Natasha into the reception room.

...

During the negotiations, Rooney took charge, while Hawke and Catherine largely remained quiet.

Despite the show's engaging qualities, technically, Paris Hilton didn't have a viewership base; ultimately, they only settled for $1.5 million for the three episodes.

This total included shared post-production and distribution rights for FOX.

The situation mirrored Hollywood film mechanics, where the party possessing the distribution channels held a significant advantage.

...

It wasn't until the following day that Hawke had Rooney call Paris over to sign a series of agreements.

Paris was especially thrilled that her show would air on the FOX channel, fully displaying what it meant to be a billionaire's daughter.

She split the $1.5 million copyright fee into three parts: $300,000 as a reward for Rooney Chasen, $500,000 as a production bonus for Eric's team, and the remaining $700,000 as a special advisor fee for Hawke.

Through their recent dealings, Hawke was fairly convinced Paris was no mere naive fool; instead, she had ambitions beyond just partying.

...

With a broadcast agreement established with FOX, shooting for the second and third episodes ramped up.

Paris was significantly more earnest this time, especially for the candy-making segment in the second episode.

She hired a high-paid confectioner through Rooney Chasen to teach her how to make the candies look even better.

Additionally, she ordered a large batch of gold foil and platinum foil to wrap the candies.

While viewers at home couldn't taste the sweets, visual impact was key.

Hawke's suggestions stuck with Paris; she was determined to launch her candy brand.

Given the prior $1.5 million and the extra $700,000, Hawke took the initiative during filming to advise Paris, "Launching a candy brand requires a complete business plan. I can help you plan, but real operational matters rest on you."

He emphasized, "Paris, you'd best consult your parents about this candy venture."

Paris seemed puzzled, "Aside from providing me with a wealthy lifestyle, they don't interfere much, so why should I ask them?"

Hawke questioned, "Aren't candies essential in Hilton Group hotels?"

"Of course! Candies are placed at reception, in the lobby, gym, entertainment rooms, and various public relations events." Upon that realization, Paris stared blankly at Hawke, "Is that what makes a candy brand successful?"

Hawke, serious and responsible, replied, "Don't view that as something shameful; just look at Eric and me. To have this opportunity, we can't even find a way in ourselves."

Paris, now having substantial trust in Hawke, replied, "Okay, I'll follow your guidance and call my parents tonight."

Hawke said, "That way, you can achieve your goals much faster."

With ambition shining in her eyes, Paris declared, "I want to be famous; I want success; I want to become a billionaire!"

Everything Hawke orchestrated was essentially converting Paris's fame into profit.

...

While they were still filming the second episode, FOX began ramping up promotional efforts for Paris.

The hearing for Paris's lawsuit against Rick Salomon for privacy intrusion also had its first meeting in Los Angeles.

Hawke instructed Rooney to leak a preview, resulting in dozens of reporters gathering outside the local courthouse.

When Rooney escorted Paris out, she specially answered the media's questions, announcing that a press conference would be held at the Hilton Hotel the following day to formally address the tape issue.

The rest Hawke didn't need to worry about.

These traditional media promotion tactics were all within Rooney's expertise.

...

At the following press conference, Paris emphasized her victim status and climactically announced that In Paris' Company would debut on FOX next weekend.

On FOX's part, they released promotional snippets.

Paris's extravagant styling and visually stunning diamond-handled spatula steak-cooking scene spurred a massive response.

The impression given was akin to how imposing general's demeanor shocked onlookers during wartime.

At the same time, Paris, wearing her diamond fingerless gloves, proudly showcased her culinary skills in a new poster that surfaced on her official Twitter account.

This poster went viral, trending in less than a day on Twitter's trending news list.

For the past two years, Paris had continually been a hot topic among gossip media; in terms of staying power, she even surpassed many Hollywood stars.

Seizing that crucial moment of public interest, FOX launched the show.

*****

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