Chapter 51: To Promote or Decline

[Chapter 51: To Promote or Decline]

"What? That woman turned us down? Didn't you tell me it was all set?" In his Malibu villa, Cohen Blount had just rolled out of bed when an assistant rushed in with some bad news.

"Mr. Blount, we did have an agreement at first, but when we contacted her last night, she suddenly changed her mind."

His good mood shattered, Cohen furrowed his brow. "Is it because she thinks we're offering too little? We can add a bit more."

The assistant shook his head. "No, I tested the waters, and she was quite definite in her refusal. I suspect she made another deal privately with Eric Williams."

As the assistant spoke, he pulled out a newspaper and handed it to Cohen. Cohen glanced at it, seeing photos of Drew Barrymore and her mother, Jaid Barrymore, appearing at the gates of Eric's mansion. There was no need to read the article; he was reluctant to bother himself with the tabloids' nonsense, tossing the paper onto the table. After a moment of thought, he asked, "You weren't recognized during your dealings with her, were you?"

If Drew's mother had made a deal with Eric, that woman might leak who had pushed her into it. Cohen knew he wasn't the most forgiving person, but he also understood that Eric Williams was equally difficult to deal with. If his scheming were uncovered, he couldn't guess what kind of trouble might ensue. He sure wasn't going to treat Eric like just another kid.

The assistant quickly shook his head. "Absolutely not, Mr. Blount. I never had direct contact with her, and the people I approached are good at keeping their mouths shut. They'll never leak our information."

"Good," Cohen said, hesitating for a moment. "Let's put this on hold for now."

The assistant, bending forward a bit, tentatively suggested, "Mr. Blount, actually, we could explore other ways. We don't necessarily have to go through Drew Barrymore's mother..."

Cohen Blount waved his hand. "Enough, I said to leave it for now."

Noticing Cohen Blount's displeasure, the assistant immediately quieted down.

In the past, Cohen Blount wouldn't have settled so easily. Eric had made him look foolish, and without some kind of retaliation, he would remain frustrated. But these days, something much more significant loomed over him.

Recently, after Sony had successfully acquired CBS Records, they started to make moves on the Coca-Cola board, aiming to take over Columbia Pictures-TriStar. After a tumultuous period trying to stabilize the situation, Cohen Blount couldn't sit still. If Coca-Cola remained the owner of Columbia, with the connections he had built up over the years, he might have stayed in his position for several more years, even up to retirement.

But if Columbia were taken over by the Japanese, it would be a whole different story -- he wouldn't have any favors to fall back on. Cohen was obstinate but also aware enough to understand that the Japanese would run him out if they succeeded.

So, Cohen had to muster his energies once more, uniting forces opposed to the sale of Columbia, using every trick in the book to stop the Coca-Cola board from moving forward with their decision. Even that card he had been hesitant to play -- the box office success of Home Alone -- he had to hold his nose and bring it out. After all, despite the lost profits from the gambling agreement, Home Alone had been Columbia's only solid hit in years.

Rubbing his temples, Cohen Blount looked up at his assistant. "By the way, I have lunch with Mr. Trevor from Coca-Cola's board. I remember he likes Latin beauties. Get a few Latin actresses to keep him company, make sure they're gorgeous."

The assistant, obviously used to such tasks, nodded eagerly. "Got it, Mr. Blount. I'll take care of it right away."

...

"Eric, why are you late? Kepler Hyde has been waiting for half an hour." As soon as Eric arrived, Jeffrey Hansen couldn't help but complain.

"I'm really sorry, Jeffrey; I hit some traffic on the way."

"Let's not dwell on that. We should get inside."

Because the film company's offices were still under renovation, Eric had to meet with Kepler Hyde at a cafe to discuss acquiring his management company.

Kepler Hyde was a tall white man in his forties, at least six feet three, balding with a bushy beard.

Eric approached him and extended his hand. "I apologize for being late, Mr. Hyde."

Kepler Hyde didn't show any sign of annoyance. Even if he felt a bit irked about Eric's tardiness, he greeted him with a smile. "Hello, Eric. I hope you don't mind if I call you that."

"Not at all, Kepler. Please, have a seat." Eric took the liberty of addressing him more casually.

"Eric, I've heard about your accomplishments -- from publishing Jurassic Park, selling the script for 17 Again, to filming Home Alone and that final gambling agreement. When you think it through, it's quite a strategic progression. So you're clearly a smart and rational man. Why did you choose me among all the agencies? I was planning to sell my agency and head to Europe, but Jeffrey said you wanted me to stay. You probably know my situation -- my conflicts with Michael Ovitz have made it tough for me in this business."

Eric replied earnestly, "I'm not afraid of CAA. While other studios have to bow to CAA's roster of stars for box office reasons, I don't have to worry about that. CAA has the stars, but I can create them. What I need is someone who can manage star power, like you -- not those second-rate agencies."

Kepler listened to Eric and shook his head with a smile. "Eric, your confidence surprises me even more."

"If I didn't have enough confidence, I wouldn't be where I am now."

Thinking of that genius agreement, Kepler nodded, albeit resigned. "Eric, creating stars isn't that simple. From my years at CAA, I know these Hollywood icons require a top-notch team and lots of hard work behind them..."

Eric interrupted. "Do you think Stuart Ronkel qualifies as a star now?"

Kepler clearly knew the young actor from Home Alone. "Absolutely, he's probably the best child star in Hollywood -- there's no second to him."

"Then," Eric asked, "if I were to make another hit like Home Alone and handed the lead role over to you, do you think you could turn him into a Hollywood superstar?"

"Sure, no problem. But Eric, this hypothetical situation doesn't really hold water. The success of Home Alone is tough to replicate -- it's pure luck."

"Why not find out by giving it a try?" With that, Eric raised his arms and clasped his hands together on the table, somewhat perplexed. "Kepler, I can't help but feel... something's off. As a seller, shouldn't you be trying to promote your agency? But you seem more like you're declining?"

Kepler shrugged. "Eric, I'm an agent, not a hustler. I'd like to keep things transparent between us, and I simply want to sell my agency to provide a better home for those who still stick around. I have no plans to stay."

"Are you this forthcoming in negotiations with clients as well?"

Kepler shook his head quickly. "Of course not! I would do everything in my power to secure better deals for my clients. Eric, that's a different matter altogether."

"Then I have no problem with that. Kepler, my condition for acquiring your agency is that you must stay onboard. Otherwise, those leftover second-rate agents won't mean much to me."

"It seems I have no choice?"

Eric nodded firmly.

Kepler took a sip of coffee, pondering for a moment before finally agreeing. He felt a hint of excitement; perhaps this young man, who had already created miracles, might just keep on doing so.

*****

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