Chapter 176: The Ellen Show

"In today's show, we are fortunate to have Wes Craven, the godfather of Hollywood horror films..."

Ellen DeGeneres suddenly switched her tone and exclaimed, "And guess what, folks? The lead actor of his new film, 'Man,' is none other than Princess Anne's boyfriend!"

The audience erupted in enthusiastic applause.

With confidence, Martin walked on stage from backstage, greeted Ellen and the audience, and settled into the white single sofa.

Warner Bros. held high hopes for the film and invested heavily in its promotion. WMA also played a significant role in securing this talk show opportunity.

Between Martin's single sofa and Ellen's seat, there was an unusual table resembling a wooden box, adding a unique touch to the stage.

"The Ellen DeGeneres Show" had enjoyed excellent ratings over the past year, with the charming Ellen DeGeneres as the host.

Ellen got straight to the point, her tone slightly sharp as she asked, "Martin, I've heard a lot about you, mostly in relation to Anne Hathaway. Are you dating Anne just to boost your fame?"

Though Ellen's question was rather forward, Martin kept his composure and responded with a smile, "That's because you have limited information. My fame comes from starring in two movies. 'Zombie Stripper' had a North American box office of $7.02 million and a global box office of $12.3 million. 'The House Wax' has recently been released in North America, earning $67.58 million at the box office, with a global total exceeding $100 million."

He added, emphasizing his point, "My zombie machine gun dance is quite popular in major nightclubs."

Ellen continued, "It's undeniable that Anne has contributed to your fame."

Martin asserted, "If I were seeking fame through a girlfriend, I could have chosen someone else, perhaps even you; you're more famous than Anne."

Ellen raised an eyebrow, clarifying, "I'm gay."

"Apologies, I didn't know," Martin replied politely. "I'm sorry for my earlier comment."

He wouldn't hold back if pushed, and he realized that being too accommodating could lead to more trouble.

Ellen, aware she had a challenging guest on her hands, had first thrown a jab and then promptly extended an olive branch, displaying her grace in the process.

The audience applauded, clearly in disagreement with Ellen's initial comment.

Ellen glanced at Martin once more, realizing that despite his sexuality, he was undeniably good-looking.

It's a world where looks matter, after all.

Ellen, often labeled as edgy, shifted her tone away from Anne Hathaway and smiled as she brought up another topic, "I've heard that you have a close personal relationship with Wes Craven. Is that why he chose you as the lead?"

Martin did not deny this, saying, "That certainly played a part, but it's primarily because of my acting skills and physical abilities. This horror film incorporates action elements, and my performance and skills were deciding factors in landing this role."

Ellen inquired with surprise, "Impressive skills, you say? Better than Siegel or Jack Chen?"

Sensing a trap, Martin replied cautiously, "It's different; there are many types of skills."

Ellen, tapping her sofa's armrest, signaled her team and continued to dig deeper, "So, are you highly proficient in real combat?"

Martin responded, "It depends on who you're comparing me to and the context..."

"What if, as the crew advertised, you encountered a perverted murderer?" Ellen dug a deeper hole, "What would you do?"

Martin sensed something was off but had no time to react as a box-like wooden table between the two sofas suddenly sprang open, and a peculiar, deformed man wielding a sharp knife emerged!

Martin didn't hesitate. He grabbed the man's wrist as he lunged and swiftly twisted it, causing the man to cry out in pain. He disarmed the man, throwing the prop knife aside, and pinned him against the wooden box.

He had not rehearsed this, but a sudden emergency required a quick response.

The audience was captivated as they watched. The scene didn't appear staged up close, and they erupted in applause.

Ellen quickly intervened, "Stop! Stop... This is one of our staff; it was just a prank."

Martin released the deformed actor and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "Sorry, I wasn't informed in advance."

The actor, a bit shaken but unharmed, left the stage, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Ellen had to smooth things over, "As you can see, Martin is indeed very skilled."

The audience applauded once more.

Martin understood that this barrage of unexpected scenarios likely stemmed from his lower status as a guest.

Bullying newcomers on talk shows wasn't uncommon.

Martin responded matter-of-factly, "Luckily, I didn't have a weapon."

Ellen grinned and commented, "You're quite the hero, and we believe you can save the day in the film."

Martin gave a flawless reply, "It's a man's duty to protect his family."

Ellen then directed the audience's attention to a large screen behind them, saying, "Now, let's watch the trailer for 'The Hills Have Eyes' and see Martin's performance." The program transitioned to the trailer.

The talk show concluded, with very little sticking to the planned script.

Martin entered the lounge, and Thomas followed, advising, "When that special actor comes out, make sure to cooperate and act scared."

"Reacting in character is my forte," Martin responded, then asked, "Did they brief you on this?" Thomas quickly replied, "No, nobody discussed it with me. These kinds of situations are quite common with lesser-known actors."

A knock at the door interrupted their conversation, and Martin invited the person in.

Ellen pushed the door open and immediately stated, "Your cooperation could have been better."

Martin calmly replied, "I come from a tough neighborhood. I grew up amidst gunfire and chaos. My first instinct is to protect myself."

Ellen fixed a stern gaze on Martin and retorted, "That won't cut it. Maybe you shouldn't have come."

Martin shot back, "Maybe it's you who can't handle the game, huh? You didn't give me any prior communication or hints; I was suddenly ambushed and reacted instinctively. Now you're here to accuse me?"

Allen responded coldly, "The show will proceed according to the contract. I won't cooperate with you in the future."

Martin waved dismissively, showing little interest in further discussion.

After Allen left, Thomas remarked, "That wasn't necessary; she might tarnish your reputation."

Martin looked over at Bruce, who was seated in the corner of the room.

Bruce had put on headphones, pressed them to his ears, and overheard the conversation clearly. He nodded to Martin.

Thomas was left speechless, but Martin cut him off before he could speak further. Martin removed his makeup, changed into casual clothes, exited the room, and got into a car.

"If she tries to smear me, some of the program staff might be unhappy and release this recording online to defend me. It would be a reasonable response," Martin explained.

Thomas, the owner of a major brokerage company, also held some resentment towards Ellen. He knew that these talk show hosts often became uncontrollable once they gained some fame. When faced with someone they couldn't afford to offend, they would often pass off offensive remarks as jokes and fail to communicate in advance.

The unpleasant experience on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" did not hinder the crew's regular promotional activities.

In fact, Martin's performance on the show had garnered him favor among a significant number of viewers, and his fan base continued to grow on his blog.

Meanwhile, the viral marketing campaign was reaching its climax.

In New York, Ted sat in front of his computer, controlling Bob in the game, making his character rush into the perverted town, and defeating the enemies.

The game was relatively simple, with Bob having three abilities: Smashing bat, diving, and hiding. It also featured a basic decryption component. Players had to collect children's belongings by defeating the perverts and use dogs to locate their whereabouts.

Ted was swift with his mouse and keyboard, eliminating several perverts consecutively and ultimately rescuing the protagonist's child.

Upon picking up the child, a lottery screen popped up.

Ted muttered in disbelief, took a swig from his Coca-Cola, and clicked the start button.

The wheel spun before landing on the super jackpot.

Ted couldn't believe his eyes. He clutched his head, stared wide-eyed at the screen, and confirmed that he had indeed won the grand prize.

He would be attending the premiere of "The Hills Have Eyes" in Los Angeles for free.

He had never won a lottery before, and this super jackpot was a pleasant surprise.

With ten days left until the premiere, various awards and announcements were made on the website, sparking conversations among participants who shared their excitement.

Over a million people had participated in the website's lottery, and the total number of visitors had exceeded ten million.

Following the release of "House of Wax" in North America, DVDs and videotapes were marketed with short commercials for "The Hills Have Eyes."

Martin's fanbase had also been activated, with his blog encouraging people in Los Angeles to attend the premiere and support him, while fans from other areas were encouraged to buy tickets upon release.

As the premiere date approached, Jessica and Emily continued to work closely with Rachel.

The crew had allocated a portion of their marketing budget to produce numerous light-up signs and posters featuring Martin.

Jessica had arranged for Rachel to meet with them, saying, "I have 300 light boards and 1,000 posters there. Rachel, we have plenty of materials now; what we need are people. Let's mobilize as many as we can to attend the premiere's red carpet event to support Martin."

Rachel replied, "I can guarantee 300 people will be present, and the rest will likely show up spontaneously. It's hard to predict the exact numbers."

She also noted a new development, saying, "Anne will be accompanying Martin on the red carpet. I anticipate her supporters will also turn out in large numbers."

Jessica had already considered this and assured Rachel, "We've prepared light-up signs and posters for Annie as well."

The marketing department anticipated that once the film was released, fans of Anne would flock to theaters to watch her performance.

Rachel coordinated several activities and gained confidence as the premiere date drew nearer. She said, "Leave the event to Phoebe and me on the day, and you focus on getting the materials there ahead of time."

Jessica agreed, saying, "No problem on my end. The crew will deliver the materials to the premiere theater's warehouse one day in advance."

On Martin's end, the crew welcomed some important guests, including Wu Maoting and his daughter from Asia.

Since the "Departed" studio hadn't officially been established yet, Louise guided them through a tour of Pacific Pictures, Warner Bros., and Warner Studios. She even arranged for a Warner Bros. executive to accompany them temporarily.

Pacific Pictures was already in discussions with Warner Bros. regarding cooperation and investment. Everything presented to Wu Maoting was genuine, naturally earning his trust.

After the release of "The Hills Have Eyes," both parties would formally discuss investment opportunities.