Laughing constantly

"Welcome back, and today our guest is Hugo Lancaster," Jay smoothly announced upon returning from the commercial break. "Hugo, tell me, how does it feel to receive two job offers consecutively after winning the Golden Raspberry Award?"

"Hush..." Instead of answering, Hugo shushed Jay, leaving him puzzled. Then Hugo continued, "The Golden Raspberry Award? That should be something from a previous life. Bringing it up now, it's really unoriginal."

Faced with Hugo's mockery, Jay didn't argue but simply looked at the group of sculptures of Golden Raspberry Awards in front of him. Just a glance caused another burst of laughter from the audience. Even Hugo had to admit that, despite it being almost a year ago, recalling the embarrassing night of the Golden Raspberry Awards still brought uncontrollable laughter.

"How was the audition for "A Few Good Men"? I believe you faced significant challenges," Jay redirected the topic back to the audition process after the Golden Raspberry Award. "While "Scent of a Woman" was yet to be released, you managed to secure the role in "A Few Good Men". It's truly a remarkable experience."

Thinking back to Hugo's low point after "Hudson's Hawk", it became even more unbelievable.

"Yes, indeed. Rob once made me memorize the entire Military Judicial Code, as well as the Civil Procedure Law. It was an almost impossible task," Hugo playfully replied, making the audience sigh in amazement. "I told him it was impossible because an outstanding lawyer isn't a bookworm who memorizes laws but a negotiator who can flexibly apply them."

"So, you didn't memorize them," Jay inquired.

"Yes," Hugo replied.

However, Jay narrowed his eyes, slightly furrowed his brows, and then said, "Are you kidding me?"

"Yes," Hugo responded once again, straightforwardly.

Laughter immediately exploded in the room. Watching the exchange between Hugo and Jay, it was truly an amusing sight. Hugo, who was recording the show for the second time today, was evidently more relaxed than last time, and he controlled the pace of his speech much better. It was clear that Hugo had loosened up, resulting in a delightful chemistry during the show's recording.

"Let's talk about your latest movie. Jack Nicholson and Demi Moore, what an anticipated cast," Jay didn't dwell on the audition question and quickly changed the subject. "So, I heard there were some issues between you and Demi on set."

In fact, what Jay wanted to ask was whether the rumors about Hugo and Demi not getting along were true. Lately, these rumors had become quite serious, almost suggesting that Hugo and Demi had a physical altercation. The earliest source of these rumors was Us Weekly, and they quickly spread like wildfire. The rumors claimed that Hugo and Demi hardly spoke to each other on set and that their hostile relationship even affected the filming of the movie. At one point, Demi even threatened to quit the production unless Hugo was fired. However, she ultimately stayed due to contractual obligations.

However, there was no concrete evidence to support these rumors, and both Hugo and Demi denied them in front of the media, gradually calming the situation. Today, it was clear that Jay still intended to gossip a bit.

"Oh, yes," surprisingly, Hugo straightforwardly affirmed, capturing the immediate attention of the audience. "You know, Demi is a very charming woman, and Bruce is a fascinating man. Out of respect for Bruce, I couldn't really let loose on set, and that was quite frustrating."

No one expected such an answer from Hugo. The audience paused for a moment and then burst into laughter, with many people unable to contain their amusement. Jay didn't show a smile; instead, he seized Hugo's words tightly. "So, can I understand that you have a crush on Bruce? Oh, sorry, my mistake, it should be Demi. Do you have a crush on Demi?"

Jay's unexpected move immediately triggered a wave of low laughter in the room, followed by uproarious laughter. Even Hugo himself applauded Jay's wit. "Do you like "Ghost"?" Hugo asked instead of directly answering.

"Yes, of course," Jay replied.

"I don't like it because I can't accept the fact that I'm dead," Hugo cleverly shifted the topic. Initially, Jay thought Hugo would continue discussing his opinion of Demi Moore based on "Ghos. Unexpectedly, the concept was switched, and the topic smoothly shifted, causing another round of laughter in the room. Hugo innocently shrugged, "What about you? As viewers, we tend to immerse ourselves in the plot. I don't like becoming a ghost and then guarding my beloved woman. No, I don't like it."

In fact, Hugo was expressing his dislike for both "Ghost" and Demi Moore. However, after he shifted the concept, people's focus immediately changed. He provided a direct answer to the question while subtly creating a humorous moment.

As an excellent talk show host, Jay naturally wouldn't dwell on one question. After all, this was a comedy talk show, not a serious interview program, and Jay wasn't Oprah Winfrey. So, he continued to shift the topic, "What about Jack? How is this collaboration different from working with Al?"

"My scenes with him are more equal?" Hugo's response had a double meaning. On one hand, he was referring to the fact that his character in "A Few Good Men" had an equal position and interaction, unlike in "Scent of a Woman" where he was constantly in a disadvantaged position. On the other hand, he was subtly mentioning the height difference between Al and Jack Nicholson. Although Jack Nicholson wasn't tall either, he was at least two inches taller than Al.

The audience hadn't fully grasped the meaning of Hugo's words when Jay almost couldn't hold back his laughter. He finally managed to restrain himself and said, "So, you both achieved the same rewards?" This question was quite ordinary, but Hugo provided a different answer.

"Oh, no. At least this time, I got a girl," Hugo's response ultimately made Jay unable to contain his laughter and burst into laughter.

Hugo's statement had a deeper meaning. On one hand, he was referring to the movie itself. In "Scent of a Woman", Charlie didn't have any scenes with a female actress because he wasn't the main character. However, in "A Few Good Men", he had the company of a female actress. On the other hand, he subtly alluded to the Tom topic they had just joked about, implying that Tom didn't get the role in "A Few Good Men" because he couldn't get the girl.

The audience at the scene may not have the same quick comprehension as the host, Jay, but after a few seconds, they also reacted. The intermittent laughter filled the air, creating a wave-like laughter ocean with time differences due to each person's varying reaction speed.

After Jay finished laughing, he adjusted his breath and once again took control of the conversation's rhythm. "Finally, let's talk about the movie "A Few Good Men". What story does it tell?" The interview time was only about fifteen minutes, and Jay had to play the movie trailer before the conversation ended, so even if he wanted to continue chatting, time wouldn't allow it.

"It tells the story of a lawyer fighting a legal battle," Hugo's words were still concise and clear, even too simple to grasp as if he had spoken a bunch of nonsense. This created a kind of absurd amusement. "Of course, everyone knows this," Hugo added, and then offered some explanation. "It mainly revolves around my character, Daniel, who refuses to give up despite having all the odds stacked against him, eventually finding a way to uphold justice. That's the story."

After finishing, Hugo pursed his lips and glanced at Jay with an inquiring look. "Did you understand?" he asked.

"Of course, of course," Jay nodded repeatedly. "Although I understood every word you said, the meaning didn't quite register. So, I think I need to rely on the trailer to ease my inner turmoil." Jay was also a master of deadpan humor, and his sarcastic remark made the audience laugh again. "Thank you for the trailer of "A Few Good Men"."

Following that, the trailer for "A Few Good Men" started playing on the studio's big screen. The trailer was edited conventionally, mainly because the movie's storyline dictated that too many details couldn't be revealed.

After the forty-second trailer ended, Jay spread his hands. "Well, I think you explained it very clearly." The trailer basically depicted what Hugo had described, just with visuals instead of words. Jay's helplessness made everyone laugh again. "But at least we can see that you look great in a uniform."

"It's not a school uniform this time," Hugo emphasized, bringing the topic back to the focus at the beginning.

Jay looked at Hugo with a smile in his eyes. "Yes, a military uniform. I'm sure many people can't wait to step into the movie theater." He then turned his gaze to the second camera in front of him and spoke quickly with a smile. ""A Few Good Men" is about to hit theaters nationwide. Welcome everyone to go to the cinema and watch it. Finally, let's thank Hugo Lancaster once again!"

Once again, the two hundred audience members at the scene stood up collectively, applauding enthusiastically to praise Hugo's brilliant performance. Among the crowd, Meredith, who was sitting there, was extremely excited. Today, she not only saw Hugo up close but also witnessed his outstanding performance on stage. It was truly a great joy. At the same time, Meredith realized that there were so many hidden charms in Hugo, which was a huge surprise!

Hugo also stood up, applauding and nodding slightly to thank the audience. He then gave Jay a big hug and heard Jay whispering in his ear, "Remember, never become a host, never. I don't want to lose my job." This playful teasing instantly made Hugo burst into laughter, lifting his spirits high.