Los Angeles, in front of the DualStar Entertainment company building.
Eric found himself surrounded by a dozen journalists.
Since the surge of scandal around Michael Jackson, only a few celebrities dared to support him, and even their influence was minimal. The most notable figure among his supporters was real estate mogul Donald Trump. No one knew how Michael had met him, but Trump stood by his side until the very end.
Due to the small number of supporters, many began to doubt Michael's reputation. If you don't have friends in difficult times, it means you don't deserve their trust, right? That's the opinion of many.
But few understood that this is how show business works. Even though Michael Jackson was no longer at the peak of his fame, there were still many who envied his achievements. These could be both casual acquaintances and those who tried to benefit from his name.
For example, Eminem released a song and music video mocking Michael to boost his album sales. Later, he was forced to apologize under public pressure, but his apologies were superficial—if he truly regretted it, he would have removed the song from circulation.
Similar cases are also known in China, where public figures betrayed their colleagues for personal gain.
Now back to the present: after Eric's remarks, the journalist from The Independent was forced to fall silent.
But the other journalists were not about to give up. Normally, it was they who cornered celebrities, not the other way around. It was time to remind Eric who the real "uncrowned kings" were.
A journalist from San Francisco Entertainment asked: "Mr. Cooper, you're so confident in Michael Jackson's reputation. Are you personally acquainted with him?"
"No, we've never met. I only know him through his songs and TV shows."
"So, you're speaking as a fan. In your eyes, he holds a high place, doesn't he?"
Eric nodded: "That's right. Michael is the King of Pop. His songs are sung around the world, his albums break sales records, he stands atop the musical Olympus, and that is undeniable!"
Hearing this, the Olsen sisters became anxious, while the journalists' spirits lifted.
Eric had put himself in a vulnerable position by making such an absolute statement. Such opinions often attract criticism and could harm both him and Michael.
"The King of Pop, Mr. Cooper? Aren't you exaggerating? How would you rate artists like Westlife, the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Celine Dion, and Eminem? Are you saying they don't deserve recognition?"
Eric shot the journalist a cold glance: "Mr. Journalist, I've already said that your job is not to mislead but to report facts. You're a representative of the media, and the media should be objective and fair. I'm an ordinary person, and I can express my opinion, but you are obliged to remain neutral. Or have you forgotten that?"
The journalist had no retort. Eric skillfully deflected his question, making him reconsider.
"Mr. Cooper, you're right. But please answer the question directly."
Eric nodded: "You named some excellent performers, and I like some of them too. I enjoy 'My Heart Will Go On' and 'If I Let You Go.' Maybe the younger generation loves Britney, Avril, and Eminem more. Maybe Michael's style is no longer in vogue. But no one can deny that their achievements have yet to surpass Michael Jackson's."
"Those who ascend to the top shouldn't mock the descending gods!"
"You need to learn to respect and acknowledge the achievements of others. Is it so hard to recognize someone's greatness?"
These words served as the final note, silencing the journalist from San Francisco Entertainment.
Eric had given a respectful answer, openly admitting that Michael Jackson was no longer at the height of his career while also expressing appreciation for the new artists striving for the musical summit.
Two journalists had been defeated, and Eric's level of rhetoric left an impression on the reporters. They had come here to tarnish Michael Jackson's name, but this conversation instead contributed to his rehabilitation, clearly deviating from their original plans.
Then a journalist from The New York Times stepped forward: "Mr. Cooper, we're talking about Michael Jackson's reputation, not his music. No one denies his career successes, but success can't prove one's reputation. After all, reputation can be hidden, and it's not visible, which is why we journalists exist—to uncover such things, isn't that right?"
The Olsen sisters watched Eric closely. If they had joined the conversation, they would now be under the journalists' fire. Could they have responded to questions as skillfully as Eric did?
"Hmm, hmm..."—Eric smirked mockingly, responding to the question.
"Mr. Journalist, first of all, I agree that your last statement is correct. Indeed, many things need to be uncovered by journalists, and I respect those who boldly expose the truth. Especially those who conduct investigations. I've always believed that they are the conscience of society."
"For example, Woodward and Bernstein, who weren't afraid to expose the Watergate scandal and bring down President Nixon, preventing the abuse of power."
"Or Seymour Hersh, who wasn't afraid to reveal the truth about the My Lai massacre, allowing Americans to see what our army was doing in Vietnam."
"I respect such journalists, and I hope that every journalist strives to be like them."
Here, he glanced around at the paparazzi, making them involuntarily frown. The difference between a journalist and a paparazzo isn't in having a microphone, but in how that microphone is used.
Eric continued: "But I disagree with your first statement. I believe that you can judge someone's reputation by their actions."
"If you were interested in more than just rumors and actually learned about Michael Jackson's charity work, you would understand what kind of person he is."
"A person who has dedicated more than twenty years of his career and half of his life to charity cannot be a pedophile."
"Moreover, he is the only artist ever nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. These facts speak for themselves."
Eric took a step forward, and the paparazzi reflexively stepped back, finding themselves within arm's reach.
While the journalists wondered what Eric was about to do, he calmly asked, "You've asked many questions, now allow me to ask one. Are you so fiercely slandering Michael Jackson because of racial prejudice? Is it because Michael is African American, and his success irritates some white people?"
This question struck like a bolt from the blue, paralyzing the journalists. Race had always been the most sensitive issue in American society.
One wrong move, and you'd be instantly accused of racism. Trouble was guaranteed.
Dead silence followed. Eric smirked: "You don't need to answer. That was a rhetorical question."
With that, he waved to the Olsen sisters, got into the car, and quickly drove away.
Mary, watching him leave, felt her heart flutter: "That guy was on fire today."
"You think so too?" Ashley laughed.
"Eric's always been great!" Elizabeth exclaimed with admiration, clenching her fists.
The car sped off into the distance. In the front seat, Chen Xin hesitated for a moment before asking, "Boss, should we prepare a PR campaign? Your statements might provoke criticism."
Eric, closing his eyes and pondering for a bit, replied, "No need. We won't be able to control it. The issue with Michael Jackson isn't a problem of one or two journalists; it's a societal issue."
"How do you plan PR in such a situation? Even if we convince a few media outlets, will it make any difference?"
"Just make a copy of the footage. If their reports are distorted, we'll release the video."
"Got it, I'll take care of it."
Eric had no regrets about speaking in defense of Michael Jackson.
Would it cause problems for him or MGM? Undoubtedly. He expected a lot of criticism and possibly a boycott of the studio's films.
But he believed that there would be more supporters of justice. Especially now that Michael had gained an advantage with the release of documentaries proving his innocence.
Even if extremists and fools continued to slander Michael, what did it matter? Had it affected Trump? Not at all. He only expanded his business, and later even became president.
Or, they could be prepared in advance. While others didn't know how things would turn out, Eric was well aware. Turning the situation to his advantage was just a matter of strategy.
In the end, this could build his reputation as a defender of justice, and his movies would rake in massive box office earnings.
...
Evening at the Cooper residence in Beverly Hills.
"Don't worry, Nicole, everything will be fine."
"What? No, don't get involved in this matter. Don't worry, honey, those people can't harm me."
Hanging up the phone, Eric sighed. The morning interview had already begun to gain traction by evening, and many of his acquaintances had already heard about it.
Gal Gadot, Ryan Reynolds, the British trio, Patty, Nicole, and others had called to show their support.
But Eric had declined their offers to speak out in his defense.
"Transformers" hadn't yet been released, and they were still newcomers in the industry. Their influence was too small.
Moreover, they had no connection to Michael Jackson. Any statement from them at this point might seem like an attempt to gain publicity, which would do more harm than good.
Nicole's influence was certainly significant, but she wasn't acquainted with Michael either. Eric didn't want his woman involved in this.
Going downstairs, he saw his father returning home, handing his coat to the maid.
Sighing, his father asked, "Eric, are you well-acquainted with Michael Jackson?"
"I don't know him personally, I just admire him. I just think that good people shouldn't be targeted."
His mother, bringing a freshly prepared dish to the table, asked in surprise, "What are you talking about? Another school shooting?"
Eric briefly explained the situation, and upon hearing it, his mother became angry and upset.
"Those slanderers, may God punish them and send them to hell!"
Then she turned to his father: "Charlie, you shouldn't reproach Eric. He did the right thing. As parents, we should support him."
His father just shook his head slightly under the dual onslaught:
"Alright, alright. Let Eric do what he thinks is right. You're spoiling him."
His mother lightly tapped his father's hand with a spoon when he reached for some bread:
"We must stand up for justice. And not mock those who have the courage to speak out, just because of their weakness."
"Charlie, you haven't gone to church with me in a long time. This week, you have to go and hear the word of God."
His father made a mournful face:
"Actually, I already made plans to play golf, and I can't reschedule. Doesn't God also teach us not to lie?"
His mother gave him a reproachful look:
"You're not going to play for two days. I'm asking you to go with me to church either Saturday or Sunday morning, okay?"
Eric and the maid Lisa quietly giggled. His father sighed:
"Alright, Saturday morning. We'll go hear the sermon."
"The word of God!"
"Yes, yes, the word of God."
After dinner, Eric settled onto the couch to watch a replay of the second episode of The Walking Dead on HBO.
As expected, following the high ratings of the first episode, the second one broke all records, drawing over ten million viewers, surpassing the record held by Band of Brothers.
HBO was thrilled. His father had indeed scheduled a golf game with Zach Thomas.
"Eric, you have a call."
Maid Lisa handed him the phone.
Eric glanced at the screen—an unknown number. At this time of day, calls from unknown numbers were usually from journalists who had somehow obtained his phone number and were attempting to conduct an impromptu interview.
He declined the call, but then a message came through.
"Hello, Mr. Cooper. This is Michael Jackson. I'm sorry for the intrusion, I just wanted to express my gratitude!"
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