[Chapter 37: Getting Rid of the Jerks to Clear Your Mind]
On Fountain Street, across from Ranch Park.
A ladder leaned against the front door as Hawke accepted the brass plaque handed to him by Edward and hung it on the wall.
West Coast Media Entertainment Studio was officially established.
Edward and the idle Frank grabbed a hose nozzle and sprayed it towards the entrance.
With two loud pops, an array of confetti burst forth and rained down on Hawke.
A lot of passersby hurriedly glanced over before continuing on their way.
Hawke opened the door and said, "I set up a simple party. Come on in."
Frank followed closely behind and, seeing the limited snacks of beer, pizza, and barbecue on the desk, shook his head and said, "Your grand opening party is really something simple."
Hawke appeared generous: "Once the studio gets rolling, I'll get dozens of Hollywood starlets to back us up, and you'll be back in the game."
Frank shot back, "No thanks. To you guys, they're untouchable muse goddesses, but I've long gotten sick of them."
Edward shut the door and, acting like an eager assistant, brought a can of beer to Frank and asked, "Your ex-wife must have been a Hollywood star, right?"
Frank stood tall, full of pride: "Of course!"
Edward, with ulterior motives, pressed, "Which one?" He was particularly sharp when discussing these topics. "You want us to be envious and jealous; you need to name a name, right? Without a name, we can only assume it's fake."
Hawke lounged, enjoying his beer and snacks, while all of them shared a natural inclination to gossip, helping Edward with a nudge: "You sure you're not just bragging?"
Frank, having seen it all, was quite alert, glancing between Hawke and Edward. "What are you two up to? Don't think you can pry into my past and make some cash off it."
He lamented, "I considered you as friends, and you're planning to sell me out?"
Hawke put on a loyal demeanor, saying, "Rest easy. I guarantee, on my professional ethics, I wouldn't sell out your business."
Frank laughed bitterly. "Professional ethics in your line of work?"
"Of course!" Hawke replied without hesitation, "It's a pursuit of the pure truth and moral justice."
Frank shook his head, saying, "You got your grave picked out? Just give me the address in advance; I'll bring you flowers every year."
Hawke shot him a middle finger.
"Stop bragging for a second!" Edward interjected. "What's the name? No name, no truth! You mentioned earlier that your ex-wives took your money and child support to support their toy boys. I can't stand to see my friends being bullied like that! You tell me their names, and I'll help you get back at them!"
Frank scoffed, seeing through the older Black man's true nature: "What are you going to use? Your little brother? When your ancestors came from Africa, they left their brains for the apes and baboons. After all these generations, they still haven't grown back?"
"Fuck you!" Edward shouted, "If you've got what it takes, bring it out, let's compare!"
Hawke interrupted their bantering to steer the conversation back: "I went to Channel 11 you mentioned, and they seem really bold in their approach."
Frank took a sip of beer and remarked, "That Channel 11 style wasn't always like this, but after Fox acquired them, the style changed overnight. You guys must have heard of Fox News, under the News Corp umbrella; they're pretty audacious and supposedly gather news using unconventional methods. All their news agencies are clearly affected."
He pulled up a chair and sat down: "Most of the drama surrounding entertainment stars, Channel 11 can handle themselves, and they can afford the price."
"The price is pretty decent." Hawke recalled the ten grand and asked, "Anything to watch out for when dealing with them?"
Frank thought for a moment and advised, "Absolutely do not mess with the head of Fox News, Roger Ailes. That guy's style is extremely tough. Hey, what am I saying? You're not at that level to even touch him."
Hawke noted the name down.
After eating and drinking to his heart's content, Frank leisurely went out for a stroll.
Hawke pulled out a cardboard box and handed it to Edward, saying, "These are all business cards. Get your buddies together to distribute them all over Los Angeles, and pay them the minimum wage."
Edward, recalling his last haul, took charge enthusiastically: "Boss, leave it to me; I promise to handle it right."
Hawke waved him off.
...
Edward cheerfully picked up the box and left the studio, immediately calling his friends.
Not long after, a dozen Black guys arrived by subway at the entrance of Ranch Park to collect today's gig.
As Edward outlined the tasks, he distributed the business cards: "Make sure you remember this -- if you encounter divorced women with kids living in big houses, note them down for me, and consolidate the details here, got it?"
The others didn't quite understand his intentions, but seeing the pay was good, they replied, "Got it."
Edward stood hands on his hips: "If you take my money and don't work properly, I'll kick your butts."
One by one, the Black guys left.
Edward personally headed toward the relatively affluent Santa Monica, looking for targets while handing out business cards.
...
Hawke pushed the job of passively searching for news onto Edward, focusing his energy on actively creating news.
His target, of course, was Robert Downey Jr., as he aimed to both connect and make cash at the same time.
Hawke dug through the newspapers he had been collecting over the past few days and opened up various web pages he had saved that contained information on Robert Downey Jr.
This Oscar-nominated best actor, and BAFTA-winning lead, hadn't been toppled by scandals.
It was well-known that, as long as one didn't genuinely provoke the Jews, the so-called scandals surrounding Hollywood stars had limited impact.
Although Robert Downey Jr. faced rejection from the cast of Gothika, his connections in the industry remained effective.
There were credible reports online showing that Downey Sr. used his relationship with Steven Soderbergh to get him a recommendation for the cast of Eros.
Mel Gibson, who had previously collaborated with young Downey in The Singing Detective, recommended him for an audition for Michael Hoffman's project, Game 6.
These personal connections were aiding Robert Downey Jr. in his redemption arc.
Even in Hollywood, despite the endless comebacks, it remained as popular as ever.
Today's Hollywood Life news reported that Robert Downey Jr.'s current wife, Deborah Falconer, was preparing to move back to Brentwood for a reconciliation.
While his enemies were making big bucks and living carefree, Hawke found it hard to accept losing out on a million.
In the words of therapists, it could lead to personal depression; getting rid of the jerks clears the mind for inspiration.
Hawke scribbled Robert Downey Jr.'s name on the whiteboard, pinning up a poster of the lead from The Singing Detective above it, and thought deeply.
After a while, there was a knock on the door, and Edward returned.
He came in, grabbed a bottle of water, and, noticing the names and pictures on the whiteboard, curiously asked, "Boss, didn't we already cover Robert Downey Jr. news? Why are you still so fixated on him?"
Hawke casually replied, "I promised I'd help you find a rich divorced woman with kids."
Hearing this, Edward felt an unexpected warmth and quickly responded, "You care so much about something so minor for me, boss. From now on, no matter what comes up, if you want me to do it, I won't hesitate."
Hawke answered, "Don't worry; you'll be charging ahead soon enough."
*****
https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.