Chereads / SuperStar! / Chapter 79 - Skepticism

Chapter 79 - Skepticism

The scene opened with the iconic neon lights flashing on the television screen as the show began its latest entertainment segment. The hosts sat behind the desk, the buzzing atmosphere of Hollywood palpable even through the screen. The segment, Entertainment Tonight, was buzzing about the most talked-about artist of the moment: Ethan Jones.

"Welcome back, folks," the first host, Matt Jacobs, said with a grin, holding up a stack of notes. "Today, we've got a major story—Ethan Jones, the pop sensation who's been shaking up the music scene, is making waves once again. And guess what? The tour that everyone's talking about? Yeah, it's about to get a lot bigger."

The screen behind him shifted to an image of Ethan, standing on stage at his first show, the crowd of 5,000 fans going wild. The image transitioned to a press release stating that the artist was switching up his entire tour, opting for the largest stadiums in every state.

"Now, we're hearing that Ethan's been making some major changes to his upcoming tour. From what we're being told, he's decided to use the biggest stadiums across the country for his shows. Stadiums with capacities of up to 50,000 people," Matt said, eyes wide. "But... here's the thing: How in the world do you go from one small show in a venue that seats 5,000 to booking stadiums that big? That's a logistical nightmare waiting to happen. Is this confidence? Or just plain arrogance?"

His co-host, Vanessa Thomas, adjusted her glasses and looked over at him, shaking her head slightly.

"Well, Matt," she began, leaning into the microphone, "I'm going to take a more optimistic approach here. Let's be real. Ethan's fanbase is huge. It's growing by the minute. And with numbers like that, he should have what it takes to pull it off. But, I'm not going to lie, I'm concerned about a few things."

Vanessa paused as the camera zoomed in on her face.

"Think about this," she continued. "This kid's only ever held one concert before. It was a small show with just 5,000 people. But now he's talking about filling stadiums that can hold 50,000 people? That's insane. This is a huge jump in scale. I'm worried he might be biting off more than he can chew. And let's not forget the fact that we're still talking about a guy who's only been in the game for about a year. I mean... wow."

Matt nodded, his expression a mix of disbelief and intrigue.

"Yeah, I mean, even his ticket sales are raising eyebrows. We're hearing reports that people who already purchased tickets are going to get new ones for free, but there's a catch. The new tickets are $50 more expensive than the original ones. Yikes. And then, of course, there's the VIP tickets," Matt added, raising an eyebrow.

Vanessa's eyes widened as she read over the notes. "Oh yeah, get this—VIP tickets are going for $3,000 a pop! And apparently, 2,000 of them are sold per show. These tickets come with backstage passes, but if you want a meet-and-greet with Ethan himself? Well, that's an extra $2,000."

Matt started to laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. "$2,000 more just to meet the guy? Universal Music must really believe in this kid to go this far. I mean, this is just... it's wild. It's almost like Ethan is trying to sell a lifestyle, not just music."

Vanessa laughed along with him, but her tone remained more skeptical.

"And let's not forget," Vanessa added, "this is going to be a solo concert. No opening acts. Just Ethan on stage for three hours. I mean... does his catalog even cover three hours of music? Does he have enough material to keep the crowd engaged for that long? I don't know, Matt. This seems risky."

Matt couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head in amusement.

"This kid is biting off more than he can chew, but hey, we'll see what happens. I personally like his music—7 Years is a great track. It's catchy, it's fun... but this? This is insane. He's either going to become a legend or crash and burn. Only time will tell."

Vanessa leaned forward, her fingers tapping lightly on the desk. "I guess we'll be watching closely, won't we?"

The camera zoomed in on Matt as he nodded.

"For now, though, we'll have to wait and see how Ethan pulls this off. It's definitely one of the most ambitious moves we've seen in the industry in a while. Will he rise to the occasion, or will he get caught in his own hype? We'll just have to wait and see."

As the segment wrapped up, Matt and Vanessa shared one last glance.

"It's all about the timing, and Ethan's timing right now is everything," Vanessa said, looking out into the camera.

"Let's hope he doesn't burn out before the tour even starts," Matt added with a smile.

The screen faded to the next story, but the echoes of their discussion lingered in the air. Was Ethan Jones the next big thing, or had he set himself up for a fall? Only time would tell.