"Welcome back, today our guest is Hugo Lancaster." Jay skillfully resumed his opening after the commercial break. "Hugo, tell me, how does it feel to receive two consecutive jobs right after winning the Golden Raspberry Award?"
"Shhh…" Hugo did not answer, but instead shushed Jay, leaving Jay completely puzzled. Hugo then quickly followed up, "Golden Raspberry Award? That must have been in a past life. You're still bringing it up now? How unoriginal."
Facing Hugo's tease, Jay did not argue back, but simply glanced at the group of Golden Raspberry trophy sculptures on stage. Just that look made the audience burst into laughter again. Even Hugo had to admit that, though nearly a year had passed, thinking back to the embarrassment of that night at the Razzies still made him laugh uncontrollably.
"So what was the audition process for A Few Good Men like? I believe you must have faced some great challenges." Jay brought the topic back on track. After the Razzies, Scent of a Woman had not yet been released, and Hugo had already successfully landed A Few Good Men. It was indeed quite an extraordinary experience.
Looking back on Hugo's slump after Hudson Hawk, this all seemed even more incredible.
"Yes, yes. Rob once told me I had to memorize the entire Uniform Code of Military Justice, along with Civil Procedure. That—that was practically an impossible task." Hugo said with deliberate exaggeration, earning gasps from the audience. "I just told him, it's impossible. Because a great lawyer isn't a bookworm who memorizes laws, but a negotiator who can flexibly apply them."
"So you didn't memorize it?" Jay asked.
"Yes," Hugo replied.
But Jay narrowed his eyes slightly, frowning a little, and said, "Are you kidding me?"
"Yes," Hugo once again answered crisply.
The audience immediately exploded into laughter. Watching Hugo and Jay spar like this was really entertaining. On his second time taping the show, Hugo was clearly more relaxed than the first time. His pacing had improved greatly too. One could feel his looseness, and it created wonderful chemistry during the recording.
"Let's talk about your movie then—Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore, truly a lineup to look forward to." Jay did not linger on the audition question but quickly shifted topics. "So, I heard there were some problems in your collaboration with Demi on set."
What Jay actually wanted to ask was: Are the rumors of conflict between Hugo and Demi true? Recently, such gossip had been rampant—nearly saying outright that Hugo and Demi fought on set. The rumor first came from Us Weekly and then spread like wildfire. It was said Hugo and Demi barely spoke on set, that their bad relationship even affected filming, and that Demi once threatened the production she would quit unless Hugo was fired, though ultimately she stayed due to contractual obligations.
But none of these rumors had solid proof. Both Hugo and Demi had denied it publicly, and the story gradually faded. Clearly, today Jay still wanted to stir up a bit of gossip.
"Oh yes," Hugo directly confirmed it, making the audience instantly lock their attention. "You know, Demi is a very charming woman, and Bruce is also a very captivating man. Out of respect for Bruce, I simply couldn't let myself go on set. It was truly distressing."
No one expected Hugo to answer this way. The room froze for a moment, then many people couldn't help but chuckle softly. Jay, however, did not laugh—he instead seized on Hugo's words. "So should I take that to mean you're attracted to Bruce—or, sorry, my mistake, to Demi. Are you saying you have feelings for Demi?"
Jay's quick-witted twist sent the audience's subdued laughter into a full eruption, roaring with laughter. Even Hugo applauded Jay. "Do you like Ghost?" Hugo asked instead of answering directly.
"Yes, of course," Jay replied.
"I don't like it, because I can't accept the fact that I've died." Hugo cleverly sidestepped, when Jay had expected him to continue talking about Demi through the movie. But with this subtle shift of meaning, the subject was diverted without notice, sparking another wave of laughter. Hugo only shrugged innocently. "What? As viewers we always get absorbed into the story. I don't like the thought of turning into a ghost and then watching over the woman I love. No, I don't like that."
In truth, Hugo was saying he didn't like Ghost, nor did he like Demi Moore. But by redirecting the concept this way, people's attention shifted instantly. He had both answered the question and quietly turned it into a punchline.
As a skilled talk show host, Jay naturally wouldn't dwell on one point. After all, this was a comedy talk show, not a serious interview program, and he wasn't Oprah Winfrey. So Jay smoothly transitioned again. "What about Jack? How was this collaboration different from working with Al?"
"My scenes were more equal this time?" Hugo said, with a double meaning. On one hand, it meant in A Few Good Men his role faced others on an equal footing, not always in a weaker position like in Scent of a Woman; on the other hand, it referred to Al and Jack's height. Though Jack Nicholson was not tall either, at least he was two inches (five centimeters) taller than Al.
The audience had not yet reacted to Hugo's remark, but Jay almost couldn't hold back, struggling to suppress his laughter before saying, "So, did you also gain the same reward?" The question itself was quite standard, yet Hugo once again gave an unusual answer.
"Oh no. At least this time, I got a girl." Hugo's reply finally made Jay burst out laughing uncontrollably.
Hugo's words carried layered meaning. On one hand, he was referring to the movie itself—Charlie in Scent of a Woman had no female co-star because he wasn't the lead; but in A Few Good Men there was a female partner alongside him. On the other hand, it was a sly jab at the earlier joking about Tom, suggesting that Tom didn't land the role in A Few Good Men because he couldn't "get the girl."
The studio audience's comprehension wasn't as quick as Jay's, but after a few ticking seconds, they caught on. Laughter broke out in scattered bursts, and depending on each person's reaction speed, the delay created the effect of rolling waves of laughter sweeping across the room.
Once Jay finished laughing, he adjusted his breathing and brought the rhythm of the conversation back into his control. "Finally, let's talk about this film. What story does A Few Good Men tell?" The total interview time was about fifteen minutes, and Jay needed to play the trailer before wrapping up. Even if he wanted to keep chatting, time didn't allow it.
"It tells the story of a lawyer fighting a case." Hugo's words were still crisp and simple—so simple that they sounded almost like nonsense, which itself produced a kind of absurd humor. "Of course, that's what everyone already knows," Hugo added, then offered a bit more explanation. "Basically, it's about facing a situation where all the evidence points to the suspect's guilt, yet the lawyer I play, Daniel, still refuses to give up, eventually finding a way to uphold justice. That's the story."
Afterward, Hugo pursed his lips. "I think my explanation wasn't very clear." He threw Jay a questioning look. "Did you understand?"
"Of course, of course," Jay nodded repeatedly. "Although I understood every word you said, the meaning you conveyed was absolutely lost on me. So, I think I need the trailer to calm the storm inside me." Jay, the deadpan comedian, used one sarcastic line to spark another round of laughter. "The trailer for A Few Good Men, thank you."
The large screen in the studio then began playing the trailer. In fact, the editing was quite conventional, largely because of the film's structure—too many details couldn't be shown without spoilers.
When the forty-second trailer ended, Jay spread out his hands. "Well, I suppose your explanation was indeed very thorough." The trailer essentially showed exactly what Hugo had just said, only in visual form. Jay's helpless tone made the crowd laugh again. "But at least we can see, you look very good in uniform."
"This time, it's not a school uniform," Hugo emphasized, steering the topic back to the opening joke.
Jay's eyes twinkled with laughter as he looked at Hugo. "Yes, a military uniform. I imagine many people are already eager to head into theaters." Then he turned toward camera two, smiled, and spoke quickly: "A Few Good Men, soon arriving in theaters everywhere. Don't miss it. Finally, let's once again thank Hugo Lancaster!"
The two-hundred-member audience rose to their feet once more, offering thunderous applause for Hugo's wonderful performance. In the crowd, Meredith was so overwhelmed with excitement she could hardly contain herself. Today, she not only got to see Hugo up close, but also witnessed his brilliant live performance. It was truly a great joy, and Meredith realized something else: Hugo carried so much hidden charm she had never noticed before. This was undoubtedly a tremendous surprise!
Hugo too stood clapping, nodding slightly to the audience in gratitude, then gave Jay a big hug. He heard Jay whisper in his ear, "Remember—never become a host, never. I don't want to lose my job." The playful tease made Hugo burst out laughing, his mood soaring.
...
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