Behind The Spotlight Chapter 218
"Looks like we have a strong contender," Joel, the producer of the show, said, and many people agreed. They looked at the résumé of Kimberly Alphonse, the sports reporter who auditioned earlier. She had a lot of experience interviewing athletes and a professional background.
So far, she was the best one today. Even Salvador agreed, he was satisfied with Kimberly's performance. He smiled in approval, calculations running through his mind.
'Her agent promised me full support in the election and front-page covers in famous magazines once she becomes the host. All under the contract.'
Kimberly's agent was actually the Head of the Sports Department and owned 3.5% of the company's shares. Furthermore, the agent had connections to many famous magazines. Salvador could use these magazines to elevate his clients even more. In fact, he could also use them to elevate his own status.
'They can interview me and make me famous.'
Honestly, those were not the best conditions promised to him, but he didn't think much of it. He considered them freebies.
'Since Kimberly is going to be the host, I'll get benefits either way.'
To be precise, any candidate could give him benefits. He had already talked and negotiated with their agents, they had prior arrangements. He had even manipulated the second round of the audition to make sure everyone who passed would be beneficial to him. It was a secret deal, but this kind of manipulation was a commonly used tactic in the industry.
'3.5% votes and front covers of magazines, not bad.'
Salvador had no reason to disagree. He slightly grinned. The smug expression on his face didn't go unnoticed by Joel, who quietly raised a brow but said nothing.
"This is our last candidate," the director, Salvador's client named Patrick, announced.
A woman entered the room. She was poised and very demure, charming in her presence. Her posture was straight, her steps light but confident.
Jennifer sat down and looked at the people on the panel. She introduced herself.
"I'm Jennifer Randon. I'm the host of The Singing Voice."
The judges nodded, as they knew who she was. The Singing Voice was a famous singing competition show, and most of them had watched at least one or two episodes. Jennifer had a good reputation. Some of the staff murmured.
"Alright, Jennifer," Patrick, the director, spoke. "We're going to do an impromptu segment. You'll start with a short intro, act as if you're opening the show. Then you'll interview our stand-in guest. Keep it natural, conversational, and engaging."
"Remember, personality is everything. Don't just ask questions, make us feel like we're part of the moment. Ready?" Joel, the producer, encouraged her.
Jennifer smiled. "I'm ready." Her confidence radiated in that brief smile, her eyes gleaming with determination.
Jennifer stepped onto the slightly elevated platform and glanced at the camera. On the platform were two comfortable chairs.
"Good morning, everyone! Welcome back to Morning Glow! I'm Jennifer Randon, and today we're talking about something we can all relate to. Joining me today is a man who turned a hobby in his garage into one of the most talked-about tech startups of the year. Please welcome, Ethan Cole!"
She smiled brightly, her expression effortlessly switching into camera-ready warmth. She was used to this kind of switch up as she had hosted The Singing Voice for years.
She actually didn't know the guest's name or the show's name, she just improvised. Her instincts as a seasoned host kicked in and carried the impromptu performance.
The "guest," a newbie actor, stepped in and sat down. Jennifer greeted him warmly with a handshake. As for the topics, Jennifer created them on the spot. She had done this many times in her job as a host and could construct questions without a problem.
She carried a perfect balance of enthusiasm and calm professionalism.
"Ethan, I have to start by asking, I read you built your first prototype out of kitchen scraps. Is that true, or is it just a made-up story?"
"No, it's true! I had no funding at the time, so I literally built it using spare parts I could find." "Ethan" laughed awkwardly.
This was also an audition for him, an impromptu acting test. If "Ethan" performance was great, he would be introduced to an agent in ANT and get a contract.
His nervous laughter gradually turned into a relaxed chuckle as Jennifer nodded encouragingly.
Today, both "Ethan" and Jennifer held opportunities to change their lives.
As for what they were talking about... they were simply playing along.
"That's incredible. I think that's what people love about stories like yours, the persistence. Tell me, though, was there ever a night you thought, "This isn't going to work"?"
"Oh, so many nights."
"And what kept you going?"
The guest paused, likely thinking of an answer. Jennifer didn't interrupt, keeping her expression attentive. She didn't overact, she simply waited and listened. For some reason, her presence made everything feel natural.
Once in a while, Jennifer inserted humorous jokes that made the panelists laugh. For an actress who had starred in two major comedy films, she knew how to deliver funny lines. Her timing was impeccable, and her jokes landed well.
As the interview went on, "Ethan" slowly calmed down and opened up more. Their conversation flowed smoothly and was perfectly entertaining. Even the camera operator forgot to blink, drawn into the rhythm of their exchange.
Suddenly, an alarm clock rang sharply, echoing through the studio and making everyone realize they were actually in an audition, not a real talk show.
Even "Ethan" lost his flow and looked at the panelists. His face went blank for a second, as if waking from a dream.
"Sir, it's time for lunch." The assistant apologized to the panelists for breaking the atmosphere.
"... When did the audition start?" The producer gulped hard, his throat suddenly dry, as he had forgotten about their job.
"It has been an hour and thirty minutes since the interview started."
"..."
Everyone was speechless. The room fell completely silent.
'You mean to tell me we were caught in a performance for a whole hour and thirty minutes? That long?'
The fact that they had forgotten what they were doing was terrifying yet exciting. Suddenly, everyone looked at Jennifer with awe. Jennifer kept her smile, captivating them.