Chapter 35: Midnight Entertainment
Fox Building, Fox Television Center.
In the 11th Channel offices, assistant producer Claire rushed through the workspace, barging into the control room. “Megan, we’ve got some explosive news—a perfect headline for the 11 p.m. Midnight Entertainment. The seller’s asking for a high price. Want to take a look?”
“Take me to it.” Megan, both the producer and anchor of Midnight Entertainment, pulled a hair tie from her wrist and swept her cascading blonde hair into a ponytail. In an instant, she transformed from a sweet-looking host into a sharp and capable producer.
Claire led the way to the reception room, opening the door for Megan to step inside.
A man sat alone in the room. Megan gave him a quick once-over: short black hair, average looks, calm demeanor—nothing remarkable.
“This is Megan, producer of Midnight Entertainment,” Claire introduced.
“Pleasure to meet you.” Hawk stood up, noting that even in heels, Megan was nearly his height.
He handed her a business card and introduced himself. “Hawk Osmond, founder of West Coast Media & Entertainment Studio.”
Megan nodded, took the card, and passed it to Claire without a glance. “Let’s see the news,” she said, getting straight to business.Hawk wasted no time, pressing play on his laptop and positioning the screen for Megan.
Megan leaned in, her sharp eyes locked on the footage.
The video was crisp, though the audio was faint—a common issue with outdoor recordings lacking professional microphones.
She watched the entire clip, then replayed it, pausing at key moments.
The main aggressor was Sir Ian McKellen, famously known for his role as Gandalf. The target of his rage was a Black man with a camera around his neck—clearly a paparazzo.
Toward the end of the video, five men appeared. Megan instantly recognized Orlando Bloom, with his unmistakable face, alongside Sean Astin and John Rhys-Davies. The other two seemed familiar but not immediately identifiable.
“Who are those two?” Megan asked.
“I know them,” Claire replied. “Dominic Monaghan and Greg Parker. All part of The Lord of the Rings cast.”
Megan turned the laptop back to Hawk. “How much are you asking?”
Hawk smiled. “Why don’t you make an offer first? This is a headline-worthy scoop.”
Megan recognized its value and tested the waters. “$4,000.”
Without a word, Hawk closed the laptop and began packing up.
Megan stayed silent, watching as Hawk slung the bag over his shoulder and headed for the door.
Just as he reached the exit, Megan called out, “Wait!”
Hawk stopped, looking back at her.
“$6,000,” Megan offered. “That’s the best we can do.”
Hawk shook his head. “It’s Oscar night. The Lord of the Rings cast chasing down a reporter and obstructing press freedom? Surely that’s worth $20,000.”
“Obstructing press freedom?” Megan thought. The framing was clever and aligned with her own assessment of the story’s value. But while Fox had deep pockets, she couldn’t blow nearly a week’s budget on a single news item.
With time running out before the show, Megan made a final bid. “$10,000. Take it or leave it. And I can guarantee no other station in L.A. will offer more than 11th Channel.”
Recalling Frank’s tip about Channel 11, Hawk agreed. “Deal.”
Before finalizing, Hawk added a condition: “I need two Channel 11 freelance reporter credentials.”
Megan glanced at her watch. “Don’t push it.”
“Midnight Entertainment’s credentials will do,” Hawk clarified.
“Fine,” Megan said, signaling Claire. “Handle the paperwork.”
Turning back to Hawk, she added, “I like the angle: the Lord of the Rings cast attacking a journalist and obstructing press freedom. Bring me more big stories, and I’ll be here.”
Hawk assured her he would.
The process moved quickly. They signed an exclusive agreement, with Hawk receiving a $10,000 check and Megan’s team taking the footage.
A production assistant whisked the video away for immediate processing.
As Claire escorted Hawk out, she asked, “You’re new to this, aren’t you? Never seen you around before.”
Hawk replied ambiguously, “I’ve landed several headline stories already.”
“Impressive.” Claire’s tone turned enticing. “Bring us more blockbuster stories, especially about big stars. If it’s sensational enough, we’re talking six or even seven figures.”
Hawk knew the immense value of entertainment news. “I’ll be in touch when I have something.”
Claire handed him her card. “Call me directly.”
With his credentials in hand, Hawk left the station, moving quickly.
Back in the control room, the video was undergoing basic edits. Megan made the call: “Put this as the headline story. Push the Oscar results further down the lineup.”
“But it’s the Oscars!” the director objected.
“The ceremony ended almost two hours ago,” Megan pointed out. “Everyone already knows the results. It’s old news. Gossip surrounding the Oscars is far more compelling.”
She turned to Claire. “What’s The Fellowship of the Ring’s global box office gross?”
“Over $825 million,” Claire replied.
“Exactly,” Megan said, spreading her hands. “This movie is a phenomenon. And now its two most beloved stars—Gandalf and Legolas—are caught chasing down a reporter and obstructing press freedom. It’s gold!”
Then, an idea struck her. She raised a finger. “Highlight the paparazzo in the footage.”
The video paused on Edward, his face pixelated to avoid legal issues. His posture and skin tone, however, were unmistakable.
Megan, with ratings on her mind, asked, “In the close-ups of Ian McKellen, doesn’t his mouth look like he’s saying a racial slur?”
The control room fell silent.
The director swallowed hard. “That could land us in trouble. We’ll get lawyer letters for sure.”
Megan had already thought it through. “The video’s clear, and we’ve got close-ups of McKellen. Bring in a lip-reading expert for a live segment. Frame it as addressing allegations of racial bias and let the expert analyze his words. Where’s legal? I want a risk assessment.”
A bespectacled man chimed in. “It’s still suggestive and risky, but the liability would be reduced.”
“Good enough,” Megan decided. “Let’s roll with it. Write up the script!”
Turning to Claire, she added, “Find me a lip-reading expert within five minutes.”
As orders flew, Megan headed to the dressing room to change into a short skirt and touch up her makeup. Fox News CEO Roger Ailes had mandated that all female anchors, no matter the show’s seriousness, wear short skirts and stockings, with a specific camera angle dedicated to filming them from below.
At 11 p.m., Megan sat under the bright studio lights, glancing at the teleprompter before launching into that night’s Midnight Entertainment.
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