If Michael Eisner had come to pick a fight, Dunn might have been on guard. But now, knowing Eisner was here to "make peace," Dunn felt completely at ease.
Michael Eisner? Not such a big deal after all!
Dunn had thought Eisner might go all out, ready to slug it out with Dunn Pictures. But once things got real, it seemed Eisner's knees started to wobble.
The tough fear the reckless, and the reckless fear those who don't care about consequences!
To take on Disney, Dunn had gone all in, ready to fight to the death. Clearly, Michael Eisner had weighed the costs and benefits of an all-out war and decided to back off.
Dunn's life motto? If the enemy advances, I advance. If the enemy retreats, I advance even more!
"By the way, Mr. Eisner, I got a couple of annoying prank calls recently. Really ticked me off!" The atmosphere at their first meeting was surprisingly friendly, and Dunn was in a chatty mood.
"Oh? Really?" Michael Eisner felt a twinge of unease.
Dunn nodded earnestly. "You bet! The guy had the nerve to pretend he was you, Michael Eisner! I was furious, of course, and gave him a stern warning."
At that, the Dunn Pictures executives in the know nearly burst out laughing.
Dunn, what a prankster!
The story had spread like wildfire around Dunn Pictures, becoming a running joke among employees. The big boss, Dunn, had hung up on Michael Eisner not once but twice, treating the calls like scams and scolding the caller mercilessly.
It must've driven Eisner up the wall.
Sure enough, Eisner's face twitched for a split second. But being a seasoned pro, he quickly smoothed over the awkwardness. "Is that so? Haha, well, thank you for that. I'd hate for someone to be out there using my name to scam people."
Dunn, barely containing his grin, said seriously, "Exactly! I was firm about it—didn't even give the guy a chance to talk. Just hung up."
Ron Meyer, the president of Universal, unaware of the context, thought Dunn was serious. He frowned and said, "Scam calls? This is a nation of laws—how can we tolerate that? Dunn, did you report it to the police?"
"Uh, I don't think so…" Dunn pretended to ponder, then flashed a bright smile. "But I should have the call records. We could look into it."
Ron Meyer nodded gravely. "Absolutely. Scam calls are serious business. You should file a report with the police."
"Cough, cough…"
Michael Eisner nearly choked, struggling to maintain his composure. He waved a hand dismissively. "Live and let live, right? No need to dig too deep. Since Dunn already… taught the guy a lesson, I'm sure he's learned his mistake. No need to pursue it further."
Reese Witherspoon, hearing this, couldn't hold it in any longer. Tears welled up in her eyes from trying not to laugh.
Good grief, Michael Eisner was hilarious!
But say what you will, big shots are big shots. The guy's ability to roll with the punches was impressive.
Dunn was having the time of his life, feeling like he was standing on top of all of Hollywood.
Michael Eisner? So what?
First meeting, and he's already eating humble pie.
"Yeah, I gave him a piece of my mind!" Dunn continued, reveling in the moment. "Some people, you know, they're just shameless. You don't put them in their place, give them a taste of their own medicine, and they think they own the world. Gotta knock them down a peg…"
Natalie, listening to Dunn's barely veiled jabs, felt her heart tighten. No matter how composed Eisner was, this kind of pointed mockery might push him over the edge.
She gently tugged Dunn's arm, then smoothly shifted the conversation, her gaze landing on Britney Spears, Eisner's companion for the evening.
"Miss Spears, I'm a huge fan of your music. It's such an honor to have you at our party. If I'd known you were coming, I would've personally delivered the invitation!"
Britney Spears, a true enigma in the entertainment world with her unmatched charisma and… questionable tact, didn't pick up on Natalie's subtle maneuvering. She grinned and said, "Mr. Eisner invited me. Honestly, I haven't even had time to see Spider-Man yet."
At that, Eisner's face darkened again.
Natalie smiled. "You've gotta make time to catch it in theaters. It's an amazing movie."
Britney pouted. "I'm not really into action films. But I love Director Walker's Titanic. I cry every time I watch it. Director Walker, could you get me a signed Titanic VHS?"
Dunn chuckled. "Of course!"
"Wow, you're so nice!" Britney beamed, then glanced at Eisner with a carefree shrug. "Before we came, Mr. Eisner said you were tough to deal with and that there was some misunderstanding between you two. He told me to get close to you. But now that I've met you, you're, like, super awesome!"
The room went quiet, faces twisting as people tried not to laugh.
It was a spectacular display of suppressed grins.
Especially for Michael Eisner. His dignified face was a picture of embarrassment. No matter how polished he was, having Britney casually spill his strategy like that was mortifying.
This was Hollywood. Bringing a young, gorgeous pop star to someone else's party with the clear intent to "get close" to a prominent director? There was only one way to interpret that.
Eisner knew Britney was a bit "naive," but she was in the entertainment industry—she should've understood the implications of her words.
But no, her innocence bordered on obliviousness.
Talk about a public humiliation!
Eisner glanced at the Universal executives, catching their odd, almost incredulous looks.
The great Michael Eisner, chairman and CEO of Disney, bringing a pop star to cozy up to a young upstart like Dunn? If word got out, it'd be the laugh of the century.
Especially with Dunn Pictures and Disney at each other's throats over the blacklist issue. This was practically offering a beautiful woman as a peace offering!
And Britney wasn't done. With a bright smile, she looked at Dunn. "Oh, and I read in the papers you've dated a ton of girls. Is that true?"
Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Even a young Taylor Swift would've known better than to ask something like that in this setting.
Eisner was on the verge of tears, regretting ever bringing her along.
What a disaster!
She was wrecking his game!
Dunn, seeing Eisner's forced, pained smile, couldn't have been more delighted. "Total nonsense," he said with a laugh. "Just media rumors. Natalie's the only girlfriend I've ever had, and we're solid."
"Wow, that's so cool!" Britney squealed, her teenage mindset swooning over the idea of a lifelong first love. "Natalie, you must be so happy!"
Natalie smiled warmly. "Yeah, he's great to me."
"I'm so jealous! I hope you guys stay happy forever!" Britney gushed, stealing the spotlight with her childlike exuberance.
Compared to her, Natalie, who was the same age, seemed like a seasoned strategist. She could hold her own with industry titans without breaking a sweat.
Against Britney's overwhelming naivety, Natalie had her spinning in circles with just a few words.
Dunn, keeping his cool, said, "Thanks, Britney. I'm sure you'll find your own Prince Charming someday."
Eisner's eyebrow twitched as he shot Dunn a sharp look.
Was that a hint?
In terms of looks, Britney could outshine half of Hollywood's stars, even giving Natalie a run for her money. And Dunn just brushed her off without a second thought?
That caught Eisner off guard.
Natalie, with a confident smile, glanced at Dunn.
She knew him well.
Sure, Dunn's personal life wasn't exactly squeaky clean—that was no secret. But he had a strong need for control. Any woman he got involved with had to be someone he could keep firmly in his grasp.
A free-spirited, unpredictable, motor-mouthed girl like Britney? No matter how gorgeous, if she was a loose cannon, Dunn wouldn't touch her with a ten-foot pole.
That's why Natalie didn't mind Dunn's extracurricular flings.
She'd figured it out long ago—those women were just passing through, mere playthings, not serious contenders.
Then Britney spoke again, flashing a bright grin. "Oh, Mr. Eisner also told me to talk to you about patching things up with Disney. Dunn, are you and Disney fighting?"
Dunn nearly burst out laughing.
Eisner looked like he wanted to disappear into the floor.
What a mess!
Little Taylor, brought to the party by her mom, stood off to the side, watching the scene unfold with wide-eyed curiosity.
Her small hand clamped over her mouth, stifling giggles.
Unable to hold it in any longer, she tugged at her mom's hand and whispered, "Dunn's got no shame, lying without even blushing."
Andrea Swift shot her a stern look. "Hush, young lady!"
"I'm not making it up!" Taylor pouted, annoyed that her mom still treated her like a kid. She muttered under her breath, "I know all about it. Dunn's got a bunch of girlfriends. Isn't that weird? Doesn't Natalie know? I should find a chance to tell her…"
"What did you say?"
Andrea was so exasperated she could barely speak.
Taylor stuck out her tongue and blinked innocently. "Nothing, I didn't say anything!"
Andrea sighed, half-laughing, half-frustrated.
Her daughter was a handful, and ever since they moved from New York to Los Angeles, she'd only gotten more spirited.