Behind The Spotlight Chapter 152
At the prime-time television slot, The Tonight Show with Ray Reno was aired. But this time, the title was The Tonight Show with Jennifer Randon.
Lights danced across the stage as jazzy intro music echoed through the studio.
"Live in New York, The Tonight Show with Jennifer Randon!"
The show opened with the music team energetically playing their instruments. Then came Jennifer, walking confidently under the bright spotlight. Her posture was elegant and composed, her nice gray suit complimenting her tall figure. The spotlight followed her every step.
"First of all, let me clarify that I'm just a guest host, so don't worry, Ray Reno will return." People laughed at that as Jennifer delivered it humorously.
After that short bit, Jennifer introduced herself and her accolades.
"I starred in The Accidental Wedding Crashers as the bride of a groom who loves femboys. I was also in Week on a Cruise Ship as a stripper, nope, nope, don't give me that judgmental look. I know you loved my scene." The audience burst out laughing as Jennifer unexpectedly introduced herself that way. Yes, The Tonight Show also talked about mature topics although not hardcore. There was even time when Ray Reno talked about the pictures of naked Tommy Yatch circulating in the old internet, just for jokes purposes of course.
"Last but not least, I'm the host of The Singing Voice. For those who don't know, The Singing Voice is an amazing singing competition. Please watch it."
The way she delivered her lines was smooth and filled with confidence. It didn't sound awkward while she read from the teleprompter. Her voice was warm and charismatic, carrying that effortless showbiz charm that instantly pulled the audience in. The production crew behind the camera was impressed, but they had already expected Jennifer to do well since she had hosting experience.
'She's a natural,' the director thought, nodding in satisfaction as he observed her through the monitor. The reason the director agreed to let Jennifer host five episodes that week was because of the benefits her team offered.
Ray Reno was the selling point of the show, and now that he was recuperating, they were in a difficult position where this season might get canceled.
If the show got canceled, hundreds of people would be badly affected. The director rubbed his temples, feeling the pressure of dozens of livelihoods depending on the show's survival. As the director, it was his responsibility to keep the show alive while Ray Reno was not present.
Hence, when his agent told him that they could guest Lawrence Terrence and the rising star Princess Chantal in exchange for Jennifer hosting the show, the director took the opportunity.
It was a gamble, but one he hoped would pay off.
It was only a week of hosting anyway, equivalent to five episodes. After that, a famous actor would take the helm to keep the show alive. Still, the director believed Jennifer was promising and didn't mind working with her again.
Jennifer knew all she had to do was read the words on the teleprompter, that was how it usually worked. Although, there were times she had to improvise.
She could feel the adrenaline rushing through her veins, the mix of excitement and nervousness sharpening her focus.
She threw some jokes into her introduction and made the 100 audience in the studio genuinely laugh.
The talk show invited 100 audience to laugh at the jokes the host delivered, no matter how corny they were. But this time, the audience truly laughed because Jennifer delivered the jokes perfectly well. Even the corny, unfunny jokes, Jennifer made them funny.
The audience's laughter filled the studio, creating an atmosphere of genuine joy.
'Well, if you worked on comedy films, the vibe would rub off on you.' That was what happened to Jennifer.
"Tonight, we are going to meet Princess Chantal! Who's excited to meet her?!"
"Woohoo!!!" The audience cheered, their energy lifting the mood even higher.
A few minutes later, Princess Chantal performed two of her new songs, both of which topped the Billboard Hot 100. The lights dimmed, and the beat dropped as Chantal appeared in a shimmering silver outfit, moving gracefully to the rhythm.
They were upbeat songs that made people want to dance. Her backup dancers were energetic, and so was Princess Chantal. She was happy because The Tonight Show didn't force her to lip sync. She was using her real voice this time.
Once she finished her performance, Jennifer made a few commentary and gave her time to catch her breath.
"Phew, that was intense. Chantal, breathe in, breathe out."
They laughed, then sat down and officially started the interview.
"Uh, for those who don't know, Chantal and I have actually known each other for quite a while now, long before she released her single."
The two women smiled warmly at each other.
They had a nice conversation, with Jennifer asking questions and Princess Chantal answering.
The chemistry between them was natural.
The whole time, the 100 audience were entertained and listened to their conversation with great interest.
'The atmosphere seems really good. Let's just hope the people watching the show on television have the same reaction,' the director thought.
His assistant approached him and whispered, "Sir, the ratings are high. The highest rating as of now is 7 million viewership, with an average of 5 million ratings."
"What? 7 million viewership?" The director's eyes widened in disbelief, his mouth slightly open.
For the record, the highest rating their show ever had was 6 million viewership, and that was usually during special episodes with famous guests. As for their average rating, it was 4 million.
The fact that Jennifer topped those ratings on her first time as a talk show host was very surprising. No wonder the director was shocked.
'Is this because of Princess Chantal? She is very famous lately,' he wondered.
Well, it didn't matter. As long as the show was going strong, it was good for everyone involved.
Jennifer and Princess Chantal continued their conversation, with Jennifer inserting jokes that weren't part of the teleprompter script. Her quick wit made the director smile as he realized she was adding her own flavor to the show.
"All my work is slowly getting there."
In the corner of the studio, Collin was proud of Jennifer and Princess Chantal. His arms were crossed, and he couldn't stop the small grin forming on his lips. The networking he did for his clients to reach their current status, Collin took pride in it. He hoped his clients appreciated all he had done for them.
He knew he wasn't the best talent agent in Hollywood, but he couldn't deny that he was responsible for his clients' success. In that regard, he was killing it as a talent agent. So far, he hadn't had any losses.
Watching them succeed on stage gave him a sense of purpose.
Even the scandal involving Axel, he had turned it into a victory.
Collin smiled as he watched the show. His next plan was to secure a talk show for Jennifer. That would probably take a while to manifest.
The audience clapped their hands as Princess Chantal performed another song before the end credits. The talk show was done, and its highest rating reached 9 million viewership. The production team was ecstatic when they heard the news, as everyone had been nervous that the show might get canceled. If they got the same ratings tomorrow, that would be great.
The crew members hugged each other backstage, relief washing over them.
"Let's thank our sponsors for this wonderful show, Tide, Hershey's Chocolate, and McDonald's." Jennifer waved at the audience with her radiant smile.
"Of course, let's not forget our wonderful director and cameramen, they're responsible for broadcasting this show to you. Also, our writer, many big thanks to Pujimaki for writing this story. You can visit his Pat reon and read more advanced chapters. Your support means a lot to him as he needs to pay tuition fee. Once again, thank you, everyone."
The end credits rolled, with Jennifer smiling in the background as the music faded into an outro, the logos of the sponsors appearing one by one. Then, the next show began, it was about a group of people lost and stranded on an unknown island filled with deep mysteries.