"I really love the work you're doing for a cause you're clearly very passionate about," Larry King said after we talked about my charity for a good five minutes. "Let's talk about other ventures that you're involved in. I love the work you've done with Crocs, which has become an international brand today. Most people would agree that it was those provocative ads of yours that made Crocs a household name. Who came up with that idea?"
I laughed at the question. It had been so long since anyone had asked me about that, I hadn't thought about it in forever.
"Looking back on it, it wasn't my best moment," I agreed. "Not tooting my own horn, but it was mostly my idea. What happened was that I had just shot a lot of underwater shirtless scenes for the fourth [Harry Potter] movie, and I was in great shape. So, like most gym rats, I had this great idea to show off. I didn't think that it would turn out to be controversial at all because I was a dumb kid. The management behind Crocs was a little reluctant to allow those ads, but I persisted, and the rest is, as they say, history. We are still growing that company at tremendous speeds, and it's possible that in a few years, we may even have our IPO."
"Hmm," Larry hummed audibly before pivoting the conversation. "I have one question that you may choose not to answer. Your first album, Echoes of You, was a smash hit, breaking records left, right, and center, and then came your second album, 2006, which the critics and the audience alike considered even better, yet it sold fewer copies than your first album, which most experts think is because of its free release on YouTube."
"I didn't sense a question in there," I remarked.
"Why did you release it on YouTube?" Larry came directly to the point.
I smiled. This was a line of conversation that I had always avoided. Whenever someone asked about it, I usually skipped the question or asked them to remove it from the clip, which they usually did. But this time, it didn't matter because now I didn't care if people knew about my acquisition of YouTube. Also, given their track record, someone at the FBI would probably leak it sooner or later. I would rather announce it on my terms.
"That's simple, because I own YouTube," I said matter-of-factly.
Larry took a few moments to absorb that thought. Behind the cameras, I could see his crew with wide eyes as I casually dropped the information as if it were something mundane. There were already rumors out there that I was a part-owner of the company, but nobody knew how much my share was.
"How did that come about?" Larry quickly gathered his composure.
I took a deep breath before launching into the story.
"The founders of YouTube contacted me very early on for a partnership. When I saw their vision, I was floored. I knew immediately that I had to be a part of this company. So I bought a majority share in it. I have received multiple offers over the years for its acquisition, but I didn't find any worthwhile, so I decided to keep developing the site with its original founders. We have some of the best developers in the world working on it, and I couldn't be happier with the results."
That wasn't entirely true. YouTube was not a profitable company right now, barely breaking even. I may have popularized its usage in the music industry sooner than it would have, which increased its user base, but also its running costs. As per our estimates, it would take another three to four years for it to become profitable. That, too, after starting the revenue-sharing plan we had designed for non-musical content creators, which would be possible to launch only because of all the cash I had now.
"That was a surprise for me," Larry said. "Any other companies you own that you'd like to tell us about?"
I thought about Netflix, in which I owned significant shares, but didn't bother telling him about it. At least not until my team got the ball rolling and I could acquire a majority stake in it.
"There is my film production company, Phoenix," I said off-handedly. "But you already knew about it. Other than that, I have investments in a lot of companies, but nothing substantial enough to speak about. You don't get to where I am by holding on to just one or two stocks."
"Fair enough," Larry conceded before changing the topic. "If you could confirm or deny this rumor I have heard? Are you suing the FBI for defamation?"
That was no rumor. I had told it to his team before the interview, because I wanted this topic to be discussed here.
I became serious before saying, "The FBI targeted me unfairly, just because I am young. I can name at least four other investors who have followed strategies similar to mine, and have made billions in the last year, and yet none of them were treated like criminals and had their homes raided on their birthday. All I'm asking from them is a public apology. If they do it, I won't sue them. I have no intention of wasting everyone's time and money."
"Then why threaten to sue them at all?" Larry asked. "You'd think that the public backlash the FBI will get after this interview would be enough of a lesson for them."
"Because they need to understand that you can't just do whatever you like, just because you have the power to do it," I said clearly.
What I wanted to say badly was that 'if you fuck with me, I'll fuck you back ten times harder,' but I didn't, because this was a family show. Not to mention, it would make me look unhinged. My primary reason for doing this was that an example had to be set, or other authorities would take advantage if I appeared weak. What's stopping the U.K. authorities from targeting me next when I'm over there?
"It's time to wrap up the interview," Larry said suddenly. "Before we go, I have one last question for you. What advice would you like to give to young people who want to start investing in the stock market?"
"My only regret in life is that I didn't start investing when I was younger," I said honestly. "That's mostly because I was a minor and had no income source of my own. So if that's not a problem for you, then that's all I would say to anyone wanting to invest. Right now is not the time to invest blindly, because the markets are overvalued, but if you want to learn how the markets work, then start investing as soon as you can, but with small amounts that you can afford to lose."
Larry nodded at me before saying, "Thank you, Troy, for giving us your valuable time."
"The pleasure was all mine, Larry," I shook his hand. "It was great talking to you."
(Break)
The Wall Street Journal – "Hollywood's Hidden Titan: The Financial Rise of Troy Armitage"
Until last week, Troy Armitage was known primarily as the magnetic teen heartthrob who carried [The Perks of Being a Wallflower] to Oscar glory and redefined modern musical cinema with [Echoes of You]. Now, he's something far more extraordinary: a 19-year-old financial phenomenon with a $20 billion net worth.
Investigators from the FBI searched Armitage's Los Angeles estate, citing suspicions of financial misconduct and insider trading. The search turned up nothing illicit, but the actor's concealed investment empire, managed through a sophisticated network of trust funds, holding companies, and offshore entities, was brought to light.
"He essentially built a private equity empire before he could legally rent a car," said Harvard finance professor Oliver Peterson. "It's not just luck. It's vision."
One of the biggest reveals of this fiasco is that the majority share of the video streaming website YouTube is owned by Troy Armitage.
Forbes – "The Youngest Self-Made Billionaire the World Never Knew"
Troy Armitage kept his fortune in the shadows—until the FBI brought it into the light.
The 19-year-old actor and entrepreneur has become the youngest person ever to cross into multi-billionaire territory without inheritance, and if his word is to be believed, then it has been quite a while since the superstar achieved that status. Armitage's major source of wealth are a couple of highly lucrative but extremely risky derivative transactions that he settled in December 2007. Something he did while filming blockbuster films around the globe.
On Larry King Now, Armitage explained: "I live a life where every move I make is scrutinized. I didn't want people to look at me and only see a rich kid. I wanted to be known for my craft—for my work—not my bank balance."
The New York Times – "A Modern Gatsby in Plain Sight"
Behind the boyish grin and disarming charm of Troy Armitage lies a mind for finance that rivaled Wall Street veterans. But in a post-Enron scandal world where financial transparency is under the microscope, even America's youngest idol isn't immune.
The search was unprecedented. Armed with a warrant, FBI agents entered his compound but found no evidence of wrongdoing. Armitage is furious with this blatant violation of his privacy and has sent a legal notice to the FBI for a jaw-dropping $1 billion.
TMZ – "FBI RAIDS TROY ARMITAGE'S MANSION – What They Found Will Shock You"
FBI agents swarmed Troy Armitage's L.A. estate last week expecting a scandal. What they got was the biggest non-crime in celebrity history.
Turns out, the dreamy star of [Harry Potter] has been playing the finance game harder than Wall Street bros twice his age. With over $20 BILLION in assets (yes, with a B!), Troy's been quietly dominating behind the scenes.
Unfortunately for the ladies, he's no longer single. Scarlett Johansson just hit the jackpot, right when his value multiplied manifold. See page 6 for more info on Troy and Scarlett's relationship.
Vanity Fair – "The Billionaire Behind the Curtain: Troy Armitage's Private Empire"
The FBI may have unintentionally handed Troy Armitage the greatest rebranding arc in celebrity history.
Once labeled as Hollywood's boy wonder, Troy now stands at the intersection of fame and finance, wielding quiet influence across industries from film production and video streaming to footwear. Friends describe him as "obsessively private," and this moment as his "worst nightmare."
Armitage seemingly followed in Warren Buffett's footsteps, but has turned out to be an even better investor than the old man given how much wealth he has amassed within a decade of starting his investment journey.
The Guardian – "We Did NOT Have 'Troy Armitage is a Billionaire' on Our 2008 Bingo Card"
Plot twist: your favorite teen star just leapfrogged Google's founder, Larry Page's wealth. No, it's not a movie, it's real life. Troy Armitage, the guy who made us all cry in [The Perks of Being a Wallflower], is a $20 BILLION mogul.
We're talking full-on, "offshore holding companies by age 16" billionaire status.
Can someone greenlight his biopic already? Because we here at The Guardian certainly want to see how he achieved that.
L.A. Times – "The Curious Case of Troy Armitage"
Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, superstar, actor, singer, songwriter, producer. All of these words can be used to describe the boy wonder, Troy Armitage, who can't even legally drink on U.S. soil.
Armitage made some shocking revelations recently on Larry King Live after the search conducted by the FBI on his Los Angeles residence. A lot of celebrities live lavish lifestyles, but the case of Armitage has revealed something extraordinary, about what a keen mind can do when provided with the wealth of a celebrity.
The young man of 19 has immortalized his name in the annals of history for centuries to come.
(Break)
"You're an asshole, Shawn!" Monica shouted, shoving the latest newspaper against his chest. "My daughter could've lived like a queen for the rest of her life. That's how much that boy loved her. But thanks to you, that will never happen."
"Mom," Rihanna groaned beside her, clearly embarrassed. "Let it go. I'm with Chris now."
Monica spun around and glared at her daughter. "No, I won't let it go. Do you have any idea how much $20 billion is? It'll take you a hundred lifetimes to make that kind of money. And you left Troy for who? Chris Brown? I'd rather you stayed single for a few years."
Not wanting to get dragged into another argument, Rihanna looked over at Jay-Z, who had yet to say a word, his eyes still fixed on the newspaper Monica had flung at him.
"Jay?" Rihanna called out hesitantly. "Say something."
"Did you know?" he finally asked, breaking the silence. "That he was a billionaire?"
Rihanna looked away and muttered, "I knew he owned YouTube, but he made me promise not to tell anyone. It was even in the NDA his dad had me sign, so I couldn't say a word."
Jay-Z sighed. "And you still left him? Man, you're not that bright, are you?"
"You're a fucking asshole," Rihanna snapped before storming out of the room, leaving her mother and Jay-Z behind.
"You're both right," Monica said flatly. "She's dumb, and you're an asshole." Then she too walked out, leaving Jay-Z alone, fuming over how wildly the situation had turned.
The one kid from the younger generation he'd always had a strong dislike for had turned out to be a billionaire. Not just any billionaire—the owner of YouTube. The very company that was quickly becoming one of the biggest sources of power in the music world. Every artist now released their latest tracks on YouTube, ever since they started sharing half their ad revenue with musicians and labels.
There was even buzz about extending the same revenue-sharing model to all creators by mid-2008 as part of a pilot program, though it hadn't launched yet. Jay-Z had been planning to gradually sideline Troy. He'd already begun by talking to his contacts in the Grammys, trying to downplay '2006' and push other albums and artists instead. But now, it hardly mattered.
Troy had gotten so much media attention that he was guaranteed a few trophies regardless. After all, every award show was a popularity contest on some level, and no one was more popular than the first billionaire artist in the world.
(Break)
Taylor Swift:WTF? Dude, you're loaded. And you still won't gift me a Rolls-Royce? That's unfair. JK. Loved your interview with Larry King btw. You rocked.
Michael B. Jordan:Bro! Had no idea you were that rich. That's so cool! When are you inviting us all for another trip? IYKWIM.😜
Ryan Gosling:I know you said not to invest heavily in this market, but I'm gonna start learning the basics and invest small, (thanks to your interview). Just tell me when it's time to go big, and I'm in.
Jonah Hill:I know the timing seems suspicious, but I really want to apologize again for what happened between us the last time. I realize now how much of an asshole I was. I've already apologized to Chris too. I don't expect forgiveness right away, but I'd really appreciate it if, someday, you could.
Emma Stone:Can I go back in time and rethink my decision about dating you? In retrospect, that wasn't my finest move. But in my defense, the golddigger in me had no idea you'd turn out to be such a catch 😁 (JK. Happy with Rob.)
Jamie Bell:Holy fucking shit! Mate, they scammed me when I signed that HP contract. They should've included a clause saying you'd manage my money until the series ended. LOL. Btw, any updates on that movie you promised me? Not greedy, just curious.
I sighed and looked up at the four men seated in front of me—Benji, Tobias, Bobby, and Andrew.
"Tobias," I turned to my old assistant, "remember that role I mentioned for Jamie Bell?"
"You mean [17 Again]?" he asked.
"Yeah," I nodded. "Get it into pre-production. Lock in Jamie, find a director, get the ball rolling. Check if Dad wanted to co-produce it with you."
"Got it," he said, jotting notes down.
I turned to Andrew next. "How much cash do I have right now?"
"Around $9 billion," he replied. "I shorted as much stock as I could, but everything has its limits."
I let out a thoughtful hum, then nodded. "Okay." Turning to both Andrew and Bobby, I said, "Here's your next task: you two will work together to start the acquisition process for two companies—Netflix, where I already hold about 10-11%, and Marvel Entertainment."
________________________
AN: Visit my personal website to read ahead, or check out my second Hollywood story set in the 80s.
Link: www(dot)fablefic(dot)com