[Chapter 480: The Razzie Awards Disaster, Shocking Hollywood Scandal]
March 27th -- the day before the Oscars ceremony.
The Golden Raspberry Awards committee announced this year's winners.
Worst Picture went to Independence Day. Worst Director was Michael Bay for Independence Day. Worst Actor was Linton Anderson for Independence Day. All three top "honors" swept by the same film instantly sparked a massive uproar.
It's important to remember that last year Independence Day was undeniably a box office bombshell. It pulled in $361 million in North America alone and conquered overseas markets with an astounding $545 million. Its global total hit $906 million, making it only the third movie in history to surpass $900 million worldwide.
This film, which showcased American strength and confidence while spreading its core values across the globe, was shockingly named the worst movie by the Razzies.
To be fair, while the film leaned into the cheesy side, its story held strong, and the spectacle, cinematography, and editing demonstrated Michael Bay's unmistakable directorial skill.
As for Linton's performance, it wasn't a groundbreaking artistic achievement, but as a commercial star, he delivered a creditable, solid performance.
The Razzie announcement was immediately met with widespread criticism and disbelief from both media and audiences. Of course, some who didn't get along with Linton raised a toast in celebration -- Tom Cruise, Sean Connery, and even Michael Ovitz, who'd recently left CAA to become Disney's president.
However, after Ovitz's departure, CAA had come to terms with reality, adjusted its strategy, and reconciled with Linton's film company. Continuing the feud risked losing their top talent.
The overwhelming majority condemned the Razzie committee as shameless opportunists, accusing them of riding Independence Day's massive hype just to boost their own profile and sensationalize the awards.
But many recalled the fierce attacks from critics and producers alike during the film's summer release. Back then, critics openly opposed audiences, tearing Independence Day apart, only to be slapped hard by the box office's massive support.
People saw it for what it was -- critics taking revenge.
That viewpoint quickly dominated public opinion, with the Razzie committee and critics lambasted for being out of touch and deliberately opposing the audience's tastes.
...
Entertainment reporters and paparazzi couldn't be happier. Amid such a hot topic, this was their moment to shine -- interviewing all parties, stirring up conflict, and driving huge traffic to their stories.
Suddenly, Linton's film company, Universal Studios, director Michael Bay, and Linton himself became prime targets for every camera and microphone.
...
For Linton's company and Universal, the huge profits from Independence Day were already secured; a bit of criticism wasn't a big deal for a commercial blockbuster.
The Razzie buzz, combined with multiple technical Oscar nominations, might even boost future licensing revenue.
Truthfully, the massive box office owed a lot to the heated clashes with critics that generated enormous buzz.
Now that all the financial gains were claimed, it was expected that some people would vent their frustrations. So both companies stayed calm and avoided inflammatory statements.
But Michael Bay was a different story. Known for his fiery temper and now a celebrated director, he felt on par with the truck-driver-turned-director in toughness. Being handed Worst Director out of the blue ignited his fury.
In a media interview, he harshly criticized the Razzie committee, calling them shameless, artistically blind, and utterly unfair.
Linton, on the other hand, remained completely silent. Even when swarmed by journalists and paparazzi outside his estate, he never came out for interviews.
That was no surprise.
---
Three days earlier, Linton had returned to Los Angeles with most of his entourage. After all, the Oscars were about to start.
Each leading lady needed to showcase her absolute best on the red carpet. Though their radiant skin and flawless looks owed much to Linton's exclusive "Vitality Elixir," avoiding the usual grueling pre-event rituals of dieting and spa treatments, at least makeup, styling, wardrobe fittings, jewelry, and accessories all had to be meticulously prepared.
Though Linton drew no interviews, the paparazzi still scored big.
They witnessed over a dozen of Hollywood's hottest stars -- including Cristiana Reali, Monica Bellucci, Sophie Marceau, Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Winona Ryder, Jennifer Connelly, Cameron Diaz, Charlize Theron, and Kate Winslet -- all living at Linton's estate.
Since it was the final day before the Oscars, the starlets left the estate in the morning by car to visit their agencies for final styling, hair, and wardrobe tests.
Once done, they returned to Linton's estate, seemingly indifferent to the paparazzi waiting outside.
While their car windows were tinted black to keep prying eyes out, these famous women naturally drew cameras everywhere.
No one bothered to hide the fact that such a large group of starlets lived together under one roof.
Though known for his playboy image and tangled relationships with many Hollywood women, even the press was stunned by just how many openly came and went at Linton's estate.
The confirmation was undeniable: Hollywood's ultimate womanizer and scandal magnet was Linton Anderson.
Having this many top actresses living together with Linton was a juicy gossip bonanza -- far more headline-worthy than the Razzie Awards.
Paparazzi were thrilled, their hard work rewarded with juicy exclusives and big bonuses.
Even more surprising, five major stars stopped their cars to answer reporters' questions: Cristiana, Monica, Sophie, Nicole, and Winona.
"Cristiana, are you living with Linton?"
"Cristiana, what's your relationship with Linton?"
"Cristiana, are you one of many living with him?"
The answers were predictably uniform: "I'm very close friends with Linton. I'm just visiting his home this time. I won't answer any other questions."
Paparazzi privately scoffed -- tomorrow was the Oscars, and here they were at a "friend's house." Nobody believed they weren't lovers.
But that didn't matter. If they didn't tell the truth, reporters would just fill in the blanks.
One reporter pressed, "What do you think of Linton winning the Razzie for Worst Actor?"
"He's deeply disappointed in the Razzie committee. They've completely betrayed the award's original purpose. There's no fairness or justice -- it's just a clique's game."
"And what's Linton's own response? Why hasn't he spoken out?"
"He said there's no point in caring about an award without credibility. The audience's eyes are sharp. Ignoring the Razzie is the best response, as drawing attention only helps their agenda."
The drama was far from over.
*****
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