Chapter 923: Talk Show Debut
Emma Watson was in a bit of a mess. She needed a tissue and a touch-up. She looked at the red support scarf that was handed to her and was speechless. What was she supposed to do with this scarf?
It wasn't a handkerchief or a face towel. It was a knitted support scarf. Even if it was clean, if she used it to wipe her face, she wouldn't be able to wipe off the water, and her makeup would get smeared. Was he doing this on purpose? So why was he handing her this scarf?
Emma blinked, feeling embarrassed, frustrated, and amused. She carefully looked up at Lu Ke and noticed that he was signaling an assistant, indicating that there was an emergency. His firm and clear profile was barely visible in the dim light of the side stage. Her cheeks suddenly felt warm.
Just then, a staff member walked over quickly, and Lu Ke turned his head. Emma felt a jolt and quickly looked away, trying to hide her emotions. When she came to her senses, she realized that she had actually taken the scarf and was holding it in her hand. She didn't know whether to give it back or keep it.
"What's going on?" the staff member asked in a low voice. After noticing Emma's situation, the person didn't panic at all. They were already used to dealing with such emergencies. They raised their head and made two hand gestures toward the other end of the hallway, and a makeup artist quickly walked over, ready to do a quick touch-up.
At the same time, the staff member continued, "Lu Ke, we're on a countdown now. You'll go on first. Don't worry, Jay will handle the situation. You and Jay can talk while we get everything ready, and then we'll have Emma go on."
"Are you sure?" Lu Ke obviously had no idea about the TV production process and looked at Emma with concern.
The staff member nodded in confirmation and didn't give Lu Ke any time to react. "The countdown has started. Five, four, three..."
The staff member didn't continue counting down. Instead, they, along with the makeup artist and Emma, moved to the side, signaling for Lu Ke to look at the front. Before he could even catch his breath, the reddish-brown door opened, and a thunderous applause erupted, surrounding him like the heat of a summer day.
Lu Ke's personality was always like this. He would be nervous before going on, but once he was in the zone, all other emotions would be set aside, and he would focus completely on the task at hand. Today was no exception. He would take it as it came and adapt to any situation.
He showed a confident smile, took a deep breath, nodded to the audience, and walked forward into the set. The door behind him slowly closed, signaling the official start of the show. Lu Ke had to face this alone for now.
He turned to his right and saw Jay Leno leaving the host's desk and walking toward him with a big smile.
Leno was a very distinctive-looking host with a wide chin that made him look like a cartoon character. In fact, it was a medical condition called prognathism, which could be fixed with surgery. But during the treatment, the patient had to keep their jaw shut, which meant he wouldn't be able to talk. This was a fatal blow to Leno, so he gave up on the surgery, and his chin became one of his trademarks.
"Welcome, welcome." Leno opened his arms and gave Lu Ke a warm hug, patting him on the back. Amidst the applause from the audience, he spoke louder, "Welcome to my show. I'm so glad you could make it." The pleasantries helped Lu Ke relax even more.
Leno guided Lu Ke onto the stage and to the deep gray sofa. Leno went back to the desk next to the sofa. They were about to sit down, but the applause and cheers from the audience were like a tidal wave, continuing without end. The atmosphere was much more energetic than he had imagined.
Lu Ke had never been in a situation like this before and wasn't sure if this was normal.
As a rookie, his first thought was that this was a request from the director. Weren't these people in the audience paid to be there?
So, Lu Ke turned to look at Leno. As a guest, he had to let the host take the lead.
Leno raised his left hand and gestured downward, and the noise from the audience subsided a little. He said with a playful smile, "How did I not know that the San Francisco 49ers had so many fans?"
"1946," Lu Ke said loudly.
Leno obviously didn't expect Lu Ke to answer. He instinctively replied, "What?"
"I said, since 1946, the San Francisco 49ers have had so many fans." As the starting quarterback for the team, Lu Ke had to protect the team's reputation. He could sense the teasing in Leno's comment and naturally assumed that Leno wasn't a 49ers fan and might even be a fan of one of their rivals.
Seeing the surprised look on Leno's face, Lu Ke asked, "What team are you a fan of?"
This was completely unexpected. How could Leno have known that this young Asian quarterback wouldn't be nervous and would even take control of the conversation?
But Leno wasn't a pushover. He was about to change the subject, but Lu Ke continued, "My favorite team is the Green Bay Packers, and I'm a 49er now. What about you?"
With such honesty, Leno couldn't beat around the bush anymore, especially since this episode had a different purpose. So, Leno spread his hands. "The Patriots."
The audience immediately started booing, cheering, and laughing. The atmosphere was lively. The New England Patriots were a rival of the 49ers, and even if you put that aside, the Patriots were the "public enemy" of the league.
So, Leno's teasing became an "enemy's malicious attack on San Francisco."
Unexpectedly, in their first exchange, Lu Ke had already dug up Leno's background and had the upper hand. The audience was in a frenzy. Moreover, the audience members who came today were all volunteers who had applied online beforehand, not people hired by the show. So, most of them were die-hard 49ers fans, which explained the lively atmosphere at the beginning and the cheers now.
Leno looked at Lu Ke with a mix of helplessness and amusement. A playful look appeared in his eyes. He had thought that this episode might be a little boring and dull, as the humor of football players was often a concern. His hosting job might have become difficult.
After all, to make a talk show great, the host and the guest were both essential. It had to be a back-and-forth exchange to be interesting.
But now, Leno felt that today's show was going to be interesting.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let's welcome the first Chinese-American quarterback in the history of the NFL. We are very honored to have the starting quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers join us today. This is a rare and important moment in the history of The Tonight Show." With a series of introductions, Leno regained control and gestured for Lu Ke to sit down.
The two finally sat down.
Leno didn't give Lu Ke any time to catch his breath and immediately threw a question at him. "How do you feel? I mean, this must be your first time on a talk show, right?"
"Yes, this is my first time on any kind of TV show," Lu Ke answered calmly. "Even now, I still can't imagine what I look like on TV, especially after taking off my helmet and uniform. I feel a bit exposed. So, when I came out, the audience's applause reminded me of 'The Emperor's New Clothes.' I tried very hard to resist the urge to run away."
"The Emperor's New Clothes."
Leno paused for a moment, then laughed heartily. "That's the first time I've ever heard that comparison, but it's very accurate. But I thought you were used to it. As the first Chinese-American quarterback in the league, every time you step on the field, you're making history, aren't you?"
"Jay, do you have a problem with me? If I'm not mistaken, even though I'm not a Patriots fan, we shouldn't be mortal enemies," Lu Ke's answer was completely off-topic and inexplicable.
But Leno showed a playful smile. As one of the top talk show hosts in America, he was most excited to meet a guest who could keep up with him. A witty interview was something to look forward to. So, he went along with it. "Oh? Why would you say that?"
"I can't answer your question. If the answer is yes, it would make me seem arrogant because I think I'm making history with every step I take. It's a trap. Even if it's true, I can't admit it myself, can I?" Lu Ke's answer made the audience burst into laughter. Many people even started to cheer, but it was unclear if they were encouraging Lu Ke to say yes or just laughing at his humor.
Leno nodded meaningfully. However, he still had no intention of letting Lu Ke off the hook. "So you're saying you're ready to admit it but are refusing to out of humility?"
Lu Ke remained calm and asked in return, "So how do you feel? Because you're also making history now, interviewing the first Chinese-American quarterback. Is there anything special about that?"
He had turned the tables on him.
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