Chapter 451

"White House Dinner?" Adriaan frowned slightly. "Do I have to go?"

"According to the rules, if you want to refuse the invitation to the White House State Dinner, you can only use the following four reasons …" Claude had just said one sentence when Adriaan interrupted him angrily, "Isn't the fourth reason prepared for me?"

"The problem is that you have already used it once last year. Are you going to tell them that you are on a business trip this year? The current White House Office Director is not that easy to dismiss. "Claude smiled good-naturedly.

"Come on, Krau, did Nick Rockefeller attend the White House Dinner? Did Ann Drew Morgan attend? Did Sawyer Mellon attend? Of course, we can't be compared with them, but did Walter Kahn's cousin attend? Or when did my godfather and my uncle attend? "Adriaan asked plausibly.

"Unfortunately, Eide, both my father and your uncle attended." Claude smiled slyly. When Adriaan showed a somewhat stunned expression, he added, "Although it was 20 years ago."

"You also know that it was 20 years ago." Adriaan immediately argued again, "The real winners are hiding behind the scenes, watching the changes of the world coldly and seizing the opportunity that suits them. I have exposed too much, and I have always given people the impression that I am not capable in business. Although this is half true, it is better to let them continue to misunderstand, so it is better to leave these important tasks to you."

"Don't you think this approach is a bit … like covering your ears to steal a bell? Even so, it does not change the fact that you are the chairman of AC Media. "Claude shook his head.

"In fact, you also know that even if we have a good relationship with Clinton, we are not qualified to attend if we are serious. If it is not for the two TV stations in our hands, we are not qualified to attend." Adriaan turned a deaf ear.

Those who could attend the White House State Dinner were basically business tycoons or well-known political figures. Except for a few cases, there were not many Hollywood stars. Although AC Media was developing well and had begun to show its brilliance, it was still too young. If it were not for the popular news stations such as CNN and ABC, one of the four major broadcasting companies, and Adriaan was optimistic about the IT industry and was biased towards Clinton, they would not be invited.

"Well, Eide, I know you don't like politics, but this is not a state dinner. It is just an annual press reception. Don't be so nervous." Claude looked at him, amused.

"You mean …" Adriaan thought, "The annual press reception?"

"Of course. The White House has a tradition of being close to the people. Probably to celebrate the re-election, the White House invited more Hollywood stars than ever before. You don't have to worry," Claude explained.

Every year, on the last weekend of the end of April, the White House would hold a press reception and invite many people from the media industry. It was said that it started as a routine meeting between the Press Association and the White House, but it became a traditional reception. Compared to the various banquets in the White House, the press reception was much more relaxed. Although there were politicians and business people, there were also many Hollywood stars. Every time, they would choose a talk show, and the things they talked about were more uninhibited. Simply put, it was equivalent to a bigger and more imposing party.

"Looks like I have no choice?" Adriaan scratched his head in distress and looked at Claude's undisguised determination. "You're not going?"

"Of course I'm not going. Last year, I attended a state dinner. Although it was luxurious, it was boring. I don't want to go for the time being." This time, it was Claude's turn to argue.

"Unless you go, I won't go," Adriaan clapped his hands and said.

"What the hell!" Claude's mouth suddenly twitched. "Do you think I am your nanny, Eide?"

"Oh, Krau, what you said really hurts me. I have made such a big sacrifice. Can't you be my nanny for once?" Adriaan laughed. "Just say it. I will never change my mind."

After that, leaving Claude staring at him, Adriaan went to talk to Cameron and others.

Putting aside the White House's regular press reception, there were still some things to deal with about "Titanic." Cameron had done a good job. Whether it was the overall quality of the movie or the theme song sung by Celine Dion, they were quite perfect. In some ways, it even surpassed the original version in his memory. So if he wanted to replicate the miracle in his memory, there was only one problem left: publicity!

"Yes, during the summer. If it's possible, and if the fermentation speed is fast enough, I hope to arrange for it to be released in the first batch. I want all the movies in the whole schedule to tremble in the shadow of 'Titanic'!" Adriaan said to the director of Fox with obvious conceit.

Clayden? Although Cox appeared to be a yes-man on the surface, he couldn't help but curse inwardly. As Claude said, under ideal circumstances, it would be possible to break even by raking in at least 500 million yuan in the global box office. In recent years, the best-selling "Terminator 2" and "Jurassic Park" had only fluctuated around this figure. If anything went wrong, they might lose everything.

However, Adriaan's way of doing things was very much to Cameron's liking. Putting in all his effort to create such a huge production would never fail, so he also actively came up with ideas for publicity.

"We can reveal some information from time to time, all kinds of information. Some are vague, and some have a clear theme. Let people guess what kind of movie it is, and then continue to guess what it's about according to the information we reveal. Keep guessing and arousing people's curiosity. When the movie is released, they will naturally buy tickets as soon as possible." This was one of the countless suggestions that Cameron put forward in the following period of time.

Frankly speaking, this was a good idea, because it was basically in line with the elements of publicity in the age of the Internet. Yes, viral marketing. Although this kind of publicity method had existed since the beginning of advertising, in the age of the Internet, because of the speed at which it spread, it became a bit viral. At the same time, it also fed a large number of so-called economists.

Although Adriaan kept an eye on the progress, he was basically very relieved. He also knew that Fox didn't take his words seriously, but as professionals, they put in a lot of effort in publicity. Therefore, apart from filming "The Matrix," he still had the energy to do other things.

For example, he accompanied Sarah to the San Bernardino National Forest to revisit old places, and after playing happily, they made love again and again in the cabin where she gave her virginity. The movie "Campus" that she starred in was also released recently, and the box office was not bad. It was not as good as the previous movie "I Know What You Did Last Summer," but it was not bad either.

Adriaan thought that he could let Sarah rest for a year, and then improve the level of her role in the movie. Although "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" made her a solid idol in the hearts of young people, it also bound her. As his docile little lover, of course, he would not let her suffer. However, Sarah basically did not care about this. If it were any other time, she might have discussed it with Adriaan. But during their time in San Bernardino National Forest, Adriaan completely immersed himself in the world of the two of them, and they were extremely happy.

Therefore, Adrian naturally felt even more pity for Miss Jennifer Love Hewitt, which was bound to be even more tragic. Although Sarah, who suddenly became strong, taught this woman a good lesson, she did not make it too public, nor did she mention it in front of others. When promoting "I Know What You Did Last Summer," she also pretended to be close to her sister in front of the media.

However, Lovell was so humiliated. Even if Sarah did not say anything, Lovell's submissive attitude in front of her still caused many people to speculate. How could such humiliation make the ambitious Lovell willing? Naturally, she would not reflect on the cause of all this. She only thought about how to surpass Sarah and trample her under her feet.

The easiest way was to hook up with Adriaan. Didn't Sarah Michelle Gellar successfully get into his arms? So, whenever Lovell seized the opportunity, she would show her affection to Adriaan.

With a playful attitude, Adriaan played a few friendly matches with her. As another high-quality idol from the late 1990s who could stand shoulder to shoulder with Sarah, Lovell's figure and appearance were quite good. Coupled with her deliberate flattery, Adriaan naturally did whatever he wanted to her. However, if she knew that he was the one who asked Sarah to do all this, what would her expression be like?

Since they had made a deal, Adriaan would not go back on his word. So, after "Campus", he also arranged a role for Lovell in a movie. He praised her for her good voice and asked if she would like to try releasing an album at the right time. He also said that she was good at writing. Perhaps she could consider publishing some books and turning herself into an all-around talented woman.

Lovell naturally agreed to such a good deal. Unfortunately, she was still too young and didn't understand that being well-rounded most of the time meant being mediocre. Actresses who became big stars could also publish books and albums. They could casually write about their experiences and be crowned as a talented woman. Therefore, Lovell's agreement meant that she might never become an A-list star again. As for her agent who worked for Adriaan's management company, of course, he wouldn't say much.

In any case, this was the path that she was going to take. It was just brought forward. Adriaan didn't feel the slightest burden in his heart. Originally, he had planned to use Lovell to cultivate the other side of Sarah, so that she would have a place to vent all the accumulated negative emotions. Now, he could continue with that. Besides, it wasn't a bad idea to play with Lovell occasionally.

In addition, he accompanied Julia and the almost six-year-old Emma Roberts to Hawaii for a weekend. While he coaxed Julia, he prepared to start the fourth installment of his love story, "The Runaway Bride."

"When this installment is completed, when the fifth installment begins, the other work that has been prepared for a long time can also be started. At that time, I will personally help you ascend to the throne!" On the beach in Hawaii, Adriaan, who was lying on Julia's lap, watched Emma jump and play in the sea.

"We're here on vacation, not to talk about work." Julia rolled her eyes at him. Even so, she still looked very happy. So, after that … nothing happened. Even if they were on a private beach, Emma was still nearby, wasn't she?

But at night, it was different. After putting Emma to bed, Adriaan took her behind a nearby reef and had a good time under the bright moonlight. Julia didn't know if it was because of Adriaan's sweet words, because she received his promise again, or because she was happy on vacation in Hawaii, or maybe it was all three. Julia was very engrossed.

But compared to another woman, her engagement was far from enough.

"Woo ~ ha ~" Kathryn Zetajones stood up from her seat and waved the hat in her hand. Because the speed of the convertible car was almost over 100 miles per hour, her hair was blown everywhere, giving her a wild beauty.

After running for hundreds of miles, Adriaan finally slowed down.

"Hey, why don't you keep it going? The wind is very comfortable." As the car slowed down, Zetajones sat back in his seat gloomily. Then, he grabbed the brandy bottle and took a big gulp of it. He looked like he had reached the clouds.

Although her throat was moving, and a few bubbles emerged from the bottle, she didn't actually drink much. However, judging from her flushed face, it was obvious that she was actually very excited.

"I don't want to be ticketed by the police for speeding." Adriaan shrugged. "How is it? The thrill of racing is completely incomparable to riding a horse, isn't it?"

"The mood of the two is different. Naturally, it can't be compared," Zetajones said with a smile. "But I like both."

"Me too." Adriaan smiled and looked out of the car window. They were almost in Nevada, and all they saw was a vast wasteland. "In this boundless place, whether it's riding a horse or racing, it's a different feeling. This feeling of being so far away is something you can't usually feel. No matter what you do, it's so different."

"Is that so?" Zetajones giggled, got up, and looked at both ends of the road. It was the scorching sun in the sky. Although the sun wasn't very hot in April, there wasn't a single car in sight. "What if I do something dirty?"

Adriaan couldn't help but look at her. Zetajones leaned against the seat with her arm as a pillow. She had a teasing, provocative, seductive, and unrestrained smile on her face.

"That's definitely different." He reached out and pinched her chin for a while, as if he was admiring beautiful goods. Then, he turned the steering wheel and drove off the road. After driving for a few miles, he stopped behind a boulder.

Leaning against the boulder, Adriaan raised one hand behind his head and looked up at the grayish-blue sky. He placed the other hand on the head of Zetajones, who was squatting in front of him, and enjoyed her mouth to his heart's content. Doing this kind of thing in such a vast environment was indeed a different feeling.

In the beginning, Adriaan didn't ask for this because he knew that haste makes waste. If the benefits hadn't been fulfilled yet, perhaps Zetajones would agree. Then, in the future, there would be a feeling of advance payment. This was different from the feeling of owing. So, he had to take a long-term view. Adriaan decided to collect her.

Therefore, at the premiere of Zorro's Mask, Adriaan made a bet with Zetajones. As long as the movie's box office in North America exceeded a hundred million, then he could use her mouth. Zetajones neither agreed nor refused, so Adriaan took it as a tacit agreement. In the end, Zorro's Mask earned more than 108 million USD in North America. Although it was just a little over 100 million USD, it was still more than 100 million USD.

Despite this, Adriaan didn't mention this. However, when he visited the set of LV Confidential two days ago, he asked Zetajones to ride a horse at the racetrack. After a few laps, she began to take the initiative to tease him. Adriaan also tested the skills of Zetajones, who was dressed as a female rider, in the woods. Then, he asked her out for a ride on the interstate highway. This was only the second time.

"It's a wonderful feeling. You did a great job, Kate," Adriaan praised as he adjusted his clothes.

"Thank you for the compliment." Zetajones wiped the stuff from the corner of her mouth and smiled charmingly.

Although she was not the best among the three Kate's, she was still a little rusty at the time in the woods. However, after that one instruction, she was quite proficient now. She was very perceptive, wasn't she?

Then, the two got into the car and drove back. There was no further passion. It was similar to the last time. Although these places were exciting, it was hard to say if there would be any accidents. Without complete preparation, it was more appropriate to return to the hotel, even if it was a motel.

Speaking of which, Adriaan and Zetajones' relationship was quite weak. It was even worse than Gwyneth. It was a complete transaction. Although he had always insisted on having both feelings and interests, sometimes it was interesting to establish and maintain a purely beneficial relationship. After all, it was just a foil in the collection.

Zetajones understood a little, but she had her own plans, so she never restrained herself in front of him. It was just that she never realized that the initiative had always been in Adriaan's hands.

The next box office hit over 100 million, plus a nomination for Best Supporting Actress, what else could she ask for? On the way back, Adriaan looked at Zetajones, who was taking a nap in her seat due to exhaustion. He chuckled and thought so.

Before he knew it, the end of April had passed. Before the last weekend of the month, Adriaan finally came to Washington to participate in the White House's regular press reception. Since Claude agreed to attend with him, he had no excuse to refuse. So, he would go. It was not like he was going to the execution ground.