yournovel Chapter 32 Neil Bogart
Chapter 32 Neil Bogart
TJ is 25 years old, stylishly dressed, has a cheerful smile, and is very talkative. He started chatting as soon as he got in the car:
"My God, you're the author of 'YMCA'? Wow, man, this song is absolutely amazing! Mr. Bogart fell in love with it the moment he heard it, and we even did a Casablanca test for it, and the results were incredible!"
Zik paused for a moment, then asked curiously, "What is the Casablanca Test?"
"The method is very simple," TJ explained with a smile. "Just turn the song up to a deafening volume so that everyone in the entire office building can hear it. If someone is attracted by the music and comes over to ask what song it is, then we've struck gold; this song definitely has the potential to become a huge hit."
"How was my performance?"
"The performance was absolutely perfect!" TJ slapped his thigh and said excitedly, "This song is so powerful. As soon as it was played, it grabbed everyone's attention. The office was soon packed with people. Sales, marketing, public relations, and even the cleaning staff were all drawn over. Everyone was asking who wrote the song and when it would be released."
Giving this song to the Village People was absolutely the right choice; it's a perfect fit for their style! "Dinoble the Fucking F***ing" is working hard on the single release and is determined to make it a hit across America.
"Dinoble, fucking?" Zik frowned. While it was good that his songs were popular and valued, the company didn't seem to have a very harmonious internal relationship.
"Ha~ Don't mind him, this is our singles director, Al Dinoble, that's what everyone calls him. Trust me, he likes the name." TJ waved his hand with a smile. "There's no malice in it. Casablanca has a unique atmosphere, not concerned with those fancy formalities. Everyone's very casual, you'll adapt quickly."
Along the way, TJ talked non-stop about his womanizing achievements in Los Angeles, his tone full of pride.
The record industry is a glamorous job, and he is never short of beautiful girls who are eager to date him. Currently, two girls have moved in with him, and all the male colleagues in the office are extremely envious, since most of them are married and cannot enjoy life so openly.
Zik was thrilled and looked forward to life in Los Angeles, while Tino, who was older and more conservative, frowned and looked disapproving.
Although Zeke thought that with the way this guy managed to win over DJs at the King's Lounge and had hung out with the notorious womanizer Sinatra, he must have been a playboy in his youth.
After about half an hour's drive, the car finally arrived at Casablanca's headquarters, 8255 Sunset Boulevard.
A few unremarkable little buildings stand across the street from a strip club with a sign that reads "Body Workshop." In broad daylight, scantily clad prostitutes loiter on the sidewalk in front of the club, their eyes lingering on passing vehicles and pedestrians with suggestive glances.
Zeke immediately recognized that these women, apart from being dressed more scantily, were no different from the prostitutes in Times Square, Manhattan.
When the car was parked in the Casablanca parking lot, there was indeed a row of Mercedes-Benz cars.
TJ's earlier statement was quickly verified: each employee parking space in the parking lot had its name sprayed on a template, and one of the spaces prominently displayed: "Fuckin' DiNoble".
Tino frowned as he watched, muttering "indecent" under his breath, while Zeke felt a little uneasy.
The fact that such a vulgar term was openly sprayed on the parking space looks like some kind of American workplace bullying.
He couldn't help but worry that he might encounter similar troubles at this company in the future.
TJ seemed oblivious to their odd behavior, leading the way while explaining, "We own three buildings here. Casablanca's full name is Casablanca Records & Film Company. It's because the well-known Hollywood mogul Peter Guber merged his film production company FilmWorks with our Casablanca."
"Peter Guber?" Zeke asked.
"Mr. Guber was the Executive Vice President of Global Productions at Columbia Pictures. He knew the film industry inside and out and had known Mr. Neal for many years. In 75, he left Columbia Pictures to start his own FilmWorks. In 76, he brought the company, along with the five film contracts he had signed with Columbia Pictures, to Casablanca. So now we are both a record giant and a rising star in the film industry."
Stepping into the Casablanca headquarters, the interior is decorated in a distinctly North African style, with vintage tapestries hanging on the walls and exquisite sculptures on display, almost exactly like the set in the classic film "Casablanca," exuding luxury and romance everywhere.
Inside the company, a bustling scene unfolded, with employees performing their duties. Some were busy making phone calls, while others were discussing work, creating a lively atmosphere.
There were some strange decorations everywhere. For example, at the end of the corridor, Zeke saw a huge gong. The gong was shiny and looked very eye-catching, but he didn't know what it was used for.
Qi Ke wanted to ask TJ, but TJ walked very fast, heading straight for the president's office on the second floor.
Pushing open the door, he saw Neil Bogart sitting behind a large desk. This legendary figure in the record industry, whom Herbert had mentioned, was much younger than Zeke had imagined. He looked to be in his early thirties at most, with a dark brown afro. His most prominent feature was his pair of bright, almost bulging eyes.
He didn't get up to greet them; he simply raised his eyes and looked at them.
Tino clearly recognized Neil Bogart and quickly stepped forward with a respectful smile. The two exchanged a few polite words.
"Hi, Neil, how have you been lately?"
"Tino, long time no see. To be honest, I'm exhausted. I've been working non-stop the entire vacation..."
Although Neil also grew up in Brooklyn and was from the same hometown as Zeke and Tino, he spoke with only a slight New York accent, his tone was steady, and he had a charming mezzo-soprano voice.
The two chatted about the current situation in New York and the developments in Casablanca. Neil's gaze fell on Zeke, a smile playing on his lips, and he asked:
"So, Zeke, do you like Casablanca? Does it feel different from what you imagined?"
Qi Ke paused for a moment, then subconsciously said, "Uh, I quite like it so far." But in his heart, he thought to himself: We've only been here for a few minutes, I haven't seen anything clearly, and I've only listened to TJ rambling on and on. How am I supposed to know if I like it or not?
Just then, a woman's soft, ambiguous sigh came from the office.
Tino and Zik exchanged a glance, looking at each other in bewilderment: there were clearly only the three of them, grown men, in the office, so where was this voice coming from?
Looking at Neil again, his expression became very strange, his eyes were glazed, his cheeks were slightly flushed, and he leaned back in his chair, looking like he was high.
Immediately afterwards, a blonde beauty suddenly emerged from under his desk. She tidied her messy hair and gently wiped the corner of her mouth, her movements natural and casual, as if she had just done something insignificant.
Zik also clearly heard a soft zipper being pulled, and his eyes widened instantly, completely dumbfounded!
This is the office of a record industry tycoon? This is outrageous! Tino was so shocked that his mouth dropped open, his face turning red and white, and he stood there helplessly, not knowing where to look.
The blonde beauty tossed her long hair, showing no embarrassment whatsoever. Instead, she stepped forward, extended her hand, and introduced herself with a smile: "Hello, I'm Phyllis Jordin, the GG Director in Casablanca."
"WTF?" Zeke couldn't help but curse under his breath, his mind going completely blank.
The record industry is too chaotic and unrestrained, isn't it? He even began to doubt whether choosing to come to Casablanca was a mistake.
The office was deathly silent, the atmosphere extremely awkward. Tino and Zik stood frozen in place, their faces filled with shock and helplessness.
A moment later, Phyllis and Neil suddenly burst into hearty laughter, laughing so hard they were doubled over:
"Hahaha, Tino, Zeke, you should really look at your expressions, they're absolutely hilarious! Welcome to Casablanca!"