The Fame Game Read Free Page A

him these days. Today they’re mostly schmucks, which is where I come in, trying to find the few good ones and see that they get the success they deserve. You may not realize it, but you soon will—I perform a public service. With all the talent in the world, many of them would never get there at all if it weren’t for me. Now, as I’m sure you know, I always have twelve clients, no more, no less. I like to think of them as my Dirty Dozen.” He smiled. “I give each of them a one-year contract, which keeps them insecure. It’s very important in this business to keep the talent insecure. Otherwise they begin to believe the lies I tell about them and they think they’re too good for the man who created them in the first place through his toil and sweat—that’s me. If they’re good and it works out, I renew the contract.”
    “May I ask you a question?” Gerry said.
    “Please do. As many as you want.”
    “Well, if they do get big, as you say, then what’s to prevent them from going to someone else after the contract is up?”
    Libra smiled like the Cheshire Cat. “Insecurity. That’s why I tear them down. You’ll see. You may sometimes think I’m cruel, but it’s good for them, because I’m the best person for them and this is where they should stay no matter who else woos them once they make it. There are always managers and publicists waiting to woo clients who are already famous, but who takes the chances I do on semi-unknowns? Why should somebody else with less imagination and talent than I have reap the rewards of what I planted and cared for, huh?”
    “You’re right,” Gerry said.
    “Of course I’m right. There’s something else you ought to know. A celebrity, no matter how big he gets, thinks it’s all going to be taken away from him tomorrow. Even when he’s gotten up to the top of Mount Everest he thinks he’s going to fall right off. And I never let them forget that. Because do you know something? They’re right.”
    “I’m not sure I agree with you,” Gerry said. “I mean, a Judy Garland, for example; everybody loves her even when she comes out on the stage hoarse.”
    His eyes narrowed with genuine anger. “Listen, you, I can send you right back to that employment agency where I found you and that’ll be the end of you.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “You can be replaced in five minutes. I only have to pick up this phone. Then you can go right back to your schlock publicity job with some jerk movie company. Do you want to do that?”
    “No, sir.”
    “Then what do you say?”
    “I’m sorry. I guess I’ll just have to learn.” She felt like a fool. She should never have mentioned Judy Garland; he was probably jealous because he didn’t have her for a client. She didn’t even know this man and he was yelling at her as if she was a cretin. She knew her face was getting red.
    “I only took you on because I like to give young people a chance. You’re really too young for this job. And I wanted someone less attractive. You don’t look serious.”
    “I am serious!”
    “Then what do you say?”
    “I’m sorry. I said I was sorry.”
    “Say: ‘Please let me stay, I’ll be good.’” His eyes stared into hers like that game she used to play when she was a kid: Whoever blinks first loses. She could feel tears of rage and frustration beginning to spill over and she blinked. She put down the coffee cup, carefully so not to break it because what she really wanted to do was hurl it across the room, and went for her coat.
    Libra didn’t say anything, he just watched her. She took her coat out of the closet and put it on. “Good-bye, Mr. Libra,” she said pleasantly.
    Her hand was on the doorknob when she heard him laughing. “Red hair and a temper,” he said. “How trite.”
    “You should know,” she said with revolting sweetness.
    “Take off your coat, you asshole, and sit down.”
    “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
    “You’re not fired.”
    “I know. I’m