Hollywood's Bleakest

[barry]

(Off-Screen, March 15, 2016) 

“The fuck do you mean no one’s interested!?” His voice is nasal, the tone speaks of outrage and insult. It’s not an uncommon tone for him to take. Within a few moments of meeting the man known as Becker Gaines - former childhood star turned current early-thirties disaster - most realized that it was likely his natural state of being. 

In Becker’s own mind, those that thought he wasn’t entitled to that attitude could go fuck themselves. His attitude had gotten him far and earned him higher box-office grosses than any of those lesser, unsuccessful chumps that failed at even being hangers-on in his periphery could ever hope to dream of. 

He was better than them, just as he was better than the TMZ reporter on the other end of the line he was yelling at. Except... nobody but Becker Gaines seemed to realize it in this day and age. 

“What I mean, Mister Gaines-” The voice of a disinterested woman echoes back to him, once interested to learn of his next staged ‘public blowup’, she now barely answered or returned his calls, “-nobody cares about the fact that you’re pro-wrestling. It seems like a publicity stunt… hell, it IS a publicity stunt. Face it Becker, you went to the well too many times and pro-wrestling isn’t gonna dissuade anybody of that notion” 

Oh that uppity whore 

“GONE TO THE WELL?” His voice is a near shriek, luckily he’s alone at his home gym so no one can bare witness to his indignation. If he truly cared about his image as opposed to his fame, that is, “I don’t know who you think you’re speaking too, but I’m BECKER GODDAMN GAINES! My name ALONE should sell out that show! Don’t tell me it can’t work, look what it did for Danny Bonaduce!” 

There’s a long pause that only exacerbates the former child star’s incensed breathing. 

“... that lasted all of what? A week?” The woman snorts, barely containing a laugh, “Unless you commit to this, nobody’ll care about this either, Mister Gaines. Now I gotta go” 

--click!-- 

The sound of his cell phone shattering off the wall a mere moment later only seems to accentuate the silence that permeates his life, his career, and his purpose afterwards. 

They wanted commitment? He could do that. He’d prove he better than his doubters in Hollywood, and any doubters he had in the ring, too. 

(On-Screen, September 18, 2016) 

“My name is Becker Gaines…”



Our image fades in to reveal the man in question as he speaks. He’s clad in what can only be described as ‘Gym-Douche’ couture, name-brand Asics runners complementing an Under-Armour ensemble that was no doubt costly. Becker sits astride an exercise bike, foppish brown hair smoothed back with copious amounts of product. He looks down into the lens with a smile that feels far more like a sneer.



“... and I’m sure the lot of you know that name because unlike most of my… peers, I am actually a big deal. An actor in many films all of you at home regard as wholesome, family friendly staples of holiday viewing. I’ve topped box offices, have face-brand recognition the world over, and have had more money pass through my hands than most any one of you can ever comprehend”



With that he raises his hand from the bars of the exercise bike to extend his index finger as a point strikes him.



“AND now I’m going to grace the lot of you with my presence in the ring for 3GW. So you’re welcome for that. So how does this company decide to repay me for choosing to throw my lot in with them and giving them INSTANT ratings with my presence alone?”



Becker shakes his head, face twisted in disgust.



“A middle of the card match with Susan Kent. I’m saddened by this mishandling of a star such as myself, not just for my own sake, but for the lot of you too. I mean, I don’t know a THING about Kent, and I doubt any of you do either, and that just won’t do for a man of my star power! SO, despite this insult I’m going to keep doing these numbskulls at 3GW the favor”



He points into the lens.



“Firstly, I’m gonna show up. Secondly, I’m going to humiliate that nobody Susan so badly she’ll NEVER show her face anywhere I work again, and thirdly, I’m going to make sure they will never be foolish enough to leave me out of the spotlight again”



His face twists into a cruel grin at that.



“Because I’m Becker Gaines - Hollywood Elite - and I’m better than that!”



W!ith that we fade to black.