He sold top business minds on a TV show that promised to save the world – and make them famous. They handed over thousands. Then reality set in and it was back to jail.”
“That’s just the beginning!” I said, remembering the look on the guy’s face when he had left.
“Exactly!” The professor said. “That’s exactly the beginning of what you’re dealing with here. That’s all the opening offer you’re going to get. It’s a perfect business arrangement. You’re giving them exactly what they want to give to you. You’re selling the right to use your name and image wherever and whenever you want and you’re receiving for it only the same rights that you’ve always given. It’s all business, and business interests.”
“So, they’re going to give you the copyright? Just like that?”
“Oh, yes. It’s the kind of business deal that’s never been made before. I can’t believe that you’re in a position to be caught up in it. I don’t think you’re going to believe it either, if you think I’m giving away all that I’ve got. The whole idea is crazy enough by itself, but add to it the fact that they’re going to give you the copyright to all this stuff and there’s no way to stop it. You’ve set up your own show and you’re the main character. Your word is your bond and you’re a public figure. I’m afraid you’re going to end up with your own jail cell.”
“But why should you help me? What do I have to offer that you wouldn’t get if you started your own show?” I asked.
“You’ve got what everyone wants. You have a name which means something. But this isn’t a reality show, it’s a drama. You’ve got a cast with some pretty high-priced celebrity actors and a great screenplay written by a director who’s been in TV before. You’ve got the best cast of actors in the business with Hollywood movie connections. You’ve got an all-star team of producers, directors and writers and you have a network that’s been supporting you since the day you started. You’ve got it all.”
I said, “What’s the catch?”
“The only catch is that you have to do exactly what the producer says you have to do and the producer’s got a lot of money invested.”
“I don’t get it.
