Marvel Salted Fish Kryptonian

Chapter 41 Merry Christmas

Henry moved into Gary Sr.'s apartment.

As the saying goes, an elder in the family is like a treasure. Although Gary Sr. is only in his late 60s, close to retirement age, his greatest value lies in his family's long-standing Hollywood roots.

They weren't a family of high-end directors or actors, nor were they a family with a complex network of connections working behind the scenes in Hollywood. But they lived close to each other, so naturally they had more experience.

Besides, cats have their ways, and mice have their ways. Old Gary couldn't handle anything too high-brow. But when it comes to navigating Hollywood, this bald old man has a few tricks up his sleeve.

...Well, whether it's true or not is another matter. It's like living at the foot of Shaolin Mountain, casually spouting off lines like "old tree with twisted roots" and "black tiger stealing hearts," along with some seemingly plausible tricks. It's a perfect bluff, designed to trick a half-baked youngster like Henry.

In short, Gary doesn't mind communicating with others. And as long as it is discussed, he is not difficult to communicate with for some small changes to the house.

We discussed this matter, mainly because Chinese food produces a lot of smoke. American kitchens are not designed for frying fish or stir-frying vegetables.

As for the Chinese restaurants in Los Angeles, it’s hard to describe them in a few words. Only those who understand will understand.

Now that he had his own place, Henry couldn't help but want to try some of the nostalgic flavors of home, which he hadn't tasted in twenty years.

Besides, I could cook for myself before I traveled through time, so there’s no reason why I’ve lost the skill now. Cooking doesn’t require a lot of touch.

But the online posts about the painful lessons learned by international students were still fresh in his mind. Henry took a quick look and found all the necessary pitfalls.

This includes smoke alarms, weak range hoods, etc. If not handled properly, the house will be filled with the smell of cooking fumes, which is not a big deal. The only problem is that the alarm will be triggered, and the automatic sprinkler system will be notified to the fire department, which will be a big headache.

After obtaining consent, Henry immediately drove to the hardware store and bought the necessary materials and tools.

Then he closed the door, pulled up the window, and smashed around with the speed of a Kryptonian, and the house was transformed.

I asked Old Gary to check the house and cook a dish for us to taste. It was just a plate of West Lake vinegar fish, a plate of authentic sweet and sour pork, and a dish of kale with oyster sauce.

All the ingredients needed were bought from the local Chinatown, and with a handful of Heineken beer, this meal was ready.

"Merry Christmas." Henry toasted at the dining table he bought.

"Merry Christmas," Old Gary said back. He added, "I didn't expect you to invite me over for the holidays. I almost thought you were interested in my old ass, or that you were just itching for something. But I'm not that guy."

"Fuck the Irish, this is my first Christmas in Los Angeles. Don't think I wouldn't beat you to a pulp and throw you out, even if you were Madfuck's landlord."

Seeing the bald old man holding a pair of chopsticks in one hand, as if he wanted to use them as a knife and fork to eat, Henry simply brought him a fork and spoon.

Old Gary picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork with his fork and said, "This is my first time eating Chinese food on Christmas."

Henry poured himself a bowl of rice and used his chopsticks deftly, saying, "I said I wanted to renovate the kitchen because I wanted to cook Chinese food. It was you who didn't believe it and said you wanted to verify my results, otherwise you would ask me to change it back to the original state.

"It just so happens that today is Christmas. You were the one who said I wouldn't look for you, so you'll have to be all alone listening to Christmas songs and watching a bunch of idiots from a soap opera."

"If it weren't for the fact that I don't like to owe favors to others or delay promises, and I just happened to have something to ask you, you would have to wait until I was in a good mood to have this meal."

"Okay, calm down, young man." Old Gary looked at the angry young man and said, "I said that just because I thought you would put it in the lunch box and treat me to a little bit. I didn't expect you to invite me in. Is this the custom in Alaska?"

Finally realizing that his behavior was quite un-American, Henry pretended not to be embarrassed at all and said, "Okay, I'll remember that. But I thought Valentine's Day was for Christmas Eve, and today is Christmas for family. Isn't your son coming to see you on a holiday like this?"

"I guess we'll have to wait until my funeral before he and his kind mother show up and happily accept my inheritance."

"Well, should I congratulate you on your divorce, or should I say I'm sorry that your former family treated you this way?"

"Son, don't say anything. Just let me stay in a good mood for a bit," Old Gary said earnestly, while eating his sweet and sour pork. He said in amazement, "No wonder you wanted to make Chinese food. It tastes really good."

"Right." Henry said proudly.

"You just said that you have something to ask me. Go ahead." Old Gary said this while eating and drinking seriously, taking a bite of rice, a bite of vegetables, and a sip of beer.

After Old Gary finished a can of beer, Henry immediately offered him another and asked, "I heard from Fabio that your grandfather helped Chaplin carry a camera. Is that true?"

"Fuck, of course it's true. It's truer than the Queen's chastity. I have a group photo at home of my grandfather, Mr. Chaplin, and some other people after the filming of a movie. I think it's from Oliver Twenty-One. Do you want me to show it to you?"

The tipsy old Gary lost some of his coolness and spoke with a lot of "fuck" in his mouth. He seemed to have temporarily recovered the speaking manner of an ordinary old white man.

He continued wistfully, "Not only did my grandfather work with Chaplin, but even my father, after leaving the army after the war, worked for a while at one of Hollywood's eight major studios. Although he also worked behind the scenes, he got to know quite a few important figures."

"What about you? Have you ever worked in Hollywood?"

When asked about this, Old Gary said with a hint of pride: "Hehe, you can never imagine that I work in the props department and have done carpentry work with Harrison Ford.

"But that guy was chosen by that blind George Lucas to play Han Solo, ignoring me, a rising star. So angry, I decided to quit and come back to look after this apartment and rent it out to those in need."

What is this? A real-life version of “I can’t be a big star, so I have to go home and inherit millions”?

A building!

There are six floors in total. While the number of floors might seem small, each floor houses ten households, each approximately 80 square meters. Suitable for both singles and small families, some apartments are rented individually, while others are shared.

The first floor was rented out as a storefront, housing a grocery store and a laundromat, and the rest was where Gary lived.

Henry would never believe that such a fortune could be accumulated by working behind the scenes in Hollywood.

But we Kryptonians are not here to ask questions, so Henry turned the corner and asked, "In that case, you should be very familiar with the ins and outs of Hollywood?"

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Chapter 42 Guidance on the Maze

Old Gary wasn't the least bit modest. He smirked and said, "It's just average. To be honest, if you want to be famous, you'll have to rely on luck. But if you want to make a living, I can still help you."

"Wow, you're being so honest. You shouldn't be talking so much at a time like this, as if you can do anything."

"What good would it do me to lie to you like this? I'm not an agency. I can't trick you into signing a contract, or take a cut of your profits. What if I say I can help you become a star, but I can't? What if you want to settle the score with me?"

"Haha, I don't need a pillar of support like you. I just want to ask you some questions."

They say drunken promises are hard to keep, and Henry didn't want to take advantage of him. Besides, Old Gary seemed sober, so there was no way he could set a trap.

"Ask, ask." Old Gary didn't know if he was bored and wanted to talk, or if he really wanted to help someone. Regardless, he was quite cheerful.

Henry, with the attitude of not asking but not taking it for granted, said, "I looked in the Yellow Pages and saw that the Screen Actors Guild is divided into the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. If I want to be an actor, which one should I start with?"

"To be an actor? Of course you have to find a good agency. If you find an agent who is willing to provide resources to help you become famous, that would be even better."

Man, this is a Marvel Universe story, not a Hollywood movie star story. Even if you win an Oscar, you can't stand the SHIELD trying to trip you up.

Henry didn't really take the Mad Titan or Dormammu, these super-sized enemies, seriously. Galactus's arrival was just that: a death.

But I really feel a headache for guys like Hydra who control political resources and can use administrative means to get people. They can't kill me, but they can disgust me to death.

So development should be done quietly, not by making yourself known to everyone. Do you understand what it means to be the first to stand out?

Even if he becomes a movie star, so what? If they want to discredit him, it only takes a few news broadcasts. He rises to fame through praise, and falls through smear campaigns. This is pure capitalism. Isn't Dachao often vilified?

Don't think that being well-known is like protecting yourself from being invulnerable. In the eyes of capitalists, that's completely useless; at most, it can only limit some of the more direct means.

So Henry said, "Gary, I'm not thinking about being famous or anything. I just want to be a bit of a comedian and see what Hollywood has to offer. It would be great if I could meet some big names so I can sit in my rocking chair and tell my grandkids who I met."

The bald old man gave this answer a look of "What the hell are you talking about?" But old Gary quickly accepted this idea.

Groupie stamp collecting is not uncommon in the United States, but it is widely known because rock stars don't take it seriously and instead regard it as a badge of honor.

But how clean is Hollywood? Are there really no such people?

No! In old Gary's opinion, this closed world is only darker, dirtier, and more smelly.

Rock stars and their kin only make the entertainment pages, but if the dark side of Hollywood were revealed, it would be fodder for the society pages.

"How about... you go directly to the Sacred Valley. I don't have any connections there, but they're all in Los Angeles, so I should be able to connect with them. Why not give it a try?"

Henry, of course, scoffed at Old Gary's suggestion. He said, "Fuck! Do you really think I'm here to sleep with celebrities? I'm here to experience life. You know, experience life!"

"Everyone knows that those little girls are just packaged. They look bright and beautiful on the surface, but who knows what they are like behind the scenes. They might be petri dishes full of all kinds of viruses."

This was the era when AIDS was at its most rampant, and the incurable HIV virus was terrifying. Not to mention traditional STDs like syphilis and gonorrhea, which were still prevalent in certain groups.

Old Gary was no stranger to these things, even more so than Henry.

He had seen too many young people who thought they were immune to all poisons, believing that all the rumors were false or that there was some conspiracy behind them. But when they were also hit by the darts, they regretted it more than anyone else, but it was too late.

"So how far do you want to go?" Old Gary asked in confusion.

Henry said honestly, "For now, I just want to get some minor roles and see what Hollywood is like. I don't want to have to sell my ass to get a chance."

"Aren't you short of money?" Feeling that his question was a bit abrupt, Old Gary added:

"As we've said, I only welcome long-term tenants of more than one year. If you can't find the rent for next month, I won't care how much you've done to this house, I'll make you sleep on the street."

Henry replied, "Don't worry. As long as I don't starve to death and I don't drink too much every day, I won't reduce your rent."

Gary understood and began to explain: "Well, if you really don't mind all this and just want to experience the Hollywood scene, you can join a union or find an agent.

"The advantage of having an agent is that they will take the initiative and help you find opportunities. After all, some opportunities are not readily available. Just knowing that an opportunity exists is a barrier to entry.

"But the agent will take a cut of your salary, and whether you like it or not, he will find a way to push you up. Because only by doing so can he make more money. Unless he gives up on you.

"Whether you have an agent or not, if you want to be an actor in Hollywood and have a certain level of protection, joining a union is a must. Even if you already have an agent, as long as you have prospects for advancement, your agent will recommend you join the union."

Henry then asked, "I heard that you don't need an agent, you can just join a union. Is that right?"

Gary said: "You have to understand that even though there are only 40 to 50 movies released in theaters in a year, Hollywood produces an average of 700 movies a year. The vast majority of movies go directly to video and are not shown in theaters.

"Not all movies are big-budget productions worth tens of millions of dollars. The majority are low-budget, shoddy films. Or directors and actors think their work is great, but it's actually garbage that no one wants to buy even on video."

"Unless the producers of these films have connections with certain agents, especially CAA, which provides packaging services and can gather all the people needed for a film, they don't like to deal with agents.

"Because if the agent actively seeks it, it may increase their production costs, making the already tight budget even more tight.

"At times like these, these small production companies will put their acting needs on the union and openly recruit. In other words, if you only want to find work through the union, the actors' union will back you up so you don't get paid, but you usually won't get a good job."

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Chapter 43 An Unexpected Road

Old Gary took a sip of wine to moisten his throat before continuing, "The above is about the film industry. Television series and radio are even simpler. Although their production volume is larger, their audience is smaller.

"Usually, all actors, including those who appear in supporting roles, are managed by the agencies or production companies behind the main actors. It's basically impossible to find a job on a TV show through union information.

"But you can try to register with some big agencies. They have people who specialize in dealing with casual actors, so you might get a chance to act in a scene."

"Is there such an agent?" Henry asked curiously.

Gary Sr. explained: "This is usually not the job of any particular agent, but rather something that the newbies who join the firm do, depending on who's available.

"Of course, these actors will also be listed under a certain agent. Because often, directors have conditions when they want people, and they have to meet the needs of their film scenes.

"For example, I want actors of a certain age range, male or female, a certain height, fat or thin, hair color, and ethnicity. It's like if I want a group of random soldiers, I can't just look for actors who are so skinny they'll collapse in the wind.

"Once these requirements are met, the agency will screen the actors they have who are suitable. At this time, you will also have the opportunity to get involved in a big production.

"But they're usually background roles with no lines. Supporting roles with lines and screen time, no matter how big or small, are the targets everyone is vying for. With your attitude of just getting a role, you don't stand a chance."

"It doesn't matter." Henry relaxed and said after taking a few sips of wine.

Then Old Gary suddenly acted mysterious and said in a low voice: "I just want to ask, are you someone with special abilities?"

"Special abilities?" Henry was stunned for a moment, then thought of a possibility and asked, "You mean mutants?"

"I don't know the correct term, but it should be the mutant you mentioned. Are you?"

"I'm not." I'm not a mutant, I'm an alien. I'm not lying, I'm honest.

Henry saw Gary's mysterious expression and asked, "Does it matter if he's a mutant? Is there discrimination in Hollywood?"

Old Gary, returning to his normal tone of voice, shook his head and said, "It's not discrimination. It's just that you have special abilities that can be put to use, so you will be more popular.

"Although some mutants look strange in appearance and can only play ghosts in fantasy movies, if their abilities are useful, they may have endless behind-the-scenes work.

"As far as I know, there's a master sculptor in Hollywood who can mold wood like clay. The bigger the production, the more welcome he is to the prop crew.

"Because often, when the details of the finished props need to be adjusted according to the director's requirements, others will take a long time to work on it, but he can do it in a few seconds. If you were a producer, who would you use?"

Henry's eyes widened in shock as he asked, "Aren't other people worried that their jobs will be taken away by these mutants?"

"Ha, it's not that easy." Old Gary looked at Henry's face full of disbelief, and he further explained: "As far as I know, it is not easy to find someone exactly the same or even just similar to this special ability.

"How can there be a monopoly on all the work in Hollywood with only one or two actors? Besides, this is the world's Hollywood. Actors need to have box office appeal, otherwise they are nothing.

"For behind-the-scenes staff, work ability is everything. If a person can't deliver value for money in the eyes of the producer, or can't meet the director's expectations, then that person is worthless.

"On the contrary, it can save producers money and allow directors to shoot satisfactory shots. Let alone mutants, even aliens would be hired with high salaries."

Hmm, how come we're talking about myself? How can a Kryptonian with such abilities survive in Hollywood? Henry pondered.

However, this also made Henry aware of something unusual: this world's acceptance of mutants was surprisingly high.

Ultimately, while there are mutants in this world, and organizations like the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Mutants exist, their actions haven't yet targeted ordinary people, and most of their fights revolve around mutants.

More importantly, the mainstream media hasn't yet started to sell mutant anxiety, and the government hasn't enacted any discriminatory laws, leaving mutants facing a predicament where they are universally hated and have nowhere to escape.