"Hello, Mr. Cooper, I'm Jay Chou."
Eric nodded at the still-youthful Jay Chou, who hadn't yet consumed too much milk tea and become rounder.
"Hello, I'm Eric Cooper."
"Oh, as the rumors say, your Mandarin is even more standard than mine."
Eric smiled. Most people didn't dare to approach him directly.
Foreigners, after all, naturally had a sense of distance. How many people in the room were confident in their English skills?
They just hadn't expected Eric's Chinese to be so fluent, even more so than many actors with heavy accents.
"Mr. Cooper, I'm your fan! transformers was super good, super cool. It's just that blue is the warmest color wasn't imported to the mainland or Taiwan, so I could only buy the disc."
"If I had known I'd meet you, I would have brought my treasured figures from home for an autograph."
Hearing the word 'fan' from Jay Chou's mouth, Eric couldn't help but smile, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction.
2004 marked Jay Chou's first appearance on the Spring Festival Gala, and he was a key focus of the event, having already become a sensation across China.
Moreover, even across East Asia, Southeast Asia, and indeed the entire Asia, Jay Chou at this time wielded considerable influence; calling him a 'Little King of Asian Pop' was no exaggeration.
Especially with last year's album, 'Ye Hui Mei,' which included classic songs like 'In the Name of the Father' and 'East Wind Breaks.'
The song 'In the Name of the Father' was even played simultaneously on dozens of radio stations across Asia, reaching hundreds of millions of listeners.
Whether foreigners understood the lyrics was one thing, but the beauty of the melody and the operatic elegance captivated many.
In China that year, streets and alleys were still filled with catchy, simple songs like 'Mouse Loves Rice,' making Jay Chou's impact a true dimension-shattering event.
Also last year, he graced the cover of Time Magazine, an undeniable affirmation of his influence in the Chinese-speaking and Asian regions.
Even if Eric wasn't a music enthusiast, he could still sing famous songs by Jay Chou like 'Blue and White Porcelain,' 'East Wind Breaks,' and 'Far Away.'
"You like transformers? Which character do you like the most?"
"Megatron! Its transformation is incredibly cool, absolutely awesome!"
"Is that big model MGM made still around? The Megatron that could talk? I saw it in Shanghai, but the one in Shanghai was Barricade. It's a shame it wasn't Megatron."
"Yes, they're all at MGM's filming base."
"Really? Can I go see them sometime?"
"Well, that place isn't open to the public. However, my friends can. I remember you were on the cover of Time Magazine last year, right?"
The young Jay Chou was a little proud and a little shy: "Actually, that cover photo wasn't taken very well."
"Haha. I saw that issue, and I've heard some of your songs. It's a very unique rap style, very different from the American style, but it sounds really engaging."
Receiving the compliment, Jay Chou grinned: "For this Spring Festival Gala performance, I still plan to rap. I'll be performing 'dragon fist' from 2002. Wait, will you be watching?"
Eric nodded: "Probably. I imagine CCTV wouldn't be stingy with a ticket for me."
"Wow, your Mandarin and sense of humor are even better than mine, a Chinese person! Mr. Cooper, how about we take a photo?"
"No problem, I'm not performing, so I have plenty of time."
"A-Zhe, help us take a cool picture!"
The shutter flashed, and Jay Chou quickly asked, "How did it turn out?"
Only after his assistant gave an OK gesture did he contentedly thank him.
"Don't you need to participate in rehearsals?"
Eric looked at him curiously, feeling he was a bit idle.
"I've been on stage almost ten times already. The first time I sang on stage, those older leaders kept looking at each other, and their expressions were so funny."
"Was it because they couldn't hear the lyrics clearly?"
Teased, the young Jay Chou immediately covered his head and shook it slightly.
"It's okay. I can't understand a single word from those rappers in America either. Not understanding is exactly the point; that's the style of rap."
"Hehehe, mainly Fang Wenshan's lyrics are too hard to remember. When I forget my lines, I can only mumble my way through."
"Mr. Cooper, I just heard someone say you came with Michael Jackson?"
Eric nodded: "Let me guess, your next sentence will be 'I'm a fan of Michael too,' right?"
"Of course, everyone who plays music in the world is his fan!" Jay Chou suddenly said excitedly, his small eyes wide.
"He's rehearsing in Hall 3 now. We can go watch together."
"That's great! I was just wondering how to talk to my idol and get a photo."
"Hmm? So that's why you approached me?"
"Hehe. A little bit, but I really love your movies. Actually, I'm also quite drawn to the film and television industry. I've acted in a few movies and TV shows, and honestly, being an actor is pretty good."
Jay Chou belonged to the typical category of actors who crossed over due to immense popularity, but his singing career was so successful that his achievements in film and television appeared relatively overshadowed.
If Eric remembered correctly, next year he would star in his first film, 'Initial D,' and later participate in Chinese films like 'Curse of the Golden Flower,' 'Kung Fu Dunk,' 'The Treasure Hunter,' and 'True Legend.'
Moreover, due to his immense popularity in the Chinese-speaking regions, he also successively appeared in films such as 'The Green Hornet' and 'Now You See Me 2.'
And he consistently inherited the tradition of 'actor-turned-director,' helming films like'Secret' and 'Pandamen,' which were of acceptable quality.
Thinking back to his last promotional trip to Japan, he was in talks with several manga publishers for potential film and television adaptation rights of some popular manga.
Once the collaboration was finalized, the resulting films and TV shows would definitely be distributed globally, and some roles would actually be quite suitable for Jay Chou to play.
After all, for Japanese manga, an Asian face would be more appropriate.
"You want to be an actor, are you interested in anime?"
Jay Chou nodded: "Of course! I especially love watching 'Detective Conan.' Do you know it? The male lead, Shinichi Kudo, I adore him."
"Conan, that grim reaper elementary school student who's always in second grade? MGM is currently negotiating with Japan to adapt some manga into film and television."
"If you have thoughts of entering the film and television industry, I'll contact you then."
Jay Chou was a little surprised; he was just chasing a celebrity, and now he had a role out of it.
His assistant quickly nudged him, and he hastily nodded: "That's great! I still quite like acting, and if I have the chance to film a Hollywood movie, that would definitely be even better."
"Then consider it agreed. When the time is right, I'll contact you."
As they spoke, they arrived at Studio 3. Seeing Eric leading people, the staff dared not block them and obediently let them in.
Are you kidding? The director himself just came to meet him. Such a big shot is not to be trifled with, truly not to be trifled with.
Inside, Michael was communicating with CCTV staff with the help of a translator. His forehead was covered in fine sweat, and the backup dancers around him were also panting and resting, clearly having just finished performing.
"It seems your luck is a bit bad; Michael has already finished performing."
Jay Chou didn't answer, his eyes already gleaming as he stared at Michael. If he hadn't been mindful of the ongoing conversation, he probably would have rushed over immediately.
"What's wrong? Are you having trouble communicating?"
Michael shook his head slightly: "They seem a bit dissatisfied with my dance moves. We're currently discussing it."
"Their demands are too high, aren't they? They're not satisfied with your dancing?" Eric was surprised.
"No, it's not dissatisfaction. It seems they feel one particular move isn't 'civilized' enough."
Saying this, Michael performed a signature hip thrusting move.
"It's this one. The TV station is worried it might have a negative impact on children."
Eric rolled his eyes; he was truly speechless.
Filming is graded, and the reasons are understandable. If it's left unchecked, ideological control becomes difficult, and many directors would certainly make a large number of R-rated and NC17-rated films, which would have a significant impact on people's thoughts.
But it's just one move. Many artists do this move. What kind of negative impact could it possibly have?
Everyone's attention would surely be on Michael as a whole. Who would develop bad ideas because of this, especially when it's Michael doing it?
It was purely overthinking, like setting off firecrackers!
"I'll talk to them."
Feeling a bit annoyed, Eric decided to personally communicate with these old-fashioned people.
Just as he was about to walk over, they suddenly nodded.
"Mr. Jackson, after discussion, we believe there's no need to modify your moves. Please dance as you envision it; we will cooperate fully."
Jay Chou, who had been watching from the side, looked at these people in bewilderment, thinking how much trouble he had during his own rehearsals. Was it really that simple for Michael?
Before he could finish his astonishment, the other party continued: "Mr. Jackson, regarding your request to sing live, we also agree."
"Having just watched your live performance, honestly, we were deeply impressed."
"Wait, I also want to sing live, can I?" Jay Chou asked opportunistically.
However, the other party flatly refused. His 'dragon fist' was already disliked by these old fogeys; being allowed on stage was already good enough.
And he wants to sing live? Does he have that level of skill? It would be more reasonable to discuss this issue after he can enunciate the lyrics clearly.
"Eric, who is this?"
Michael looked at Jay Chou, who quickly introduced himself.
Eric added some details for him, and upon hearing that this young man was a very popular singer in Asia and had even graced the cover of Time Magazine, Michael couldn't help but feel a little anticipation: "I look forward to seeing your performance."
This remark put pressure on Jay Chou, but he still successfully got an autograph and a photo.
The autograph was signed directly on his jacket, and the young Jay Chou kept mumbling about carefully preserving the clothes when he got back.
"Heaven sends blessings, Earth sends blessings, I send blessings to everyone."
"Send blessings to every place, send blessings to every household."
"Elders receive blessings, enjoying peace in old age."
"Children receive blessings, happy as the Great A-Fu."
Amidst the lively and grand opening music, the 2004 Year of the Monkey Spring Festival Gala officially began.
Dozens of vibrant young women danced on stage, waving their wide skirts, while Jie Xiaodong, Sun Li, and others sang the opening song 'Blessing Spring.'
Eric and Michael's seats were arranged in the front row on the right, offering a panoramic view and excellent visual effects.
Watching the lively scene on stage, Michael, participating in this type of gala for the first time, found the experience completely different from the events he usually attended.
"Eric, they look so happy. This dance has a bit of a Spanish flair."
"Because this is an annual grand event. This gala is very important to Chinese people. Even if they are sad inside, they must appear happy on stage."
Michael nodded: "Professionalism, I understand. No wonder the TV station let them lip-sync; this is actually also being responsible to the audience."
After the opening song and dance, the four hosts, Zhu Jun, Zhou Tao, Li Yong, and Ni Ping, walked onto the stage.
"At this moment, as we celebrate the Spring Festival here, the spring breeze of 2004 sweeps across the land of China."
"In the past year, the Chinese nation has achieved brilliant accomplishments that have drawn worldwide attention."
"The Year of the Monkey Spring Festival is extraordinary. Tonight, our CCTV has pulled out all the stops, determined to bring excitement and joy to the national audience."
"In this joyful and harmonious moment, we first extend our New Year greetings to all ethnic groups in the country, compatriots in Hong Kong and Macao, compatriots in Taiwan, overseas Chinese, and all Chinese children around the world!"
"We wish happiness and well-being to friends in front of the television, prosperity and strength to our motherland, and a bright future, family happiness, and a lifetime of joy to friends who are reading!"
After the opening remarks, Hou Yaowen, Shi Fukuan, and others presented the crosstalk 'Twelve Zodiac Animals Pay New Year's Greetings.'
Eric smiled knowingly. Michael, although he didn't understand a word, was still infected by the joyful atmosphere around him and couldn't help but laugh along.
"Eric, is this a stand-up comedy performance?"
"It's somewhat similar, but it's not the same as stand-up comedy. It should be categorized as comedy."
"Wow! I really respect comedians. Making an audience laugh is not an easy task."
Eric thought, 'This is just the beginning. When the Iron Triangle appears later, the applause and cheers will blow the roof off.'
Guo Da, Guo Donglin, and Yang Lei presented 'Good People Don't Get Discounts,' while old man Yan Shunkai, Hong Jiantao, and Xiao Dingdang performed the skit 'Telling Stories.'
The story about a grain coupon was decent, with a hint of 'making dumplings' flavor, but it wasn't as strong as later works.
However, choosing Xiao Dingdang, the child star, was a real misstep. Eric always considered him the most greasy child star in China, especially when he played the young Yang Guo in the return of the condor heroes; that greasiness was no less than Huang Xiaoming's.
Yang Shaohua and his son Yang Yi performed the crosstalk 'Father and Son Celebrate New Year,' and Huang Hong and Cheng Yu presented the skit 'Brothers,' but the comedic effect was mediocre.
It wasn't until Gong Hanlin's skit 'Urban Outsider' that the hypnotic Cantonese, "Mother hen, ah, mother hen," had the audience roaring with laughter. This catchphrase truly stuck with Eric for a long time.
The highly anticipated song medley for many young people began. After Jiusai Wei and Che Di Zhan Shen A Du sang 'Warmth,' the lights became dazzling, and Jay Chou appeared with his 'dragon fist.'
"Michael, he's the singer who took a photo and got an autograph with you the other day," Eric said, pointing at the stage.
Hearing this, Michael's attention became focused.
Jay Chou first played a drum, then lip-synced and began to sing.
"My right fist opens the sky, transforming into a dragon."
"Moving mountains and rivers anew, filling the cracks."
"Adjusting the time and space of the sunrise in the East."
"Returning to the primordial wilderness to dominate and control."
He did somersaults, wielded a sword, and swayed continuously to hype up the atmosphere.
How to describe it?
It felt quite energetic, but it was also full of a 'chuunibyou' vibe, seeming a bit overdone. One could only say his stage presence was still relatively green.
Moreover, there was a group of backup dancers standing idly behind him. They should have at least designed some movements to highlight them.
After singing, Jay Chou specifically glanced at Michael before exiting the stage.
Eric looked behind him; many middle-aged people were in a state of confusion, probably wondering what on earth this young man was singing about? Why couldn't they hear a single word clearly?
"Michael, what do you think of his singing?"
Michael nodded slightly: "He has a very unique style. No wonder he can become an Asian superstar. I should go prepare."
"Mm."
By this point, the gala was nearing 10:30 PM, and two and a half hours had already tired some audience members.
At this time, a strong stimulant was needed, and the King of Skits, Uncle Benshan, was born for this time slot.
As soon as the Iron Triangle appeared, they were met with enthusiastic applause.
Even though the skit 'The Water Delivery Man' was not considered top-tier among Uncle Benshan's works, it still brought waves of laughter.
All genuine laughter, no faking.
After a shot of adrenaline, many audience members perked up again, their attention returning to the TV screen.
However, as the gala continued, by 11:30 PM, the audience's attention waned again, with many already struggling to stay awake and preparing for bed.
CCTV's other shot of adrenaline was due to appear.
As the hosts exited, the highly anticipated performance arrived.
The stage lights suddenly became a mix of dark red and black, immediately invigorating everyone. A stimulating BGM, like a James Bond movie soundtrack, appeared, and many people's pupils constricted.
The King of Pop.
He has arrived!