Rise of Roxy Ch. 04

"God we won't require a script for you," Mal grinned, pulling out the story boards for the opening shoot of scene one of Episode 1"

As usual there was bitter infighting with bids for budget at the meeting.

When Mal began disclosing what he had lined-up and there was immediate opposition to sinking so much money in a situation comedy that was notoriously difficult to win continuing viewer support, Mal sighed and held up his hands as if surrendering. But looking at the CEO he said apologetically, "The chairman called to direct that we slot Roxy into something and to make sure we make it big."

"Well then," CEO Bette Hill smiled. "Now who wants to oppose the chairman?"

There was nothing more than a few mutterings.

"Mal if we are to really push it as our premier new show, we'll expect you to be thoroughly convincing."

"No problems Bette, Mal said reaching for the story boards. "My development team and I have been burning the midnight oil and our star has accepted proving she can look sexy and be her natural self, and that includes being a little foul-mouth. I suggest 9:00 to 9:30 on Wednesday would be a good spot, leaving prime spots for you other guys. Oh and you can expect the city to virtually came to a standstill at 9:00 on Wednesdays."

"But that's suicidal spot for a new show because that time is in the middle of Channel 7's hour-long popular pioneering series The McBride's," called someone and someone else said, and it was Channel 4's spot for the popular Bring Me a Celebrity Show.

"Yeah well leave it to Roxy and Brett Silver to make that half-hour their very own."

"Brett Silver, he doesn't have a funny bone in his body," snorted the director of Light Entertainment.

"That's true Julie and therefore brilliant casting, don't you think? Oh and we'll require a live audience during filming, no canned laughter."

* * *

A couple of days before Mrs Smith and Roxy went to the charity dinner, Channel 8 announced details of its new comedy show to be launched in a month.

Usually the media either toss away such news releases but the package came with a very sex photo of Roxy and the text contained comments such as "TV comedy is rarely spontaneously funny, at least not since the reign of 'I Love Lucy' when that was funny because there was nothing much else going on, says Roxy" and something even more alarming to the Channel 8 bosses, "I'm no comic but I do see the funny side of things so perhaps I'll fall on to my ass with this attempt and at least a couple of viewers might see that as being funny. But seriously the concept is good, my leading man is so dumb he has to be funny and we have damn good scriptwriters. If only I could read. You know I think I'm already kind of redundant to this show. I'm sending out this promo for our new show without submitting it to our bosses because they'll only veto it. Very unfunny bosses are, don't you think?"

"Now what should I wear for my first show without hanging out of it. I'd appreciate someone writing to me at TV 8 to confirm whether or not PA babes wear panties."

Perhaps predictably, almost 200 letters landed in Roxy's office with several correspondents claiming they really liked the new show (it was yet to screen).

Mal came in and saw the pile of mail and immediately called the Channel 8's newsroom and asked Muriel Blake to come up to Production for a news story.

Muriel said haughtily, "Why bother, you guys never put anything of value of our way."

"Well how about this young lady? In a media release sent out two evenings ago and you guys ignored it, Roxy Reeves wrote asked whether or not PAs were panties. We have almost 200 letters up here and I thought..."

"I'm on my way with a cameraman Mr Johns."

On the night of the dinner before leaving to pick up Mrs Smith, Roxy watched in delight Muriel Blake's piece at the end of the news bulletin about Roxy Reeves' 200 letters.

Muriel read extracts from three of the letters.

Pixie wrote she always went without panties on bad hair days and felt all the better for it.

Anna wrote that she always wore long pants because her boss was ultra-frisky.

Sally wrote she wore short skirts and no panties to work but then she and her boss had been married for less than a month.

Rolling around on the sofa in laughter, Roxy scribbled a card thanking Muriel for her most entertaining crowd-stopper and placed it in the internal mailbox on the way out.

When the cab stopped to collect Mrs Smith, Roxy's coach said, "God did you see yourself in that newspaper photo. You weren't wearing a bra."

"Yeah well Muriel suggested I remove it and I didn't realize a nipple was all but popping out and neither she nor the photographer warned me."

"No I bet they didn't."

Mrs Smith's sister came out to greet them and escorted them into the auditorium where there was a sit down dinner for 600 people.

The din of cheers and screams and clapping was deafening when the MC announced Miss Roxy Reeves' arrival.

As the official party was being seated, some fool yelled, "Are you wearing them tonight Roxy?"

Roxy jumped on to her chair and yelled, "You better not blink because I'll only do this once and super-fast."

She lifted her short frilly skirt up and down with lightning speed and a pair of red lace panties flashed momentarily into view.

"Omigod," wheezed Mrs Roe, wife of the mayor and the charity host

But it was fine. People were in good humor and gave Roxy noisy approval.

"I'm sorry Mrs Roe. I tend to be a frivolous person."

"You're fine Roxy, just listen to that crowd. You have them with you apart from the usual old prudes of course but I don't see anyone leaving. Please call me Kate. Mary tells me you are a real sweetheart."

"Well I'm a current promising product of the genius of your sister's ability to thoroughly prepare would-be actors."

"Yes everyone says she's the best drama coach around," Kate said. "That's scarcely surprising because all she appeared interested in doing when she was young was playing with her dolls, talking to them severely and making them act out parts she'd created for them."

The fund-raiser was for a mother and children refuge center and Roxy spoke about her own upbringing or rather was she called her lack of real upbringing.

"There were no love and little money in our household when I grew up and they were always rented homes," she began, and continued on brightly although at times some of the situations she described had some of the women reaching for their hankies.

Many in the audience obviously liked hearing about the impressionable and fun-loving actress grandmother arriving into the lives of the Reeves sisters and taking the girls each year to the summer home she maintained in Tuscany.

"It was my mother's outrageous unmarried mother, a professional touring actress named Kitty McCleary, who was to have a profound influence on me and shape my life," Roxy said. "My parents detested my unstoppable grandmother but Kitty had out-powered them mentally and captured us for a month each summer."

"In Italy my sister and I ran wild with street kids and although initially I was only four apparently soon I was speaking enough Italian to make my older sister Clara and I understood by our Italian playmates."

"I never really thought of my mother as my mother like Clara did. I just thought mom was someone who fed and clothed me whereas Clara became mom's pet because she was always running after mom to try to please her and unlike me did well at school. Mom gave me the impression I was just in the way and costing too much for feed and clothed. I never got my first new dress until after mom died and after Kitty our grandmother died my sister and I lived at various foster homes and sometimes stayed with our aunties. For a couple of years we still had dad around mainly for meals and to sleep and at times he'd take off for days, leaving my sister and I to fend for ourselves and to pretend to neighbors someone was looking after us."

"Then one day several years later a young guy from Italy came calling. Paulo became sweet on Clara during our later years I n Italy when we were all teenagers, always acting like best of friends, Several years after he'd entered the construction industry and was earning good money, his mom told Paulo it was time for her to find him a good looking girl to marry. Paul wasn't about to leave choice of wife to his mom. He took three weeks off work at came here looking for Clara at her last known address. This was a serious mission because he remained captivated with Clara's gentle manner, her obviously affection for him and above all her glorious blonde hair. She was almost twenty-two by then and returned to Italy with him where they were married."

"His parents sent my return airfare and I attended the most beautiful wedding I'd been to. Well I'd only been to one before, but perhaps you can imagine me, a romantic 18-year old three weeks after graduating high school, believing my sister was having a Cinderella wedding because Italians really do weddings in style."

"No guy has ever thought of marrying me, as far as I know. But they continue to like me for sex. I recall the first time I went all the way but I won't tell you how old I was. I'd seen great sunrises and sunsets, including in Italy and one of my aunts once took me to see the Grand Canyon and I thought nothing could ever be better than that. Well this guy was older than me, a real smoothie. He did something to me and I appeared to burst inside and was drifting and I saw my mother through mist and she was smiling at me."

"Omigod, you are so naïve when young. I thought I was experiencing falling in love, rather than having my first orgasm but that's the situation you are in when you're practically on your own emotionally. Oh I was naïve, completely without protection and after he prepared to leave he said we shouldn't do that again because he was married."

"Luck obviously favors someone like me because I escaped pregnancy while I bumbled around like this and finally when I was living with one of dad's cousins I called Aunt Phyllis. She was horrified that I couldn't remember ever having had sexual education and I was busily having unprotected sex. Aunt Phyllis sat with me and straightened me out and told me the amazing news that men only have sex for their own satisfaction. Jeepers, I'd had the mistaken belief they were sweating to please me."

The assembly roared in laughter.

Roxy said, "Now I have drama acting and that means everything to me. I believe it's in my jeans from my late maternal grandmother who was a very well-known actress in her day and she toured internationally with theatrical companies. Well it's a real pleasure being invited her to chat with you. People at work are telling me I'm on the cusp of becoming a TV drama queen. God some people get carried away and you are left wondering what pills they are popping."

"So why am I here? Well the mayor's wife Mrs Kate Roe is running this show and her sister Mary Smith is not only my drama coach but my mentor at Channel 8. I guess they put their heads together and decided I'll be entertaining enough to whip up some enthusiasm to get you to donate generously to the Mother and Child Refuge appeal. So I would be failing in my duty if I didn't offer to sing for you. Who's prepared to donate twenty-five bucks if I sing the Irish lullaby Toora Loora Loora? Kitty my Irish-born grandmother used to sing to me in Italy when I was about five years old and it was too hot to sleep. Her mom used to sing that to her in Kilkenny when she was a child."

Five people raised their hands.

"Okay, officials please collect their money. I'm afraid I'll have no accompaniment..."

"If everyone does their best to join in I'll donate one thousand dollars," called a woman with a strong Irish accent who stood to be identified.

A guy stood and said he was good for five hundred bucks and two more guys with him said they would match Michael's donation.

A thin, elegantly dressed elderly woman said, "I remember your grandmother Kitty well my dear. Between tours she used to visits homes for the aged and performed concerts just to see the happy smiles on the faces of the residents. I was only a girl then and my mother was matron at one of the homes Kitty visited periodically. She'd be accompanied by a guy on accordion and another playing a tin whistle. It was the first time I'd ever heard the song 'Maggie'. It struck me to the heart, Will you sing that as your second Irish song, providing you know it?"

"Yes ma'am, that song is one of my enduring favorites. I too have some Irish blood and am proud of it but I'll have to ask for a wee donation."

"I'll donate ten thousand dollars."

There was a huge gasp and Roxy said, "But ma'am you don't even know if I can sing?"

"Roxy, I'm sorry your mom didn't mother you and that touched my heart hearing you describe your unfortunate childhood but I believe in you Roxy and believe you are a rising star. My heart tells me you can sing."

"Ma'am ten thousand is a lot of money."

"Well Roxy, one day you'll accept the truth that you can't take it with you. I'm the matriarch of the Baxter Industries family."

Roxy raised her hands above her head and clapped and other people applauded.

She said, "Your generosity is overwhelming ma'am. Well everyone I'll sing Toora Loora Loora through once and then I'll begin it again and anyone may join me."

Roxy sang with a young, clear and vibrant voice and soon had the audience swaying in rhythm in their chairs. She immediately called for everyone to join in and many people responded and the sound was quite impressive.

"Right everyone, it's now Maggie and time to shed a tear or two. I certainly will. As I said it endures as one of my favorite songs."

Roxy rendered it with deep feeling and tremendous clarity.

When finishing she called to Mrs Baxter to come to the rostrum and join her.

Mrs Baxter was helped to the rostrum and sang beside Roxy to the accompaniment of almost the full assembly.

Roxy kissed Mrs Baxter and thanked her profusely for her part in making the evening such a success.

The proud woman said, "A magic surrounds you Roxy, use it well."

The auction followed, raising a large amount of money and when closing the function, tears streaming, Mrs Roe thanked Roxy and thanked everyone for their generosity.

Kate Roe hugged her sister Mary as she was about to leave with Roxy and eyeing her guest speaker tearfully said, "Roxy you have exceeded all expectations and helped deliver a wonderful and financially a hugely successful evening. I anticipate we will end up with between $30,000 and $35,000 and that will be a record for my fund-raisers for charities. I am so grateful. Go in peace darling and use your God-given talents to enjoy your life to the full."

* * *

TV critic Di Roach wrote in the lead story of the Entertainment section of the Herald published on Wednesday morning:

I'm a bit long in the tooth to become excited about any new series on TV, having learned that mostly they splutter and fail to live up to the PR blurb. But Channel 8 has remained unusually tight-lipped about its new half-hour comedy show that begins at 8:30 this evening simply called, The PA. That low-key approach interested me.

It's no secret The PA is the showpiece for its rising star, Roxy Reeves. I asked for an interview but was told Miss Reeves was not available.

Damn and all my efforts to contact the young beauty with a chestnut mane were blocked. But just after 9:00 tonight, when I was having supper before leaving for home, Roxy called me.

"I've been resting up today and have just heard you had been attempting to contact me. I can come to you right now if you wish. I can't believe the lack of publicity my new show has received."

"I'm right on deadline. Let's do this by phone. Roxy I accept you are young but darling when you speak frankly to the media it's all on record... you are liable to be quoted."

"Yes so you think I'm a bimbo?"

"Oh Roxy, no I don't but..."

"My bosses deserved to be shafted for not heavily promoting the new show in an exciting fashion. In future in my contracts I'll have clauses covering promo."

"Um are you sure I can quote you on that?"

"Yes Mrs Roach. Give those mongrels what they deserve. I suspect the director of drama Mal Johns is the only one who backs me to succeed. I gather I'm not very popular at Channel 8 because I waggle my butt, am prone to profanity and didn't go to college and do drama."

"Oh dear, those are black marks against you Roxy but just ignore them. You must focus on your craft and wow your viewing audience. Perhaps you should consider moving to a friendlier employer?"

"No it's fine. Channel 8 gave me a break by employing me and the head of drama Mal Johns and my drama coach known only as Mrs Smith are responsible for the push I've received with some intervention from up high. Tonight is my big chance to impress and all I could say after viewing the edited tape was, oh boy, do we have a little stunner."

"I don't quite understand. Do you mean it's good?"

"Well immodestly I'll say people will be fools if they don't check out The PA tonight at 9:00 but I expect a hard-nosed bitch of a critic like you won't allow me to get away with a plug of that magnitude."

"A hard-nosed bitch? Oh darling, you compliment me like that and you'll get away with anything. What do you really like about the show so far?"

"Three things: Playing against Brett Silver who's almost as thick as I am and he's a real darling to boot despite emitting the personality of a fence post. And the script oh the script, to flows like melted honey and spreads, that is honey spiked with sharp barbs. And thirdly the director. I'm in awe of Sue Phillip for taking the gamble of her career by advising I don't have to follow my script religiously."

"Omigod, that sounds like a recipe for on-screen disaster."

"Yeah well perhaps. But let's not forget Brett Silver is a veteran campaigner and I've never believed rules were made for me and my natural tendency is to shoot from the hip."

"Darling I must leave you and bash off my script. I'll think I'll just let this interview run unchanged. Oh I wish I'd had a daughter and she was like you."

"Well despite your age don't give up on sex Mrs Roach. It's the foundation for good skin tone and full body fitness."

"Oh you darling."

DI ROACH, HERALD TV CRITIC

Roxy saw Mrs Smith smiling at her and shaking her head as Roxy slunk in and headed for Mal's office to attempt to apologize.

Mal looked up and grinned.

"Busily hurling more crap for the fan to scatter I see. We ought to work you harder."

"Mal money has been pumped into The PA and..."

"You know what Roxy? The CEO called me this morning while I was in the shower and Bette was cackling like a hen. She asked had I read Di Roach's column in the Herald this morning and I said no and she said Di had a ball with you. When the call finished I leapt out of the shower and ran nude to the kitchen to grab the newspaper. My wife saw me and fled. I read the article and I thought I really must compliment you for being the most unusual person working at this TV station. Most other people attempt to get on with work colleagues but you, you are in a league of your own You don't care a fuck who you verbally shaft and make no effort to appear part of any team... well I admit you do when actually working."

"Mal I'm sorry, I'm such a callous bitch and..."

"Shut up Roxy and I advise you to change nothing. If you deliver you will be treated like a star and already you are acting like one. Nice people get eaten in this industry. You have just the right edge of contempt to be not seen as a fucking rude bitch so you might just win some grudging respect."