In the Los Angeles mansion, Myla watched the Primetime Emmys on TV and noticed that the camera had frequently panned to her step-son. "Lucas," she murmured, taking a sip of her Champagne, lost in thought.
She had observed Lucas slowly carving out a niche for himself in Hollywood. Myla suspected that Vincent, her husband, had been covertly supporting Lucas's career. She had confronted Vincent about this suspicion several times, but he always denied it with a dismissive shrug, "Even I was surprised that brat Lucas turned out to be such a decent actor."
Myla found it hard to believe. She couldn't shake the feeling that without her husband's help, Lucas wouldn't have even secured a nomination in a minor Emmy category.
She was increasingly convinced that her husband must be discreetly aiding Lucas's career.
In his office, Vincent watched as his son won the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. He snorted, seeing Lucas take pride in what he considered a minor award.
Despite his disdain, Vincent had to admit he was surprised by Lucas's achievement. Being nominated for an Emmy, even if it wasn't in a major category, was more than he had expected from him.
After Lucas savored the moment of winning the Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, the Emmy show rolled on.
As the evening progressed, nominees were introduced with clips, and winners made their way to the stage. Time passed until Jimmy introduced a well-known Hollywood figure. "I used to think this next guy was a fat, rude, loudmouthed Brit, but now..." He paused, his next comment sparking laughter in the audience, "He's lost a bit of weight."
"Ladies and gentlemen, Ricky Gervais."
As Ricky Gervais stepped onto the stage, the crowd erupted into applause and cheers. With a wave and a smile, Ricky greeted them, "Hello."
"Me again. I'm going to keep this short and sweet this time – and clean," he announced, prompting chuckles from the audience. "I'm saving the really offensive stuff for the Golden Globes," he added, earning a burst of laughter as he chuckled along, "They're all drunk anyway."
The audience's laughter grew as Ricky continued, "Not here. No drunk here. No drink at the Emmys." He shook his head with a laugh, "Not even backstage. Wanted to have a beer, but no."
Ricky went on, humor in his voice, "What's the worst they think is going to happen? Really, that we're all going to get drunk, go mental, and smack someone's head? What? There's no one scary here, really." He paused, then delivered with perfect timing, "I've seen people here cry when they break a fingernail."
The laughter in the audience intensified as Ricky quipped, "So, no one's going to kick off."
He chuckled, "No tough guys around, you know what I mean? No Russell Crowe – he wouldn't be seen dead here on TV." The laughter continued as Ricky added, "Or Christian Bale? No. Kiefer? He's got a couple more hours before things really start to unravel."
Then he smirked, "Mel Gibson? Come on, no, really, come on."
Shaking his head, Ricky continued, "I'm not going to have a go at him. He's been through a lot." The laughter from the crowd grew louder as he added, "Not as much as the Jews."
The joke about the Jews elicited even more laughter from the audience.
Ricky's chuckles grew louder, "But, you know, I've heard there's a rookie actor here tonight who might just find himself nominated for the Golden Globes soon. You better brace yourself, mate."
The audience looked around, buzzing with curiosity about who Ricky was hinting at. He then pointed directly at Lucas, "Yeah, I'm talking about you, Lucas. After your stint in '127 Hours,' don't be surprised if you find yourself at the Golden Globes. But let's not make any rookies cry tonight, right? It'd be such a shame. So soak up your Emmy moment while it lasts." As Ricky delivered these lines, the audience erupted in laughter once again.
The camera zoomed in on Lucas again, prompting laughter from the audience as they turned to look at him.
Many in the room were aware of Lucas's compelling performance in his debut film "127 Hours," which led them to believe in his potential for a Golden Globe nomination. This context made Ricky's joke even more amusing to the crowd.
Caught in the spotlight at the Emmys once again, Lucas found himself momentarily lost for words. As his fellow actors nudged and teased him, he pondered silently, "Is this my lucky day or my unlucky day?"
Being singled out not once, but three times during the ceremony, with Ricky's mention drawing particularly prolonged attention, Lucas couldn't help but wonder whether this was a stroke of fortune or misfortune.
At the same time, Lucas felt a bit odd under the fleeting scrutiny of his peers. Yet, he was secretly impressed that Ricky Gervais even knew who he was. The fact that someone as well-known as Ricky was aware of his existence, especially as the lead in "127 Hours"—his very first film and the only one released thus far— left Lucas quietly astonished. The other projects he had worked on hadn't even hit the screens yet.
Lucas was blissfully unaware of how his indie film was perceived in the industry. While it couldn't rival the box office earnings of major commercial films, which often soared into the hundreds of millions, his debut had still managed to rake in a respectable sum. More importantly, despite its modest earnings, within the industry, it was considered highly impressive and had caught the eyes of many.
After his playful jabs at Lucas, Ricky quipped, "Who's up for a beer? Come on."
To the audience's amusement, several waiters emerged, weaving through the seats near the stage to hand out beers.
Ricky then resumed, "The Office is in syndication." The audience chuckled. He added, "Those beers are on me. Thank you."
With a smile, Ricky moved the Emmy proceedings forward, "Now, let's present the award for Outstanding Directing for a Variety, Music, or Comedy Series."
The show went on as the names of the nominees were announced. With the winner already making their way to the stage, the Emmy ceremony stretched on for a bit longer before finally drawing to a close.