I’m Really a Superstar

The next day.

In the morning.

At Zhang Ye’s Studio.

The moment Zhang Ye arrived at work, he clapped his hands and gathered everyone together. “Everyone, drop your work for now. I have something to announce. Yesterday, CTV International invited us to make a show that is suitable for international audiences. I’ve thought about it for a whole day and finally decided that this will be our next project. I won’t be taking any new jobs for the next few months and I want everyone to make the development of this new show their top priority.”

Little Wang said in surprise, “What?”

Tong Fu was taken aback. “We’re really going to do it?”

Zhang Ye smiled and said, “Really.”

Ha Qiqi said curiously, “Didn’t you say that you didn’t want to do it?”

“Yeah.” Wu Yi said nervously, “You said yourself that it wouldn’t work.”

China’s television shows had always been stuck in a difficult spot, especially in the three years that Zhang Ye was serving his sentence. The bustling activity was just an appearance, but be it variety shows or documentaries, or even television series, their potential had always been limited to China. None of them were able to make it out there. During these years, there was also a continuous stream of television workers who tried to bring China’s shows onto the international stage. But the end results were always failures without exception. Gradually, no one attempted it anymore.

But this time, Zhang Ye wanted to give it a try.

Zhang Ye smiled gleefully. “If it were any ordinary show, of course it wouldn’t work. This show we’re trying to make will be totally different. It’s a genre the world has never seen before. It can even be described as unique. Believe me, if this show is produced according to my expectations, it wouldn’t be too exaggerated to say that it will become popular all over the world. Whether or not a Chinese television show can make it outside of our own country will all depend on this. But I have to tell everyone this first: The show won’t be easy to shoot. It’s going to be extremely difficult, so I will also have very high expectations for our crew. This is an outdoor survival show that will be filmed in the wilderness. Although we also have a lot of experience filming documentaries, television series, and movies, even if we have trekked through the mountains and the countryside, this is still going to be something different. Therefore, for the film crew this time, I prefer women not to take part and stay behind in the office to work.”

Little Wang rolled her eyes. “Director Zhang, you’re discriminating against women this way.”

Zhang Ye said in amusement, “Believe me, you definitely do not want to follow along. It’s possible that everyone will have to stay out in the wilderness for up to three or four days without any sort of logistic support. The accommodations and living conditions are not going to be too convenient for women, so you might as well not go. I’ll plan around that by focusing on our male staff for the shoot.”

Ha Qiqi asked, “Just what is the show going to be like?”

Little Wang also asked, “Yeah, is it really that good?”

Make it out of China?

Become popular all over the world?

They were completely unable to imagine what Zhang Ye described.

Zhang Ye chuckled and thought that he might as well bring out the proposal he had worked on through the night to prepare.

Everyone immediately lowered their heads to read it.

—Man vs. Wild?

One page.

Five pages.

Ten pages.

After looking through it, everyone in the studio had a look of shock on their faces. Before this, none of them understood exactly what Zhang Ye had meant when he talked about it being a survival show shot in the wilderness. It was even more difficult to understand what the format would be like and how it would be filmed. But after looking at the program proposal, they finally got a taste of what it would be like!

Little Wang exclaimed, “Oh my God!”

Ha Qiqi said anxiously, “No way! Th-This is too dangerous!”

Zhang Zuo stared, aghast. “You’re risking your life like this!”

Wu Yi said in shock, “If anything goes wrong, someone could die!”

Zhang Ye smacked his lips and said, “Die? I know the limits!”

“The safety of the film crew is not a big problem since we won’t have to follow along for every scene.” Tong Fu said, “But who’s going to be responsible for your safety? This is even more dangerous than the time we were filming the lion scene in the African savanna. If something really happens, we won’t even have enough time for the rescue. According to this program plan, it wouldn’t be enough even if you had ten lives. Who the heck wrote this lousy proposal!”

Zhang Ye rolled his eyes. “I wrote it.”

Tong Fu said, “Uh…”

Zhang Zuo said firmly, “I object!”

Ha Qiqi said, “I object too!”

Almost everyone protested against it.

But Zhang Ye said bluntly, “Objections overruled. We’re going to do it. We’ll prioritize the stronger guys to be the members of the film crew. Of course, it’s all voluntary. Those who are afraid or can’t endure hardships don’t have to go. Same for those who are physically weak. Otherwise, they can’t handle any unforeseen situations in the wild. After you’ve thought it through, register your interest with Old Ha. I want to see the list for the film crew before getting off work today. Oh yes, I will also need a dedicated cameraman to stick with me throughout. This job is going to be very dangerous as well, but our studio’s staff won’t be able to do it since they don’t have the abilities. See if there’s anyone out there who’s suitable for this job and employ them for the production. I don’t need someone who’s very good at filming as this is not an art film. What’s more important is that they are hardy and physically fit and have wilderness survival experience.”

Everyone kept looking at one another.

Zhang Ye blinked and said, “What are you all standing there for? Old Ha?”

Ha Qiqi said helplessly, “Understood.”

Zhang Ye looked at Zhang Zuo. “Brother Zuo?”

Zhang Zuo threw his hands up and gave in. “Whatever you say.”

They both understood that if Director Zhang had decided on it, there would be no point in persuading him.

Zhang Ye laughed. “Come on, let’s get moving. When we’re done filming the show, you guys will understand why I’d rather take the risk and finish making the show. Just wait and see how this show will sweep the world off its feet. Whatever TV shows from America, the UK, or Japan, whatever talk shows, variety shows, and documentaries, they will all be vanquished! It’s not going to be difficult at all.”

Everyone was speechless. They didn’t know if Director Zhang was serious or just taking them for fools.

Sweep the world?

Broadcast all over the world?

Was that possible?

With just a survival show in the wilderness?

Would anyone enjoy watching a show with a “fool” wandering around in the mountains?

…

On the same day.

The news of Zhang Ye’s cooperation with Central TV International spread.

Although there weren’t any specifics and details made known, many media outlets and citizens could already guess through the existence of this news. Zhang Ye’s new work was going to be revealed soon, and it was going to be an international television show too! This was really big news. Ever since Wolf Warrior 2, media outlets from all over the world were paying attention to Zhang Ye’s activities. To everyone’s surprise, Zhang Ye, who had just become famous worldwide as a movie director, was turning back to making television shows!

On the Web.

“Zhang Ye is not going to make movies anymore?”

“You’re a movie director. Why would you be making TV shows!”

“There’s a saying in China: If you’re don’t have a diamond drill, don’t be mending ceramics ¹ , lol.”

“What’s there in China that’s worthy enough to make into a TV show?”

“Who knows? Do you guys have any memory of a Chinese TV show?”

“Nope, never watched one before.”

“Me neither, I’ve never heard of any.”

“In the field of the global television industry, there has never been a share for China.”

“China’s shows don’t have a shred of presence.”

The netizens of the various countries couldn’t feel optimistic at all as all kinds of contemptuous voices rang out.

In the end, they were slapped by the Chinese netizens.

A Chinese netizen: “Previous posters, I wouldn’t refute it if you said anything else. But since we’re on this topic, I have to say something about it, hur hur. Perhaps you guys still don’t know about this, but the talk shows that you love watching the most actually originated in China.”

The netizens of the various countries were surprised.

“What?”

“Talk shows?”

“It spread from China?”

“How is that possible!”

Many of the foreigners could not believe it.

Countless Chinese netizens laughed and said: “Go on and check it out. It’s especially legendary!”

When the netizens of countries around the world heard this, they went to check if it was true. Only then did they realize that the talk show format really originated in China and that the earliest talk show first appeared there. Many of their foreign talk shows had imitated that show, and some even paid copyright fees to China to adopt the format. This discovery really shocked them.

The foreign netizens:

“It was really from China!”

“This is ridiculous!”

“I’m finding out about this for the first time!”

“There’s such an impressive TV personality in China?”

“So who was the first person to do a talk show?”

They were really curious.

Immediately, the Chinese netizens gave them the answer: “The first talk show in the world was made by Zhang Ye. The copyright money that you guys have been paying all these years were paid to him.”

Many of the foreigners couldn’t help but yell, “Fuck!”