NOT TOO COCKSURE
The Truth from the Dark Side of the Bright Lights
NOT TOO COCKSURE
Based on the Novel by Marc Freden
Contact: James Clois Smith Jr., Sunstone Press / (505) 988-4418
Not Too Cocksure: Fifty Shades of “Gay” meets Jackie Collins.
Uncovering the dark side of the bright lights, Not Too Cocksure comes out of the closet tells the tale of one who can’t…or better yet…won’t…all in the name of stardom. Jeopardizing a relationship for a career, it is the story of ambition over love and the danger when ambition is compromised.
Mica Daly is a popular on-camera reporter on the daily entertainment news program Drop Zone. He is a fixture on the red carpet circuit but is hungry for more—a hot story that he can really sink his teeth into.
Chad Martin was little more than a wannabe actor when he and Mica met at one of Roger Keenan’s infamous dinner parties. Mica vowed never to date an actor but Chad was something else with his hunky good looks, drive and ambition. And as their relationship grows, so does Chad’s career. In fact, Chad’s rise to stardom is meteoric.
Joey Chase has ambition too. A paparazzi with a nose for news, he captures a series of provocative pictures of Chad with a mystery man causing rumors to swirl that there is more to the Chad Martin story than meets the media’s scrutinizing eye. Lydia Gray, Mica’s unscrupulous boss, sees an opportunity and assigns Mica to find out just who the man is in Chad’s life.
Caught in having to out his own boyfriend to save his career, Mica soon finds that even choosing the high road is a bumpy road and may just not lead down a path Mica is not ready to travel—a road paved with deceit, heartbreak, jeopardy, even death.
KEY CHARACTERS:
MICA DALY—The Reporter…the man with something to tell
CHAD MARTIN—The Actor…the man with something to hide
MICHELLE BIANCO—The Publicist…the woman who needs to hide it all
LYDIA GRAY—The Executive Producer…digging for answers at any cost
LANCE NOVAK—The Lawyer…protecting the client
ASHLEY BECKWITH—The Wife…certainly in name but is she in desire?
JOEY CHASE—The Paparazzi…a nose for news and an eye for scandal
ROGER KEENAN—The Confident…the man who knows all
TOMMY MERCER—The Trainer…the victim
SECONDARY CHARACTERS:
JOSEPH TOMASSO—The Cop
BJ—Drop Zone producer
EVOL—Drop Zone editor
“BIG EDDIE” FIELDING—Partner at Regis and Canning P.R. firm
BARRY STEGMAN—Owner of Spectrum Studios
DIANDRA STEGMAN—Barry’s wife
GINA HAMILTON—Star of the television series Divas
ANTONIA GUEST—Actress
ALBERT SWITZER—C-List agent
ANTHONY WRIGHT—Switzer’s assistant
SUZANNE MERCER—The trainer’s wife
MARILYN LASSITER—The socialite
ACT BREAKDOWN:
ACT 1:
The story opens with Mica Daly walking the darkened halls of the Dreamland Spa, a club in Hollywood where anonymous men find anonymous sex. As a pseudo celebrity, a reporter on the hit syndicated series Drop Zone; Mica doesn’t like to be recognized as a guest in such an establishment but sometimes needs get the betterment of judgment. Joseph Tomasso has something to hide too but secrets are safe at the Dreamland Spa and his ‘hook-up’ with Mica leads to on going ‘friends-with-benefits’ relationship. That is until Chad Martin enters the picture.
Chad Martin is a wannabe actor who cons his way into The Devil Made Me Do It premiere and notices Mica Daly on the red carpet. Moreover, Mica notices Chad. But it isn’t until a chance invitation to one of Roger Keenan’s coveted dinner parties—a regular event that is the envy of Hollywood—during which Chad and Mica finally meet. Mica, an industry veteran, has sworn off the notion of dating actors and certainly not aspiring actors. Chad, on the other hand, is quickly moving from ‘wannabe’ to ‘working’ having landed a role in the low budget Spectrum Studios The Other Brother and the much anticipated television series Divas. It doesn’t hurt that Chad is movie star gorgeous—not to mention his enviable physical assets—and before he can think twice Mica is smitten.
ACT 2:
“Chamtini?” Chad asks Mica as they toast the success of Divas. The chamtini is a vodka/champagne martini they created in the throws of passion as their relationship is heating up and getting very physical. Because of the success Divas Mica suggests Chad sign with Michelle Bianco at the super agency Regis and Canning for P.R. representation. Michelle is a game changer. She intends to direct Chad’s career to stardom and one of many of her initial suggestions is that he hires a trainer. He fatefully hires Tommy Mercer, trainer to the stars.
Because of the success of Divas and Chad’s growing audience, Spectrum Studios decides to take The Other Brother off the shelf and distribute the film in a big way…capitalizing on Chad’s nude scenes and his clear sexual appeal.
Roger Keenan is hired to do the marketing for the movie. With his new success Chad leaves Albert Switzer’s Agency for a high-powered agent, Sterling Lowe. Anthony, Albert’s assistant and heir apparent, doesn’t take the move well and places a scathing blind item in the gossip columns questioning Chad’s sexuality.
Lydia Gray, the executive producer of Drop Zone wants to know…no demands to know…what the blind item is all about and quizzes Mica about what he might know. She has no idea Mica is the man in Chad’s life. But Chad is pulling back on the relationship, fearing the publicity could hurt his career trajectory. Meanwhile, his sessions with Tommy Mercer are going from workouts to more “physical” services. But that is just fine with Chad, as Tommy has signed a confidentiality agreement.
Joey Chase, an aggressive paparazzi, takes it upon himself to see if there is more to the Chad Martin story than what has been reported and scales the wall of Chad’s house only to find Chad and another man naked by the pool. The pictures come out in the tabloids and go world wide at just the point that Chad’s career is skyrocketing. But who is the mystery man with Chad?
Lydia puts Mica on the story to ‘out’ Chad not knowing Mica is the man in the picture and would have to out his own boyfriend to do his assignment. Mica keeps his assignment from Chad but confides in Roger over the dilemma.
Michelle Bianco and Eddie Fielding come up with an idea to save Chad’s reputation—a woman. He is “fixed up” with his former co-star Ashley Beckwith and the romance blossoms. Chad starts to cut his ties with Mica and even fires Tommy Mercer. Roger Keenan throws one of his infamous parties to celebrate the success of The Other Brother during which Mica confronts Chad with a kiss—a kiss caught surreptitiously on camera by the enterprising Anthony Wright. When the picture shows up in the tabloids, Mica is found out to be the mystery man in Chad’s life. Michelle Bianco threatens Lydia that Drop Zone will have no access to her clients after Mica’s betrayal. Lydia is furious with Mica for lying and fires him.
Down on his luck, Tommy Mercer sells his story about his experiences with Chad Martin to a German magazine for $50,000. The camp surrounds Chad and sues Tommy for $100 million.
ACT 3:
During a night on the town, Lydia Gray runs into Ashley Beckwith and spots a large sparkling engagement ring. A press release follows that indeed Ashley and Chad are getting married…a marriage of convenience? Suzanne Mercer, Tommy’s now ex-wife, is convinced something has happened to Tommy—that he has come into some money and has disappeared. She too wants to tell her story for the right price despite her husband’s $100 million lawsuit. Anthony Wright approaches Mica, now a free agent, about a potential opportunity to work for a British television, Rise ‘N Shine, show that wants a Hollywood presence. Mica jumps at the chance and is hired. He is back in the game.
It is billed as the wedding of the century and they Chad and Ashley are deemed the “IT” couple over Taylor and Burton and Brangelina. But as the nuptials take place a gruesome discovery is made and Det. Joseph Tomasso is on the scene. Tommy Mercer is found dead—an apparent suicide. What is strange is at the scene is the paperwork for a $100 million lawsuit and a cashiers check from the DBA law firm in the amount of $5 million. It seems Tommy was paid for his silence after all.
With the help of Joe Tomasso, Mica puts two and two together and figures out through an interview with Suzanne Mercer that Tommy was telling the truth and that is why he was paid off. The $100 million lawsuit was just a publicity stunt. The reason Suzanne isn’t sued is because she never signed a confidentiality agreement and she too is paid off. Mica breaks the story on Rise ‘N Shine. Inevitably, Mica comes out on top. By vindicating Tommy Mercer, Mica reveals the truth that Chad can’t do.