sadmad: Thanks, guys. I needed that drink.

OS: Linda's interview with the guy from the Prague Post was, indeed,
pretty amazing, wasn't it?

sadmad: Amazing. Astounding. Surreal. There are several adjectives
that might apply.

MM: You know, we've developed a little theory that might possibly
explain that interview of Linda's away.

sadmad: Oh?

MM: Okay, here's the deal -

sadmad: The 'deal'? Are you going to offer ME a quarter mil, like
Linda was by FOX?

MM: Heh. Funny. You know what I mean.

sadmad: Sorry. Go ahead.

MM: In the aftermath of JM1, fans of the show were clamoring for post-
show information about Evan and Zora. And very quickly those fans,
who thought they made such a great couple (especially after she had
heard him confess he never had all the millions, while walking
walking away -- the two of them -- with a half a mil of FOX lucre)
became sadly disillusioned.

OS: Right. Both Evan and Zora hardly tried to hide the fact that
neither one felt anything for the other. They trashed each other and
they trashed the show.

MM: Evan, in particular, didn't hold back on making references to how
cynically manipulated JM1 had actually been.

OS: I've got to believe that played heavily on the minds of the
FOX/RSL producers as they began planning the sequel.

MM: For example, after JM1 aired, it came out that runner-up Sarah
Kozer had appeared in some sleazy bondage flick prior to having
appeared on that show.

sadmad: So that's why FOX/RSL made such a big deal during casting for
JM2 to give the girls lie detector tests and have former FBI agents
around to conduct background investigations, I would imagine.

MM: Exactly. We definitely think they didn't want to have any
unpleasant post-show surprises this next time.

OS: Accordingly, we think they especially wanted to prevent history
from repeating itself with regard to whoever was going to be the
eventual 'winners' in the area of poisoning the post-show aura.

MM: So, reading over Linda's rendition of her experience on the show,
it's our view it was more than likely that after they gave Linda the
check for $250k they told her in no specific terms that they would
countenance NO post-show trashing of David or of the show itself from
her -

OS: - and, as such, on top of the standard 'confidentiality clause',
they very probably attatched a provision to her 'winnings' that if
they ever heard or read of her trashing David (like Zora had done
with Evan) she would default on it and forfeit the prize, or be
liable.

MM: That would have been particularly pressing a need in this case,
you'd think, since those producers knew full well the circumstances
surrounding why Linda wanted to leave the show in the first place and
how it was she ended up coming back.

sadmad: (laughs) I would guess!

MM: And they, no doubt, did something similar to David, with regard
to the ranch.

sadmad: David's various post-show comments have, indeed, been totally
different in tone than those of Evan's. He was always very
circumspect with regard to his references to Linda.

MM: Right.

sadmad: I think I heard something to the effect that FOX gave Linda
the money, but with the option of having the full $250k amount spread
out in payments over a few years, or a lump sum payout of around
$100k, and she chose the latter.

OS: Could be.

sadmad: In any case, I'd agree that your 'theory' sounds very
plausible as a way of explanation.

MM: Uh-huh. It's interesting to look at the interview Linda gave to
that guy then and compare it, in tone, to the one given to the same
guy at the same time by her bud Karolina.

OS: Yeah. Karolina didn't hold much back about how the show was '50%
screenplay' and all, but mostly in the way she was so scathing in her
comments regarding HER feelings about or toward David.

sadmad: Hmmm. Yes, Karolina. 'Ol sadmad has an observation or two
regarding Karolina and her connection to this 'deal' Linda accepted
from our friends at FOX/RSL.

MM: Yes? And what would that be?


(Part IX to follow.)