Hard Core Roadshow - Extracts - Part 33
11 November 1995, Day 16
We shoot Billy's radio interview scene from Edmonton. Another scene I've been dreading. This is where we learn that Billy has been invited to become a permanent member of Jennifur after all, and that in spite of his promise to Joe to renew HCL, he's going to leave. The question, scriptwise: should Billy actually tell the whole world on-air that he is leaving HCL? Or should we leave the question open to create some suspense about Billy's decision during the final show?
I'd intended to rewrite the scene last night, but went out and got drunk instead. I arrive late on the set to find Bruce, Callum, and Dean Paras, the young actor playing the radio interviewer, already rehearsing the scene. The way they've worked it out, the interviewer asks Billy about the future of HCL on-air, but by way of answer Billy silently shows him a fax from L.A. renewing the Jennifur offer. The interviewer reads the fax and gets excited, wants to talk about it on air. Billy refuses to finish the interview, and he even asks Bruce the director if he'll be cool and not tell Joe. This suggests that Billy has not made up his mind about leaving Joe yet. But why show up for a radio interview, then refuse to talk? The scene doesn't make sense unless Billy drops the bomb on-air.
I discuss this for several minutes with Callum, who is dead-set against playing the scene as written, with Billy callously telling the world he's leaving HCL for good after tonight's show because he's got a better offer somewhere else. I suspect Callum doesn't want his character to openly betray Joe here for fear of looking like an asshole. Like any other movie star, he knows that he "is" his role in the eyes of the public.
When we shoot it, the point of the scene sort of comes across, but it could have come through stronger if Billy had stabbed Joe in the back on-air.
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