The Gourmets 03

5 2 1

by mapingzuo

by mapingzuo

MAURICE
(with strong French accent)
I fought for you, Thomas, believe me! Like a lion I fought!

THOMAS You? You fought?

With Kleber? Maybe like a toy lion! And why exactly did you do that?

A beefy hand grabs hold of Thomas' shoulders from behind. Dr. Kleber has arrived.

With his typical, friendly ruthlessness, he comes immediately to the point: KULINARIA's ratings have dropped dramatically. A lack of presence by the target audience among the under-40-year-olds are causing advertising customers to bail out. The programme is losing money. Add to that the bad reviews the show has been receiving. The programme concept must be changed in its entirety. Especially the cooking show with German housewives has to go; the audience thinks it's more boring than former chancellor Helmut Kohl's old New Year's speeches.

MAURICE
But... excusez moi... that was your idea?!

Dr. Kleber scrutinizes Maurice only briefly and then turns without comment back to a perspiring Thomas, whose make-up is slowly running down his face from the heat and discomfort. He attempts repeatedly to defend his programme, but Dr. Kleber won't even allow him to get a word in edgewise. He has made up his mind: the programme will receive a new format and a new title.

Then Dr. Kleber waxes eloquently about some young American co-host, whom he has obvioiusly already hired.
That's the straw that finally breaks the camel's back.
Thomas gets up abruptly, yells at Dr. Kleber and disappears in the direction of the kitchen. Upset, Maurice runs after him.

Napa Valley, California. GINA is standing in the large kitchen of her parental home, cursing. In the background, Dean Martin is crooning, "When the Moon Hits Your Eye Like a Big Pizza Pie, that ́s Amore".
The lid of her blender, filled with a delicious-looking red sauce, refuses her attempts to be pried open. At last, using brute force, the lid gives way and the contents spills all over Gina and the sleeping dog on the floor. He jumps up, shocked at first, then licks himself off with obvious delight.