Operation: Moonfall | Jimmy Crystal Revenge & Redemption

The Fallout

"Rude, combative, duplicitous, profanity-prone," said Rudy Brooks, polar bear and news anchor of Prime News Today, as an uncharacteristic picture of Buster Moon floated next to him. The koala was depicted with his fingers digging into the armrest of his chair and a livid glower across his face. "That is how many are describing Buster Moon in his interview with Walter Kilborn. The embattled theater producer may not have done himself any favors when he decided to give his own interview in response to Jimmy Crystal's sit-down with Kilborn. We want to warn our viewers of foul language ahead."

Footage of the interview appeared on screen with a voiceover. "Victim or perpetrator? That's what many are asking after Buster Moon's contentious interview with Walter Kilborn."

"Stretching the truth implies there is some truth to stretch," Kilborn said in the footage. "This is starting to sound a lot like fraud."

"Whoa, whoa! That's a loaded word. Let's not go there," Buster complained.

The voiceover continued, "What started as an attempt to refute Jimmy Crystal's claims ended up confirming much of what the jailed mogul has said about his experience working with Moon."

"Did you have any connection in any shape or form to Clay Calloway that would make your promise to get him to do this show remotely plausible to someone that was going to finance it?"

"Uhh..." Buster uttered.

"The theater producer grew increasingly defiant and hostile as Kilborn pressed him on the morality of his actions and the veracity of his claims."

"All I'm doing is respecting both parties while seeking out the truth—"

"You want the truth? Here's the truth: Jimmy Crystal is an @#$% that got what he deserved!"

Meena nearly jumped out of her skin from the loud bleeping of Buster's profanity. Her mouth was agape as she flipped the channel.

Buster begged, pleaded with his family not to watch the interview. He could do nothing to stop the country from watching him bomb with Kilborn, but he couldn't let the people closest to him see him like that. The anger... the bitterness... the obstinacy... somehow, the worst parts of himself came into full bloom once the cameras started rolling. It was one thing for strangers to judge him. He wouldn't survive having those closest to him looking at him that same way.

Everyone within the villa respected his wishes. That didn't change the fact that everyone else was talking about the interview, and discourse was inescapable. What was supposed to be Meena dealing with her boredom turned into morbid curiosity as just about every news and talk show tackled The Interview That Must Not Be Watched. She now understood what people meant when they said something was like watching a train wreck. Meena might have been afraid of Buster catching her watching said train wreck had he not holed himself up in his room since the day the interview went live.

After some more channel surfing, Meena settled on a talk show that was just beginning. Cheers erupted from the studio audience as a horse and gazelle emerged from backstage in a half-dance, half-saunter to their seats, two cups of tea waiting for them at the desk.

"Welcome to another episode of Spilling All the Tea," the gazelle said. "I'm Amber."

Batting her eyelashes, the horse added, "And I'm Stacy!"

"You know what we're here to talk about," Amber said. "Did you guys see that interview?"

There was a resounding "oooo" from the audience with an undercurrent of hushed voices.

Stacy took a loud sip of her tea and said, "If you're one of the five people that don't know what we're talking about, Buster Moon did an interview with Walter Kilborn as a response to Jimmy Crystal."