Chasing After Shady | 𝐌.𝐌

PRELUDE

September 7, 2000

Omniscient POV

"Who do you think has a good chance this year?Who's gonna rack up a few? Britney, Christina....?" Television Personality Ananda Lewis was interviewing Rock artist Marilyn Manson on the red carpet of the 2000 Video Music Awards pre-show, held in New York City. Starting in the 1990s, she worked across many channels like MTV and BET but she was most notably know as an MTV Veejay. 2000 was the year she got her foot in the door, booking multiple hosting gigs, stage roles and even scoring a syndicated talk show deal set to air the following year. But the thing that would change her the most this year was crossing paths with another certain controversial celebrity.

She then held the microphone up to his face waiting for an answer, but he practically yanked it from her. "Um, first off, none of those bitches. Alright? I heard The Red Hot Chilli Peppers are up for something so I think they'll win. So is my good friend Eminem- he's nominated for multiple awards, so I think he'll rack up a few tonight."

"Really?" Her eyebrows raised,"I don't think Eminem's gonna win anything. I mean, look at all the controversy he's caused this year. He's sexist,very homophobic,he talked about raping his mother-the list goes on. You really think MTV would give him an award?" She disagreed which came off more as a rant.

There was a pause before her gave her the most dismissive look. "I think I'm done with this interview." He got up off his stool and exited to the left .

"Cut! " She motioned to the camera man Dave.
He snapped his neck from behind the camera,"That's my call not yours!" He poked his finger into his chest and pointed at her. Then he reached over and grabbed a clipboard from a chair, "Here, make yourself useful and go tell everyone when to be ready for their performance. " Ananda stood there confused like a child left in a checkout line.

"What? You can't handle that?" He breathed down her neck. For some reason he just hated her.

"I got it. I got it, okay? Leave me alone. " She snatched the clipboard out of his hand and walked off

"Rawr! " Aaliyah creeped up around the to scare her bestfriend but it didn't work
"Stop playing.. " "She said,"Aren't you supposed to be getting ready?" She looked at her in confusion "You know you gotta present with me, right?"

"I just came to give you this" she handed me a card with money sticking out of it and quickly ran away. It read:

Congratulations on your new show Ananda! As your best friend, I can't describe how happy I am for you. Just don't forget about me when you get an Daytime Emmy! And oh, here's a little pocket change
Love, Aaliyah

She's such a sweetheart.What would I do without her? She thought.

-

>>>>

"Feminist women love Eminem
"Chicka, chicka, chicka,
Slim Shady, I'm sick of him
Look at him, walkin' around,
grabbin' his you-know-what
Flippin' the you-know-who, "
"Yeah, but he's so cute though."
Yeah, I probably got a couple of screws up in my head loose
But no worse than what's goin' on in your parents' bedrooms" "

A shirtless Eminem was backstage in his dressing room along with his best friend and hypeman Proof and two groupies. He stood in the mirror holding a fake microphone rehearsing for his upcoming performance of two of his singles "The Real Slim Shady" and "The Way I Am" that night, but his nerves were getting the best of him.