The third performance concluded.
Online discussions about who would perform in the fourth act and who would be the headliner for the fifth act were exceptionally heated.
Most people believed that Uncle Heitu would definitely be the headliner.
His standing in the industry was undeniable.
However, a small number of clear-headed individuals analyzed and suggested that Chen Feng might be the headliner.
The main reason was that his performances throughout his advancement had been too shocking, even Director Jiang Wen on the judging panel had spoken out, saying he wanted to be his guest assistant performer.
If it weren't for the rules not allowing it, this matter would have been settled.
Therefore, Chen Feng had more buzz.
So, who would be the headliner in the end?
...
Live broadcast venue.
When the host finished the transition and announced the performers for the fourth act, the entire audience erupted in an uproar.
Fourth act: Xu Yao and Uncle Heitu.
As expected!
Chen Feng and Hua Zai were the headliners.
So the organizers were very clever.
They put the most talked-about Chen Feng at the very end to boost viewership ratings.
After all, many audiences in the south didn't quite approve of Uncle Heitu.
If they were to headline the performance, it was very likely that by the fifth act, a large portion of southern viewers might change channels.
Just like that, Xu Yao and Uncle Heitu took the stage.
...
The performance scene was an urban office.
A wealthy and domineering CEO was invincible in the business world and was even preparing to get engaged to a rich young lady from a well-matched family.
At this moment, his old father from the countryside arrived.
Because his wife had passed away, the old father, with the help of villagers and relatives, had managed his wife's funeral affairs all by himself.
Now, he came to the city to rely on his son.
He only had this one son.
Knowing that his son was busy with work in the city, he didn't even inform him of his mother's passing.
...
A classic scene.
Uncle Heitu found his son's company and directly stated that he was looking for his son.
This was a true-to-life portrayal of him.
The image of a rural old man, both weathered and simple.
And cautious.
Regarding Uncle Heitu's acting, some people approved while others questioned it.
Some people felt that they would be taken out of the scene as soon as they saw him.
As soon as they saw him, they thought of the scene of selling crutches.
They couldn't get into the act at all.
But no matter what, most people still showed respect, and the applause for his performance was incessant.
Online, there was also a barrage of support.
The opening was good.
Uncle Heitu received a thunderous ovation.
When the guest-starring young secretary ran to fetch the domineering CEO, a tearful drama between father and son unfolded.
The son came down and saw his old father, looking quite impatient.
Because he didn't know the reason for his mother's death, he was initially angry in various ways, even losing his temper at his father.
He blamed him for showing up uninvited.
If his fiancée's family saw him, the engagement might fall through.
His fiancée's family had a powerful background.
She was a proper socialite from the upper class.
Therefore, the son was very harsh.
Xu Yao was a Errenzhuan performer who came out of the Heitu Grand Stage, but in fact, he didn't become popular performing Errenzhuan, far less than Xiao Sunyang.
However, he was Uncle Heitu's last disciple.
It is said that he was very favored.
So Uncle Heitu also spared no effort to promote him.
Ever since Xu Yao participated in the “What is an Actor” program, Uncle Heitu used all his resources and power to support him in smoothly advancing all the way to the top five.
No one knows how many shortcuts were taken behind the scenes.
In any case, Xu Yao's acting was commendable.
He wasn't from a professional acting school, and he had the shadow of an Errenzhuan performer, so it's understandable that playing a domineering CEO was quite incongruous.
...
The climax scene.
After the father and son argued, Uncle Heitu, sad and exhausted, prepared to return to his hometown.
Before leaving, he informed his son of his mother's death.
Then, emotions erupted.
Xu Yao regretted and cried bitterly, apologizing to his old father, admitting his unfilial behavior, and how he had neglected his parents for his career over the years.
In the end, he didn't even see his mother one last time.
The old father finally shed tears.
The son was also in tears.
At this point, the emotional release reached its peak, and the two father and son hugged each other amidst tears, and the short play officially ended.
Thunderous applause immediately erupted at the live broadcast venue.
Some people below were actually crying along.
It's unknown if it was real or if they were paid.
But as everyone knows, modern skits are most keen on doing this, which is to be humorous and hilarious at the beginning, and then make you sentimental at the end.
It often moves the audience to tears.
This is their forte.
Uncle Heitu and the production team both knew that this kind of emotional release was most likely to resonate with people, which is why they chose this script.
The effect was very obvious.
At least the audience at the live broadcast venue bought into it.
The four judges also praised Uncle Heitu and Xu Yao's performance endlessly.
Xu Yao's ability to interpret a domineering CEO role was average, but his crying scene was truly on point, with tears and snot flowing, and his eyes were red from crying.
When the short play ended and he stood on stage to receive the judges' comments, his eyes were still red.
Just for this, his popularity value was higher than Li Han's.
So, finally, the online popularity vote.
The tear-jerking combination of Uncle Heitu and Xu Yao, with an irresistible trend, directly soared to the top of the list, surpassing the combination of Li Han and International Zhang, temporarily ranking first.
...
On the online platform.
【"Honestly, I hate watching crying scenes on stage the most. It looks awkward, it's a perfectly good entertainment show, and they just have to make me cry."】
【"If you don't like it, get out, no one's begging you to watch."】
【"Support Uncle Heitu."】
【"Number one in popularity, well deserved."】
【"Why am I not feeling anything? As soon as I see Uncle Heitu's face, I think of Ma Dashuai, of selling crutches, of the blind man in Daguan Deng."】
【"Doesn't anyone feel that Xu Yao doesn't look like a domineering CEO at all? He speaks his lines in a pinched voice, is this an Errenzhuan performance?"】
【"Is that it? How can he surpass my goddess International Zhang? Inside job, definitely an inside job."】
【"It just looks awkward, meaningless."】
【"Hate Errenzhuan the most."】
【"The online environment urgently needs to be purified. If this trend continues, regional discrimination is likely to appear."】
【"Looking forward to Chen Feng's performance."】
【"What we want to see is Hua Zai, is Chen Feng."】
【"Support Chen Feng."】
【"Same as above!"】
...
The internet was in an uproar.
Fans from various factions attacked each other, making it quite lively.
The program finally reached its climax since it began airing.
The final act, the grand finale, arrived.
The combination of Chen Feng and Hua Zai.
Most people were surprised that Hua Zai would participate in this kind of variety show.
Because over the years, many very popular entertainment variety shows had emerged in mainland China, and they had invited Hua Zai countless times.
But he never agreed.
He just wouldn't come.
He didn't want to participate in such shows.
Unexpectedly, this time he would appear on stage as Chen Feng's guest assistant performer.
So this group was truly the most anticipated combination by everyone.
One was looking forward to Hua Zai's appearance.
The other was looking forward to the black horse prince Chen Feng's next stunning performance.
Then, the stage lights went dark.
After the background sound introduced the background information of the current short play, the stage slowly brightened.
Two characters appeared.
They were all in casual clothes, nothing distinctive.
The only thing that could be seen was that Chen Feng was playing a gang boss, seemingly in a fit of rage, while Hua Zai, on the other hand, was playing a subordinate.
This strange contrast instantly drew people into the play.