Act 1, Scene 18
Mary Jane's trailer interior. She's being interviewed for one of those 'Entertainment Weekly' style magazine programmes. The interviewer is a very nervous Eddie Brock.
EDDIE: So Mary-Jane, or should I call you 'MJ'-
MARY-JANE: Mary-Jane will be fine, Eddie.
EDDIE: (nervously)Ha ha! Right! So how does it feel to be the young actress all of New York is talking about?
MARY-JANE: I don't know how true that is.
EDDIE: Well you won the 'Young Actress Of The Month' award in my column. Did I tell you Jameson gave me a column in the Bugle?
MARY-JANE: (genuinely trying to be nice)That's so great.
BROCK: Well, it would be if I had any decent stories…speaking of that, you're also in the running for 'Most Eligible Bachelorette 2006'…unless there's something you're not telling your admirers…
Mary-Jane's clearly less than happy at having to lie – especially since given the rather greasy way Eddie says it, he clearly counts himself amongst those fans – but she does so as best she can.
MARY-JANE: I wish, Eddie. Look…I'm due back on set in an hour and I'm kinda beat, so I was gonna grab some-
BROCK: Sure, sure.
We see a flash of rejection in his eyes; he's used to getting the brush-off, we sense, and he's growing increasingly weary of it. He leaves Mary-Jane's trailer and we follow him as he walks back to a rather beat-up car…with a ticket on the windshield.
EDDIE: Aw, come on…
He takes the ticket and stuffs it in his pocket, opening the car door and throwing his notepad from Mary-Jane's 'interview' in the back. We catch sight of a few books on the passenger's side seat – 'Surge Ahead! Your Guide To A Better Life!' and the like. He has a picture hanging beside a set of furry dice of him with his arm around a girl. It's not a lovey-dovey sweetheart picture – the girl in this image looks singularly disinterested. Eddie, on the other hand, is enthusiasm personified.
He tries to start the engine. It splutters and shudders indignantly. Eddie slams the heel of his palm against the wheel.
EDDIE: Worthless piece of sh-
His mobile rings. He fishes it out.
EDDIE: Hey, my man! I've just come from Mary-Jane Watson's trailer – I'll be over to you in about an…what? Hey, come on, you can't do this…we had an agreement! Who's gonna publicise your album now, huh? (pause) Yeah, I read his column. He's a hack. (pause) What do readership numbers matter? (pause) Well, you might think so…fine. I'll have to bump some of the others up my list. You'll regret this.
He ends the call, casts the phone aside and stares for a moment into space before closing his eyes and putting his head in his hands. We leave him sitting like that.