DIANA: (smiles) Your network news show is going to need some help, Max, if it’s going to hold. Beale doesn’t do the angry man thing well at all. He’s too kvetchy. He’s being irascible. We want a prophet, not a curmudgeon. He should do more apocalyptic doom. I think you should take on a couple of writers to write some jeremiads for him. I see you don’t fancy my suggestions.
All I’m saying is, if you’re going to hustle, at least do it right. I’m going to bring this up at tomorrow’s network meeting, but I don’t like network hassles, and I was hoping you and I could work this out between us. That’s why I’m here right now.
Max, I don’t know why you suddenly changed your mind about resigning, but I do know Hackett’s going to throw you out on your a— in January. My little visit here tonight was just a courtesy made out of respect for your stature in the industry and because I’ve personally admired you ever since I was a kid majoring in speech at the University of Missouri. But sooner or later, now or in January, with or without you, I’m going to take over your network news show, and I figured I might as well start tonight.
