Bimbo or Billionaire: Nursing A Grudge
by TheHandsThatLead, copyright © 2022
Chapter 2 — Opening Credits
The studio curtains raised as the theme music blared from the speakers with the applause of the live studio audience. Tammy was giddy with excitement, she couldn’t believe she’d been accepted as a contestant and she was going to show all her friends, and the rest of the world, what a scam this show was! Even if she’d had to put up with her near-nude state with the two tiny strips of material that they called a costume that she wore now.
Her fingers rose up to touch the Collar of Fate’s cold steel against her neck, they had put on a big show about placing it around her neck a week ago, but she knew it was just a shiny piece of metal. Maybe it had a few electronic tricks in it for show, but that was it. She’d tried to get everyone that she’d talked to from the show to admit as much, but none of them broke from the company line.
“Yes folks it’s time to answer the question that is on all of our minds? Is she a? Bimbo or Billionaire!” the announcer’s voice came across the PA system and the audience roared in response.
The applause brought butterflies to Tammy’s stomach, she had never been in front of so many people before, even though she didn’t consider herself shy or anything. She took a look to see Jack standing on stage, holding his mic as he spoke, “Thanks Dan, welcome to the show everyone! Before we bring out today’s contestant, I just wanted to remind everyone to get their booster shots, it’s up to each and every one of us to do our part!”
Tammy rolled her eyes at the call to get yet another vaccine booster shot, when would it end?
The crowd clapped as Jack waited for their applause to subside.
“Ok, well enough small talk, let’s bring out today’s contestant... Tammy!” Jack called out and the audience came to its feet with cheers.
Tammy put on her best smile and walked out onto the stage and over to the podium that she would be standing behind for the show.
“Hello Tammy, welcome!”
“Hi Jack, thanks!” she replied with real enthusiasm, though not for the reason that the audience expected.
Jack turned to the audience and beamed a smile, “Folks, I have to be honest with you, Tammy isn’t excited to be here for the reason you might think. Obviously appearing on the show is a big deal, but Tammy... well, Tammy why don’t you tell the audience your little secret reason for being here today?”
“Ha! Of course Jack, I’d love to.” she replied and then turned to the audience as well, “I’m here to prove that this is all fake! The Collar of Fate? More like Collar of Fake! Impossible! It’s all just a ruse to let the government lull you into complicity!” she said defiantly.
The audience gasped and a murmur coursed through it.
Finally Jack let out a hearty chuckle and then spoke, “Yes, that’s right, she’s a Bimbo denier! I’m told you hold a host of other fringe ideas and conspiracy theories as well?”
“They’re only fringe because the sheeple won’t wake up Jack! You watch, I’ll prove this show is just another government conspiracy, right here, right now!”
Jack laughed again and shook his head, “Well, good luck with that Tammy. I can’t wait to see how it goes for you.” he said with a chuckle at the end.
The audience picked up on it and laughed along with him, sending Tammy’s blood almost to a boil.
“But let’s get started Tammy... there’s a question I need you to answer before we can begin... are you ready to play Bimbo or Billionaire?”
“I’m ready to blow this whole thing wide open Jack, so yes!” she replied with great confidence and a little spite in her voice.
“Sounds good Tammy, I’ve got to get a few housekeeping items out of the way and we can get going. First off I’d like to bring everyone’s attention to our case girl Chrissi!”
As always the spotlight highlighted Chrissi and the buxom blonde bimbo wiggled and jiggled as the crowd cheered and whistled. Today Chrissi was wearing a tight white dress that hardly covered her modesty, not that she had any, and put her ample cleavage on full display. Across her chest was a wide blue sash with ‘Best before midnight’ written across it in big bold white letters.
“Chrissi was the unluckiest contestant to ever play our game here and opened twelve bimbo cases in a row. But we just couldn’t let her leave with nothing so instead we didn’t let her leave at all and she’s been with us ever since!
Ah... Chrissi what’s with the sash today?”
Chrissi giggled and then twirled around one and a half times so everyone could see the other side of the sash, which ‘...or after.’ written on it.
Jack rolled his eyes as the audience chuckled, “Well, you can’t say that’s not a true statement Chrissi.”
Tammy shook her head just a little and wondered if Chrissy had her own writing staff or if she came up with the stupid little bits herself for each show.
“Ok, well now that we know that Chrissi is best before... or after... midnight, let’s not forget the fine technical folks who are operating the Collar of Fate tonight, we won’t get a chance to see them but we’ll certainly see their work on stage!
And of course we cannot forget our generous benefactor, who has put up the billion-dollar prize! Our mystery man that we simply call ‘The Accountant’". As always the pitch-black area above the columns of monitors was backlit revealing a person sitting at a desk but obscured in darkness like each show.
“Of course you all know our board, two sides with twelve steps each, revealed one at a time as the cases are opened. As always the cash side starts at a penny and works its way up to one billion dollars!
The Bimbo side is divided into two halves, the first six are physical changes that the ‘Collar of Fate’ will make and the second half are mental changes. Each of the changes will be selected by an audience vote from a list of four random selections from our database!”