001 {video}

[wordaday]

[The first few second of video is an awkwardly angled shot of a very tired, very pretty blonde woman, clearly trying to work through how to use her damn phone. She looks like she's recently been through the wringer, face a mess of healing scrapes and a few shadowy bruises. So, she's just not here for any kinda crap today, phone. Behave.]

Oh lord, I’ve never been good at this computer stuff. What is- oh, eeugh.

[Sookie finally gets a good look at herself in the camera, and that angle is doing nothing for her, yikes. She takes a moment to adjust the angle, until she’s satisfied that she looks actually presentable to strangers and not a damn mess like she’s been for the past week.]

I’m Sookie, ah, Sookie Stackhouse. I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be so scattered, I’m just a little overwhelmed right now, if you can understand. [She frowns, a little embarrassed at herself. Get a grip, Sook, it’s just a camera.] Ah, so, I’d really really like to know about churches around anywhere? I’m Methodist, but I’m no stranger to a Baptist service, or any of those big nondenominational-

[And then for just a moment, the Fellowship of the Sun flashes across her mind’s eye, and her stomach lurches. No. No megachurches.]

Actually, no, just small congregations are fine for me.

Also, they're telling me that I've got to be on some TV show called, ah.....[She takes a moment to look at something scribbled onto her palm.] Virginia Lakeshore? Anyone know anything about that? How would I wiggle my way out of that, exactly?

Comments

voice;

[slightlyoffchilt]

You can seek different employment -- there really is no penalty.

[wordaday]

Yeah, some other people told me, but I think I signed a contract when I first got here. There were a lot of papers, it was kind of confusing.

[She sighs, popping a bit of muffin into her mouth. She prays to got that even if she did, they'll understand and throw it out. Not that she has much hope, but it's a nice thought.]

[slightlyoffchilt]

Well -- perhaps you could argue a legal case. Taken advantage of, right off the bat. [He does sound doubtful, however.] Then again, it might not be so bad. You'll face celebrity regardless, now that you are an imPort.

[wordaday]

[Oh, she hears that doubt, amd she's not gonna have any of it, thank you.]

Can't you just, I don't know, opt out? If I've got to be here I'd rather live my life in peace. I've never even been in the paper back in Bon Temps.

[slightlyoffchilt]

The adjustment isn't easy. [There it is, the Therapist Voice.] But the sooner you accept this reality, the quicker you will be able to adapt.

[wordaday]

I'm sure. [The "reality can kiss my butt" is implied.] How do you deal with it, then? Because I've been getting a lot of bad suggestions and no solutions.

[slightlyoffchilt]

Well, I am a psychiatrist. I have years of academic success and experienced technique to steady myself. [A beat.] And others.

[wordaday]

Oh, well, I meant the weird fame thing.

[She's quiet for a moment, and her discomfort is palpable. She's never been entirely comfortable around psychiatrists, anyway, not since she was a child.]

But I'm sure that's a real big help to you and your patients.

[slightlyoffchilt]

Quite honestly, I have not had many patients who reacted too badly to the weird fame thing. They either ignore it successfully or... Prefer it, I imagine.

[He notes her discomfort, but doesn't press.]

There is the... [Somehow saying "imPorn" to this individual gives even Chilton pause.] ... Marketing off our identities, however. That will get grating to anyone.

[wordaday]

I guess it's kinda like having Dr Phil be your psychiatrist. [Sort of. This man doesn't seem like he'd do quite as well on Oprah.] I can see how folks would be into that.

[Folksy daytime tv aside, the comment about marketing pricks her ears. Oh, alright, so all this is exactly like what happened with the vampires back home. You know, she never thought she'd empathize with vampires as a whole, but she's beginning to understand why some vamps prefer to stay in the shadows.

The whole bloodsucking thing notwithstanding.]

Do we get a say how any of the marketing goes?

[slightlyoffchilt]

Wait -- [Was he just compared to Dr. Phil? It was such an alien concept to him that Chilton had to grapple with seven different kinds of affronted emotions before he could continue processing. And finally:]

I do stand on my own merits, you know, I was a career psychoanalyst before ever skipping around the multiverse.

[Bristling. Bristling!]

And it depends. On if you manage to get your likeness trademarked.