The segment aired, unedited. Online, fans of the show fought fiercely with Nicki’s fans. On video sites, a clip of a homely adolescent pleaded people to “leave Nicki alone,” to which Elsinore Revolution fans responded with videos titled such things as “Don’t f**k with Tacita.” The media had a field day with the drama, and Elsinore Revolution album sales skyrocketed.

‘You just can’t pay for publicity like that,” Tacita chuckled to herself, watching yet another segment on a celebrity gossip show in which “The Great Dispute,” as many were calling it, was shown.


“And in other celebrity news,” the show hostess continued, “former member of All That Glitters, Julianna Delorice, passed away last night. The singer, known for spreading drama where ever she went, had been battling with cancer for many years and finally succumbed to illness…”

“Oh, no,” Tacita muttered. “Charise!”

“Her daughter, Charise Verona, could not be reached for comment. Verona is married to renowned playwright and musician Samuel Verona…”


“Mm, yeah, I know,” Charise said, toying with her hair as she spoke on the phone. “Well, I mean, it’s not really surprising, but…”

‘But you kind of didn’t expect it all the same, right?” Tacita asked.

“Something like that. I guess we’ll finally get all the stuff promised to us in the will. Mom gave the Veronas part of their share after, you know, the whole Cassandra thing, but… you know.”

“So, when’s the funeral going to be?”

“Don’t know. I mean, I’m not even sure if I even want to go.”

“Seriously?”

“Tacita, you know how I feel about my mother. We didn’t get along while she was alive, so…”


“I get that, but shouldn’t you at least put in an appearance? You know, to look like a good daughter.”

“Says the chick who skipped a certain ribbon-cutting ceremony because she was club-hopping and getting plastered.”

“Kind of goes with the job, Charise.”

“Part of being a big shot rock star involves getting drunk and getting arrested for mooning the mayor?”

“You have to admit that was really funny. It was totally worth the fine and night in prison.”

“You’re setting a bad example for Lisa,” Charise scolded. “What’s she supposed to think, seeing her mother getting up to all these childish stunts?”

“With any luck, the same thing you did when your mom was in celebrity news for getting drunk and making an idiot of herself: ‘This isn’t that kind of life I want when I grow up.’”