In California, Gish learns that Playrights Horizons plans to offer Arbuckle, who is also in California, a $1,000,000.00 contract to play Hamlet in New York on the Broadway stage. Gish makes a Zoom call to Max Bialystock, the producer in New York, and tries to talk him out of hiring Arbuckle. During the conversation, Gish offers several vivid and distinctly uncomplimentary comments concerning Arbuckle's sex life. Bialystock calls Arbuckle and withdraws his offer. Arbuckle later learns of Gish's call to Bialystock and is not amused; he sues Gish in New York for defamation using New York's long-arm statute to serve Gish in California with his Summons and Complaint.