Several days later Ryan had organised to meet Colin, Greg, Brad and Chip in a small, out of the way restaurant.
          He was nervous about having to tell them they'd just been sacked for no apparent reason. He figured Brad and Chip would be reasonable, Colin already knew and Greg was likely to unload a barrage of expletives.
          Ryan fiddled uncomfortably with the wine list as he waited for his friends to arrive. Colin was of course first and he gave Ryan a warm smile as he sat down.
          "You look like shit," he said cheerfully.
          "Thanks…just what I needed to hear." Ryan sarced.
          "It’s not your fault its come to this." Colin soothed.
          "Yeah but the carrier of bad news always takes the flack," Ryan said matter-of-factly as Brad arrived.
          "Jeez Ry, somebody die? You look awful," Brad asked as he took a seat.
          "Only my self esteem," Ryan scorned as Brad snatched the wine list.
          A waiter chose to appear at this time and looked over his notepad at the three men.
          "Are you ready to order?"
          "No quite," Colin replied.
          "Can we order drinks?" Brad mused, looking at Ryan and Colin.
          "I'll have a bottle of Vodka," Ryan grumbled.
          Colin gave him a concerned look. "A couple of bottles of wine will be fine," he said to the waiter.
          The waiter disappeared as Chip arrived, grinning broadly and bouncing his way over to the table.
          "Good evening everybody," he perked.
          "Hey buddy," Brad grinned, "ignore the other two, they appear to have put their grumpy pants on today."
          Chip looked at Colin who gave him a weak smile and then he turned to Ryan. "Man…you look like you haven't slept in days."
          "No, it’s just a new look I'm trying… wasted, bitter and betrayed," Ryan hissed.
          "Ok," Chip nodded and sat down.
          Actually Chip was right, Ryan hadn't been sleeping. He'd fallen into the strangest depression he'd ever experienced. It involved indulging in chocolate milkshakes and watching the shopping channel. His only conclusion was that he was having some sort of mid life crisis that was turning him into a woman.
          Greg arrived shortly after and greeted everyone with false cheer. He seated himself and looked curiously at Ryan.
          "I know I look like all the happiness has been sucked outta my life," Ryan spat.
          "Actually I was going to say you're a miserable bastard," Greg mused.
          "I'm hungry, let’s order," Brad demanded.
          "I think Ryan should tell you why you're all here first," Colin piped up.
          "Col," Ryan grumbled, giving Colin an annoyed look.
          "You mean it's not just a free feed?" Chip laughed.
          "Go on Ry…spill," Greg ordered.
          Ryan looked at his friends nervously, then took a deep breath. He couldn't look at them though and instead fiddled with a napkin. "I was called into a meeting with Dan and Drew a few days ago. They informed me that as of then all our contracts were terminated."
          There was silence. Ryan looked up and scanned his friends' faces.
          "That it?" Brad eventually asked.
          "Yeah," Ryan nodded
          "That's not legally possible is it?" Chip queried.
          "Like we could take people like Dan to court and win anyway," Brad sulked.
          Ryan looked at Greg. "Let it out buddy…say what's on your mind."
          "You don't want to know what's on my mind," Greg scorned.
          "Can't be any worse than what was on his," Colin mused, looking at Ryan.
          "Ok," Greg nodded. "I take it Mr Carey isn't loosing his job."
          "No…he's not," Ryan sighed.
          "And Wayne? I take it he's keeping his job too," Greg quipped.
          "Apparently he's part of the new wave of improvers they're after," Colin piped up.
          "So we're all past it are we? Even though we have the biggest fan bases?" Brad chimed in.
          "What a bunch of fucking pretentious, back-stabbing, self righteous, assholes. The fucking show wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for you Ry. We should go down there and demand fucking respect," Greg hissed.
          "Better now?" Ryan asked.
          "Much," Greg nodded.
          "Actually we've been toying with an idea," Colin smiled, "a form of revenge that'll be most satisfying."
          "And it'll show those bastards who really runs the show," Ryan grinned.
          "Well tell us," Chip asked, on the edge of his seat.
          "Isn't it obvious? We start our own show…it won't rival Whose Line…it'll cream it," Ryan enthused.
          "You evil, conniving bastards…I'm so in," Greg mused.
          "I like it," Brad beamed.
          "Oh man…we're so naughty and spiteful," Chip laughed.
          After dinner it was decided they'd go back to Brad's and have an ideas session, or at least get something down on paper they could approach a TV executives with.