If we thought landing the artist was hectic, choosing the girls was exasperating.

Sitting around a conference table, the walls buzzing with chatter, I stare at the pictures that decorate the walls. Tapping a sharpie to my lips, I pace back and forth nodding to suggestions thrown out by each of my crew members.

"Wait a minute..." turning abruptly to make eye contact with Kristina. "...what did you just say?"

Pulling her hair up into a bun and shoving a blue ball point pen into it to secure it from falling down around her shoulders. She tilts her head answering, "What part did you miss?" Her top lip curling up into a smirk.

"He wants us to do what?" I ask again.

"Include he's play things!" Kristina answers.

"His play things?" I question.

"Gurrrl!" James drags out with sass. "You know his play things... Diamonds, Pearls, Crumbs, Rapunzel, Desktop, Boots..." rolling his right hand around to emphasis his continuous rambling.

"Naaaaaaah!"

Spinning around her office chair, Blue faces me and shakes her head. "Yes... and from what I hear...." Rolling her eyes, "he was adamant that we include them."

"How adamant?" I wondered. "...cause..."

"Very!... like glasses off, big eyes, puckered lips... adamant!"

"Blue you were so serious that day!" I say, lifting my head off of her lap and reaching for my glass of wine that sat neatly on the floor.

"I was!" She exaggerates.

"So serious... so serious!" Kristina laughs.

"You guys did not have to deal with being summoned..."

"Yes the hell I have!" Cutting Blue off I take another sip of my drink.

"You were summoned and you enjoyed it..." Blue starts. "I was summoned like I was a witch on trial and being judged by a gaggle of scantily clad young adults and their puppeteer with better hair and wearing better clothes than everyone in the room including me! Do you know how many times I've wanted to steal his wee boots off his feet and run off into the Hollywood Hills with them? I've dreamt of them boots!"

"She wants to be Puss in Boots so damn bad!" Kristina giggles.

"I didn't know that!" Looking at Blue dumbfounded.

"Remember that day when we were scouting places to shoot around the twin cities and we had that casting call at the Mall of America."

"Yeah..." Kristin and I acknowledge.

"Remember I couldn't help because I had a meeting! Well..." she huffs, "that was the meeting. That's why those doe eyed chicks were all in our meetings... giving all their unwanted opinions!"

Our meetings ran into the wee hours of the morning. It was emphasized by Prince's management and lawyers that the cast of the show had to be multicultural. He was known for following Sly and The Family Stone for his band's aesthetic and his handlers wanted to maintain that.

The amount of females that were paraded around Paisley Park and here in his LA mansion where we are currently reviewing audition tapes was all of the evidence anyone needed to prove his love for the fairer sex. The amount of estrogen in these walls could only be matched to that of an all-girl catholic school.

Being an Assistant Executive Producer and also the newly minted host, is one of the few reasons that I'm sitting here staring at Robin Power discussing the applicants headshots with Blue and Kristina. I wasn't quite sure who told her to sit in on these sessions or even the random appearance of Anna Garcia who tried to push her new found nickname on us.

"It's Anna Fantastica!" She chirp with a toss of her dirty-blonde locks. My response was always the same. "I'm not about to call another woman 'fantastica'." Even though I never looked at her as a woman. She was barely legal and would show up sporadically looking like a thirsty teeny bopper meeting her celebrity crush.

However they both gingerly reminded us that Prince suggested they'd offer their expertise on the matter of a "Prince Girl".

"She wouldn't be his type. I mean she has a nice face but he's into women with long legs...you know what I mean gurl?" Dragging syllables with her Chicagoan accent; Robin chimes in while tossing a picture on the table and tugging up a red leather brasier with her sharpened red nails.

I hadn't caught who she was speaking of because I was too busy wondering how she wiped her ass with those chicken talons. It was clear why she was one of his girls as some point in time. Even if the time was the present. She was busty, beautiful clear brown skin, thick black healthy hair that cascaded down her narrow shoulders. Not at all afraid of showing her curves, she displayed them with a cockiness that only a rock star could really appreciate!

"He's not even 5'6"... what do you mean by long legs?" Blue huffs.

"Some of these girls are shaped like a throw pillow..." Robin states while shuffling through the pile of discarded pictures. "Her eyes are cocked!" Showing a tossing phots like a deck of cards. "She's knock-kneed...." Another phot "slew-footed...." toss, "tits too long! I mean.... Even if the girl was considered a uh a uh plush pal he'd be okay if they were proportioned. Yall just grab these wagons off the street? Where are the tenderonies?"

"I like this one!" Anna smiled showing off a head shot of chocolate beauty by the name of Taylor who's smile lit up the page. "She's cute... don't you think." Placing the photo next to the white ruffles of the socks that dance around the top of her pink heeled feet.

Agreeing with her choice, we all nod in acceptance. However Robin didn't seem too thrilled.

Grabbing a few body shots she tosses them one by one "Kankles and ninja turtles are not his thing. He wants someone that can be a reflection of him...that's why he renames all of his apples...cause names like Tara don't sound as exciting as Carmen." Robin finishes with a crack of her chewing gum.

"We've been at this for a week Robin and you've picked maybe 10 girls out of thousands." Kristina comments.

"I've chosen 4!" Anna announces while reaching for her can of lemon crush.

"And between you, Anna, and Carm..."
Blue starts.

"Don't say that little girls name around me..."Robin quips.

"Who Carmen?" Anna chimes in. "I like her! Did you know I wrote Fantasia Erotica with him... I didn't mind that Carmen is singing in it..." she says absentmindedly, "... I just hope I get writers credit on this one. It's only right don't you think..."

The tension in Robin's body was noticeable as she snapped her head to look at Anna, the long jeweled nails on her fingers crushing the edges of the paper she was looking at.

The tension was so noticeable that my constant pen tapping had stopped mid upward stroke and now my full attention was on her face.

"How does he keep you so child-like" Robin says in disgust. "Carmen is a lost cost and this silly chick doesn't know shit. I've been here for years and there is nothing her or anyone can offer you about P that I can't."

"...I know P too. He's interesting, a good listener and likes to have a laugh."

"Girl, shut up! That's not what I'm talking about!" Robin snaps.

"Robin!" Anna urges.

Tossing Blue and Kristina a wide eye look like "this tea is seething hot", we let her continue without interruption.

"What could she offer as a suggestion for this show? What kind of conditioner the girls should use!? What's the best stuffed animals?" Each question oozed with disdain.

With a slight curl to the lip, I interrupt "Well, she did agree with the ladies you picked. She thought Alicia, Manuela, Genny, and Dawn just to name a few were great choices."

"Oh she did did she?..." she snarls while taking her attention from her nails to look me in the eyes. "Of course she agrees, I mean I chose her for god sakes...".

Kristina eyes meet mine briefly and playfully takes a sip of her imaginary tea.

"...and that little slu..." Robin's stops as she quickly glances at the camera man that she clearly forgot was in the room.

"You know he doesn't like to hear bad news!" Anna whispers, motioning  to the corner of the room with a head tilt to Robin. "He only wants to hear good stuff." She finishes.

The off interaction, caused me and the other girls to look at each other in confusion.

Clearing her throat, Robin stands grabbing her red leather coat that lazily draped across the back of her once occupied chair and gold accented red quilted bag by its long chained strap. "All I'm saying is...children need to stay out of grown folks business." Reaching for the handle of the door she turns to face us once more. "We done here?"

"Yeah I think we have the girls we need for the show." Blue answers while we all shake our heads in agreeance.

Sliding her black wide framed glasses on her face. "You ladies have a good day."

Before we could response, Robin was already out of the door and Anna's heels quickly clicked behind hers.

"That tea burnt the roof of my mouth it was so hot!" Kristina giggles gathering the constants pictures that Robin decided against.

"What flavor was that tea Kris?" I chuckle.

"It was called Bitch Whet. It's a specialty line that you have to brew with the tears of replaceable lovers." Kristina laughed.

"I didn't know Robin wasn't a fan of little fantastic or Ms. e
Electra " Blue comments as she stands after stapling the ladies pictures to separate files.

"Well she definitely doesn't and I'm glad I'm not on the other end of that." I add.

"Me too.." the girls respond together.

"I mean I think I could take her but them nails look like they hold a new type of disease and I don't remember when I got my last tetanus shot."

"I saw you glaring at them." Blue mentions.

"I mean...if she likes them then I love them but...I know she's ripping toilet tissue with those...finger all scratching her bootyhole."

"Ewe...and I ate a cookie she handed me!" Kristina gags.

"Just think of it as having extra seasoning Kris." Blue giggles.

"Okay...Blue goes back into work mode. "...so Keia did you email your assistant and start setting up the travel plans for the ladies."

"Already done!"

"Good! Thank you. Okay..." she stops getting her thoughts together. " I need you guys to make sure we do a thorough background check on the ladies. I want broadband chat rooms searched. Speak to exes, family members, old classmates...look under every rock...we don't need any surprises. Then there is the issue with wardrobe and hosting duties for you Keia. You have Promo work to do."

My nods are answer enough.

"So we all know that this is crunch time and what we have to get done. We are less than 4 weeks away from the ladies entering the house and calls need to be made within the next few hours."

Blue's resume was littered with accomplishes from shows and movies that were huge box office successes. Her and Kris, who also had an exceptional assistant producer filmography under her belt, met several years back in college. I was introduced to them at a party and we all worked production together on the movie The Five Heartbeats sealing our fate as friends. If I was going to walk into the flames with anyone it would be these two ladies.

It was a tradition after long days before we went our separate ways to have a celebratory drink. Blue popped her trunk, placing the boxes of photos and files into a corner. Reaching in further she retrieves a bottle of Courvoisier and a sleeve of plastic shot glasses.

"I think after that meeting we all need a shot." She states while handing out the cups and filling them to the brim.

"It's not the tea Robin was handing out but it will do. To a good show and the drama that will ensue!" Blue cheers.

"To a good show and the drama that ensues!" We repeat cheering and shooting the drink back.