Chapter 28

Carl and Donut are taken to a production trailer on Earth's surface to appear on "Dungeon Crawler After Hours with Odette," an intergalactic talk show broadcast to trillions of viewers. They learn the studio is a virtual holographic set while they remain physically present, and are briefed on the format before being led onto the stage to meet the bizarre host and her enthusiastic alien audience.

Carl and Donut arrive in a production trailer where Lexis, a show coordinator, explains the setup: they are physically present on Earth while the studio set, host, and audience are holographic projections from a distant location. Lexis instructs them on stage behavior and reveals the show is a private production by the Titan Conglomerate, not the official Syndicate program. Carl attempts to escape through a porthole window overlooking the ocean but finds it sealed. Donut, energized and confident, dismisses Carl's concerns, claiming interview work is her natural domain. When they are called to the stage, Carl is overwhelmed by the alien audience's reaction. The host, Odette, is a disturbing hybrid creature—part king crab, part praying mantis, and part hypersexualized human female form. Donut performs brilliantly, revealing her full title as "GC, BWR, NW Princess Donut the Queen Anne Chonk" and claiming to have won an elective beauty contest among Earth cats. Odette presents a highlight reel of Carl's frequent outburst "Goddamnit, Donut," which has become his catchphrase with viewers. During the interview, embarrassing clips are shown, including footage from the Hoarder fight where Carl was afraid and Donut did not immediately assist. Donut expertly deflects criticism, and the interview concludes with Donut making a dramatic promise to the audience: "We are going to kill them with style." Carl notices Donut has become addicted to the crowd's adoration, a development that concerns him.