Profile
- NAME Monty Merrill
- SPECIES human
- AGE 36
- HEIGHT 5'11"
- PRNS. he/him
- ORIEN. gay
- STATUS alive
"I have no idea what's going on."
Monty Merrill is an actor, comedian, and television host. He's famous and everyone loves him... except those who are unfortunate enough to be working with him. But one terrible night, he has a strange experience that changes everything.
All he remembers seeing is a beautiful glowing light. When he wakes up the next day, he's confused and disoriented. The dream (if it was a dream) has triggered a complete depersonalization. He is suddenly so detatched from his previous life, identity, and memories that he feels as if he was reborn, shoved into a life he doesn’t know how to live and expected to be someone he doesn't know how to be. This causes him some problems.
After the personality replacement, Monty struggles to make it through life as a celebrity, trying to figure out how everyone else expects him to act and unable to shake the feeling that this is all wrong. He can't stop thinking about the dream. And one day, while visiting the television studio's offices, he sees that strange being of glowing light again... Turns out the light is a guy named David who writes commercial jingles.
naive • optimistic • eccentric
Ever since he changed, Monty has been looking at the world in wide-eyed wonder, but also horror. He questions the reasons behind everything, even when it's not socially appropriate. His emotions are volatile, but he maintains a positive outlook within his current weird situation.
Monty lost almost all the traits that made him succeed in the entertainment industry--his charisma, professionalism, and ruthlessness are gone, replaced by awkwardness and compassion. His new personality is certainly a nicer one, but it does him no favors in navigating the harsh world of television. And he's lost his familiarity with the social rules and expectations of the industry, not that he's remembered any others. His behavior often comes across as strange, intense, socially inept, and off-putting. His kindness and positivity endear him to some people, but they also make him an easy target for manipulation.
sensitive • obsessive • lovestruck
Monty is very sensitive to rejection. He falls in love quickly and deeply. He is obsessed with the concept of true love, perhaps because he has never experienced it, either before or after his personality change. The only relationships he ever had were staged for publicity.
Likes
- the outdoors
- love songs
- modern art
- deli sandwiches
Dislikes
- fame
- his weird mansion
- California
- the old Monty
Before
Monty was born and raised under a different name in small town Indiana. He was raised by a single father who owned a business that was always treacherously close to going under, and his life lacked stability. At school, Monty was frequently bullied for his somewhat feminine self-expression. He worked hard to suppress this in order to fit the role that was expected of him. At the age of 18, he went to California and somehow, against all odds, became an actor. Now, he doesn't remember why he wanted to. His success and fame grew, and he led a luxurious, but emotionally empty and unfulfilled life. By all accounts, he was kind of a jerk.
After
Monty must now reckon with who he is and the fact that he's mentally someone else. His career is suffering as a result. He can't really remember how to be an actor, tell jokes, or host a TV show, but he's not sure he even wants to. Still, something is stopping him from letting go of his old life to start a new one. (Probably the money.)
David • love
To everyone else, David is an average guy with a soul-sucking job composing commercial jingles. But Monty recognizes David as the angelic being from the dream that caused him to change. So, naturally, he falls head over heels in love with him. In fact, he's totally obsessed, and he makes it his mission to get close to David. He eventually accomplishes this, mostly because of his awkward yet genuine charm and surprising ability to not be creepy despite everything.
Louis • friend
A guy who works in television, who is one of the few people Monty can actually talk to. He knew Monty before he changed, so he tries to help him get used to playing that role in order to not destroy his professional relationships. But when it comes to who he'd want to hang out with, he prefers the new Monty.
Eve • agent
Eve (short for Evelyn) is Monty's booking agent. She's a stern woman who is not at all amused by this "personality replacement" business.
Design Notes
- Monty's story takes place in a kind of slightly surreal, alternate history United States, in an unspecified year, with the clothing and styles being heavily based on the early-to-mid 1970s. It's not at all 1 to 1 with our world but don't worry about it for now he basically wears silly 70s clothes
- He's got really stupid long sideburn hair things
Trivia
- He's extremely clumsy.
- He's probably on the asexual spectrum but lacks the words to acknowledge it.
- He wants a cat, but he's scared that his weird mansion might have a negative effect on pets.
- His weird mansion might be having some negative effects on him, actually. Maybe it's supernatural or maybe it's lousy architecture.
