http://www.afterelton.com/TV/2010/12/haters-bullying-glee-kurt-hummel
Why are Hater's Bullying 'Glee's' Kurt?
If the first season of Fox's hit show Glee kept Kurt Hummel in the background for some, this season’s most recent episodes have brought him front and center. In the culmination of a story arc on bullying spanning several episodes, the latest Glee rallied the cast in defense of our embattled hero: the girls unleashed their boyfriends on Dave the bully, Mike Chang and Sam roughed Dave up, Sue Sylvester expelled him, while Finn and the rest of the gang lifted Kurt’s spirits with song.
All in all, it was pretty amazing television and Chris Colfer continued to prove himself one of the show’s breakout stars.
So why did the episode seem to start a trickle of haterade from the blogosphere, complete with calls that the show had “jumped the shark” and lost its mojo?
The complaints about Glee have been varied and not all crazy, and nearly all of them implicate the show’s Kurt-heavy episode arc as symptomatic of bigger problems.
Brian Moylan over at Gawker blames Kurt explicitly, saying the show has “canonized” our bullied gay teen and that Kurt is still a pretty cool and strong guy, but we don’t have to keep going on and on about it. Constantly extolling his virtues (and there are many) is making him the most unlikable person on the show.”
TV Guide takes the Kurt saga as evidence the show has, somehow, lost focus: “This show used to be about an idealistic teacher trying to help a group of misfits find their voice through show choir. Now it's all about a kid who is bullied at a school where there are a few less-important misfits in a show choir that never seems to rehearse for the upcoming sectionals, and an annoying teacher with the worst boundaries on the planet. The glee has given way to gloom.”
Other critics, like The Vancouver Sun’s Shelley Fralic, expand the critique to one about the tone of the show: from campy and fun to sappy and overwrought. Writes Fralic, “How did the Fox network singing and dancing Glee club sensation of a series … become so formulaic and cringe-worthy, so preachy and unwatchable that even its campiness can't save it?”
These arguments are not entirely without merit and a worrying drop of 20% in last week’s ratings indicate viewers might be tuning out as well. It was, however a holiday week. People were headed home and perhaps many couldn’t make it to the TV – except to watch the older-skewing Dancing with Stars, which followed the Glee episode and delivered stellar ratings.
Fans of other campy network primetime shows – from Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty to Arrested Development and 30 Rock – know how hard it is to sustain the sexy irony and detachment camp demands.
Shows can either go too far (Housewives), which eventually bores viewers; maintain their edge (Arrested Development), which never gains viewers; or delve into conventional sap (Ugly Betty), which irks your fan base. (PS – I watched all those shows to the end, thank you very much!)
The current Kurt storyline is about Glee “getting real:" bullying is no fun and games. Since the show has many younger viewers, perhaps creator Ryan Murphy and his writers feel a responsibility to show an emboldened victim (Kurt) and a loving supporting environment – hence the Kurt lovefest at the wedding.
Unfortunately, this means that Sue Sylvester has to be a real person for five minutes and protest the bully’s readmittance into the school. It means Kurt has to do something drastic like leave for a more tolerant institution (I don’t suspect he’ll gone long) and for the rest of the cast to literally sing his praises.
And critics like Moylan and Fralic don’t find that much fun to watch.
But the most unsettling part of the Glee backlash, if it is in fact happening, is how much blame Kurt is getting for the show’s apparent slide.
Is there such a thing as too much Kurt? AfterElton readers no doubt support the turn the narrative has taken in the last few weeks, with most episodes delivering a strong Kurt storyline. But perhaps for some viewers there has been too much Kurt.
Glee still is network primetime after all. What’s more: it’s the most popular scripted show on television. The week before its ratings nosedive, Glee was bested only by football and the Country Music Awards, beating out Big Bang Theory, Dancing with the Stars and everything else.
So the stakes are high and the audience is big – not “Will & Grace big,” but big. Murphy is being brave by giving us so much Kurt. Still, it’s an ensemble, and you could argue he has a duty to showcase everyone, not just Kurt. On the other hand, Rachel and Finn (who actually haven’t had much to do this season) did have their turn in the spotlight for much of the first season.
Nonetheless, something more is going on here. Feelings of Kurt-overload are really driven, I believe, by the fact that we haven’t seen – or rarely see – a character like Kurt get so much earnest attention in network primetime. Jack on Will & Grace was comic relief. Cam and Mitchell on Modern Family are part of an ensemble cast that keeps the spotlight on all the characters pretty equally.
And none of them, I would argue, are flamboyantly gay as Kurt.
Kurt is fashionable – he has the best outfits on the show, by far. He can sing in a female register. He likes all the gay divas, from Barbra to Gaga. He’s a “flame,” to use an outdated gay put-down.
Don’t get me wrong: Kurt is also a fully realized character. He’s deep, as evidenced by the fantastic “religion episode,” where he refused to give in to religious pressure and renounce atheism (a brave decision by Murphy).
But he’s also the sort of character character we’re used to laughing at before cutting to the straight couple that is the focus of the story, which some would say happened often in Glee’s first season. On any other show, Kurt would be the sassy gay who walks into a room, quips about tops and bottoms, and scurries off to some gay bar we’ll never walk into.
But Glee is pushing us to deal with Kurt on a real level, with the issues that gay teens like Kurt – like us! – have to deal with at some point in our lives. And the show is justified in taking its time.
After all, when the President, Secretary of State, the state of New Jersey and half of Hollywood’s celebrities decide bullying is a serious problem, shouldn’t TV’s most popular show, with TV’s most popular gay character, be allowed to do the same?
Network primetime rarely gives us gay characters with actual stories, even less often in one-hour story arcs across several episodes. If there really is a backlash brewing against Glee as it tries to push these boundaries, it’s sad and just a bit short-sighted.
End of article
This is me applauding this article. I also read through the three pages of comments yesterday, and there were some very passionate, thoughtful responses. I think the main thing I would want to say here is that I actually can understand the fans that are frustrated because their favorite character has not had a major storyline this season. The fan base that I think has the most reason to gripe is the Mercedes camp. She has still been featured prominently in song, especially in the "Grilled Cheesus" episode when she had two solos. But she has not had her own storyline this season, except her tots campaign two episodes ago. Mercedes is the only New Directions member besides Kurt who has never had a significant other. Okay, she and Puck sort of dated in season one, but I don't count that. He was using her for popularity.
Unfortunately we live in a very impatient society. We live our lives in sound bites and thirty second recaps. We get frustrated when we have to wait for something - a light to turn green, our cofee to be ready at Starbucks, a television show to come back from commercial. We don't want the whole story. We want just the headlines, and then we want to move on to something else. And if we don't like something, we want it altered or dismissed - immediately.
Bullying is an important, relevant, timely issue. Lots of people are talking about it and trying to do something about it. But its a tough cookie. There are no simple solutions, no quick fix. Its not fun to talk about and its not fun to watch.
Television episodes are filmed weeks to months in advance. If an audience grows tired of a particular storyline, not much can be done about that. The episodes are already completed; the story has to play out. I just wish people would have a little more patience. The show is an ensemble cast, and there are multiple storylines in each episode. I can't promise that a character like Tina or Santana will ever get as much attention as Rachel or Kurt. But they will have their moments to shine.
I do NOT believe that everyone who is sick of Kurt or tired of the bullying storyline is homophobic. However, I think homophobia IS a factor in the backlash. As the author asserts, the television audience has never been exposed to such a complex gay character in the forefront of a major television show. And he's a teenager to boot. What I view as a gift and a privilege, to watch this young man's journey influence the lives of so many, young and old, male and female, gay and straight, has the opposite effect on some. The character of Kurt makes some people uncomfortable, and other people irritable. Its a very very difficult situation. I don't want to see Ryan Murphy and crew cave to public pressure. But I also don't want the show to die because too many viewers get frustrated and stop watching. And just as importantly, I don't want to see the character of Kurt ruined in the process. I of course don't feel that the bullying storyline is making him unlikeable, but obviously some people do feel that way. Its an unfortunate consequence of our increasing reliance on social media for our information and news that if enough people write that Glee is jumping the shark, it could become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Ratings are lower than they were at the beginning of the season, but the show continues to win its time slot in the key 18 - 49 demographic.
"The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated." Mark Twain
gleekette
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Analysis of "Furt"
Thanksgiving Holiday got in the way, and now I am even more behind in my analysis. Sigh.
So this will have to be more stream of consciousness writing than usual. Which is hard for me because its such an important episode. But here goes.
If I could only use two words to describe Glee, it would probably be these two: "brilliant" and "flawed." A Gleek I am, but even I can admit that the show isn't perfect. Even though I'm a proud "Kurtsie" (Chris Colfer's term for his dedicated fans), I agree with many people who found the episode uneven and rushed.
Let's mention the rough spots first. Sam and Quinn promising themselves to each other after only six weeks? And after everything Quinn went through in season one? Just seems way too fast. Yes, there were very sweet moments in their storyline this week, and the promise ring worked well with the wedding, but this plot seems rushed to me. And as someone else commented, I do wonder a bit about Sam's motives. He does seem to really care about Quinn, and he has acted honorably toward Kurt, but his desire to be the big man on campus makes me question his integrity just a bit.
Rough spot number two. Sue marrying herself. Just didn't get that. What was the point? I guess it was supposed to be humorous, but I didn't find it that funny.
I understand that Carol Burnett made an appearance as Sue's mother to show that Sue herself was bullied. I did get that. But I just didn't feel that she was enough of a bully. To me she was more of an absentee mom. Unfortunately I think her talent was a bit wasted in this episode.
And now for the good stuff, with a few more negative mentions. Burt and Carol got married! And for the most part the planning, the ceremony, and the reception were a joy to watch. Romy Rosemont and Mike O'Malley as Carole and Burt were awesome in this episode. The walk down the aisle was so much fun! For me, Artie and Brittany almost stole the show from Burt and Carole. I'm still on the fence about the Artie/Brittany romance, but every time the camera went to them in this episode they were doing something absolutely adorable.
The engagement and wedding did seem rushed to me. But I am so happy that Carole and Burt got married. I hope the show will continue to explore how this marriage will effect Kurt and Finn...not just their relationship as brothers, but also the fact that Kurt has a mother figure again and for the first time in his life, Finn has a father figure.
Some people complained that Carole and Burt's vows were directed too much at the boys and not enough at each other. While I think that is a valid complaint, and I also agree that both Carole and Burt should have talked more about Finn, I especially loved Burt talking about how he and Kurt really weren't living after Mrs. Hummel died.
Make no mistake, I was thrilled at how Kurt-centric this episode was. It absolutely worked for me. But I was surprised. And I can understand the criticism, especially people who feel that Finn got the short end of the stick. His mother barely mentioned him in her vows, and Burt didn't mention him at all. But Carole glowingly talked about Kurt.
The status of Burt and Finn's relationship has not been discussed since Burt threw Finn out of his house during the "Theatricality" episode in season one. We don't know where Finn has been living, and we weren't even sure that Carole and Burt were still together, although she was at the hospital when Burt had the heart attack. When they announced their engagement to the boys, Burt said he was looking for a house where they could each have their own room. Are we supposed to infer that they have been sharing a room, even after what went down in "Theatricality?" I don't think so. Most likely Carole didn't sell her house yet, and Finn has been living there.
When Finn danced with Kurt, that scene immediately became one of my all-time favorite Glee moments. I had the same posture and look as Mr. Schue as he sat at the reception, face resting against his hand, watching the scene with a mixture of pride, surprise, and delight. Furt signals the full circle that Finn and Kurt's relationship has taken since the beginning of the show, from relative strangers to a one-sided, painful crush, to "brothers from another mother." It was an unprecedented moment in television history, and it was wonderful. In the final episode of the pivotal three episode bullying storyline, Kurt gets a new brother, a new mother, and love and acceptance from his glee club family.
The tears that I shed as I watched the reception scene were more for Chris Colfer than for the fictional Kurt. Less than two years ago Chris was in high school, being bullied every day, dealing with, as one article describes, "the unfortunate trifecta of being overweight, gay, and wearing braces." He described himself recently on the Ellen show as the "insignificant, sad, lonely kid I was in high school." And now here he is, on a hit television show, a GQ man of the year, an Emmy-nominated actor, earning praise from critics, adoration from fans, and an entire cast of new friends. Chris Colfer's life is the epitome of an "It Gets Better" video for the Trevor Project. The look on Kurt's face as Finn started the song, then held out his hand to dance with him; I have to think that Chris was feeling those same emotions.
I have mad respect for Cory Monteith. Cory is twenty-eight years old, and he actually dropped out of school in the ninth grade. So he has next to no experience with what high school life is really like, he hasn't been a teenager for nearly a decade, yet he is able to communicate the conflicting emotions of a guy in that situation so well. As I've mentioned before, Glee is groundbreaking for its exploration of the angst boys face in high school - peer pressure to be athletic, to have a good body, to have a hot girlfriend, to be mean to certain groups, to not be gay.
Kurt and Karofsky's scene at the lockers was positively chilling. That mix of hatred and desire that swept across Karofsky's face - wow. Very powerful. I was so happy to see both Will and Sue finally step up. The storyline adds another layer to Sue's wonderfully complicated personality, that she would make a decision to give up the power of being president - principal - in order to help protect a student. And not just any student, but one who quit her beloved Cheerios. Although Kurt did help her with the "Vogue" video. I'm glad Kurt spoke up about her calling him "lady," and although I'm not sure "porcelain" is much better, it is cute and kind of fits him, if you don't think of a toilet when you hear the name.
The meeting with Burt and Karofsky's father Paul was not the epic confrontation I was expecting. But there might be fireworks to come. Regardless, I absolutely love Burt, and Mike O'Malley. His dance down the aisle was the cutest thing.
I've read two kinds of criticism regarding Kurt in this episdode. Number one, someone was confused about how strong he was when he confronted Karofsky in "Never Been Kissed." Why he was so tough two episodes ago, and now he's running away to Dalton Academy. Well, that's pretty simple I think. He wasn't being threatened with murder two episodes ago. Karofsky's abuse has steadily increased during this season. He is appearing more and more unstable. I have been teased and I have been intimidated in my life, and believe me, you know the difference. You can feel intimidation in every part of your being. Intimidation is a very frightening thing, because it can be subtle and difficult for others to see. But when its happening to you, it can overshadow everything else in your life.
The second criticism was someone not understanding why Kurt would leave McKinley when he finally had a support system in place. His friends in glee club, Will, Sue, his dad and new stepmom, even his new stepbrother were all promising to help. But again, if you have never been intimidated, its hard to know what that feels like. You don't feel safe, period. That look between Karofsky and Kurt in Sue's office when Karofsky was expelled spoke volumes. I believe Kurt fears that Karofsky will be more unhinged than ever when he returns to McKinley. He will blame all of his problems on Kurt. And support systems aren't failproof.
Although I think it will be very interesting to see what happens to Kurt at Dalton, I am very sad to think of him competing against New Directions at Sectionals. I would assume that New Directions has to win in order to advance to Regionals, so they will always be able to say that they won without Kurt. Once again, we saw the limits of Rachel's burgeoning altruism. She was the first glee club member to suggest confronting Karofsky, but she was also the first (and only) person to be more concerned about Kurt joining the Warblers rather than why he was leaving, or the fact that he was leaving at all.
My favorite line of the episode:
"Finn, I've been planning weddings since I was two. My power rangers got married and divorced in so many combinations, they were like Fleetwood Mac." Kurt
And one more thing: Loved the "Lost" references. :) Daniel Roebuck, who played Paul Karofsky in the episode, was on "Lost." Burt mentioned the show when he talked about honeymooning in Hawaii, and Kurt was wearing an airplane pin when he and Burt confronted the Karofskys in Sue's office.
gleekette
So this will have to be more stream of consciousness writing than usual. Which is hard for me because its such an important episode. But here goes.
If I could only use two words to describe Glee, it would probably be these two: "brilliant" and "flawed." A Gleek I am, but even I can admit that the show isn't perfect. Even though I'm a proud "Kurtsie" (Chris Colfer's term for his dedicated fans), I agree with many people who found the episode uneven and rushed.
Let's mention the rough spots first. Sam and Quinn promising themselves to each other after only six weeks? And after everything Quinn went through in season one? Just seems way too fast. Yes, there were very sweet moments in their storyline this week, and the promise ring worked well with the wedding, but this plot seems rushed to me. And as someone else commented, I do wonder a bit about Sam's motives. He does seem to really care about Quinn, and he has acted honorably toward Kurt, but his desire to be the big man on campus makes me question his integrity just a bit.
Rough spot number two. Sue marrying herself. Just didn't get that. What was the point? I guess it was supposed to be humorous, but I didn't find it that funny.
I understand that Carol Burnett made an appearance as Sue's mother to show that Sue herself was bullied. I did get that. But I just didn't feel that she was enough of a bully. To me she was more of an absentee mom. Unfortunately I think her talent was a bit wasted in this episode.
And now for the good stuff, with a few more negative mentions. Burt and Carol got married! And for the most part the planning, the ceremony, and the reception were a joy to watch. Romy Rosemont and Mike O'Malley as Carole and Burt were awesome in this episode. The walk down the aisle was so much fun! For me, Artie and Brittany almost stole the show from Burt and Carole. I'm still on the fence about the Artie/Brittany romance, but every time the camera went to them in this episode they were doing something absolutely adorable.
The engagement and wedding did seem rushed to me. But I am so happy that Carole and Burt got married. I hope the show will continue to explore how this marriage will effect Kurt and Finn...not just their relationship as brothers, but also the fact that Kurt has a mother figure again and for the first time in his life, Finn has a father figure.
Some people complained that Carole and Burt's vows were directed too much at the boys and not enough at each other. While I think that is a valid complaint, and I also agree that both Carole and Burt should have talked more about Finn, I especially loved Burt talking about how he and Kurt really weren't living after Mrs. Hummel died.
Make no mistake, I was thrilled at how Kurt-centric this episode was. It absolutely worked for me. But I was surprised. And I can understand the criticism, especially people who feel that Finn got the short end of the stick. His mother barely mentioned him in her vows, and Burt didn't mention him at all. But Carole glowingly talked about Kurt.
The status of Burt and Finn's relationship has not been discussed since Burt threw Finn out of his house during the "Theatricality" episode in season one. We don't know where Finn has been living, and we weren't even sure that Carole and Burt were still together, although she was at the hospital when Burt had the heart attack. When they announced their engagement to the boys, Burt said he was looking for a house where they could each have their own room. Are we supposed to infer that they have been sharing a room, even after what went down in "Theatricality?" I don't think so. Most likely Carole didn't sell her house yet, and Finn has been living there.
When Finn danced with Kurt, that scene immediately became one of my all-time favorite Glee moments. I had the same posture and look as Mr. Schue as he sat at the reception, face resting against his hand, watching the scene with a mixture of pride, surprise, and delight. Furt signals the full circle that Finn and Kurt's relationship has taken since the beginning of the show, from relative strangers to a one-sided, painful crush, to "brothers from another mother." It was an unprecedented moment in television history, and it was wonderful. In the final episode of the pivotal three episode bullying storyline, Kurt gets a new brother, a new mother, and love and acceptance from his glee club family.
The tears that I shed as I watched the reception scene were more for Chris Colfer than for the fictional Kurt. Less than two years ago Chris was in high school, being bullied every day, dealing with, as one article describes, "the unfortunate trifecta of being overweight, gay, and wearing braces." He described himself recently on the Ellen show as the "insignificant, sad, lonely kid I was in high school." And now here he is, on a hit television show, a GQ man of the year, an Emmy-nominated actor, earning praise from critics, adoration from fans, and an entire cast of new friends. Chris Colfer's life is the epitome of an "It Gets Better" video for the Trevor Project. The look on Kurt's face as Finn started the song, then held out his hand to dance with him; I have to think that Chris was feeling those same emotions.
I have mad respect for Cory Monteith. Cory is twenty-eight years old, and he actually dropped out of school in the ninth grade. So he has next to no experience with what high school life is really like, he hasn't been a teenager for nearly a decade, yet he is able to communicate the conflicting emotions of a guy in that situation so well. As I've mentioned before, Glee is groundbreaking for its exploration of the angst boys face in high school - peer pressure to be athletic, to have a good body, to have a hot girlfriend, to be mean to certain groups, to not be gay.
Kurt and Karofsky's scene at the lockers was positively chilling. That mix of hatred and desire that swept across Karofsky's face - wow. Very powerful. I was so happy to see both Will and Sue finally step up. The storyline adds another layer to Sue's wonderfully complicated personality, that she would make a decision to give up the power of being president - principal - in order to help protect a student. And not just any student, but one who quit her beloved Cheerios. Although Kurt did help her with the "Vogue" video. I'm glad Kurt spoke up about her calling him "lady," and although I'm not sure "porcelain" is much better, it is cute and kind of fits him, if you don't think of a toilet when you hear the name.
The meeting with Burt and Karofsky's father Paul was not the epic confrontation I was expecting. But there might be fireworks to come. Regardless, I absolutely love Burt, and Mike O'Malley. His dance down the aisle was the cutest thing.
I've read two kinds of criticism regarding Kurt in this episdode. Number one, someone was confused about how strong he was when he confronted Karofsky in "Never Been Kissed." Why he was so tough two episodes ago, and now he's running away to Dalton Academy. Well, that's pretty simple I think. He wasn't being threatened with murder two episodes ago. Karofsky's abuse has steadily increased during this season. He is appearing more and more unstable. I have been teased and I have been intimidated in my life, and believe me, you know the difference. You can feel intimidation in every part of your being. Intimidation is a very frightening thing, because it can be subtle and difficult for others to see. But when its happening to you, it can overshadow everything else in your life.
The second criticism was someone not understanding why Kurt would leave McKinley when he finally had a support system in place. His friends in glee club, Will, Sue, his dad and new stepmom, even his new stepbrother were all promising to help. But again, if you have never been intimidated, its hard to know what that feels like. You don't feel safe, period. That look between Karofsky and Kurt in Sue's office when Karofsky was expelled spoke volumes. I believe Kurt fears that Karofsky will be more unhinged than ever when he returns to McKinley. He will blame all of his problems on Kurt. And support systems aren't failproof.
Although I think it will be very interesting to see what happens to Kurt at Dalton, I am very sad to think of him competing against New Directions at Sectionals. I would assume that New Directions has to win in order to advance to Regionals, so they will always be able to say that they won without Kurt. Once again, we saw the limits of Rachel's burgeoning altruism. She was the first glee club member to suggest confronting Karofsky, but she was also the first (and only) person to be more concerned about Kurt joining the Warblers rather than why he was leaving, or the fact that he was leaving at all.
My favorite line of the episode:
"Finn, I've been planning weddings since I was two. My power rangers got married and divorced in so many combinations, they were like Fleetwood Mac." Kurt
And one more thing: Loved the "Lost" references. :) Daniel Roebuck, who played Paul Karofsky in the episode, was on "Lost." Burt mentioned the show when he talked about honeymooning in Hawaii, and Kurt was wearing an airplane pin when he and Burt confronted the Karofskys in Sue's office.
gleekette
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Max Adler Radar Online Interview
http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2010/11/exclusive-interview-glees-max-adler-kiss-shocked-fans
Exclusive Interview: Glee's Max Adler - The Kiss That Still Has Lips Flapping
Talk about a game changer. In one instant, Glee's Max Adler went from a stereotypical high school thug to a deeply complex character, and all it took was a single kiss.
As fans of the hit Fox TV show know, in the November 9th episode of Glee, "Never Been Kissed", Max's character, homophobic jock Dave Karofsky, shocked fans when he kissed Kurt, played by Chris Colfer.
In that one moment, Max broke out from the background of Glee - with a vengeance. In real life, Max couldn't be more different than Karofsky, and this week, RadarOnline.com had the opportunity to chat with this extremely talented and affable actor.
Radar: First, WOW! As a huge Glee fan, I was completely stunned when your character kissed Kurt. Did you know from the very beginning of Glee that this would be the eventual path your character would be taking, or did it come as a surprise to you when you read the script for that episode? What did you think?
Max: "It came as a total surprise. When I got cast originally, all I knew was that it was for a one episode gig, with two lines, throwing a slushy at Finn. So, the fact that they have chosen to expand my character to have so much depth and so many layers is just an honor and so incredible, but to answer your question, (as for my knowledge at least) this was not planned from the very very beginning. The only thing I was told was at the 2nd season premiere, (Glee's creator) Ryan Murphy came up to me and excitedly said 'we just wrote some really good stuff for you for episode 6'. I had no idea what that meant, until I read it! And I was surprised, yes, but I thought it was so awesome that they would allow this character to go there. And it is a true blessing and honor to be able to play such an important role at this time in the world with all the bullying and gay rights activism happening."
Radar: When you kissed Kurt, I felt that in an instant, I completely changed my opinion of you, and your character changed from being somewhat one dimensional to complex, and I actually felt sorry for you. How did people react to your character before the game-changing kiss, and how do they react now?
Max: "People reacted in the same exact way you did. They told me they saw me as a one dimensional dude, with not much depth, who was almost, to them, seen as a glorified extra who's scenes would be predictable and he would be bullying just to bully. Of course, I had viewed this differently in my own head, haha, but I can see the audience's point from their perspective. But now, again, they are reacting the same as you. They feel sympathetic towards Karofsky, and see he has a heart and he is just a scared, fearful, confused guy who isnt really quite sure how to deal with his emotions and where to even start."
Radar: In last week's episode, you winked at Kurt, and then threatened to kill him - which was incredibly disturbing to watch. What was your feeling about that line?
Max: "I thought it was very powerful. Chilling, terrifying, horrifying, yet, at the same time, heartbreaking. Again, thrilled that the writers went there. Because there are kids who have messaged me since that episode saying they used to hear that line spoken to them day in and day out at school, and how they wished they didnt have to wake up in the morning and go to school and hear it again, and they were so afraid to go from class to class that they changed their routes every day, it's very real. So, to get to play that role and show the audience what is really going on out there and not watering it down and to show people how students (both the victim and the tormentor) are dealing with it, is an honor."
Radar: You taped a powerful PSA for the Trevor Project, in which you said that you talk to kids, and you've been struck by how many young people say they think they deserved to be bullied. Tell us about talking to these kids and what they tell you? Is there one particular story or comment from a young person that has stuck with you.
Max: "Yes, people from all around the world, in many many different countries, either Facebook me, Twitter me, or will send letters through my representatives, explaining to me their whole life story and back story, because they are connecting with Karofsky, and it truly is touching. Not one in particular sticks, they all stick. They are all so different, yet the same. They all have different reasons they were afraid (parents disapproval, religion, getting teased on their sports team, getting harassed by their older siblings who they looked up to etc) and then I hear stories of how people's lives reflect the locker room scene to a T, where a girl broke another girl's nose after punching her when she was teased, but then ended up dating her. Or another where this man's parents had cut him off from the family, but that after watching this episode with them they all had a good cry and everyone realized how confusing and tormenting it could be to not know yourself, let alone not having support from your family and friends. Very moving stuff, which inspires me to keep going with this role."
Radar: Most people can relate to the feeling of not wanting to be different - or perceived as being different - in high school. What were you like in school? Were you a theater kid or jock? Any experiences with being bullied - or bullying?
Max: "In high school, I was very active, and fairly popular. Senior Class VP, involved with the jazz choir, show choir, drama club, National Honor Society, charities, etc...But, in elementary school, I moved to a couple different ones within a short time, and I was picked on for being the new kid because everyone had known each other and developed cliques and relationships and inside jokes, and they reminded me I was the new kid every single day, and it definitely sucked. Luckily, I had a very open relationship with my parents and they would tell me that I did nothing wrong and I do not deserve this and these other kids are just insecure with themselves. And it stuck with me. And helped me to get through it, hence, my It Gets Better video, to hopefully relay this same message to others out there, who arent as fortunate with the parental advice I was lucky enough to receive."
Radar: Can you give us any hint about where your character is headed? Will he come out? Any chance he could become Kurt's protector - or perhaps, romantic interest?
Max: "I have no clue. I'm dying to know myself. At this point, I could see it going in so many directions, which is really the fun of playing such a character. He is so unpredictable that he could really go anywhere at this point. The writers haven't led me astray thus far, and I can't wait to see what they come up with for Karofsky next."
Radar: Wouldn't it be great if your character comes out and joins the Glee club? Do you sing? Would you like to perform on Glee, and if so, what song?
Max: "It is certainly possible, as is anything else. I do sing, and dance in real life. I was very involved with my school and communty theaters and show choirs. If the writers write that in, I will gladly go there. If not, so be it! If I did have to sing, I love the crooners. Sinatra, Buble, Dean martin etc. Those styles of songs I could have a lot of fun with."
Radar: The list of guest stars on the show has been amazing - Britney Spears - Kristen Chenoweth, John Stamos - Gwyneth Paltow - Carol Burnett. Although your character really hasn't had interaction with them on screen, did you have a chance to meet any of them? Who would you love to see guest-star on the show - maybe someone playing your parents?
Max: "The only person on this list I actually met on set was John Stamos, and he is awesome. Super nice,open, talented, friendly, guy. And you know, I grew up watching him as Uncle Jesse on Full House, so to be sitting next to him in the makeup trailer chatting it up, was a very surreal moment. My dad has already been cast and will appear in the November 23rd episode. He is Daniel Roebuck. Excellent actor, and a true gentlemen. As far as who I'd like to see guest star, I think a Justin Timberlake appearance could be fun. Respect his work so much, and the fact that he can act, sing, and dance well would be a pretty easy fit."
Radar: Can you tell us a little bit about your background: where you are from, your prior credits and how you joined the cast of Glee?
Max: "I'm from Scottsdale, AZ. Went to Horizon High School, moved to LA right after graduating to pursue acting. After about a year or so of just working double shifts to pay the rent, and figure out how this industry works, I started to chug away at making my dreams a reality. I got several guest starring roles on tv shows such as Cold Case, Ghost Whisperer, What About Brian, The Defenders, etc. I also did a couple indy films, as well as many commercials. When I heard about Glee, my heart started racing. Back in AZ, I used to host Nip/Tuck parties at my house. All my friends would come over and crowd around the tv and watch weekly. I just was obsessed with the show and thought if I could ever meet Ryan Murphy and just tell him what a genius he is, I could die happy. So, when I heard he is doing a show on FOX about school choir kids, I freaked. To land that role of Dave Karofsky even for just one episode a year ago got me all hyped up, and to experience now what it has turned into, to go to Paramount and have the privilege to say these words the amazing writers have given me, while at the same time touching people's lives, has just really been a dream come true and an honor and I still can't believe it happened."
Interview conducted by Neil Woulfe/Glee fan/News Director for RadarOnline.com
End of article
Haven't had time to read this, but wanted to post it. Gotta go...GLEE IS ON!! :)
gleekette
Exclusive Interview: Glee's Max Adler - The Kiss That Still Has Lips Flapping
Talk about a game changer. In one instant, Glee's Max Adler went from a stereotypical high school thug to a deeply complex character, and all it took was a single kiss.
As fans of the hit Fox TV show know, in the November 9th episode of Glee, "Never Been Kissed", Max's character, homophobic jock Dave Karofsky, shocked fans when he kissed Kurt, played by Chris Colfer.
In that one moment, Max broke out from the background of Glee - with a vengeance. In real life, Max couldn't be more different than Karofsky, and this week, RadarOnline.com had the opportunity to chat with this extremely talented and affable actor.
Radar: First, WOW! As a huge Glee fan, I was completely stunned when your character kissed Kurt. Did you know from the very beginning of Glee that this would be the eventual path your character would be taking, or did it come as a surprise to you when you read the script for that episode? What did you think?
Max: "It came as a total surprise. When I got cast originally, all I knew was that it was for a one episode gig, with two lines, throwing a slushy at Finn. So, the fact that they have chosen to expand my character to have so much depth and so many layers is just an honor and so incredible, but to answer your question, (as for my knowledge at least) this was not planned from the very very beginning. The only thing I was told was at the 2nd season premiere, (Glee's creator) Ryan Murphy came up to me and excitedly said 'we just wrote some really good stuff for you for episode 6'. I had no idea what that meant, until I read it! And I was surprised, yes, but I thought it was so awesome that they would allow this character to go there. And it is a true blessing and honor to be able to play such an important role at this time in the world with all the bullying and gay rights activism happening."
Radar: When you kissed Kurt, I felt that in an instant, I completely changed my opinion of you, and your character changed from being somewhat one dimensional to complex, and I actually felt sorry for you. How did people react to your character before the game-changing kiss, and how do they react now?
Max: "People reacted in the same exact way you did. They told me they saw me as a one dimensional dude, with not much depth, who was almost, to them, seen as a glorified extra who's scenes would be predictable and he would be bullying just to bully. Of course, I had viewed this differently in my own head, haha, but I can see the audience's point from their perspective. But now, again, they are reacting the same as you. They feel sympathetic towards Karofsky, and see he has a heart and he is just a scared, fearful, confused guy who isnt really quite sure how to deal with his emotions and where to even start."
Radar: In last week's episode, you winked at Kurt, and then threatened to kill him - which was incredibly disturbing to watch. What was your feeling about that line?
Max: "I thought it was very powerful. Chilling, terrifying, horrifying, yet, at the same time, heartbreaking. Again, thrilled that the writers went there. Because there are kids who have messaged me since that episode saying they used to hear that line spoken to them day in and day out at school, and how they wished they didnt have to wake up in the morning and go to school and hear it again, and they were so afraid to go from class to class that they changed their routes every day, it's very real. So, to get to play that role and show the audience what is really going on out there and not watering it down and to show people how students (both the victim and the tormentor) are dealing with it, is an honor."
Radar: You taped a powerful PSA for the Trevor Project, in which you said that you talk to kids, and you've been struck by how many young people say they think they deserved to be bullied. Tell us about talking to these kids and what they tell you? Is there one particular story or comment from a young person that has stuck with you.
Max: "Yes, people from all around the world, in many many different countries, either Facebook me, Twitter me, or will send letters through my representatives, explaining to me their whole life story and back story, because they are connecting with Karofsky, and it truly is touching. Not one in particular sticks, they all stick. They are all so different, yet the same. They all have different reasons they were afraid (parents disapproval, religion, getting teased on their sports team, getting harassed by their older siblings who they looked up to etc) and then I hear stories of how people's lives reflect the locker room scene to a T, where a girl broke another girl's nose after punching her when she was teased, but then ended up dating her. Or another where this man's parents had cut him off from the family, but that after watching this episode with them they all had a good cry and everyone realized how confusing and tormenting it could be to not know yourself, let alone not having support from your family and friends. Very moving stuff, which inspires me to keep going with this role."
Radar: Most people can relate to the feeling of not wanting to be different - or perceived as being different - in high school. What were you like in school? Were you a theater kid or jock? Any experiences with being bullied - or bullying?
Max: "In high school, I was very active, and fairly popular. Senior Class VP, involved with the jazz choir, show choir, drama club, National Honor Society, charities, etc...But, in elementary school, I moved to a couple different ones within a short time, and I was picked on for being the new kid because everyone had known each other and developed cliques and relationships and inside jokes, and they reminded me I was the new kid every single day, and it definitely sucked. Luckily, I had a very open relationship with my parents and they would tell me that I did nothing wrong and I do not deserve this and these other kids are just insecure with themselves. And it stuck with me. And helped me to get through it, hence, my It Gets Better video, to hopefully relay this same message to others out there, who arent as fortunate with the parental advice I was lucky enough to receive."
Radar: Can you give us any hint about where your character is headed? Will he come out? Any chance he could become Kurt's protector - or perhaps, romantic interest?
Max: "I have no clue. I'm dying to know myself. At this point, I could see it going in so many directions, which is really the fun of playing such a character. He is so unpredictable that he could really go anywhere at this point. The writers haven't led me astray thus far, and I can't wait to see what they come up with for Karofsky next."
Radar: Wouldn't it be great if your character comes out and joins the Glee club? Do you sing? Would you like to perform on Glee, and if so, what song?
Max: "It is certainly possible, as is anything else. I do sing, and dance in real life. I was very involved with my school and communty theaters and show choirs. If the writers write that in, I will gladly go there. If not, so be it! If I did have to sing, I love the crooners. Sinatra, Buble, Dean martin etc. Those styles of songs I could have a lot of fun with."
Radar: The list of guest stars on the show has been amazing - Britney Spears - Kristen Chenoweth, John Stamos - Gwyneth Paltow - Carol Burnett. Although your character really hasn't had interaction with them on screen, did you have a chance to meet any of them? Who would you love to see guest-star on the show - maybe someone playing your parents?
Max: "The only person on this list I actually met on set was John Stamos, and he is awesome. Super nice,open, talented, friendly, guy. And you know, I grew up watching him as Uncle Jesse on Full House, so to be sitting next to him in the makeup trailer chatting it up, was a very surreal moment. My dad has already been cast and will appear in the November 23rd episode. He is Daniel Roebuck. Excellent actor, and a true gentlemen. As far as who I'd like to see guest star, I think a Justin Timberlake appearance could be fun. Respect his work so much, and the fact that he can act, sing, and dance well would be a pretty easy fit."
Radar: Can you tell us a little bit about your background: where you are from, your prior credits and how you joined the cast of Glee?
Max: "I'm from Scottsdale, AZ. Went to Horizon High School, moved to LA right after graduating to pursue acting. After about a year or so of just working double shifts to pay the rent, and figure out how this industry works, I started to chug away at making my dreams a reality. I got several guest starring roles on tv shows such as Cold Case, Ghost Whisperer, What About Brian, The Defenders, etc. I also did a couple indy films, as well as many commercials. When I heard about Glee, my heart started racing. Back in AZ, I used to host Nip/Tuck parties at my house. All my friends would come over and crowd around the tv and watch weekly. I just was obsessed with the show and thought if I could ever meet Ryan Murphy and just tell him what a genius he is, I could die happy. So, when I heard he is doing a show on FOX about school choir kids, I freaked. To land that role of Dave Karofsky even for just one episode a year ago got me all hyped up, and to experience now what it has turned into, to go to Paramount and have the privilege to say these words the amazing writers have given me, while at the same time touching people's lives, has just really been a dream come true and an honor and I still can't believe it happened."
Interview conducted by Neil Woulfe/Glee fan/News Director for RadarOnline.com
End of article
Haven't had time to read this, but wanted to post it. Gotta go...GLEE IS ON!! :)
gleekette
Monday, November 22, 2010
"The Substitute" Analysis
I'm getting behind. There's a new episode tomorrow night, and I still have analysis to do on the previous two episodes. So before I (FINALLY!) finish "Never Been Kissed," let me discuss "The Substitute," because I think the analysis will be easier and more concise.
"The Substitute"...
I LOVED IT!! GREAT episode!! The fun was back in Glee this week, although the bullying storyline wasn't on hiatus either.
I didn't have a strong opinion on Gwyneth Paltrow before this episode. I've seen a few of her movies, I like her, that's about it. Evidently some people really can't stand her, and I don't know why. I thought she was excellent on Glee. Her character was interesting and funny and I was quite impressed with her singing voice. She seemed to have terrific chemistry with the entire cast, and they have all been praising her for days. I didn't feel that she took time away from the other characters; we were still treated to healthy doses of Mr. Schue, Sue, Kurt, Rachel, Mercedes, and even Mike Chang.
The dialogue in this episode was SO hilarious! The writers outdid themselves! Where do they come up with this stuff? There were way too many funny lines to write down, but here were some of my favorites:
"I thought we were friends" Will
"That got boring" Sue
"But first I think I should get you guys a sitter" Will to the class of mini-me's
"I'm shaking - and its either from low blood sugar, or rage" Kurt
"You smell homeless, Brett...homeless" Kurt
"Hey gigantor (to Finn)...we're all gonna swap names, yo" Artie
"I'm Mike Chang" Brittany
"I'm banning potater (sic) tots" Sue
"Outstanding!" Becky
"You kids love me" Will
"Sue doesn't" Rachel
"Hoarders is great, but animal hoarders is better!" Sue and Holly
Sue calling Mercedes "Jacque"
"You know what this is?" Sue to Mercedes, holding up broccoli
"Toilet brush" Mercedes
"Rachel...you suck!" Holly
"In fact, right now I'm tempted to sell your scalp on the black market as a tiny, full length shearling coat, for only the most fashionable of premature babies" Sue to Will
"Oh my gosh, I open my mouth and a little purse falls out" Kurt (I almost choked on my hamburger bun on this one!) :)
"Oh, way to break the stereotype!" Kurt to Blaine
"You can rest assured that I and my attorney, Gloria Allred, will be pressing charges" Sue to Mercedes
"You a porn star or a drag queen?" Terri to Holly
"You irritate me, William. You make the underflaps of my breasts burn, like when I used to rub them with poison sumac" Sue
"He taught me how to tie my shoelaces" Sam, about Will
"Mr. Schue taught me the second half of the alphabet. I stopped after m and n...I felt they were too similar, and got frustrated" Brittany
"You know, William, one thing I learned in my time as president..." Sue
"...principal..." Will
"Shut your gash, Nancy..." Sue to Will
Now a word or two about the songs:
C-Lo's "Forget You"
I've never heard the original, so I can't make a comparison. I thought the performance was great fun to watch; everyone looked like they were having a blast. Now that I have the song on my ipod I am enjoying it even more.
"Make 'em Laugh" and "Nowadays"
I have seen a few Broadway shows, and I have really enjoyed them, but I am not a theatre geek. So while I can appreciate the great performances of Broadway shows, they are not my favorites on Glee, and I won't make a lot of comments about them. I'm happy for all the Rachel/Lea fans as she stepped back into the spotlight for "Nowadays." And I really enjoyed the dancing on "Make 'em Laugh." Harry and Matthew make a super team.
"Singing in the Rain/Umbrella" mash-up
I am listening to this multiple times a day on my ipod. I really enjoy both Matthew and Gwyneth's voices on this. Some people are tired of the mash-ups, but I think they're great. They expose kids to classic songs and get adults to listen to current hits. The dancing is wonderful, and unlike some people, I don't care that a high school wouldn't have the budget for that kind of special effect. Many of Glee's performances would fall out of the range of a high school budget.
What I didn't like about this was the inability to see anyone else's faces except Will and Holly. Obviously we see Artie in the beginning, and catch a glimpse or two of Mike and possibly Brittany, but that's pretty much it. And maybe that was the effect they were going for; maybe they wanted it to look like a group of Will and Holly clones. One commentor even speculated that since the choreography was so challenging in that number, the show might have used professional dancers to stand in for the cast, and that's why we couldn't see anyone else except Heather Morris and Harry Shum Jr, who are excellent dancers. I don't know if that's the case. I thought I caught a glimpse or two of Chris and Amber as well, but I'm not sure. I know there was a shot of Chris in one of the still photographs, but that doesn't mean he was in the performance.
I just really loved the outfit that the guys were wearing. That combination of shirt, vest, and hat was a very hot look for all the guys in Glee, and I wanted to be able to see all of them looking that sharp. :)
Now a word or two about the storylines:
I liked the Holly Holiday storyline, and I hope Gwyneth does make a return appearance on Glee. I do feel like maybe we should have seen the students fight a little bit harder to get Will back. Maybe this should have been a two part episode. I feel like it got wrapped up a little too quickly.
UGH, the return of Terri. My least favorite character on Glee. I have been SO much happier in season 2 without her. I do agree that Will treated her really badly, but I don't want them back together. Ever.
As I predicted, Mercedes was jealous of Kurt and Blaine spending time together. I hope the storyline is afforded more than one episode, but it might not. Some people felt that Kurt should have apologized to Mercedes, that he was too strong with her. He should have considered her feelings more. While I understand that sentiment, as a person who has been where Mercedes is more than once, I can now admit that sometimes the girl in straight girl - gay guy relationship needs a healthy dose of tough love. If Kurt had been too soft with her, she probably would have made everyone involved miserable. Hyperfocusing on the person you're interested in at the expense of close friendships is an unfortunate aspect that occurs in both straight and gay relationships. Usually, though not always, patterns eventually even out.
Some people were very upset that Glee portrayed Mercedes turning to food (the tots) as a way to deal with her jealousy and loneliness. What some see as a stereotypical portrayal I view as realistic. It would make sense, unfortunately, that Mercedes would focus on food to help her cope. But even more than seeing the tots as food, I saw them as a motivation factor, a cause that she could adopt. Appointing herself the leader of the "save the tots" campaign (Norma Rae homage included) made her feel important and needed. She was working toward a goal that meant something to her.
And going back to the tots as food for a minute, didn't we all get excited over at least one cafeteria food item in school? Sure, most of it was awful. But at most schools the tater tots do rock. At my junior high school the buttered rolls did too. I think you could buy just the roll for like a quarter or something. There were quite a few kids who stood in line just to buy a roll, myself included.
If you look closely, you can definitely see a change in Kurt in this episode. Usually Kurt sits in the back of the choir room and is one of the last of the students to join the song and dance routines. When he does make the effort, its often because Mr. Schue or someone else pulls him in. Otherwise, he's sitting and looking either superior, bored, exasperated, or a combination. Glee club should be the place where Kurt fits in the most, but he still often feels out of place and uncomfortable.
In this episode, however, Holly wagged her finger at him at the beginning of the song, and Kurt was up and dancing immediately. He danced around the piano, danced with Holly, danced by himself, he even danced with Santana! Whether Blaine is a friend or more than a friend at this point, having him in his life seems to be a good thing for Kurt.
gleekette
"The Substitute"...
I LOVED IT!! GREAT episode!! The fun was back in Glee this week, although the bullying storyline wasn't on hiatus either.
I didn't have a strong opinion on Gwyneth Paltrow before this episode. I've seen a few of her movies, I like her, that's about it. Evidently some people really can't stand her, and I don't know why. I thought she was excellent on Glee. Her character was interesting and funny and I was quite impressed with her singing voice. She seemed to have terrific chemistry with the entire cast, and they have all been praising her for days. I didn't feel that she took time away from the other characters; we were still treated to healthy doses of Mr. Schue, Sue, Kurt, Rachel, Mercedes, and even Mike Chang.
The dialogue in this episode was SO hilarious! The writers outdid themselves! Where do they come up with this stuff? There were way too many funny lines to write down, but here were some of my favorites:
"I thought we were friends" Will
"That got boring" Sue
"But first I think I should get you guys a sitter" Will to the class of mini-me's
"I'm shaking - and its either from low blood sugar, or rage" Kurt
"You smell homeless, Brett...homeless" Kurt
"Hey gigantor (to Finn)...we're all gonna swap names, yo" Artie
"I'm Mike Chang" Brittany
"I'm banning potater (sic) tots" Sue
"Outstanding!" Becky
"You kids love me" Will
"Sue doesn't" Rachel
"Hoarders is great, but animal hoarders is better!" Sue and Holly
Sue calling Mercedes "Jacque"
"You know what this is?" Sue to Mercedes, holding up broccoli
"Toilet brush" Mercedes
"Rachel...you suck!" Holly
"In fact, right now I'm tempted to sell your scalp on the black market as a tiny, full length shearling coat, for only the most fashionable of premature babies" Sue to Will
"Oh my gosh, I open my mouth and a little purse falls out" Kurt (I almost choked on my hamburger bun on this one!) :)
"Oh, way to break the stereotype!" Kurt to Blaine
"You can rest assured that I and my attorney, Gloria Allred, will be pressing charges" Sue to Mercedes
"You a porn star or a drag queen?" Terri to Holly
"You irritate me, William. You make the underflaps of my breasts burn, like when I used to rub them with poison sumac" Sue
"He taught me how to tie my shoelaces" Sam, about Will
"Mr. Schue taught me the second half of the alphabet. I stopped after m and n...I felt they were too similar, and got frustrated" Brittany
"You know, William, one thing I learned in my time as president..." Sue
"...principal..." Will
"Shut your gash, Nancy..." Sue to Will
Now a word or two about the songs:
C-Lo's "Forget You"
I've never heard the original, so I can't make a comparison. I thought the performance was great fun to watch; everyone looked like they were having a blast. Now that I have the song on my ipod I am enjoying it even more.
"Make 'em Laugh" and "Nowadays"
I have seen a few Broadway shows, and I have really enjoyed them, but I am not a theatre geek. So while I can appreciate the great performances of Broadway shows, they are not my favorites on Glee, and I won't make a lot of comments about them. I'm happy for all the Rachel/Lea fans as she stepped back into the spotlight for "Nowadays." And I really enjoyed the dancing on "Make 'em Laugh." Harry and Matthew make a super team.
"Singing in the Rain/Umbrella" mash-up
I am listening to this multiple times a day on my ipod. I really enjoy both Matthew and Gwyneth's voices on this. Some people are tired of the mash-ups, but I think they're great. They expose kids to classic songs and get adults to listen to current hits. The dancing is wonderful, and unlike some people, I don't care that a high school wouldn't have the budget for that kind of special effect. Many of Glee's performances would fall out of the range of a high school budget.
What I didn't like about this was the inability to see anyone else's faces except Will and Holly. Obviously we see Artie in the beginning, and catch a glimpse or two of Mike and possibly Brittany, but that's pretty much it. And maybe that was the effect they were going for; maybe they wanted it to look like a group of Will and Holly clones. One commentor even speculated that since the choreography was so challenging in that number, the show might have used professional dancers to stand in for the cast, and that's why we couldn't see anyone else except Heather Morris and Harry Shum Jr, who are excellent dancers. I don't know if that's the case. I thought I caught a glimpse or two of Chris and Amber as well, but I'm not sure. I know there was a shot of Chris in one of the still photographs, but that doesn't mean he was in the performance.
I just really loved the outfit that the guys were wearing. That combination of shirt, vest, and hat was a very hot look for all the guys in Glee, and I wanted to be able to see all of them looking that sharp. :)
Now a word or two about the storylines:
I liked the Holly Holiday storyline, and I hope Gwyneth does make a return appearance on Glee. I do feel like maybe we should have seen the students fight a little bit harder to get Will back. Maybe this should have been a two part episode. I feel like it got wrapped up a little too quickly.
UGH, the return of Terri. My least favorite character on Glee. I have been SO much happier in season 2 without her. I do agree that Will treated her really badly, but I don't want them back together. Ever.
As I predicted, Mercedes was jealous of Kurt and Blaine spending time together. I hope the storyline is afforded more than one episode, but it might not. Some people felt that Kurt should have apologized to Mercedes, that he was too strong with her. He should have considered her feelings more. While I understand that sentiment, as a person who has been where Mercedes is more than once, I can now admit that sometimes the girl in straight girl - gay guy relationship needs a healthy dose of tough love. If Kurt had been too soft with her, she probably would have made everyone involved miserable. Hyperfocusing on the person you're interested in at the expense of close friendships is an unfortunate aspect that occurs in both straight and gay relationships. Usually, though not always, patterns eventually even out.
Some people were very upset that Glee portrayed Mercedes turning to food (the tots) as a way to deal with her jealousy and loneliness. What some see as a stereotypical portrayal I view as realistic. It would make sense, unfortunately, that Mercedes would focus on food to help her cope. But even more than seeing the tots as food, I saw them as a motivation factor, a cause that she could adopt. Appointing herself the leader of the "save the tots" campaign (Norma Rae homage included) made her feel important and needed. She was working toward a goal that meant something to her.
And going back to the tots as food for a minute, didn't we all get excited over at least one cafeteria food item in school? Sure, most of it was awful. But at most schools the tater tots do rock. At my junior high school the buttered rolls did too. I think you could buy just the roll for like a quarter or something. There were quite a few kids who stood in line just to buy a roll, myself included.
If you look closely, you can definitely see a change in Kurt in this episode. Usually Kurt sits in the back of the choir room and is one of the last of the students to join the song and dance routines. When he does make the effort, its often because Mr. Schue or someone else pulls him in. Otherwise, he's sitting and looking either superior, bored, exasperated, or a combination. Glee club should be the place where Kurt fits in the most, but he still often feels out of place and uncomfortable.
In this episode, however, Holly wagged her finger at him at the beginning of the song, and Kurt was up and dancing immediately. He danced around the piano, danced with Holly, danced by himself, he even danced with Santana! Whether Blaine is a friend or more than a friend at this point, having him in his life seems to be a good thing for Kurt.
gleekette
Sunday, November 21, 2010
"Queer as Folk" Actor Cheers Glee
http://www.ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=6910&MediaType=1&Category=22
Queer As Folk's Peter Paige Cheers Gay Glee's Teens Chris Colfer, Max Adler
Peter Paige, who played Emmett Honeycutt on Showtime's groundbreaking gay drama Queer as Folk, says the gay teens on Fox's musical-comedy Glee are doing “a lot of good.”
The bullying storyline playing out on the second season of the hit show involves Chris Colfer, who plays gay McKinley High student Kurt Hummel, and Max Adler's closeted football player Dave Karofsky.
Darren Criss plays Blaine, an out and proud student from a rival glee club named the Dalton Academy Warblers, a mentor to Hummel – and possible love interest.
After one shove too many, Hummel chases down Karofsky into the men's locker room.
“Do not push me homo,” Karofsky warns with a clenched fist.
“Hit me, because it's not going to change who I am,” Hummel responds. “You can't punch the gay out of me any more than I can punch the ignoramus out of you.”
Karofsky yells, “Get out of my face,” and then, to the shock of millions, reaches in and kisses Hummel.
“I think it does a lot of good,” Paige told GregInHollywood.com's Greg Hernandez. “I think any time we're getting into people's living rooms showing them complicated, interesting, relevant portrayals of gay people, we're doing something right. It matters.”
“Seeing Kurt stand up for himself, it really is a beautiful thing,” the 41-year-old actor added.
End of article
"Queer as Folk" was a great television show; I still miss it. It was like a gay "Thirtysomething" with WAY more sex. Definitely not a family show. But it had a lot of heart and wonderful character development like Glee. Emmett was my favorite. Sharon Gless was outstanding as the over-the-top proud mom of her gay son, Michael, played by straight actor Hal Sparks.
gleekette
Queer As Folk's Peter Paige Cheers Gay Glee's Teens Chris Colfer, Max Adler
Peter Paige, who played Emmett Honeycutt on Showtime's groundbreaking gay drama Queer as Folk, says the gay teens on Fox's musical-comedy Glee are doing “a lot of good.”
The bullying storyline playing out on the second season of the hit show involves Chris Colfer, who plays gay McKinley High student Kurt Hummel, and Max Adler's closeted football player Dave Karofsky.
Darren Criss plays Blaine, an out and proud student from a rival glee club named the Dalton Academy Warblers, a mentor to Hummel – and possible love interest.
After one shove too many, Hummel chases down Karofsky into the men's locker room.
“Do not push me homo,” Karofsky warns with a clenched fist.
“Hit me, because it's not going to change who I am,” Hummel responds. “You can't punch the gay out of me any more than I can punch the ignoramus out of you.”
Karofsky yells, “Get out of my face,” and then, to the shock of millions, reaches in and kisses Hummel.
“I think it does a lot of good,” Paige told GregInHollywood.com's Greg Hernandez. “I think any time we're getting into people's living rooms showing them complicated, interesting, relevant portrayals of gay people, we're doing something right. It matters.”
“Seeing Kurt stand up for himself, it really is a beautiful thing,” the 41-year-old actor added.
End of article
"Queer as Folk" was a great television show; I still miss it. It was like a gay "Thirtysomething" with WAY more sex. Definitely not a family show. But it had a lot of heart and wonderful character development like Glee. Emmett was my favorite. Sharon Gless was outstanding as the over-the-top proud mom of her gay son, Michael, played by straight actor Hal Sparks.
gleekette
Huffington Post blog
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-ostroy/the-joy-of-glee_b_785908.html
The Joy of Glee
by Andy Ostroy
Glee, the hottest show on television, gives us a bunch of self-absorbed bratty high school kids, a deliciously snarky cheerleading coach, a doe-eyed Gene Kelly-wannabe Glee Club director, divorce, teen pregnancy, homosexuality, Jew jokes and Down Syndrome.
And if that wasn't enough juiciness for prime-time it also gives us something rare and unusual: music. Lots and lots of wonderfully arranged and choreographed song and dance renditions of both classic and contemporary hits. A prime example of this genius is Tuesday's absolutely brilliant fusion of "Singin' in the Rain" with Rihanna's "Umbrella," which featured a radiant Gwyneth Paltrow in a surprise television role. This hip-hop mash-up literally got me off the couch dancing like a fool with my 6-year-old daughter, who thinks the Emmy-winning Jane Lynch's Sue Sylvester is the coolest person since Elmo.
If Hollywood had a brain in its collective Jose Eber-coiffed head it would take note of the show's ginormous success and understand why 13-million viewers each week flock to their TVs like stray cats to a bowl of milk. It's the music. Americans are starving for musicals, the long-lost art form. While this genre continues to thrive on Broadway, it's all but disappeared in film and television.
Somewhere along the line the arrogant nincompoops who run Hollywood decided that they knew best what audiences wanted, and it wasn't musicals. You can also throw westerns, another dying genre, into this bucket of near-extinction The moguls decided that what viewers wanted was big budget comic book superhero movies and reality shows. 'Just give 'em more Spiderman and Housewives.' And so began the colossal dumbing-down of film and television programming.
Despite experiencing the tremendous success of simple pleasures like My Big Fat Greek Wedding, High School Musical and Deadwood, the industry just falls right back into its pattern of cookie-cutter offerings. It sees the success of these projects as an anomaly, not a trend-setting barometer. It's as if they're saying to us, "It's just a fluke that you like this stuff. We know that what you really want is more Batman and Survivor."
And then there's Glee. Huge kudos to its creators for being truly creative and innovative. For giving people across all generations spectacular, intelligent original entertainment. The program delivers on every conceivable level. It makes you laugh, cry, think, get angry, sing out loud and, well, dance like a fool in your living room. So why isn't there more ground-breaking programming like this on television?
What Glee shows us is that viewers still hunger for quality. For originality. For something different. For shows that break the mold and succeed in turning old-fashioned into new-fashioned. I'm not saying it's easy, but that's why they're sitting on the studio lot and I'm sitting on my couch. They get paid way too much dough to give us so much brainless fare like the Kardashians.
Another distressing sign came this week as CBS announced the canceling of its long running show Medium, another terrific program with almost 7-million viewers. My money's on some cheaply produced reality show taking its place.
Thank God for cable...and Glee.
End of Blog
Nothing new in this blog; I just wanted to post it because the blogger is so positive about the show. A fellow Gleek for sure. :)
Although I do have to admit that I watch some reality tv as well. Not the Kardashians, but I watch Survivior and the Amazing Race and Dancing with the Stars. I don't consider those shows to be brainless tv. There can be some heartwarming moments on those shows. And with shows like the Amazing Race and Survivor I get to see parts of the world and learn about cultures that I will never have the opportunity to visit. So I don't think they're mindless.
gleekette
The Joy of Glee
by Andy Ostroy
Glee, the hottest show on television, gives us a bunch of self-absorbed bratty high school kids, a deliciously snarky cheerleading coach, a doe-eyed Gene Kelly-wannabe Glee Club director, divorce, teen pregnancy, homosexuality, Jew jokes and Down Syndrome.
And if that wasn't enough juiciness for prime-time it also gives us something rare and unusual: music. Lots and lots of wonderfully arranged and choreographed song and dance renditions of both classic and contemporary hits. A prime example of this genius is Tuesday's absolutely brilliant fusion of "Singin' in the Rain" with Rihanna's "Umbrella," which featured a radiant Gwyneth Paltrow in a surprise television role. This hip-hop mash-up literally got me off the couch dancing like a fool with my 6-year-old daughter, who thinks the Emmy-winning Jane Lynch's Sue Sylvester is the coolest person since Elmo.
If Hollywood had a brain in its collective Jose Eber-coiffed head it would take note of the show's ginormous success and understand why 13-million viewers each week flock to their TVs like stray cats to a bowl of milk. It's the music. Americans are starving for musicals, the long-lost art form. While this genre continues to thrive on Broadway, it's all but disappeared in film and television.
Somewhere along the line the arrogant nincompoops who run Hollywood decided that they knew best what audiences wanted, and it wasn't musicals. You can also throw westerns, another dying genre, into this bucket of near-extinction The moguls decided that what viewers wanted was big budget comic book superhero movies and reality shows. 'Just give 'em more Spiderman and Housewives.' And so began the colossal dumbing-down of film and television programming.
Despite experiencing the tremendous success of simple pleasures like My Big Fat Greek Wedding, High School Musical and Deadwood, the industry just falls right back into its pattern of cookie-cutter offerings. It sees the success of these projects as an anomaly, not a trend-setting barometer. It's as if they're saying to us, "It's just a fluke that you like this stuff. We know that what you really want is more Batman and Survivor."
And then there's Glee. Huge kudos to its creators for being truly creative and innovative. For giving people across all generations spectacular, intelligent original entertainment. The program delivers on every conceivable level. It makes you laugh, cry, think, get angry, sing out loud and, well, dance like a fool in your living room. So why isn't there more ground-breaking programming like this on television?
What Glee shows us is that viewers still hunger for quality. For originality. For something different. For shows that break the mold and succeed in turning old-fashioned into new-fashioned. I'm not saying it's easy, but that's why they're sitting on the studio lot and I'm sitting on my couch. They get paid way too much dough to give us so much brainless fare like the Kardashians.
Another distressing sign came this week as CBS announced the canceling of its long running show Medium, another terrific program with almost 7-million viewers. My money's on some cheaply produced reality show taking its place.
Thank God for cable...and Glee.
End of Blog
Nothing new in this blog; I just wanted to post it because the blogger is so positive about the show. A fellow Gleek for sure. :)
Although I do have to admit that I watch some reality tv as well. Not the Kardashians, but I watch Survivior and the Amazing Race and Dancing with the Stars. I don't consider those shows to be brainless tv. There can be some heartwarming moments on those shows. And with shows like the Amazing Race and Survivor I get to see parts of the world and learn about cultures that I will never have the opportunity to visit. So I don't think they're mindless.
gleekette
Dissenting Perspective
http://scififreak.livejournal.com/102689.html
My Two Cents, Or Why Glee Should Not Ship Karofsky/Kurt After Last Week's Ep
I love, love, love what they did for the show and the character, and I felt so much pain and pity for the dude (Dave Karofsky), but to have someone fall for their abuser is abhorrent. And dangerous for people to see. If it were a man and a woman no one would even suggest such a thing. Kurt had the appropriate reaction in that scene: shock and horror. He later tried to get him help, because he's a good-ish person, but I don't think he can ever see Karofsky and not think he's about to get punched in the face. Karofsky has a long, painful journey ahead of him--and I very much look forward to seeing it on the show, but I don't think he and Kurt can, and more importantly *should*, have that type of relationship.
Though fandom is the guiltiest one of all on this front. You can't expect much from people who think healing!sex right after a rape is totally legit. jk (though not really)
Actually, that's not true. I know a much guiltier party than fandom: soap operas. Specifically, General Hospital and their (and soap's) most famous couple: Luke and Laura Spencer. For those of you who are too young to directly remember this storyline or didn't watch GH like I did from childhood up, Luke and Laura are the One True Pairing of Daytime TV. Their love is epic and Twilight has *nothing* on it. Now, the clincher of this pairing, that many people wouldn't know if they hadn't seen the original storyline in the late 70s or knew the personal history of the pairing, is that Luke raped Laura. She was with someone else and he loved her so much, felt so much passion for her, that he couldn't control himself and raped her in a department store (after hours). My mother described it as "the most romantic rape ever".
Now, what happens after this? Not what you would expect (a trial, jail time etc). They get together, fall in love, get married and have two kids. The rape is totally justified, as is her falling in love with her rapist, because he loved her. Now, GH eventually realized the error of their ways and at least attempted to address this issue in a storyline that happened around 2000 or so. Lucky, the son of Luke and Laura, finds out that his father raped his mother and she *stayed* with him when his friend (and later romantic interest) Elizabeth is brutally raped by her teacher. GH, having realized that rape *isnt'* romantic at all, makes this a very brutal attack and takes great care to do the story justice (and they do. They handle the trauma and aftermath of rape for a victim and the people around them very well). Now Lucky, when he finds out his parents history, is horrified and angry and confused. He confronts both of them. For his father he has nothing but anger and contempt. For his mother he has nothing but confusion and disbelief ("how could you *stay* with him??"). They both try and explain how "different" it was and how he doesn't understand the situation (there really is no good explanation for this), but he doesn't get it, doesn't want to, and it causes a huge rift in their relationship.
We are supposed to sympathize with Lucky because falling in love with your abuser, the person that hurt you, is crazy! And sad. And likely cause for an intervention. Not saying it doesn't happen, or can't happen, but it gives me an unsettling feeling. The whole idea behind this is that love conquers all. A big enough person can forgive anything. True enough. But to forgive is not to *forget*. There were plenty of kids that tortured and bullied me in school, and I know some of them did it because they had romantic feelings for me. I could possibly see it in myself to forgive them--but I could NEVER be with them that way. Even if I were attracted to them. I don't compartmentalize that well. Or maybe I just haven't had the right kind of healing sex.
End of Blog
Damn, I wish I had talked about "General Hospital" before I found this blog, because now it totally looks like I thought of it after the fact, and that's not the truth. :) Anyway, I absolutely agree with this blogger, for reasons already stated in previous posts. The one thing I would say about "General Hospital" is that back in the day I don't think the Luke/Laura scene was viewed as a rape. It was more of a seduction scene, although the actors later admitted that they acted as if it were a rape, and that's why the storyline was devised years later with the effect that it had on their son, Lucky. I mention this because I don't think anyone could say that Karofsky wasn't really harassing Kurt. Max Adler has never played the role as "I as Karofsky really like Kurt, and that's why I'm giving him such a hard time." That's why the kiss came as such as shock to pretty much everyone. We as the audience, and even the actors themselves, were never even given a hint as to Karofsky's true feelings and motivations.
gleekette
My Two Cents, Or Why Glee Should Not Ship Karofsky/Kurt After Last Week's Ep
I love, love, love what they did for the show and the character, and I felt so much pain and pity for the dude (Dave Karofsky), but to have someone fall for their abuser is abhorrent. And dangerous for people to see. If it were a man and a woman no one would even suggest such a thing. Kurt had the appropriate reaction in that scene: shock and horror. He later tried to get him help, because he's a good-ish person, but I don't think he can ever see Karofsky and not think he's about to get punched in the face. Karofsky has a long, painful journey ahead of him--and I very much look forward to seeing it on the show, but I don't think he and Kurt can, and more importantly *should*, have that type of relationship.
Though fandom is the guiltiest one of all on this front. You can't expect much from people who think healing!sex right after a rape is totally legit. jk (though not really)
Actually, that's not true. I know a much guiltier party than fandom: soap operas. Specifically, General Hospital and their (and soap's) most famous couple: Luke and Laura Spencer. For those of you who are too young to directly remember this storyline or didn't watch GH like I did from childhood up, Luke and Laura are the One True Pairing of Daytime TV. Their love is epic and Twilight has *nothing* on it. Now, the clincher of this pairing, that many people wouldn't know if they hadn't seen the original storyline in the late 70s or knew the personal history of the pairing, is that Luke raped Laura. She was with someone else and he loved her so much, felt so much passion for her, that he couldn't control himself and raped her in a department store (after hours). My mother described it as "the most romantic rape ever".
Now, what happens after this? Not what you would expect (a trial, jail time etc). They get together, fall in love, get married and have two kids. The rape is totally justified, as is her falling in love with her rapist, because he loved her. Now, GH eventually realized the error of their ways and at least attempted to address this issue in a storyline that happened around 2000 or so. Lucky, the son of Luke and Laura, finds out that his father raped his mother and she *stayed* with him when his friend (and later romantic interest) Elizabeth is brutally raped by her teacher. GH, having realized that rape *isnt'* romantic at all, makes this a very brutal attack and takes great care to do the story justice (and they do. They handle the trauma and aftermath of rape for a victim and the people around them very well). Now Lucky, when he finds out his parents history, is horrified and angry and confused. He confronts both of them. For his father he has nothing but anger and contempt. For his mother he has nothing but confusion and disbelief ("how could you *stay* with him??"). They both try and explain how "different" it was and how he doesn't understand the situation (there really is no good explanation for this), but he doesn't get it, doesn't want to, and it causes a huge rift in their relationship.
We are supposed to sympathize with Lucky because falling in love with your abuser, the person that hurt you, is crazy! And sad. And likely cause for an intervention. Not saying it doesn't happen, or can't happen, but it gives me an unsettling feeling. The whole idea behind this is that love conquers all. A big enough person can forgive anything. True enough. But to forgive is not to *forget*. There were plenty of kids that tortured and bullied me in school, and I know some of them did it because they had romantic feelings for me. I could possibly see it in myself to forgive them--but I could NEVER be with them that way. Even if I were attracted to them. I don't compartmentalize that well. Or maybe I just haven't had the right kind of healing sex.
End of Blog
Damn, I wish I had talked about "General Hospital" before I found this blog, because now it totally looks like I thought of it after the fact, and that's not the truth. :) Anyway, I absolutely agree with this blogger, for reasons already stated in previous posts. The one thing I would say about "General Hospital" is that back in the day I don't think the Luke/Laura scene was viewed as a rape. It was more of a seduction scene, although the actors later admitted that they acted as if it were a rape, and that's why the storyline was devised years later with the effect that it had on their son, Lucky. I mention this because I don't think anyone could say that Karofsky wasn't really harassing Kurt. Max Adler has never played the role as "I as Karofsky really like Kurt, and that's why I'm giving him such a hard time." That's why the kiss came as such as shock to pretty much everyone. We as the audience, and even the actors themselves, were never even given a hint as to Karofsky's true feelings and motivations.
gleekette
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Blog about Kurt and Karofsky
http://shamanonramen.com/2010/11/david-the-gleeliath/
by Elam
Dear Blogosphere,
For the second time in my life, I need to come out of the closet in a way that might have significant ramifications for my popularity. For those of you who have been carefully monitoring my twitter like a hungry hungry hippo watches it’s marbles, this may come as no surprise: I am an unabashed and unrepentant Gleek. I know this might be hard to believe- it’s not like a show about being unpopular in High School, showtunes, and Matthew Morrison’s abs has anything to offer a gay man- but it’s true.
I tend to keep my Gleek to myself, at least when it comes to blogging. You see, when you’re attempting to prove your worth as a scholarly blogger who uses math and logic to help other people play Shaman better, your number one priority isn’t talking about how much you fucking loved Lea Michelle/Charice performing Telephone. While I personally have no need to affirm my own masculinity, gaying out over Glee is really not the way to improve readership on a video game played predominately by straight white males whose only exposure to showtunes was the time they had to watch their High School’s annual musical in order to get extra credit.
However, after this week’s episode of Glee, I’ve decided to throw the Gleek closet wide open. “Never Been Kissed,” this week’s episode, centered around everyone’s favorite Marc Jacobs-wearing 16-year old, Kurt Hummel, the man who single-handedly puts the “gay” back in “Glee club.” Over the past season and a half of Glee, Kurt and I have had a rocky relationship. I have issues with any gay main character for which “gay” is the first adjective that can be used to describe them. While I feel he’s acted superbly and his dialogue is nearly always witty, Kurt’s storylines can occasionally be overly stereotypical. “Waah, I’m angsty.” “Waaah, I’m gay and have no faith.” “Waaah, I really want to sexually harass my future stepbrother because I’m the only out gay boy in this High School and I’m sexually repressed.” All of this said, Kurt’s storylines have a right to be stereotypical, because all of them ARE the issues that gay teenagers are going through right now, and while it might seem over-the-top to a cynical 23-year old who has more in common with Asian Mike than Kurt Hummel, Kurt’s storylines will do wonders for teenagers struggling with their sexuality in high school.
This week’s Kurtcentric storyline was slightly different. As anyone who is at least a casual viewer can tell you, Kurt and the rest of the Glee club have spent the past year of High School having slushies thrown into their faces and being slammed into lockers by Dave Karofsky, your stereotypical high school bully. Desperate after being checked into his locker for the 3,279th time, Kurt decides to look for greener pastures at an all boys private school, where everyone is miraculously gay friendly, the Glee club is their equivalent of a football team, and the most popular kid in school is a charismatic gay named Blaine who Kurt totally eyefucks during a performance of Katy Pery’s classic “Teenage Dream...,” which turns out remarkably well for a Katy Pery song. (I highly recommend checking this song out.)
This is all backstory. The real meat of the week’s episode comes when a tearful Kurt details his school issues to Blaine. Blaine is sympathetic, the two bonded over how terrible public school is for out gay kids, and Blaine decides to gift Kurt with some words of advice: Don’t back down. Don’t run away. Confront bullies and let them know that you’re not scared of them. This obviously was intended as a message for the greater Glee audience and not just a valuable life-lesson for Kurt, but in the wake of recent anti-gay bullying and the real need for this type of encouragement, we can’t fault the show’s creators for not being more subtle.
Kurt took this advice to heart, and when Dave the Slushie Man slammed him into a locker the next day, Kurt followed him into the locker room and confronted his tormentor in what I believe is the most emotionally charged and well acted scene this TV show has ever seen.
This was where the episode stopped being about Kurt for me. In this one scene, Dave Karofsky, two-time winner of McKinnley High’s “douchebag of the year” contest (also voted “most likely to cause the next Cloverfield due to overuse of atomic slushies”), goes from “boring, plotless, cute extra” to “most interesting character on the show.”
Not every gay kid in high school is Kurt Hummel. Not every gay kid can come out knowing that they have their parents’ love and support behind them. Not every gay kid is so obviously gay that coming out is easier for them because they have years of gay-bashing and homophobia behind them that they’re used to it by the time it’s ready to throw the closet doors open.
Dave Karofsky exists for those kids. He exists for every jock who has no idea why he can’t be normal. He exists for every popular kid who dates the head cheerleader while daydreaming of her brother. And mostly, he exists for every straight teenager who watches Glee, so that they can know that the strange land isn’t just inhabited by the fey-like, impeccably dressed Kurts and Blaines.
Max Adler, the (excuse my gay: fucking ADORABLE) actor behind the Dave Karofsky character gets it. In a minute and a half long segment, he conveys exactly how it feels to be a repressed teenage homosexual in high school. There’s rage, there’s longing, and in his whimpers there’s pure, unadulterated need. It’s the sort of need that causes Republican Senators to have affairs with pages and “straight” men to put up Craigslist MSM classifieds. It’s heartbreaking because you know that this is Karofsky’s fate if he doesn’t deal with his sexuality issues. And, after Kurt’s rejection of his follow-up kiss, there is hurt and just this utter sense of hopelessness and despair. Max Adler’s performance shows us that the Kurts of the world aren’t the only gay kids in danger of suicide. David Karofsky is just as much a victim of society as Kurt or Blaine, and the idea that we live in a society where a sixteen-year old kid is so fucking terrified and ashamed of himself that he has to resort to kindergarten antics of ponytail-pulling and bullying because he knows no other way of making sure Kurt is thinking about him is just scary.
I think a Kurt/David relationship needs to happen. Blaine, Kurt’s gaydian angel, is so incredibly Kurtesque that their relationship would essentially be masturbation. Kurt/Karofsky (affectionately dubbed “Kurtofsky” by fans) provides a plot that is both challenging to write for the show’s authors, and more importantly would provide a beacon of hope to every high school homosexual who is scared straight.
Needless to say, I’m excited for the development of this storyline. I’m so excited to see what happens with my new favorite character that I’m actually excited for Tuesday to be here…which is pretty sad, considering it’s Friday night right now and the entire weekend is ahead of me. I will be rather disappointed if Kurt ends up with his dark-haired clone, but it’s their call. And honestly, I can’t begin to thank the creators of Glee for creating such a fucking amazing teachable moment in this scene. (Also, if Chris Colfer and Max Adler don’t win Emmys for this scene, I’m gonna cut a bitch. For real.)
(You can watch Glee on Fox Tuesdays at 8PM, EST.)
Slight edit: This post has gotten more attention than I ever dreamed, and I’m ecstatic about that! I’d also like to point out that while I’m decidedly team Kurtofsky, there are some very good dissenting opinions that focus on the fact that a romance between Kurt and Karofsky leads to some very scary issues with abuse. I’d suggest checking out this link for a very well-written argument against Kurtofsky.
End of article
First of all, I'm also going to post and comment on the blog that Elam provided the link to. I think it was very cool of him to send readers to an article that provides a different opinion and perspective to his. I think its a way of showing how important this storyline is to people, and all the various reactions and viewpoints that can emanate from one topic on a television show.
This article has given me emotional whiplash; my head is spinning from the constant, "I agree!" "I disagree!" thoughts as my eyes travel from one paragraph to the next.
Obviously this is a person't opinion, and he has every right to express it, so I'm not saying he's right or wrong. I think anyone who reads my blog might be shaking their heads over why this issue is so important to me, and why I feel I have any authority on the subject, given who I am.
Valid points I think. Yes, I think several of the articles I have posted have been written by women. But how many not-so-young, straight, women are this interested in the journeys of young, gay men? Many of my friends are gay, so that's a big reason, but it seems to go even deeper than that for me. Call me a hag if you want to; I've been ridiculed for years because many of my interests are off the beaten path. I have also been made to feel that my thoughts have no value. So now I say what I want to say through blogging.
I am learning to use my voice. I am realizing that everything happens for a reason. I have the friends that I have, I watch the shows that I watch, I read the articles that I read, because this all contributes to and influences who I am. Not everyone is going to agree with me. But just as I learn from others, maybe someone will learn from me.
I stated from the beginning that Kurt and Artie are my favorite characters on Glee. So far I don't think I have posted anything about Artie or Kevin McHale. I definitely plan to. Kurt's storyline is far more in the news right now. To be honest, I don't think Artie will ever be featured in the press as much as Kurt is. But that doesn't mean that I don't have a lot to say about Artie, and Kevin McHale, because I do. I just haven't had time to write those blogs yet. Artie and Puck were the "C" storyline in the "Never Been Kissed" episode, and I do plan to work on that analysis very soon.
Okay, so, on to this blog. First of all, a picky, but I think important, point. Kurt HAS been harrassed more than the other glee clubbers, the abuse has been more physical, and in some, but not all situations, his sexual orientation has been mentioned as a reason. Kurt has even been ridiculed by his fellow club members, Puck and Santana, for being gay.
But this is the first part that really bothered me:
"Not every gay kid is so obviously gay that coming out is easier for them because they have years of gay-bashing and homophobia behind them that they’re used to it by the time it’s ready to throw the closet doors open."
Coming out ISN'T easy, whether you're "obviously gay" or not. I mean, yes, some gay people are very lucky and have an easy time of it, thanks to supportive loved ones. But I don't understand how you can make the assumption that years of abuse somehow make the coming out process easier. That just doesn't make sense to me.
Unfortunately, I think most of us have been guilty of giggling at celebrities like Ricky Martin and Clay Aiken, saying "Duh!" when they finally made the decision to officially come out. But I agree with Ricky, coming out is a very hard thing to do, and no one should do it until they're ready. Its a personal, individual journey, and I think Perez Hilton is a bully for outing people (he has said recently he is changing his ways.) Yes, I do think society as a whole and the gay community especially, benefit when a young celebrity like Chris Colfer comes out. Kurt struggles at school, but its obvious from the interviews and backstage footage that the entire cast adores Chris.
To me, the comment smacks of the compettion game, which I abhor. "Feel sorry for the closeted jock, but not for the fey kid." I would say it even goes a step further and wanders dangerously close to internalized homophobia. "If Kurt didn't dress and act the way he does, he wouldn't get treated so badly."
Its very obvious from my comments that I am protective of Kurt. I want the audience to care about him and understand his situation. Even though I said in a previous post that its possible to sympathize with the struggles of all the characters, at least for me, I'm not really able to feel much empathy for Karofsky at this point. That's because so far we have only been presented with a two dimensional character: The Bully. He tosses slushies, picks fights, marks on people with pens, shoves people into lockers...and that is all we know of him. I think as we learn more about his backstory, as he rehabilitates, if that happens, then my feelings about him will change. I might even start using his first name. :) I think the actor who plays him, Max Adler, is terrific, and I would like to see the character stick around for his sake.
As I've said before, I think its important to tell the stories of all three gay characters, to show that not all gay people dress or act the same way. But I don't want Karofsky's or Blaine's journeys to become more compelling than Kurt's. I definitely fear that could happen, because as gay characters both Karofsky and Blaine are more accessible to the audience. I was going to be more specific and say "the straight audience," but unfortunately I think even gays would vote to see more of the good looking, could-pass-as-straight Blaine or the butch, tough, misunderstood Karofsky instead of the wisecracking, tear-eyed, queeny Kurt.
And of course I highly disagree with this:
"I think a Kurt/David relationship needs to happen. Blaine, Kurt’s gaydian angel, is so incredibly Kurtesque that their relationship would essentially be masturbation. Kurt/Karofsky (affectionately dubbed “Kurtofsky” by fans) provides a plot that is both challenging to write for the show’s authors, and more importantly would provide a beacon of hope to every high school homosexual who is scared straight."
First of all, we don't know enough about Blaine yet. Yes, that conversation in Breadsticks shows that Kurt and Blaine are similar in some ways. But is the blogger trying to say that two effeminate guys wouldn't be attracted to each other? Because I don't think that's true. And how exactly would a romance between Kurt and Karofsky "provide a beacon of hope?" So closeted people think they can be abusive and then date their victims? Earlier in the blog he used the example of boys on the playground tugging on the ponytails of little girls they like. That and bullying are hardly the same thing.
gleekette
by Elam
Dear Blogosphere,
For the second time in my life, I need to come out of the closet in a way that might have significant ramifications for my popularity. For those of you who have been carefully monitoring my twitter like a hungry hungry hippo watches it’s marbles, this may come as no surprise: I am an unabashed and unrepentant Gleek. I know this might be hard to believe- it’s not like a show about being unpopular in High School, showtunes, and Matthew Morrison’s abs has anything to offer a gay man- but it’s true.
I tend to keep my Gleek to myself, at least when it comes to blogging. You see, when you’re attempting to prove your worth as a scholarly blogger who uses math and logic to help other people play Shaman better, your number one priority isn’t talking about how much you fucking loved Lea Michelle/Charice performing Telephone. While I personally have no need to affirm my own masculinity, gaying out over Glee is really not the way to improve readership on a video game played predominately by straight white males whose only exposure to showtunes was the time they had to watch their High School’s annual musical in order to get extra credit.
However, after this week’s episode of Glee, I’ve decided to throw the Gleek closet wide open. “Never Been Kissed,” this week’s episode, centered around everyone’s favorite Marc Jacobs-wearing 16-year old, Kurt Hummel, the man who single-handedly puts the “gay” back in “Glee club.” Over the past season and a half of Glee, Kurt and I have had a rocky relationship. I have issues with any gay main character for which “gay” is the first adjective that can be used to describe them. While I feel he’s acted superbly and his dialogue is nearly always witty, Kurt’s storylines can occasionally be overly stereotypical. “Waah, I’m angsty.” “Waaah, I’m gay and have no faith.” “Waaah, I really want to sexually harass my future stepbrother because I’m the only out gay boy in this High School and I’m sexually repressed.” All of this said, Kurt’s storylines have a right to be stereotypical, because all of them ARE the issues that gay teenagers are going through right now, and while it might seem over-the-top to a cynical 23-year old who has more in common with Asian Mike than Kurt Hummel, Kurt’s storylines will do wonders for teenagers struggling with their sexuality in high school.
This week’s Kurtcentric storyline was slightly different. As anyone who is at least a casual viewer can tell you, Kurt and the rest of the Glee club have spent the past year of High School having slushies thrown into their faces and being slammed into lockers by Dave Karofsky, your stereotypical high school bully. Desperate after being checked into his locker for the 3,279th time, Kurt decides to look for greener pastures at an all boys private school, where everyone is miraculously gay friendly, the Glee club is their equivalent of a football team, and the most popular kid in school is a charismatic gay named Blaine who Kurt totally eyefucks during a performance of Katy Pery’s classic “Teenage Dream...,” which turns out remarkably well for a Katy Pery song. (I highly recommend checking this song out.)
This is all backstory. The real meat of the week’s episode comes when a tearful Kurt details his school issues to Blaine. Blaine is sympathetic, the two bonded over how terrible public school is for out gay kids, and Blaine decides to gift Kurt with some words of advice: Don’t back down. Don’t run away. Confront bullies and let them know that you’re not scared of them. This obviously was intended as a message for the greater Glee audience and not just a valuable life-lesson for Kurt, but in the wake of recent anti-gay bullying and the real need for this type of encouragement, we can’t fault the show’s creators for not being more subtle.
Kurt took this advice to heart, and when Dave the Slushie Man slammed him into a locker the next day, Kurt followed him into the locker room and confronted his tormentor in what I believe is the most emotionally charged and well acted scene this TV show has ever seen.
This was where the episode stopped being about Kurt for me. In this one scene, Dave Karofsky, two-time winner of McKinnley High’s “douchebag of the year” contest (also voted “most likely to cause the next Cloverfield due to overuse of atomic slushies”), goes from “boring, plotless, cute extra” to “most interesting character on the show.”
Not every gay kid in high school is Kurt Hummel. Not every gay kid can come out knowing that they have their parents’ love and support behind them. Not every gay kid is so obviously gay that coming out is easier for them because they have years of gay-bashing and homophobia behind them that they’re used to it by the time it’s ready to throw the closet doors open.
Dave Karofsky exists for those kids. He exists for every jock who has no idea why he can’t be normal. He exists for every popular kid who dates the head cheerleader while daydreaming of her brother. And mostly, he exists for every straight teenager who watches Glee, so that they can know that the strange land isn’t just inhabited by the fey-like, impeccably dressed Kurts and Blaines.
Max Adler, the (excuse my gay: fucking ADORABLE) actor behind the Dave Karofsky character gets it. In a minute and a half long segment, he conveys exactly how it feels to be a repressed teenage homosexual in high school. There’s rage, there’s longing, and in his whimpers there’s pure, unadulterated need. It’s the sort of need that causes Republican Senators to have affairs with pages and “straight” men to put up Craigslist MSM classifieds. It’s heartbreaking because you know that this is Karofsky’s fate if he doesn’t deal with his sexuality issues. And, after Kurt’s rejection of his follow-up kiss, there is hurt and just this utter sense of hopelessness and despair. Max Adler’s performance shows us that the Kurts of the world aren’t the only gay kids in danger of suicide. David Karofsky is just as much a victim of society as Kurt or Blaine, and the idea that we live in a society where a sixteen-year old kid is so fucking terrified and ashamed of himself that he has to resort to kindergarten antics of ponytail-pulling and bullying because he knows no other way of making sure Kurt is thinking about him is just scary.
I think a Kurt/David relationship needs to happen. Blaine, Kurt’s gaydian angel, is so incredibly Kurtesque that their relationship would essentially be masturbation. Kurt/Karofsky (affectionately dubbed “Kurtofsky” by fans) provides a plot that is both challenging to write for the show’s authors, and more importantly would provide a beacon of hope to every high school homosexual who is scared straight.
Needless to say, I’m excited for the development of this storyline. I’m so excited to see what happens with my new favorite character that I’m actually excited for Tuesday to be here…which is pretty sad, considering it’s Friday night right now and the entire weekend is ahead of me. I will be rather disappointed if Kurt ends up with his dark-haired clone, but it’s their call. And honestly, I can’t begin to thank the creators of Glee for creating such a fucking amazing teachable moment in this scene. (Also, if Chris Colfer and Max Adler don’t win Emmys for this scene, I’m gonna cut a bitch. For real.)
(You can watch Glee on Fox Tuesdays at 8PM, EST.)
Slight edit: This post has gotten more attention than I ever dreamed, and I’m ecstatic about that! I’d also like to point out that while I’m decidedly team Kurtofsky, there are some very good dissenting opinions that focus on the fact that a romance between Kurt and Karofsky leads to some very scary issues with abuse. I’d suggest checking out this link for a very well-written argument against Kurtofsky.
End of article
First of all, I'm also going to post and comment on the blog that Elam provided the link to. I think it was very cool of him to send readers to an article that provides a different opinion and perspective to his. I think its a way of showing how important this storyline is to people, and all the various reactions and viewpoints that can emanate from one topic on a television show.
This article has given me emotional whiplash; my head is spinning from the constant, "I agree!" "I disagree!" thoughts as my eyes travel from one paragraph to the next.
Obviously this is a person't opinion, and he has every right to express it, so I'm not saying he's right or wrong. I think anyone who reads my blog might be shaking their heads over why this issue is so important to me, and why I feel I have any authority on the subject, given who I am.
Valid points I think. Yes, I think several of the articles I have posted have been written by women. But how many not-so-young, straight, women are this interested in the journeys of young, gay men? Many of my friends are gay, so that's a big reason, but it seems to go even deeper than that for me. Call me a hag if you want to; I've been ridiculed for years because many of my interests are off the beaten path. I have also been made to feel that my thoughts have no value. So now I say what I want to say through blogging.
I am learning to use my voice. I am realizing that everything happens for a reason. I have the friends that I have, I watch the shows that I watch, I read the articles that I read, because this all contributes to and influences who I am. Not everyone is going to agree with me. But just as I learn from others, maybe someone will learn from me.
I stated from the beginning that Kurt and Artie are my favorite characters on Glee. So far I don't think I have posted anything about Artie or Kevin McHale. I definitely plan to. Kurt's storyline is far more in the news right now. To be honest, I don't think Artie will ever be featured in the press as much as Kurt is. But that doesn't mean that I don't have a lot to say about Artie, and Kevin McHale, because I do. I just haven't had time to write those blogs yet. Artie and Puck were the "C" storyline in the "Never Been Kissed" episode, and I do plan to work on that analysis very soon.
Okay, so, on to this blog. First of all, a picky, but I think important, point. Kurt HAS been harrassed more than the other glee clubbers, the abuse has been more physical, and in some, but not all situations, his sexual orientation has been mentioned as a reason. Kurt has even been ridiculed by his fellow club members, Puck and Santana, for being gay.
But this is the first part that really bothered me:
"Not every gay kid is so obviously gay that coming out is easier for them because they have years of gay-bashing and homophobia behind them that they’re used to it by the time it’s ready to throw the closet doors open."
Coming out ISN'T easy, whether you're "obviously gay" or not. I mean, yes, some gay people are very lucky and have an easy time of it, thanks to supportive loved ones. But I don't understand how you can make the assumption that years of abuse somehow make the coming out process easier. That just doesn't make sense to me.
Unfortunately, I think most of us have been guilty of giggling at celebrities like Ricky Martin and Clay Aiken, saying "Duh!" when they finally made the decision to officially come out. But I agree with Ricky, coming out is a very hard thing to do, and no one should do it until they're ready. Its a personal, individual journey, and I think Perez Hilton is a bully for outing people (he has said recently he is changing his ways.) Yes, I do think society as a whole and the gay community especially, benefit when a young celebrity like Chris Colfer comes out. Kurt struggles at school, but its obvious from the interviews and backstage footage that the entire cast adores Chris.
To me, the comment smacks of the compettion game, which I abhor. "Feel sorry for the closeted jock, but not for the fey kid." I would say it even goes a step further and wanders dangerously close to internalized homophobia. "If Kurt didn't dress and act the way he does, he wouldn't get treated so badly."
Its very obvious from my comments that I am protective of Kurt. I want the audience to care about him and understand his situation. Even though I said in a previous post that its possible to sympathize with the struggles of all the characters, at least for me, I'm not really able to feel much empathy for Karofsky at this point. That's because so far we have only been presented with a two dimensional character: The Bully. He tosses slushies, picks fights, marks on people with pens, shoves people into lockers...and that is all we know of him. I think as we learn more about his backstory, as he rehabilitates, if that happens, then my feelings about him will change. I might even start using his first name. :) I think the actor who plays him, Max Adler, is terrific, and I would like to see the character stick around for his sake.
As I've said before, I think its important to tell the stories of all three gay characters, to show that not all gay people dress or act the same way. But I don't want Karofsky's or Blaine's journeys to become more compelling than Kurt's. I definitely fear that could happen, because as gay characters both Karofsky and Blaine are more accessible to the audience. I was going to be more specific and say "the straight audience," but unfortunately I think even gays would vote to see more of the good looking, could-pass-as-straight Blaine or the butch, tough, misunderstood Karofsky instead of the wisecracking, tear-eyed, queeny Kurt.
And of course I highly disagree with this:
"I think a Kurt/David relationship needs to happen. Blaine, Kurt’s gaydian angel, is so incredibly Kurtesque that their relationship would essentially be masturbation. Kurt/Karofsky (affectionately dubbed “Kurtofsky” by fans) provides a plot that is both challenging to write for the show’s authors, and more importantly would provide a beacon of hope to every high school homosexual who is scared straight."
First of all, we don't know enough about Blaine yet. Yes, that conversation in Breadsticks shows that Kurt and Blaine are similar in some ways. But is the blogger trying to say that two effeminate guys wouldn't be attracted to each other? Because I don't think that's true. And how exactly would a romance between Kurt and Karofsky "provide a beacon of hope?" So closeted people think they can be abusive and then date their victims? Earlier in the blog he used the example of boys on the playground tugging on the ponytails of little girls they like. That and bullying are hardly the same thing.
gleekette
Good Men Project.com article on Kurt
http://goodmenproject.com/2010/11/17/kurt-hummel-is-tvs-breakout-homosexual/
Kurt Hummel Is TV’s Breakout Homosexual, But Is He Groundbreaking?
by Joseph Caputo
In an age where it’s OK to kiss a boy and like it, Glee’s Kurt Hummel at first seems an anachronistic stereotype. The fashion-conscious flamer, played by Emmy-nominated Chris Colfer, loves his show tunes, worships his divas, and can belt a high F like an Italian castrato. He is Sex and the City and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy rolled into one character—the sassy best friend who will make you over.
Primetime television shows have featured gay teen characters before. They are a great source of drama. Done right, a gay bashing or tearful coming out earns high ratings and LGBT media awards. In the mid-90s, My So Called Life battered its gay teen, Rickie Vasquez, with violent bullying, abuse, and abandonment. Dawson’s Creek made history in 2001 with its five-second kiss between two boys not afraid anymore. Fast-forward to 2010, and pretty much every dude on CW’s Gossip Girl is heteroflexible. C’mon, Kurt. Just make out with all your friends and talk about something more important—like drinking.
Kurt is not the first homosexual or gender-bending gay teen on TV, but Glee’s popularity allows his character to ignite more conversations about sexual identity than any of his ancestors. Kurt is groundbreaking in that he does fit in with his peers, although not to the point where his homosexuality is a non-issue. At the same time, Kurt is not an after-school special. Like the rest of Glee’s cast of outcasts, he is your ordinary hyperbolic teenager, but just a bit more fabulous.
Glee’s writers are using their show’s loyal audience and the recent media focus on gay bullying to teach America that no matter how “normal” male homosexuality becomes, being a teen queen requires a unique emotional toolkit. Kurt’s role was transformed this fall from a running gag in Glee’s first season, booty-shaking to Beyoncè and dressing up as Lady Gaga, to a full-season story arc. Past the obligatory coming-out phase, Kurt-centered plots are now the show’s heaviest. Despite having his father’s acceptance and supportive friends, each week Kurt faces a new challenge—isolation, atheism, violence—and grows more defensive and belligerent as a result.
Some modern television shows portray their gay characters just like any other silver screen half-wits. Their argument to viewers is that gays face the same mundane problems as any other American. These are shows where homophobia does not exist and breaking gender norms is ignored by the rest of the cast or fuels an endless source of witty repertoire, ẚ la Will and Grace. Although entertaining, they feature sanitized gays, far from the reality of a closeted teenager in Ohio.
Kurt allows Glee’s writers to say that gay characters are normal, but that their sexuality shouldn’t be ignored. Sure, gays have friends and family and can be just as jealous and vapid as any other primetime television stars, but Glee doesn’t shy away from homophobia. A boy like Kurt at most high schools would attract bullies.
Viewers see him thrown against lockers and into dumpsters and mocked for his over-the-top outfits—a personality quirk that makes him stand out. The writers also refuse to portray Kurt as a saint. He manipulates his friends, is extremely self-motivated, and talks about his homosexuality to the point of obnoxiousness.
You can almost hear the discussions in the writer’s room with recent episodes. Kurt ‘s friendship with rival glee club singer Blaine (played by 20-something dream Darren Criss) is the ultimate “It Gets Better” message. Kurt walks into Blaine and his posse as they perform an all-male cover of Katy Perry’s Top 40 hit “Teenage Dream.” The song, which features one boy singing to another, is Glee’s best-performing single on the billboard charts. Within one episode, Kurt has someone to confide in and the courage to stand up to bullies.
For the first time, a television show’s fame is exposing families across the political landscape to empathize with a gay teen’s experience. A closeted teen scared of his own identity can watch the show with his mother, eying her reactions as Kurt overcomes the unique challenges of being young and gay while remaining fabulous. Whether or not these boys wear feather boas to sleep or kick around a football with their pals, Kurt’s identity is a topic that these boys can talk about with their parents. Glee’s greatest contribution to American culture may be the conversation that starts, “Mom, I’m like Kurt.”
End of article
For anyone who might be reading this blog, you may be thinking, "Okay! I get it! You think Kurt is the most important character on Glee! Move on, please." :) And maybe I will at some point. I just liked what this article had to say. Kurt isn't the requisite gay guy on the show whose sole purpose is to provide comic relief or fashion advice. And his scenes with his father truly are groundbreaking.
gleekette
Kurt Hummel Is TV’s Breakout Homosexual, But Is He Groundbreaking?
by Joseph Caputo
In an age where it’s OK to kiss a boy and like it, Glee’s Kurt Hummel at first seems an anachronistic stereotype. The fashion-conscious flamer, played by Emmy-nominated Chris Colfer, loves his show tunes, worships his divas, and can belt a high F like an Italian castrato. He is Sex and the City and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy rolled into one character—the sassy best friend who will make you over.
Primetime television shows have featured gay teen characters before. They are a great source of drama. Done right, a gay bashing or tearful coming out earns high ratings and LGBT media awards. In the mid-90s, My So Called Life battered its gay teen, Rickie Vasquez, with violent bullying, abuse, and abandonment. Dawson’s Creek made history in 2001 with its five-second kiss between two boys not afraid anymore. Fast-forward to 2010, and pretty much every dude on CW’s Gossip Girl is heteroflexible. C’mon, Kurt. Just make out with all your friends and talk about something more important—like drinking.
Kurt is not the first homosexual or gender-bending gay teen on TV, but Glee’s popularity allows his character to ignite more conversations about sexual identity than any of his ancestors. Kurt is groundbreaking in that he does fit in with his peers, although not to the point where his homosexuality is a non-issue. At the same time, Kurt is not an after-school special. Like the rest of Glee’s cast of outcasts, he is your ordinary hyperbolic teenager, but just a bit more fabulous.
Glee’s writers are using their show’s loyal audience and the recent media focus on gay bullying to teach America that no matter how “normal” male homosexuality becomes, being a teen queen requires a unique emotional toolkit. Kurt’s role was transformed this fall from a running gag in Glee’s first season, booty-shaking to Beyoncè and dressing up as Lady Gaga, to a full-season story arc. Past the obligatory coming-out phase, Kurt-centered plots are now the show’s heaviest. Despite having his father’s acceptance and supportive friends, each week Kurt faces a new challenge—isolation, atheism, violence—and grows more defensive and belligerent as a result.
Some modern television shows portray their gay characters just like any other silver screen half-wits. Their argument to viewers is that gays face the same mundane problems as any other American. These are shows where homophobia does not exist and breaking gender norms is ignored by the rest of the cast or fuels an endless source of witty repertoire, ẚ la Will and Grace. Although entertaining, they feature sanitized gays, far from the reality of a closeted teenager in Ohio.
Kurt allows Glee’s writers to say that gay characters are normal, but that their sexuality shouldn’t be ignored. Sure, gays have friends and family and can be just as jealous and vapid as any other primetime television stars, but Glee doesn’t shy away from homophobia. A boy like Kurt at most high schools would attract bullies.
Viewers see him thrown against lockers and into dumpsters and mocked for his over-the-top outfits—a personality quirk that makes him stand out. The writers also refuse to portray Kurt as a saint. He manipulates his friends, is extremely self-motivated, and talks about his homosexuality to the point of obnoxiousness.
You can almost hear the discussions in the writer’s room with recent episodes. Kurt ‘s friendship with rival glee club singer Blaine (played by 20-something dream Darren Criss) is the ultimate “It Gets Better” message. Kurt walks into Blaine and his posse as they perform an all-male cover of Katy Perry’s Top 40 hit “Teenage Dream.” The song, which features one boy singing to another, is Glee’s best-performing single on the billboard charts. Within one episode, Kurt has someone to confide in and the courage to stand up to bullies.
For the first time, a television show’s fame is exposing families across the political landscape to empathize with a gay teen’s experience. A closeted teen scared of his own identity can watch the show with his mother, eying her reactions as Kurt overcomes the unique challenges of being young and gay while remaining fabulous. Whether or not these boys wear feather boas to sleep or kick around a football with their pals, Kurt’s identity is a topic that these boys can talk about with their parents. Glee’s greatest contribution to American culture may be the conversation that starts, “Mom, I’m like Kurt.”
End of article
For anyone who might be reading this blog, you may be thinking, "Okay! I get it! You think Kurt is the most important character on Glee! Move on, please." :) And maybe I will at some point. I just liked what this article had to say. Kurt isn't the requisite gay guy on the show whose sole purpose is to provide comic relief or fashion advice. And his scenes with his father truly are groundbreaking.
gleekette
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
EW short article on bullying storyline
http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/11/10/glee-kurt-bully/
Glee: You Suck, McKinley High Students
by Mandi Bierly
I know high school is cruel and no one wants to do anything to make themselves a target, but how could no one walking the McKinley High halls who saw bully Karofsky shove Kurt against the lockers hard enough to make him fall to the ground NOT stop and at least ask Kurt if he’s okay? Isn’t that a human reflex when you see someone fall? It wasn’t like Karofsky was standing over Kurt, so people had to worry about him pounding on them. McKinley High clearly runs on fear — Puck intimidated classmates out of $300, really? — but watching this was soul-crushing. I get that that’s the point: We need to feel Kurt’s isolation. But I don’t want to hate everyone at McKinley High.
This goes back to the discussion we were having yesterday, after Madonna suggested on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that to stop bullying, people should walk away from someone when they’re spreading gossip. If you stand idly by and listen (or watch) in silence as someone tears another person down, you’re condoning it. There should be people other than Kurt and his new friend Blaine (swoon) telling Karofsky it’s not okay. The strongest people in high school are the ones who walk down those halls knowing they’re going to be teased. The second strongest are those who try to stop that from happening.
End of article
Exactly what I was thinking, although in my analysis I lashed out at Will and not the students. But she's right, the point of the episode was to make the viewers FEEL Kurt's pain and isolation, and to hopefully be angry at the students and especially the faculty for looking the other way. I do understand that both groups are in a predicament to a certain extent. Teachers are often too busy and overworked to get involved, and sometimes they're as afraid of retribution as the students. Bullying can also be very hard to prove. And if you think that just because Karofsky walked away, that would mean the girl in the hall should feel comfortable to at least speak to Kurt - unfortunately that is too rosy of a view of the high school food chain. Bullies often have eyes in the back of their heads...or the eyes of spies to help them do their dirty work.
gleekette
Glee: You Suck, McKinley High Students
by Mandi Bierly
I know high school is cruel and no one wants to do anything to make themselves a target, but how could no one walking the McKinley High halls who saw bully Karofsky shove Kurt against the lockers hard enough to make him fall to the ground NOT stop and at least ask Kurt if he’s okay? Isn’t that a human reflex when you see someone fall? It wasn’t like Karofsky was standing over Kurt, so people had to worry about him pounding on them. McKinley High clearly runs on fear — Puck intimidated classmates out of $300, really? — but watching this was soul-crushing. I get that that’s the point: We need to feel Kurt’s isolation. But I don’t want to hate everyone at McKinley High.
This goes back to the discussion we were having yesterday, after Madonna suggested on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that to stop bullying, people should walk away from someone when they’re spreading gossip. If you stand idly by and listen (or watch) in silence as someone tears another person down, you’re condoning it. There should be people other than Kurt and his new friend Blaine (swoon) telling Karofsky it’s not okay. The strongest people in high school are the ones who walk down those halls knowing they’re going to be teased. The second strongest are those who try to stop that from happening.
End of article
Exactly what I was thinking, although in my analysis I lashed out at Will and not the students. But she's right, the point of the episode was to make the viewers FEEL Kurt's pain and isolation, and to hopefully be angry at the students and especially the faculty for looking the other way. I do understand that both groups are in a predicament to a certain extent. Teachers are often too busy and overworked to get involved, and sometimes they're as afraid of retribution as the students. Bullying can also be very hard to prove. And if you think that just because Karofsky walked away, that would mean the girl in the hall should feel comfortable to at least speak to Kurt - unfortunately that is too rosy of a view of the high school food chain. Bullies often have eyes in the back of their heads...or the eyes of spies to help them do their dirty work.
gleekette
NYU Local article on Kurt
http://nyulocal.com/entertainment/2010/11/16/why-glee%E2%80%98s-kurt-is-the-best-gay-character-on-tv/
Why Glee's Kurt is the Best Gay Character on TV
by Leo Arteche
Gay teens on television have become the new go-to trend character for forward thinking show runners. They are the new “token Asian girl.” I, for one, couldn’t be more thrilled. Studies have shown that increased visibility helps gay teenagers come out and realize that there are others like them. It also helps to “normalize” what was for so long something kept in hiding, helping gays and straights alike understand that we’re really all the same.
The trend can be seen on Dawson’s Creek, Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty, Gossip Girl, and as of last night’s ill-advised gay club outing by Teddy, on 90210. Yes, we’ve had Jack McPhee, Justin Suarez, Eric van der Woodsen and Teddy Montgomery. Well, as of the fall of 2009, there’s a new gay character that has everyone talking. I am of course referring to Kurt Hummel on Glee, the contralto diva of the McKinley High School glee club.
As played by Chris Colfer, 20, Kurt has catapulted as one of the two breakout roles on the show—the other being the hilariously dumb Brittany S. Pearce. Colfer, who is openly gay, was nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor against the men of Modern Family, Neil Patrick Harris, and, for reasons that still escape me, Jon Cryer. It’s certainly a talented group of men to be considered amongst, and he holds his own.
But what sets Kurt apart from the rest of the TV gay teens? For one thing, Kurt isn’t merely a recurring character woven in whenever the writers find it convenient. Kurt is a central character in the series, and despite not being one of the two romantic leads, is arguably the heart of the show. Furthermore, he transcends stereotypes. Yes, he’s effeminate and loves fashion. He has a love of bitchy asides.
But he also tried desperately to “butch up” to gain his father’s approval. He’s not the whorey twink from Queer as Folk sneaking into bars and sleeping around with older men. He’s not the rich socialite from Gossip Girl, he’s the son of a single father in a blue collar job in a working class town. He’s not Justin Suarez, who took bullying in stride and in shame. He is slowly learning to stand up for himself, and in an even more touching move, had his new mentor—and hopefully future husband—Blaine reach out to a closeted jock.
Kurt certainly isn’t perfect. His stalker-like obsession with Finn in the first season was a low point for the series. He’s completely self-involved and manipulative. However, doesn’t that just make him more human? The very fact that he’s flawed, just like the rest of the hot messes in Glee, makes him a fully realized character on the show.
Why does this matter? Having a role model—not just a good one, but also a realistic one—is an important character for young teenagers to identify with. Whereas once upon a time, men didn’t come out until they were adults with steady jobs and separate lives from their parents, gay men are coming out younger and younger. And just as the bitchy high school girls have Blair and Serena, and the California bros had Ryan and Seth, the gays now have Kurt. Certainly, Kurt does not embody all gay teenagers, but he’s a pretty damn good start.
In the words of Kurt, “If I may…”, I’d like to share a personal anecdote. I am now a senior at NYU. I graduated high school in 2007. At the time, there were no openly gay students at my high school. I came out during an awkward game of “Never Have I Ever…” at Third North during welcome week after consuming a considerable amount of Georgi’s. Two years later, Glee airs. Two kids from my high school come out before graduation. They both come to NYU (because, I mean, where else did you think this story was going to go?)
Is it the result of Glee? I can’t say. I don’t even know if my baby gays (as I affectionately call them) watch the show. But since I left high school, there’s been a ripple effect. When we, the class of 2011, were freshmen, we had a common trope: the “Gay by May” kids who were still in denial and would take at least six months to finally escape the torment of the high school closet.
I don’t know if this saying still exists in the NYU lexicon. And perhaps Glee isn’t going to be the band-aid that the gay community needs to heal its pain. We may be too close historically to see the show’s lasting impact, it’s definitely a fair assumption to make that Kurt, and characters like him, do make positive influences on younger gay teenagers. Hell, I’m 21 and Kurt still teaches me life lessons in a moving song and dance number. Glee will continue to be what it is semi-controversial, thought provoking, and uneven. But it’s definitely a step in the right direction, and it’s paving the way for not only future gay characters, but for gay teenagers.
End of article
Its an absolute bonanza of great Kurt articles today, isn't it? :) And a new Glee episode tonight! I am happy! :)
My favorite parts of this article are the author mentioning that Kurt is a central character, not someone in the background, and his assertion that Kurt is not sterotypical. I get so frustrated when people say that Kurt is stereotypical. I also agree about the fact that his flaws and imperfections are what make him a realistic, believable character that people end up rooting for. Kurt is like a member of our family or a close friend. We love and care about him, the whole person, even when he's acting superior, even when he's scheming, even when he's being catty.
And this is the further genius that is Glee. You don't have to be gay, or black, or a jock, or use a wheelchair, or be a pregnant cheerleader in order to understand what these teenagers are going through. Because we've all been teenagers. Some of us still are (not me, though). :) We can all understand the struggle, the insecurities, the desire to be considered popular, smart, talented. As individuals we might identify with a particular character more, either because we are more like them or because we know someone like them. But we can pretty much understand all of them.
gleekette
Why Glee's Kurt is the Best Gay Character on TV
by Leo Arteche
Gay teens on television have become the new go-to trend character for forward thinking show runners. They are the new “token Asian girl.” I, for one, couldn’t be more thrilled. Studies have shown that increased visibility helps gay teenagers come out and realize that there are others like them. It also helps to “normalize” what was for so long something kept in hiding, helping gays and straights alike understand that we’re really all the same.
The trend can be seen on Dawson’s Creek, Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty, Gossip Girl, and as of last night’s ill-advised gay club outing by Teddy, on 90210. Yes, we’ve had Jack McPhee, Justin Suarez, Eric van der Woodsen and Teddy Montgomery. Well, as of the fall of 2009, there’s a new gay character that has everyone talking. I am of course referring to Kurt Hummel on Glee, the contralto diva of the McKinley High School glee club.
As played by Chris Colfer, 20, Kurt has catapulted as one of the two breakout roles on the show—the other being the hilariously dumb Brittany S. Pearce. Colfer, who is openly gay, was nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor against the men of Modern Family, Neil Patrick Harris, and, for reasons that still escape me, Jon Cryer. It’s certainly a talented group of men to be considered amongst, and he holds his own.
But what sets Kurt apart from the rest of the TV gay teens? For one thing, Kurt isn’t merely a recurring character woven in whenever the writers find it convenient. Kurt is a central character in the series, and despite not being one of the two romantic leads, is arguably the heart of the show. Furthermore, he transcends stereotypes. Yes, he’s effeminate and loves fashion. He has a love of bitchy asides.
But he also tried desperately to “butch up” to gain his father’s approval. He’s not the whorey twink from Queer as Folk sneaking into bars and sleeping around with older men. He’s not the rich socialite from Gossip Girl, he’s the son of a single father in a blue collar job in a working class town. He’s not Justin Suarez, who took bullying in stride and in shame. He is slowly learning to stand up for himself, and in an even more touching move, had his new mentor—and hopefully future husband—Blaine reach out to a closeted jock.
Kurt certainly isn’t perfect. His stalker-like obsession with Finn in the first season was a low point for the series. He’s completely self-involved and manipulative. However, doesn’t that just make him more human? The very fact that he’s flawed, just like the rest of the hot messes in Glee, makes him a fully realized character on the show.
Why does this matter? Having a role model—not just a good one, but also a realistic one—is an important character for young teenagers to identify with. Whereas once upon a time, men didn’t come out until they were adults with steady jobs and separate lives from their parents, gay men are coming out younger and younger. And just as the bitchy high school girls have Blair and Serena, and the California bros had Ryan and Seth, the gays now have Kurt. Certainly, Kurt does not embody all gay teenagers, but he’s a pretty damn good start.
In the words of Kurt, “If I may…”, I’d like to share a personal anecdote. I am now a senior at NYU. I graduated high school in 2007. At the time, there were no openly gay students at my high school. I came out during an awkward game of “Never Have I Ever…” at Third North during welcome week after consuming a considerable amount of Georgi’s. Two years later, Glee airs. Two kids from my high school come out before graduation. They both come to NYU (because, I mean, where else did you think this story was going to go?)
Is it the result of Glee? I can’t say. I don’t even know if my baby gays (as I affectionately call them) watch the show. But since I left high school, there’s been a ripple effect. When we, the class of 2011, were freshmen, we had a common trope: the “Gay by May” kids who were still in denial and would take at least six months to finally escape the torment of the high school closet.
I don’t know if this saying still exists in the NYU lexicon. And perhaps Glee isn’t going to be the band-aid that the gay community needs to heal its pain. We may be too close historically to see the show’s lasting impact, it’s definitely a fair assumption to make that Kurt, and characters like him, do make positive influences on younger gay teenagers. Hell, I’m 21 and Kurt still teaches me life lessons in a moving song and dance number. Glee will continue to be what it is semi-controversial, thought provoking, and uneven. But it’s definitely a step in the right direction, and it’s paving the way for not only future gay characters, but for gay teenagers.
End of article
Its an absolute bonanza of great Kurt articles today, isn't it? :) And a new Glee episode tonight! I am happy! :)
My favorite parts of this article are the author mentioning that Kurt is a central character, not someone in the background, and his assertion that Kurt is not sterotypical. I get so frustrated when people say that Kurt is stereotypical. I also agree about the fact that his flaws and imperfections are what make him a realistic, believable character that people end up rooting for. Kurt is like a member of our family or a close friend. We love and care about him, the whole person, even when he's acting superior, even when he's scheming, even when he's being catty.
And this is the further genius that is Glee. You don't have to be gay, or black, or a jock, or use a wheelchair, or be a pregnant cheerleader in order to understand what these teenagers are going through. Because we've all been teenagers. Some of us still are (not me, though). :) We can all understand the struggle, the insecurities, the desire to be considered popular, smart, talented. As individuals we might identify with a particular character more, either because we are more like them or because we know someone like them. But we can pretty much understand all of them.
gleekette
Philly Post Blog article
http://blogs.phillymag.com/the_philly_post/2010/11/16/glee-is-gay/
Glee is Gay
But not because it's about musicals. Kurt Hummel is one of the most believable homosexual characters on TV
by Gail Shister
My country, ‘tis of thee,
Sweet land of puberty,
Of Glee I sing.
Musicals used to annoy me. Then came Glee, with its endearing entourage of melodious misfits, and I was a goner. In fact, after less than two seasons, I am practically a gay man. Or at the very least, a Gleek.
But as good as Glee’s music is — and it rocks the rafters on iTunes — it’s the storyline that made me a believer.
Inconsistent, implausible and populated by stereotypes, it nonetheless has produced a character missing on broadcast television since ABC’s one-season wonder My So-Called Life : the fully-realized adolescent homosexual.
I am speaking, of course, of Kurt Hummel. Played to painful perfection by Chris Colfer (voted “Male Scene Stealer” in the 2010 Teen Choice Awards), Kurt’s flamboyance and arrogance belie his insecurity and loneliness as McKinley High School’s only openly gay student.
The similarities between Wilson Cruz’s Rickie Vasquez in My So-Called Life (1994-95) and Colfer’s Kurt Hummel are startling. Both are persecuted queens who wear makeup and have a flair for fashion. Both hate high school. Both are achingly lonely and hang with straight girls.
The biggest difference between the characters is in their relationships with their fathers. Rickie’s throws him out of the house on Christmas Eve after he comes out. Kurt’s embraces him and tries to understand.
In real life, sadly, Cruz’ experience mirrored Rickie’s. Colfer’s parents have been supportive, he said in a recent interview.
The good news is that Kurt, who has had several unrequited crushes on straight guys, may have met the boy of his dreams in last week’s episode. Blaine (Darren Criss), a gorgeously gay choirboy from a rival school, enraptures Kurt with a performance of Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” that has become Glee’s hottest single.
The episode’s title, “Never Been Kissed,” is a two-fer, referring to both Kurt and to new football coach Bieste, a female redwood with lipstick. She gets mercy-kissed by wimpy glee club director Will. Sad, sad, sad, and we see it coming.
Fortunately, Kurt’s first-ever kiss is a total shocker.
During an escalating argument with industrial-sized football player Dave Korofsky, who’s been hurling Kurt against his locker all season, Dave suddenly grabs him and gives him a lip lock that leaves them both speechless.
I can’t wait for tonight’s episode. Cue music.
End of article
I think Gail and I might share part of a brain. :) I so agree with everything she said. And before I was a Gleek I was quite obsessed with "My So Called Life." What a shame it only lasted one season. It was definitely quality television. The episode where Ricky came out...riveting. I cried my eyes out. I'm crying just thinking about it.
Had not read before that Chris Colfer won a Teen Choice Award for Male Scene Stealer. I've been calling him a scene stealer for quite awhile now.
gleekette
Glee is Gay
But not because it's about musicals. Kurt Hummel is one of the most believable homosexual characters on TV
by Gail Shister
My country, ‘tis of thee,
Sweet land of puberty,
Of Glee I sing.
Musicals used to annoy me. Then came Glee, with its endearing entourage of melodious misfits, and I was a goner. In fact, after less than two seasons, I am practically a gay man. Or at the very least, a Gleek.
But as good as Glee’s music is — and it rocks the rafters on iTunes — it’s the storyline that made me a believer.
Inconsistent, implausible and populated by stereotypes, it nonetheless has produced a character missing on broadcast television since ABC’s one-season wonder My So-Called Life : the fully-realized adolescent homosexual.
I am speaking, of course, of Kurt Hummel. Played to painful perfection by Chris Colfer (voted “Male Scene Stealer” in the 2010 Teen Choice Awards), Kurt’s flamboyance and arrogance belie his insecurity and loneliness as McKinley High School’s only openly gay student.
The similarities between Wilson Cruz’s Rickie Vasquez in My So-Called Life (1994-95) and Colfer’s Kurt Hummel are startling. Both are persecuted queens who wear makeup and have a flair for fashion. Both hate high school. Both are achingly lonely and hang with straight girls.
The biggest difference between the characters is in their relationships with their fathers. Rickie’s throws him out of the house on Christmas Eve after he comes out. Kurt’s embraces him and tries to understand.
In real life, sadly, Cruz’ experience mirrored Rickie’s. Colfer’s parents have been supportive, he said in a recent interview.
The good news is that Kurt, who has had several unrequited crushes on straight guys, may have met the boy of his dreams in last week’s episode. Blaine (Darren Criss), a gorgeously gay choirboy from a rival school, enraptures Kurt with a performance of Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” that has become Glee’s hottest single.
The episode’s title, “Never Been Kissed,” is a two-fer, referring to both Kurt and to new football coach Bieste, a female redwood with lipstick. She gets mercy-kissed by wimpy glee club director Will. Sad, sad, sad, and we see it coming.
Fortunately, Kurt’s first-ever kiss is a total shocker.
During an escalating argument with industrial-sized football player Dave Korofsky, who’s been hurling Kurt against his locker all season, Dave suddenly grabs him and gives him a lip lock that leaves them both speechless.
I can’t wait for tonight’s episode. Cue music.
End of article
I think Gail and I might share part of a brain. :) I so agree with everything she said. And before I was a Gleek I was quite obsessed with "My So Called Life." What a shame it only lasted one season. It was definitely quality television. The episode where Ricky came out...riveting. I cried my eyes out. I'm crying just thinking about it.
Had not read before that Chris Colfer won a Teen Choice Award for Male Scene Stealer. I've been calling him a scene stealer for quite awhile now.
gleekette
Max Adler MTV News article
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1652320/20101115/story.jhtml
'Glee' Bully Max Adler 'As Shocked As Anyone' By Kiss Scene
'I just got the script like any other script,' he tells MTV News.
by Kara Warner
If anyone was surprised by the "kiss scene" in last week's episode of "Glee" (spoilers ahead if you haven't seen it!), it was Max Adler, the man behind big (and closeted) bully Dave Karovsky.
"I just got the script like any other script. I had no clue what was going on," Adler told MTV News of not getting a heads-up from the writing staff or series creator Ryan Murphy. "I saw Ryan at the premiere, and he said, 'We just wrote some really good stuff for you for episode six,' and I was like, 'Oh, cool. Some more slushies?' " he laughed.
"And then I got the script, and I was reading that scene, and Kurt, he just doesn't let up," Adler said of the heated exchange between his character and Chris Colfer's Kurt. "He keeps on me and he keeps on me, and I thought, 'I'm going to punch him in the face. This is getting serious.' And then I turn the page, and it says: 'Karovsky kisses Kurt.' And I was like, 'What?' I jumped off the couch. I was as shocked as anybody else was. It was totally unexpected."
Adler said he and Colfer didn't discuss the scene beforehand; they just went for it.
"We just kind of showed up. I said [to Colfer], 'Hey, how are you doing? Ready to do this?' And he said, 'Yeah.' And the crew was really mature about it. No one was teasing or poking fun, everyone was really cool," Adler said. "And Chris was just great. He's probably the best actor I've worked with. He just gives so much and you connect with him in every take. As soon as we did the first few rehearsals, he said, 'I have a feeling this is going to be a pretty important scene.' I said, 'I'm kinda getting that vibe too.' And then we just did it and committed and focused. We didn't really talk to each other in between takes, kept our game faces on and went home for the night.
"So, yeah, first time I've kissed a guy, and I'm glad it was Chris Colfer!" Adler laughed.
End of article
Articles such as this are like chocolate to me. I am so fascinated by how the actors feel about certain storylines, and what the atmosphere is like on set, especially during such an emotionally charged scene. Part of me wouldn't want to watch the filming because I like pretending that the characters and situations are real. But particularly with Glee, I would like to be on set because from everything I have seen and read and heard, they honestly have a great time filming this show.
When you're just a regular person with an ordinary life, you can feel frustrated when actors complain about their jobs, and all the extra duties that come with the work: interviews, photo shoots, appearances, etc. While I do understand that stars CAN have it rough - long hours, sometimes rough working conditions, being hounded by fans and paparazzi - sometimes you just want to roll your eyes and say, "Quit complaining. You're making a ton of money and doing what you always wanted to do. What's your problem?"
But that is what is so refreshing about the Glee cast. They DON'T complain. At least so far, everything I read in articles, and watch on appearances and in behind the scenes clips, is how completely thrilled they are to be a part of this television show. "A dream come true," many of them say. Yes, they often mention very long work days and hours spent rehearsing and learning choreography, but they're not whining when they say it. Their comments are always about how close they all are, how they all support each other, and how much fun they have together. You can see that especially in the behind the scenes clips, and the group appearances when they were on tour. In many ways, its like a real glee club. They laugh constantly, tease each other, go out to dinner together, practice choreography (and silliness) in each other's hotel rooms, etc. I would give specific examples here, but I want to wait because there are behind the scenes clips for every episode. They are all having the opportunity to do what they love to do: sing, act, and dance. They are grateful. They believe in the show.
And I think the producers, writers, and crew enhance this great work environment by how they approach the aspects of creating this show. The writers encourage the cast to ad-lib their lines. The choreographer makes learning the dance routines fun, and he often incorporates suggestions into the mix. Ryan Murphy takes stories he hears from his actors and turns them into script ideas. So you have people who make the show that are receptive to the desires and interests and opinions of the cast, and you have actors who feel understood and respected, and everyone seems to be genuinely thrilled to be involved in the project. Plus you have producers that actually care about what the fans want, and you have actors that constantly express appreciation for the people that watch the show.
Its a win-win-win situation.
gleekette
'Glee' Bully Max Adler 'As Shocked As Anyone' By Kiss Scene
'I just got the script like any other script,' he tells MTV News.
by Kara Warner
If anyone was surprised by the "kiss scene" in last week's episode of "Glee" (spoilers ahead if you haven't seen it!), it was Max Adler, the man behind big (and closeted) bully Dave Karovsky.
"I just got the script like any other script. I had no clue what was going on," Adler told MTV News of not getting a heads-up from the writing staff or series creator Ryan Murphy. "I saw Ryan at the premiere, and he said, 'We just wrote some really good stuff for you for episode six,' and I was like, 'Oh, cool. Some more slushies?' " he laughed.
"And then I got the script, and I was reading that scene, and Kurt, he just doesn't let up," Adler said of the heated exchange between his character and Chris Colfer's Kurt. "He keeps on me and he keeps on me, and I thought, 'I'm going to punch him in the face. This is getting serious.' And then I turn the page, and it says: 'Karovsky kisses Kurt.' And I was like, 'What?' I jumped off the couch. I was as shocked as anybody else was. It was totally unexpected."
Adler said he and Colfer didn't discuss the scene beforehand; they just went for it.
"We just kind of showed up. I said [to Colfer], 'Hey, how are you doing? Ready to do this?' And he said, 'Yeah.' And the crew was really mature about it. No one was teasing or poking fun, everyone was really cool," Adler said. "And Chris was just great. He's probably the best actor I've worked with. He just gives so much and you connect with him in every take. As soon as we did the first few rehearsals, he said, 'I have a feeling this is going to be a pretty important scene.' I said, 'I'm kinda getting that vibe too.' And then we just did it and committed and focused. We didn't really talk to each other in between takes, kept our game faces on and went home for the night.
"So, yeah, first time I've kissed a guy, and I'm glad it was Chris Colfer!" Adler laughed.
End of article
Articles such as this are like chocolate to me. I am so fascinated by how the actors feel about certain storylines, and what the atmosphere is like on set, especially during such an emotionally charged scene. Part of me wouldn't want to watch the filming because I like pretending that the characters and situations are real. But particularly with Glee, I would like to be on set because from everything I have seen and read and heard, they honestly have a great time filming this show.
When you're just a regular person with an ordinary life, you can feel frustrated when actors complain about their jobs, and all the extra duties that come with the work: interviews, photo shoots, appearances, etc. While I do understand that stars CAN have it rough - long hours, sometimes rough working conditions, being hounded by fans and paparazzi - sometimes you just want to roll your eyes and say, "Quit complaining. You're making a ton of money and doing what you always wanted to do. What's your problem?"
But that is what is so refreshing about the Glee cast. They DON'T complain. At least so far, everything I read in articles, and watch on appearances and in behind the scenes clips, is how completely thrilled they are to be a part of this television show. "A dream come true," many of them say. Yes, they often mention very long work days and hours spent rehearsing and learning choreography, but they're not whining when they say it. Their comments are always about how close they all are, how they all support each other, and how much fun they have together. You can see that especially in the behind the scenes clips, and the group appearances when they were on tour. In many ways, its like a real glee club. They laugh constantly, tease each other, go out to dinner together, practice choreography (and silliness) in each other's hotel rooms, etc. I would give specific examples here, but I want to wait because there are behind the scenes clips for every episode. They are all having the opportunity to do what they love to do: sing, act, and dance. They are grateful. They believe in the show.
And I think the producers, writers, and crew enhance this great work environment by how they approach the aspects of creating this show. The writers encourage the cast to ad-lib their lines. The choreographer makes learning the dance routines fun, and he often incorporates suggestions into the mix. Ryan Murphy takes stories he hears from his actors and turns them into script ideas. So you have people who make the show that are receptive to the desires and interests and opinions of the cast, and you have actors who feel understood and respected, and everyone seems to be genuinely thrilled to be involved in the project. Plus you have producers that actually care about what the fans want, and you have actors that constantly express appreciation for the people that watch the show.
Its a win-win-win situation.
gleekette
Monday, November 15, 2010
Ryan Murphy Interview at AfterElton.com
http://www.afterelton.com/people/2010/11/glee-ryan-murphy-darren-criss-kurt-hummel
'Glee's' Ryan Murphy Discusses Darren Criss, Whether Kurt and Blaine Will Be Boyfriends, and More!
by Leslie Goldberg
While Glee’s storylines and overall plot may be all over the map in terms of consistency, there’s one thing that you can’t deny: What the show represents when it comes to GLBT visibility. Chris Colfer’s Kurt Hummel is coming into millions of homes every week and, thanks to out creator/writer/director Ryan Murphy, Red State America is getting an education in what it means to be an out gay teen.
AfterElton.com caught up with Murphy at the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center’s 39th Annual Gala on Saturday to discuss the storyline, how Darren Criss’ (pictured below right) Blaine will play into that and the status of Kurt’s boyfriend.
AfterElton: How many episodes is the anti-bullying story line going to be?
Ryan Murphy: I think it’s a whole year, actually. It’s not a couple episodes; it will probably be the whole season, actually, and the ramifications on everybody, which I think is important.
AE: How is Blaine going to play into that?
Murphy: I don’t know. We’re just writing him now. Darren has become such a sensation in one week, which I love. I think there’s a hunger for him and a positive relationship role model. He’ll definitely continue through the year and longer. We just signed a deal with him, so I don’t know.
AE: He’s confirmed to be a regular for the remainder of Season 2 and next season as well?
Murphy: Yes.
AE: Is Blaine going to be Kurt’s boyfriend?
Murphy: I don’t know. That I have not decided. We’re writing it. I want to see what people’s reaction to that is. Part of me thinks he should be the boyfriend, part of me thinks he should just be the mentor. I didn’t want to decide that until we got into sort of the middle of the season. We’re figuring it out now.
AE: If he doesn’t wind up becoming Kurt’s boyfriend, are we going to see Kurt have a boyfriend?
Murphy: Kurt will definitely get a boyfriend. The question is who will it be and how will it be.
AE: What was it about Darren Criss that initially appealed to you?
Murphy: He had auditioned and auditioned many, many times and I personally never saw his auditions. Then when we were casting, the casting director said, “You gave us many choices.” As soon as Darren came on and [I saw] his audition, I was like, “That’s the guy.”
AE: Had you seen Criss’ A Very Potter Musical before?
Murphy: No, I didn’t know anything about Darren. I just knew he was right.
AE: What do you think of his success of “Teenage Dream?” It's become Glee’s biggest hit yet.
Murphy: I’m proud of that. That’s our biggest-selling single ever in the history of the show and the fact that it’s one boy singing to another boy on a network television show and it’s a No. 1 song and it sold probably 200,000 copies in one week is a very profound thing that I’m personally very proud of.
I never expected that to happen. I’m catching up with the week that was and figuring out, OK, now we have this great commodity in something that people have really embraced. It just shows to me that people are hungry for that.
AE: Will there be a PSA at the end of the season for the Trevor Project? Have you considered that yet?
Murphy: I have not considered that; I do a lot of support work with the Trevor Project
End of article
I don't know anything about the production of a television show, so I can't say if Ryan Murphy is being truthful or coy. I find it hard to believe, though, that he doesn't know where the storyline is heading. I think he should just admit that he's not going to tell us until we see it on the screen. :)
He has said before that his team is interested in what the fans want for the characters, and that they do pay attention to public opinion. Which both makes me happy and worried. Because Gleeks don't agree on what they want to see. Some want Rachel with Finn; some want Rachel with Puck. Some want Quinn and Sam togther; some are still hoping that Sam turns out to be gay and gets together with Kurt. As I've stated before, my biggest fear right now is that Kurt and Karofsky become an item. At this point, I am so opposed to that scenario that it could be a deal breaker for me.
One of my nieces used to be the biggest Twilight fan that you could ever meet. She read all the books, she was on Twilight message boards, I think she even wrote some fanfic. She talked about the characters like they were real people. And then the first movie came out. She was so devastated by the casting of one of the characters that it totally changed her opinion of the series. She had an idea in her mind of what that character would look like, and when the actor didn't live up to her expectations, she was done. She is now like the spokesperson for the anti-Twilight club.
With me, though, its not about appearances. Its not about the fact that Karofsky is a big dude and Blaine is slender. Its not about attractiveness in the physical sense. Its about actions and words and deeds. Karofsky is a tormentor, and Kurt is only one of his targets. Yes, I believe people can change, and I think there is a good chance that the writers will eventually rehabilitate Karofsky. But that can't realistically happen overnight, and if Karofksy does change in an episode or two, then the bullying storyline will lose its authenticity in my opinion.
Karofsky has been the most prominently-featured bully on this show for more than a season; he has been in ten episodes of the series thus far, and is slated to be in at least four more in the coming weeks. You can't tell me that he will successfully reconcile his bullying ways AND come out of the closet AND start a positive, healthy relationship with Kurt sometime during this season. That won't work for me, and it shouldn't work for any of us. Unless that is all part of Ryan Murphy's master plan. Meaning, just as he was trying to show that the faculty doesn't have all the answers when Mr. Schue didn't do enough to help Kurt last week, maybe a relationship between Kurt and Karofsky will demonstrate that people can't change that fast, and that relationships sometimes (oftentimes) aren't healthy.
That scenario would make sense to me, but I still wouldn't recommend it, and I hope it doesn't happen that way. I don't think the viewers would get it. And for the Kurt fans that have suffered alongside our boy for so long, the last thing we want on top of everything else is a bully boyfriend for him, even if Karofsky is on some path to rehabilitation. Bottom line, Kurt is struggling, he is finding his way, but he still has enough self-awareness and judgement to know that he doesn't want Karofsky and never will. A kiss and a possible future apology, no matter how sincere the delivery, should not be able to erradicate months, possibly years, of intimidation and threats. He might one day earn Kurt's forgiveness, but that doesn't mean either one of them should forget.
A friendship with Karofsky somewhere down the line - maybe. A romance between them now - irresponsible. I am choosing to have more faith in Ryan Murphy than that. I hope he doesn't prove me wrong.
gleekette
'Glee's' Ryan Murphy Discusses Darren Criss, Whether Kurt and Blaine Will Be Boyfriends, and More!
by Leslie Goldberg
While Glee’s storylines and overall plot may be all over the map in terms of consistency, there’s one thing that you can’t deny: What the show represents when it comes to GLBT visibility. Chris Colfer’s Kurt Hummel is coming into millions of homes every week and, thanks to out creator/writer/director Ryan Murphy, Red State America is getting an education in what it means to be an out gay teen.
AfterElton.com caught up with Murphy at the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center’s 39th Annual Gala on Saturday to discuss the storyline, how Darren Criss’ (pictured below right) Blaine will play into that and the status of Kurt’s boyfriend.
AfterElton: How many episodes is the anti-bullying story line going to be?
Ryan Murphy: I think it’s a whole year, actually. It’s not a couple episodes; it will probably be the whole season, actually, and the ramifications on everybody, which I think is important.
AE: How is Blaine going to play into that?
Murphy: I don’t know. We’re just writing him now. Darren has become such a sensation in one week, which I love. I think there’s a hunger for him and a positive relationship role model. He’ll definitely continue through the year and longer. We just signed a deal with him, so I don’t know.
AE: He’s confirmed to be a regular for the remainder of Season 2 and next season as well?
Murphy: Yes.
AE: Is Blaine going to be Kurt’s boyfriend?
Murphy: I don’t know. That I have not decided. We’re writing it. I want to see what people’s reaction to that is. Part of me thinks he should be the boyfriend, part of me thinks he should just be the mentor. I didn’t want to decide that until we got into sort of the middle of the season. We’re figuring it out now.
AE: If he doesn’t wind up becoming Kurt’s boyfriend, are we going to see Kurt have a boyfriend?
Murphy: Kurt will definitely get a boyfriend. The question is who will it be and how will it be.
AE: What was it about Darren Criss that initially appealed to you?
Murphy: He had auditioned and auditioned many, many times and I personally never saw his auditions. Then when we were casting, the casting director said, “You gave us many choices.” As soon as Darren came on and [I saw] his audition, I was like, “That’s the guy.”
AE: Had you seen Criss’ A Very Potter Musical before?
Murphy: No, I didn’t know anything about Darren. I just knew he was right.
AE: What do you think of his success of “Teenage Dream?” It's become Glee’s biggest hit yet.
Murphy: I’m proud of that. That’s our biggest-selling single ever in the history of the show and the fact that it’s one boy singing to another boy on a network television show and it’s a No. 1 song and it sold probably 200,000 copies in one week is a very profound thing that I’m personally very proud of.
I never expected that to happen. I’m catching up with the week that was and figuring out, OK, now we have this great commodity in something that people have really embraced. It just shows to me that people are hungry for that.
AE: Will there be a PSA at the end of the season for the Trevor Project? Have you considered that yet?
Murphy: I have not considered that; I do a lot of support work with the Trevor Project
End of article
I don't know anything about the production of a television show, so I can't say if Ryan Murphy is being truthful or coy. I find it hard to believe, though, that he doesn't know where the storyline is heading. I think he should just admit that he's not going to tell us until we see it on the screen. :)
He has said before that his team is interested in what the fans want for the characters, and that they do pay attention to public opinion. Which both makes me happy and worried. Because Gleeks don't agree on what they want to see. Some want Rachel with Finn; some want Rachel with Puck. Some want Quinn and Sam togther; some are still hoping that Sam turns out to be gay and gets together with Kurt. As I've stated before, my biggest fear right now is that Kurt and Karofsky become an item. At this point, I am so opposed to that scenario that it could be a deal breaker for me.
One of my nieces used to be the biggest Twilight fan that you could ever meet. She read all the books, she was on Twilight message boards, I think she even wrote some fanfic. She talked about the characters like they were real people. And then the first movie came out. She was so devastated by the casting of one of the characters that it totally changed her opinion of the series. She had an idea in her mind of what that character would look like, and when the actor didn't live up to her expectations, she was done. She is now like the spokesperson for the anti-Twilight club.
With me, though, its not about appearances. Its not about the fact that Karofsky is a big dude and Blaine is slender. Its not about attractiveness in the physical sense. Its about actions and words and deeds. Karofsky is a tormentor, and Kurt is only one of his targets. Yes, I believe people can change, and I think there is a good chance that the writers will eventually rehabilitate Karofsky. But that can't realistically happen overnight, and if Karofksy does change in an episode or two, then the bullying storyline will lose its authenticity in my opinion.
Karofsky has been the most prominently-featured bully on this show for more than a season; he has been in ten episodes of the series thus far, and is slated to be in at least four more in the coming weeks. You can't tell me that he will successfully reconcile his bullying ways AND come out of the closet AND start a positive, healthy relationship with Kurt sometime during this season. That won't work for me, and it shouldn't work for any of us. Unless that is all part of Ryan Murphy's master plan. Meaning, just as he was trying to show that the faculty doesn't have all the answers when Mr. Schue didn't do enough to help Kurt last week, maybe a relationship between Kurt and Karofsky will demonstrate that people can't change that fast, and that relationships sometimes (oftentimes) aren't healthy.
That scenario would make sense to me, but I still wouldn't recommend it, and I hope it doesn't happen that way. I don't think the viewers would get it. And for the Kurt fans that have suffered alongside our boy for so long, the last thing we want on top of everything else is a bully boyfriend for him, even if Karofsky is on some path to rehabilitation. Bottom line, Kurt is struggling, he is finding his way, but he still has enough self-awareness and judgement to know that he doesn't want Karofsky and never will. A kiss and a possible future apology, no matter how sincere the delivery, should not be able to erradicate months, possibly years, of intimidation and threats. He might one day earn Kurt's forgiveness, but that doesn't mean either one of them should forget.
A friendship with Karofsky somewhere down the line - maybe. A romance between them now - irresponsible. I am choosing to have more faith in Ryan Murphy than that. I hope he doesn't prove me wrong.
gleekette
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Darren Criss article
http://www.billboard.com/news/glee-newcomer-darren-criss-reflects-on-1004126702.story?tag=hpfeed#/news/glee-newcomer-darren-criss-reflects-on-1004126702.story?tag=hpfeed
Glee Newcomer Darren Criss Reflects on His Dream Week
It's been one hell of a week for Darren Criss, whose debut on "Glee" Tuesday (Nov. 9) has been followed by Internet adulation, rumors of becoming a regular character on the show -- and his rendition of Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" is on track to becoming the show's top-selling first week digital release to date.
"When it rains, it pours, man," Criss says, laughing. "'Glee' stuff aside, I'm playing a show on Saturday [at The Mint in Los Angeles] so I'm rehearsing with my band, I'm playing host to a friend this weekend and there's laundry and food and stuff and a lot of shit is going wrong with my apartment."
We are, honestly, keeping Criss up from a nap, so let's address those rumors one at a time: He's not a regular cast member on "Glee" … yet.
"Of course I would love to be on the show as long as possible," he says. "I do love working with everybody and he is a wonderful character. I love what the show stands for and the place it fits in our social pop consciousness. And the end of the day, I trust the creators and I'm happy for the time I've been given. Whatever happens, happens."
And yes, Criss did first audition for the show 2.5 years ago: For the role of Finn, now played by Cory Monteith.
"I was pretty new to Hollywood and they didn't really know my type, but I could have told anybody -- I'm not a football player," he says. "And they were like: 'But you can sing, right?'"
The role of dreamy Blaine -- a gay student at a different school who forms a bond with McKinley High's Kurt, played by Chris Colfer -- was the role that stuck. The fact that the song the character sings in his debut was "Teenage Dream," thrilled Criss.
"I freaked out. I mean, I freaked out," he says. "As a pop writer, I'm a big Max Martin/Dr. Luke guy and if I'm writing for mainstream pop, I use them as reference points, for sure."
Criss's rendition of "Teenage Dream" isn't the first time he's been on the Billboard charts; Criss co-wrote the music and lyrics to "Me and My Dick," a production of the theater group at the University of Michigan, which entered Top Cast Albums at No. 11 earlier this year; his "Human" EP debuted at No. 30 on Heatseeker Albums, and "A Very StarKid Album," named after Criss' production company, debuted at No. 19 on Top Compilations.
"I'm sort of a musical mercenary," he says. "I have a musical theater background, but when I write for myself, I'm a guy with a guitar so I sound like that guy. And my brother is in a really killer band in New York called Freelance Whales and when I play with him. It's our own little electro indie thing."
So at the end of a chaotic week, has Criss had a chance to stop and reflect?
"I attribute the success of the track to so many factors other than myself," he says. "I was the lucky son of a bitch that got to be a part of it."
End of article
He tried out for Finn...interesting. I definitely don't see him as the quarterback for McKinley. Luckily he made it on the show anyway. He seems humble and very cool. "Teenage Dream" is great!!
gleekette
Glee Newcomer Darren Criss Reflects on His Dream Week
It's been one hell of a week for Darren Criss, whose debut on "Glee" Tuesday (Nov. 9) has been followed by Internet adulation, rumors of becoming a regular character on the show -- and his rendition of Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" is on track to becoming the show's top-selling first week digital release to date.
"When it rains, it pours, man," Criss says, laughing. "'Glee' stuff aside, I'm playing a show on Saturday [at The Mint in Los Angeles] so I'm rehearsing with my band, I'm playing host to a friend this weekend and there's laundry and food and stuff and a lot of shit is going wrong with my apartment."
We are, honestly, keeping Criss up from a nap, so let's address those rumors one at a time: He's not a regular cast member on "Glee" … yet.
"Of course I would love to be on the show as long as possible," he says. "I do love working with everybody and he is a wonderful character. I love what the show stands for and the place it fits in our social pop consciousness. And the end of the day, I trust the creators and I'm happy for the time I've been given. Whatever happens, happens."
And yes, Criss did first audition for the show 2.5 years ago: For the role of Finn, now played by Cory Monteith.
"I was pretty new to Hollywood and they didn't really know my type, but I could have told anybody -- I'm not a football player," he says. "And they were like: 'But you can sing, right?'"
The role of dreamy Blaine -- a gay student at a different school who forms a bond with McKinley High's Kurt, played by Chris Colfer -- was the role that stuck. The fact that the song the character sings in his debut was "Teenage Dream," thrilled Criss.
"I freaked out. I mean, I freaked out," he says. "As a pop writer, I'm a big Max Martin/Dr. Luke guy and if I'm writing for mainstream pop, I use them as reference points, for sure."
Criss's rendition of "Teenage Dream" isn't the first time he's been on the Billboard charts; Criss co-wrote the music and lyrics to "Me and My Dick," a production of the theater group at the University of Michigan, which entered Top Cast Albums at No. 11 earlier this year; his "Human" EP debuted at No. 30 on Heatseeker Albums, and "A Very StarKid Album," named after Criss' production company, debuted at No. 19 on Top Compilations.
"I'm sort of a musical mercenary," he says. "I have a musical theater background, but when I write for myself, I'm a guy with a guitar so I sound like that guy. And my brother is in a really killer band in New York called Freelance Whales and when I play with him. It's our own little electro indie thing."
So at the end of a chaotic week, has Criss had a chance to stop and reflect?
"I attribute the success of the track to so many factors other than myself," he says. "I was the lucky son of a bitch that got to be a part of it."
End of article
He tried out for Finn...interesting. I definitely don't see him as the quarterback for McKinley. Luckily he made it on the show anyway. He seems humble and very cool. "Teenage Dream" is great!!
gleekette
Cory Montieth article
http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/television/article/890512--cory-monteith-i-was-on-the-verge-of-homelessness
Cory Montieth: I Was On The Verge of Homelessness
by Bill Brioux
Cory Monteith . . . homeless?
It seems unfathomable now that the 28-year-old actor is one of the most sought-after TV stars in North America. Not only is he featured every week on one of the most popular series around, Glee, he was in Toronto this weekend to host the Gemini Awards. In a year and a half, he's gone from virtual unknown to the guy in the room everybody wants to congratulate.
“My mom is so excited I can't even explain it to you,” the Calgary native says on the phone from the Los Angeles set of Glee last week. “She's just freaking out.”
Here's the real shocker: not that long ago, before he became known to millions as Finn Hudson, there was very little glee in Monteith's life. He was, in fact, at genuine risk of being homeless in Vancouver.
That came out in a conversation about a cause he backs: the push to create a National Youth Homelessness Awareness Day in Canada on Nov. 17. Monteith is a very committed spokesman for the cause, which is backed by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Unite “Re*Generation Canada” movement.
Monteith points out that there are more than 65,000 homeless youth on the streets of Canada, and, yes, he was close to being one of them.
After his parents split when he was seven, Monteith dropped out of school in Grade 9 and never went to university. For a while, he took odd jobs as a Wal-Mart greeter, roofer, even working at a car wash.
His pursuit of an acting career took him to Vancouver, but he endured poverty and rejection. “I definitely experienced a marginalized situation. I was not homeless but I was definitely at risk.”
Monteith was around 20 when things were at their low point. He says it was acting teacher Andrew McIlroy, who mentored him, gave him direction and got him passionate about an acting career. He also credits his “Vancouver acting collectives,” the other young hopefuls who provided family-like support. “That's pretty much where I grew up, where I moved from one period to another, from treading water dangerously to really getting excited about something.”
Monteith drove his Honda Civic 20 straight hours down to L.A. in one marathon trip in order to ace his Glee audition.
Now he'd like to spread a little of that good fortune around. “I want to reach out to kids,” he says. “I'm super lucky that I found something that I could get passionate about and that I could devote myself to. Had I not found that, it might have been a different story.”
End of article
I just love reading articles like this. I love hearing about people that have found success, and not just in the entertainment industry, that are giving back to their communities and helping people that are in similar situations to what they experienced. Pay it forward.
gleekette
Cory Montieth: I Was On The Verge of Homelessness
by Bill Brioux
Cory Monteith . . . homeless?
It seems unfathomable now that the 28-year-old actor is one of the most sought-after TV stars in North America. Not only is he featured every week on one of the most popular series around, Glee, he was in Toronto this weekend to host the Gemini Awards. In a year and a half, he's gone from virtual unknown to the guy in the room everybody wants to congratulate.
“My mom is so excited I can't even explain it to you,” the Calgary native says on the phone from the Los Angeles set of Glee last week. “She's just freaking out.”
Here's the real shocker: not that long ago, before he became known to millions as Finn Hudson, there was very little glee in Monteith's life. He was, in fact, at genuine risk of being homeless in Vancouver.
That came out in a conversation about a cause he backs: the push to create a National Youth Homelessness Awareness Day in Canada on Nov. 17. Monteith is a very committed spokesman for the cause, which is backed by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Unite “Re*Generation Canada” movement.
Monteith points out that there are more than 65,000 homeless youth on the streets of Canada, and, yes, he was close to being one of them.
After his parents split when he was seven, Monteith dropped out of school in Grade 9 and never went to university. For a while, he took odd jobs as a Wal-Mart greeter, roofer, even working at a car wash.
His pursuit of an acting career took him to Vancouver, but he endured poverty and rejection. “I definitely experienced a marginalized situation. I was not homeless but I was definitely at risk.”
Monteith was around 20 when things were at their low point. He says it was acting teacher Andrew McIlroy, who mentored him, gave him direction and got him passionate about an acting career. He also credits his “Vancouver acting collectives,” the other young hopefuls who provided family-like support. “That's pretty much where I grew up, where I moved from one period to another, from treading water dangerously to really getting excited about something.”
Monteith drove his Honda Civic 20 straight hours down to L.A. in one marathon trip in order to ace his Glee audition.
Now he'd like to spread a little of that good fortune around. “I want to reach out to kids,” he says. “I'm super lucky that I found something that I could get passionate about and that I could devote myself to. Had I not found that, it might have been a different story.”
End of article
I just love reading articles like this. I love hearing about people that have found success, and not just in the entertainment industry, that are giving back to their communities and helping people that are in similar situations to what they experienced. Pay it forward.
gleekette
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