Nonsensical Banter

I spent 2 hours walking around Williamsburg last night, and discovering the greatest fallafel I've ever eaten. Today, my feet hurt. Worth it.

NEW TOPIC. I am not ashamed to admit that I am, in fact, a Glee fan. I am, however, very sad at how terribly the show has been going this season, thus far. While last night certainly was a nod back to old school Glee (can I call it that after only one season? It seemed long), it's still lacking the initial excitement and enthusiasm the show had when it first started out. The reason I liked it so much was that, in a way, it lived out all my secret fantasies of what I wished high school was really like - bursting out into random musical numbers, immediately knowing music and perfect harmonies by just glancing at a piece of sheet music, actually HAVING a Glee Club, with a bangin' band available at a moments notice, and instantaneously knowing a full musical theatre number, choreography and all, and being amazing at it. This season, however, Glee is focusing more on gathering ratings and numbers by playing "tribute" (if you want to call it that) to supposed musical icons (again, if you want to call them that). While the Madonna episode last year was phenomenal, it still pushed forward with a plot line. This seasons Brittany episode was a pathetic excuse for an hour of television. Yes, the music videos were on point, but a plot line where kids go to the dentist to get high and have trips so they can be the lead of their own Brittany video? Give me a break. And since when does the guidance counselor call in her dentist boyfriend to give singers a lesson on brushing their teeth? STRETCH. I can't even touch the disaster that was the Rocky Horror episode. I knew it would be a bust, but I tried to give it a chance. I will never get that hour of my life back. "Sweet Transvestite" should be sung by just that - a transvestite. Mercedes wearing a corset? Not the same. True, her voice is killer, and her diva-dom remains in tact, but even Aretha couldn't pull that number off unless she had a penis and some serious lipstick. She is not, in fact, a tranny. And is it just me, or does watching two teachers start to get it on in a classroom while singing make anyone else uncomfortable? Yikes.

Last nights episode looks like it could be Glee's saving grace, tackling issues such a gay bullying while still maintaining killer musical numbers - the rival all boys a capella group rocked it. Yet the prospect of Gwenyth Paltrow coming on next week makes me uneasy. I really want to keep watching and enjoying this show. I do hope they go back to where it began.

I would like to share an excerpt on the subject from Meghan Brown, co-founder of the Giraffe Hunt Theatre in LA, from a recent article in the Atlantic:

"Okay. I'm mad again.

What. The. Heck. Is. Going. On.

Why would a relatively conservative high school in Ohio put on Rocky Horror? In what Universe is RHPS Emma's favorite movie? How is a whole musical going up in a week's time? Why is everyone OK with adults (especially non-faculty adults LIKE THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR'S DENTIST BOYFRIEND) being in a sexy musical with high schoolers? Why is Amber playing Frankenfurter instead of Kurt? How did Sue's anti-Rocky rant end up being the most logical part of the show?

More importantly: Why do we care? Why do we care if Emma and Will get together, when Will is sort of the world's worst person? Why do we care about a musical that we can tell from the get-go isn't going to end up happening?

Look, Glee isn't Rocky Horror, and Rocky Horror certainly isn't Britney Spears. A fakey homage consisting of a watered-down, Disney-fied version isn't going to cut it.

Amen, sister. Rant over.