Glee’s Cory Montieth Tribute — A Moving Masterpiece

I stopped watching Glee a few seasons back. That’s not because the show lost its quality, I just simply grew out of it. But when Ryan Murphy announced a tribute episode devoted to Cory Montieth’s passing, I had to tune in. Though I didn’t know him personally, I felt connected to his story. I watch the Glee pilot, and I remember following Montieth’s career as he went from anonymity to fame with his humility intact.

The task of addressing a character’s death when they have also passed-on in real life seemed insurmountable. How can you address real-life events without exploiting them? How can you pull at the heart-strings of the audience without seeming like a vulture who has capitalized on someone else’s tragedy? Somehow — Ryan Murphy found a way. The episode was beautiful. There was no talk of how Finn Hudson died, which was a smart move. This was meant to be a celebration of life, and a moment to grieve, not a discussion of death. And in a move I never thought possible, there were moments of humor sprinkled throughout. Every song was more moving than the next, but Lea Michele quite obviously moved me the most. She was heartbroken and beautiful, singing, ‘Make You Feel My Love.’ As for the critics who have complained that Murphy dodged the opportunity to address the perils of drug use, this wasn’t the time. There might be a time, but this wasn’t it. I want to remember Cory for how he lived, and the art he produced during his short time on earth. Not how he died. Watch Lea Michele’s performance below.

Lea Michele‘s Tribute to Cory Montieth — Teen Choice Awards

This one made me cry. While accepting her Teen Choice Award for ‘Glee,’ Lea Michele spoke publicly for the first time since her late love’s passing, dedicating her award to Cory Montieth, and thanking her fans for their support. Watch her tearful tribute below.

Gotye Didn’t Like ‘Glee’s’ “Somebody I Used to Know”

I always find it interesting when an artist insults a television show’s rendition of their song, especially when the artist likely gave consent. In the case of Gotye, Glee covered his very famous song, “Somebody I Used to Know,” and Gotye wasn’t pleased, saying, “They did such a faithful arrangement of the instrumentals but the vocals were that pop Glee style, ultra-dry, sounded pretty tuned and the rock has no real sense, like it’s playing to you from a cardboard box.” Though I agree the performance was overly theatrical, I still think it’s in poor taste to publicly disparage their effort. Watch below to see the performance in question.

Bill O’Reilly on ‘Glee’ — “Homosexuality is Contagious”

It never ceases to amaze me how threatened “straight” men are by gay people. The only explanation I have is that these straight men feel tempted by other men. After all, if you’re trying to lose weight, don’t you remove the M&Ms from your pantry? One such man who needs an M&M cleansing is Bill O’Reilly, who actually took the time on his very important show to discuss some very important opinions about Glee, saying that the show encourages same-sex experimentation. Watch below.

Matthew Morrison Badmouths Glee? — Ungrateful?

When actors get a hit television series they always want out of their contract. The offers start to pour in, and their egos take over. But because studios have them under five to seven year contracts, they have one of three choices: Politely ask to be released from their contract; cause a media frenzy and get fired by the studio (see Katherine Heigl); or wait it out until the show runs its course. Matthew Morrison might be opting for option two. He recently told The Mirror that he feels “trapped” on the show, and despite “having a really good lawyer” he “cannot get out of it.” He also said the show has caused him to turn down movie roles. I have a few things to say about this. First, getting a hit television show is the holy-fu*king-grail in the entertainment business. If you knew how many shows die each season, you’d be shocked. He should therefore get down on his knees and thank God for his luck. Second, studios and networks are very kind to their actors, and they more often than not allow them to render services on movies, provided it doesn’t interfere with their shooting schedule. And lastly, I sure hope Matthew Morrison is saving his money (see Katherine Heigl again).

‘Glee’s’ Naya Rivera Covers FHM — Nearly Naked

These Glee kids annoy me. They have a hit television show, get paid a lot of money, and still want to undress for magazine covers. Do they hope to get a hall pass out of television detention by taking their clothes off? If that’s the case, I’m certain they’re asking for a social shunning. I should give Naya Rivera the benefit of the doubt. That FHM cover-photo must have been intended for her boyfriend and not the entire world. Perhaps she’s a phone-hacking victim? That has to be the only explanation for such a poor choice. And in case my readers are wondering — yes — I’m a judgmental prude.

Glee Covers Rebecca Black’s ‘Friday’ — Better Version?

When I first listened to Rebecca Black’s much buzzed about song, ‘Friday, I was extremely confused. “This song is abominable,” I thought. So you can imagine my horror when I heard that ‘Glee’ would cover the song. I watched the episode, and as it turns out, the song isn’t so bad after all. It just goes to show you — get the right machine behind a song, and you can transform it. Listen below.
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Glee Does ‘Born This Way’ — Gets It Right

Perhaps it’s because I’m feeling extra emotional lately, but Glee’s most recent episode pulled on my heartstrings. The show’s theme was Lady Gaga’s song, Born This Way, and the story began with Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) wanting a nose job. In real life, Lea Michele has been very vocal about her opposition to changing her nose, and I’ve called her my personal hero because of it. I figure us big-schnozed Jews have to stick together, and it certainly helps when one of those schnozes is famous. Watch a clip from the show below to see Lea Michele and Dianna Agron sing a mash-up of Pretty/Unpretty.

Glee’s Heather Morris Shows Off Hot Dance Moves for Esquire Magazine

If you watch Glee, then you know about Heather Morris. She was hired by Ryan Murphy to teach the cast the choreography for Beyonce’s Single Ladies video, and Murphy was so impressed by her, he hired her as a series regular for the show. If you watch closely during Glee’s dance routines, you’ll notice how Heather Morris outshines the rest of the cast, which was certainly most clear during the Britney tribute week. In the video below, Heather Morris rocks out to some different songs, and her body is hypnotizing. I realize the hypocrisy of this post, given that I often insult the Glee kids for inappropriately sexualizing their images. I’ve made an exception for Heather Morris though. When you’re that good, general rules don’t apply.