Gleefail?
When I was about seven or eight years old, my older sister took me to The Rocky Horror Picture Show. She was supposed to be babysitting me at home, but decided to sneak out with her friends to see Rocky Horror at The Village Gate Theater in Greenwich Village.
I had no idea what I was going to see. I heard Rocky Horror and I was worried it would be a scary film. What did I know? I was seven. I don't even know if kids were allowed inside that night. But we slipped in with the crowd anyway and no one said a word.
I honestly didn't remember much about the film itself, because the audience keep me more than entertained. At that time, people dressed in character to see Rocky Horror, and they took it very seriously. And when the film started and everyone in the audience spoke along with the actors in the film, I was mesmerized. They sang the songs, they threw water, they lit candles and cigarette lighters during certain scenes. By the time we left, I was soaked.
Of course when my mother found out my sister had taken me there, she was seriously grounded. I didn't understand why, though. To this day, I don't remember anything obscene about the film. And I don't think it affected me much one way or the other, except for the fact that it was the first time I saw a transvestite in a movie. And, I haven't seen many transvestites since then.
So when I heard Glee was doing a Rocky Horror show, I couldn't wait to see it. As usual, the performances were great. I'm never disappointed in how Glee put it all together. But I was disappointed when no one wanted to play the part of the Transvestite. I would have thought the part, though a bit cliche, would have been perfect for Curt. And being that his character is so open and political about standing up for what he believes in, I would have thought he'd jump at a chance to play one of the most famous transvestites in the history of film. But he declines, with what I thought was a lame excuse. And then everyone else declined, including John Stamos, which didn't surprise me at all. He's too macho; he's too cool (smile).
Ultimately, when the girl (can't remember her name) asked to play the part of the transvestite, I felt like switching to another channel. I know they did it well, and played upon our emotions by giving her the part because she'd always wanted to play a lead role. But it was more than disappointing, especially for a show that always seems to be on top of their game when it comes to the LGBT community. Once again, I felt as if the T in LGBT had been pushed aside. And as a gay man who has never even worn drag for Halloween because I'm so conservative, I think that says something about how the T folks probably felt last night. Let's face it, anyone one of those talented guys could have played the transvestite. But opted out with some very lame excuses. And even if the kids felt awkward about doing this, the teacher should have stepped up and taken the part himself.
The way they handled whether or not it was even appropriate for high school kids to do Rocky Horror made little sense. All that going back and forth about moral and ethics, and then the blond kid says he's worried about his "nuttage" showing. The saddest part, for me, was that the performances were excellent. I'm not sure if that was really John Stamos singing, but even he came off looking good. If they hadn't been so snarky with the transvestite part, I wouldn't even be writing this post and titling it "Gleefail."
I had no idea what I was going to see. I heard Rocky Horror and I was worried it would be a scary film. What did I know? I was seven. I don't even know if kids were allowed inside that night. But we slipped in with the crowd anyway and no one said a word.
I honestly didn't remember much about the film itself, because the audience keep me more than entertained. At that time, people dressed in character to see Rocky Horror, and they took it very seriously. And when the film started and everyone in the audience spoke along with the actors in the film, I was mesmerized. They sang the songs, they threw water, they lit candles and cigarette lighters during certain scenes. By the time we left, I was soaked.
Of course when my mother found out my sister had taken me there, she was seriously grounded. I didn't understand why, though. To this day, I don't remember anything obscene about the film. And I don't think it affected me much one way or the other, except for the fact that it was the first time I saw a transvestite in a movie. And, I haven't seen many transvestites since then.
So when I heard Glee was doing a Rocky Horror show, I couldn't wait to see it. As usual, the performances were great. I'm never disappointed in how Glee put it all together. But I was disappointed when no one wanted to play the part of the Transvestite. I would have thought the part, though a bit cliche, would have been perfect for Curt. And being that his character is so open and political about standing up for what he believes in, I would have thought he'd jump at a chance to play one of the most famous transvestites in the history of film. But he declines, with what I thought was a lame excuse. And then everyone else declined, including John Stamos, which didn't surprise me at all. He's too macho; he's too cool (smile).
Ultimately, when the girl (can't remember her name) asked to play the part of the transvestite, I felt like switching to another channel. I know they did it well, and played upon our emotions by giving her the part because she'd always wanted to play a lead role. But it was more than disappointing, especially for a show that always seems to be on top of their game when it comes to the LGBT community. Once again, I felt as if the T in LGBT had been pushed aside. And as a gay man who has never even worn drag for Halloween because I'm so conservative, I think that says something about how the T folks probably felt last night. Let's face it, anyone one of those talented guys could have played the transvestite. But opted out with some very lame excuses. And even if the kids felt awkward about doing this, the teacher should have stepped up and taken the part himself.
The way they handled whether or not it was even appropriate for high school kids to do Rocky Horror made little sense. All that going back and forth about moral and ethics, and then the blond kid says he's worried about his "nuttage" showing. The saddest part, for me, was that the performances were excellent. I'm not sure if that was really John Stamos singing, but even he came off looking good. If they hadn't been so snarky with the transvestite part, I wouldn't even be writing this post and titling it "Gleefail."
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