Chutzpah!

Lea Michele of Glee was very good on the Tony's the other night. Her reprise of Don't Rain on My Parade (that she did on Glee early in the season) was full of chutzpah. Lea commits to a performance. She's totally into this song. I appreciate that. She looks like a classic, vibrant vedette during this performance. Lea completely overshadows Matthew Morrison's performance that preceded hers. She has really grown on Glee from just being a stereotype to a more nuanced, faceted actress. The transformation is not fully complete but she's on her way there. In other Tony news, Kristen Chenoweth was completely heavenly and amusing during her presentation bit, Scarlett didn't deserve to win best featured actress for A View from the Bridge, and practically all the acting awards went to LA folk (Denzel, Catherine Zeta, and Scarlett). Liev Schreiber or Christopher Walken should have won instead of Denzel. Congrats to Viola Davis and Eddie Redmayne on their wins though.


Thanks to Perez

Gleeks Unite

Glee proved itself this week with its episode entitled "Preggers". I've enjoyed Fox's new musical dramedy since it's sneak preview back in May, but this past week's episode really showed me how great the show was. It was the best episode so far. It was funny, sad, moving, and full of wonderful dancing and singing. Beyonce's Single Ladies dance played an essential role in the episode which revolved around gay glee club member Kurt trying out for the football team to make his Dad proud. The episode opens with Kurt performing a splendid black and white homage to Beyonce's original video complete with gal pal backup dancers. His Dad comes down to see him rehearsing this number and the girls with Kurt end up lying him into being on the football team. Kurt enlists the help of fellow glee club member Finn who is already on the football team (which is a terrible team by the way). Kurt tries out for kicker and warms up to Single Ladies before he makes an amazing kick and is put on the team. There are a few subplots going on here too. The best revolves around mean girl cheerleader Quinn's pregnancy. What i like about Glee is how it takes characters like Quinn who you think are one-note caricatures and turns them into people you really feel for. And the way Quinn's reveal to Finn was shot with a close-up of her face from Finn's perspective with him getting overwhelmed and not really being able to fully understand what she's saying because he's so shocked, was very effective. Also, scene stealer Jane Lynch continues to be hilarious as the cheerleading coach who now has her own segment on the local news. Jayma Mays of Ugly Betty is cute and likable as Glee club teacher Will's (Matthew Morrison) germaphobe crush. The whole cast is immensely talented. The football team's dance to Single Ladies was a high point of the episode. I'm completely on board now. And Kurt's coming out scene to his Dad was sweet and moving. Kurt has really been developed as a character since the first episode. He's not a caricature of a gay teen anymore. Sure he's campy and loves singing and dancing, but he is also a great football player. In Glee's world, you can do anything you want as long as you make it your own like Kurt did.