May 25 2010
The smell of wine and cheap perfume
On May 22nd, my mother and I had the opportunity of a lifetime to see one of the most spectacular concerts God could have possibly bestowed upon us, and by spectacular I mean Glee, the hit television show that airs every Tuesday at 9:00PM on Fox. Now for those of you who are either sorely misinformed or just plain ignorant, Glee is a story about a collection of teenagers from a variety of social groupings who come together to serve a common purpose: to sing. This rather odd bunch of students range from pregnant cheerleaders to histrionic divas to wheelchair-clad nerds and even football players. In other words, a bustling room of losers just waiting to spontaneously combust. Now I don’t know what exactly it was that attracted me to watch such a show like this, believe me when I say I had assumptions of a mix between High School Musical meets Gossip Girl, but my opinion drastically changed the moment Rachel Berry, front lead of the Glee Club, sang a duet with Finn, a now-unpopular football player and potential boyfriend, with Journey’s one hit wonder “Don’t Stop Believing.” (see video) Since then, I religiously flipped the switch on my television Tuesday nights (it actually used to air on Wednesdays) to get my weekly Glee fix.
Now you may be wondering, what’s the big deal about Glee anyway? It’s just a bunch of kids singing covers of some tribute-worthy artists. But, and I hope you take this in the most sincerest fashion, YOU’RE WRONG. ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY WRONG. To say that Glee is nothing more than just an excuse to bring about old singers whose music died out is a complete insult to me and my fellow Gleeks. (Yes, I said Gleek.) Contrary to what many non-viewers believe, Glee brings about common issues such as peer pressure and respect for students of sexual orientation through relatable scenarios that are usually accompanied by a song that enforces said issue.
Take this week’s episode, title “Theatricality”, for example. The theme for this week was to express yourself, to find the true meaning of your individuality while incorporating ideas from our one and only Lady Gaga. This not only inspired the kids to create outfits that best expressed their attitudes, it brought about the idea that sometimes “just blending in” isn’t enough to make it through the day. I believe that what this show has to offer is more than just a couple of show tunes. Glee is not just a means to sucker us into watching their tv show, or milking our money at the Glee Tour 2010 on $65 dollar sweaters and $200 letterman jackets. It’s a show about everyday occurrences in the dog-eat-dog world that is high school with not-so-average teenagers struggling to find their place in the world.
