Despite the lyrical changes (“transsexual” became “transvestite”) and swapping ladies for dudes in last night’s Rocky Horror episode of Glee, my informal poll of Facebook friends who annoy me on IM reveals many people enjoyed seeing Chord Overstreet and Cory Monteith take their shirts off. (This also explains why Mr. Monteith could be seen in Los Angeles working out vigorously these past couple months, sweating away his midsection at Ryan Murphy‘s behest.)
mikey
actually they changed it to Sweet Transvestite from Sensational, Transylvania instead of Sweet Transvestite from Transexual, Transylvania…
and changing heavy petting to heavy sweating was particularly lame…
Jared
Uh, little mix up on the line change–“transvestite” has always been in the song. The original line is “transvestite from Transexual, Translavania,” and they replaced “transexual” with “sensational.”
Fitz
I know it had to be changed a lot, but this was just awful and unbearable. Bad choice of material for this show, the needed adaptions killed it.
Hilarious
I doubt they changed the lyrics because they wanted to. Certain things they couldn’t get away with saying on network television.
Is it really that surprising?
The only thing I didn’t like was Rocky’s speedo being changed to boxer briefs.
Then they kept having Finn say “tighty whities” and he was in the loosest most unappealing Grandpa boxers I’ve ever seen in my life.
Now correct me if I’m wrong but we’ve seen the female characters run around in bras and panties.
So why couldn’t the guys wear brief cut anything for Rocky Horror?
That was pretty disappointing. I don’t care about abs… No bones thrown to the gays(pun intended).
let's get real
Not showing more less-clothed-booty-shaking Chord Overstreet killed it.
Gregg
This will follow typical Murhpy route – overkill, crash and burn. Happening faster than I even thought.
Michael
@Hilarious: Seriously? “No bones thrown to the gays?” The character of Sam is in itself a bone to us gays. And last nights episode featured the 3 hottest male characters in underwear or shirtless.
Ryanthehulk
Considering the show takes place in a high school, I thought that the changes were true to story. I was in a production of Macbeth and lines had to be changed as not to offend modern sensibilities.
(During the witches’ scene “liver of blaspheming Jew” was changed to “liver of blaspheming man”) The story would have been unrealistic if they let characters who are supposed to be high school students perform Rocky Horror as is.
P.S.- Matthew Morrison, I hardly knew, yum.
Baxter
I thought it was a pretty terrible episode. I hate when they completely sacrifice the plot for the music. And what little plot that did exist was just Mr. Schue being creepy. This shows needs to spend more time developing the kid’s characters (and using the music to back that up), rather than shoehorning an iota of plot into a pointless theme episode so they can sell more mediocre cover albums to kids who don’t know any better.
jason
Ryan Murphy – Glee’s creator – appears to be a a homophobe who appears to have changed the genders from male to female because he didn’t want to show dudes hanging off other dudes. Girl-girl is much more acceptable in Ryan Murphy’s universe.
Don’t fall for Ryan’s spin that Glee is gay-friendly. It isn’t. Ryan appears to be one of the most homophobic homosexuals working in the industry in terms of depictions of guy-guy contact.
Hilarious
@Michael: I don’t see how the character Sam who’s currently “straight” is a bone to us gays, we were promised Kurt’s boyfriend, he’s currently either a confused Sam, or not even on screen. Regardless the season will end soon.
Secondly as I stated in the comment you replied to the female characters have been show in bras and panties and even going as far as unhooking their bras.
The male characters were all put in boxers rather than briefs when Rocky is famous for his gold speedo and Brad was in white briefs.
No one wore boxers, boxers are universally un-sexy, which is why they kept the focus of the commentary on “abs” because they clearly knew there was nothing sexy going on below the waste in those ugly shorts.
That was not a bone to us gays. That was a “Male nudity is disgusting, but female nudity is great!”. Double standards work both ways and on a show that’s as gay as Glee you’d think they’d have more actually…I dunno gayness?
Why even defend that wardrobe switch? You’re ok with male nudity being viewed as disgusting?
Ironically females can’t show nipples but men can run around with no shirts on, then when it comes to underwear women can go bare all the way up the thigh but if a guy does it it’s gross.
America really is bred to be stupid when it comes to nudity. Afraid of our own bodies.
Soupy
I like how the Motion picture rating system has now created a new warning of “male nudity”. Jeez, they aim their camera up Sharon Stone’s cooze and there’s no warning of “female nudity”.
As for Glee, I wish that the Mr. Shue character would stop shoehorning himself into numbers and posing as man candy. It just seems cheesy next to the kids.
Ryanthehulk
I did like Kurt saying no to being Frankfurter. Just because he’s gay doesn’t mean he has to be the one to dress up like a chick.
Michael
-Insert bitchy comment because I am a stereotypical jaded gay man-
DR
Seen the movie I don’t even know how many times.
I had fun with the episode. Wasn’t thrilled with John Stamos’ singing, but other than that, the show was exactly what it was supposed to be. A loose plot with a lot of songs.
Let’s stop pretending the show is anything more than that. Sure, there are some killer plots (almost anything with Chris Colfer, for example, or Kevin McHale), but it’s a goofy show which is more or less an advert for the music.
Yes, I realize this is the case, which is probably why I don’t get as pissy as some of you do. It’s a fun show to watch after a long day at work. It’s not gonna change the world. Nor is it meant to.
Ian
@jason: Agree 100% with your comments, Glee is NOT gay friendly at all. They put on lesbian bait to titilate the str8 fans but leave Kurt a sexual eunich. Even the intro was changed from a man’s mouth w/lipstick to a girl. ANY gay MALE sexuality is always spayed out of the show.
@Ryanthehulk: You got it all wrong. Being Frank-n-Furter is about being both gay and sexually empowered, something that Glee’s euniched Kurt could never be.
One GOOD thing I noticed this episode is that the writers just may have touched upon the fact that Sam may possibly have an eating disorder, specifically Anorexia Nervosa – Restrictive Type (excessive exercise to maintain lean body from guilt of consumed calories) from his scene in the school weight room. It is rarely discussed that men account for over 3% of all eating disorders. I hope this plot line is the case and is developed further.
alan brickman
Ryan has that typical self loathing as a gay man…and it shows…
Motard
Two cents, not because you care, but because I want them to be said:
1) Actually, Rocky Horror was pretty thoroughly butchered – certainly in its essential spirit of hedonistic transgression. Much of the episode was flat and talky; the actors’ sweet little voices don’t hold up well to the camp explosion of the source material.
2) Case in point, Amber Riley’s voice is a great powerhouse – and her diva turn on ‘Sweet Transvestite’ (lyrical neutering notwithstanding) sounded great. It just failed to capture the fundamental kinky weirdness of the number. If the show simply exists to showcase its actors’ voices – Amber’s voice probably could’ve been put to better use to ‘There’s a Light’ or even the Floor Show.
3) Gay friendliness: Kurt’s sad little crush last season was probably one of the more unflinchingly real depictions of the gay experience I’ve ever seen on American TV. More than eight seasons of Will & Grace or five seasons of Queer as Folk. But then they turn it around and continue to put Kurt in the classic Lonely Tragic Gay archetype. One step forward, two steps back.
DR
@Ian:
Do your research, Ian. “Science Fiction/Double Feature” was sung by Richard O’Brien for the film, but the lips were Patricia Quinn’s in the film.
So this time they did a man’s lips with a woman’s voice…if rumors are right, anyway, that Mark Salling was the lips, and the song was sung by Dianna Agron.
Ian
@DR: You don’t have to sound so bitchy about it Ms. catty “do your research”. The point was that it was a MALE voice that sung the tune, implying the lips were male, d-u-h. And as for the Glee episode, the actress who is the asian cheerleader was both the singer and lips.
james
wow, these comments are pretty fun to read. its a freaking tv show on at 8pm. if you want male nudity and risque, go watch porn or premium cable.
JMP
@james: wrong and wrong. it was both the lips and voice of Naya Rivera (the beautiful Santana). but thanks for playing.
Ian
@james: Being sexually empowered doesn’t necessarily mean “sex”, it can also mean simply showing overt affection and/or flirtation with the same-sex. THIS is something that so far has NOT been allowed on Glee between any male/male relations.
JMP
Ooops, that should be @Ian, sorry James.
Ian
@JMP: I had the right actress in my head but did not realize she was hispanic, I thought she was laotian, oops.
JumpingUp
The original Rocky Horror is a lot of overrated silliness, anyway, so how could Glee really ruin it?
REBELComx
I’m currently writing a horrendously long blog post about how god awful this episode actually was. so i’ll just leave one joke here.
So John Stamos is a Dentist who takes on the role of Eddie and has to wear a black leather jacket and drive a motorcycle… A Dentist… I’m not sure to call him Uncle Jesse or Orin Scrivello, DDS.
Seriously, they would have been better off doing Little Shop of Horrors for their Halloween episode. Can’t screw that up much. They could have turned it into the whole crew facing down Rachel, as the plant, with her ego and fame whoring trying to eat up all the attention.
Wow… in one paragraph I wrote a better Halloween episode plot than the writers of the show. Emmy please!
Tim
Sue, a teacher, directing Becky, a student, to “go scream at some fatties” was offensive
Amaturus
I think Glee is best when it inverted songs’ meanings or at least applied them to the characters’ story lines, e.g. Kurt’s “Rosie’s Turn” or Artie’s “Safety Dance”. In that vein, Emma’s “Touch A Touch A Touch A Me” was great. And Mercedes’ “Sweet Transvestite” was just a fun reinterpretation. Overall, the story wasn’t very good, but it wasn’t terrible.
DR
@Ian:
1. The song was sung either by Naya Rivera or Dianna Agron, both of whom are VERY female.
2. When I surfed the web, all accounts said that the lips were those of Mark Sallings, who plays puck, wearing lipstick. As we’ve all see, he’s quite male.
Either way, you need to get off your queer moral high horse. Queers don’t “own” RHPS, and if you need that much validation from a tv show, you really need to get a life.
scott ny'er
@Tim: I think Sue is always offensive and not funny. I don’t get the mad love for her. She’s one of the main reasons I can’t get into the show.
hephaestion
I was awfully disappointed. But it had its good moments. And, trying to look on the bright side… maybe it helped to introduce some kids to this fun movie.
Lefty
I’ve never even seen Rocky Horror.
Bad gay.
Ian
@scott ny’er: For me it’s the over the top Sue, the bitchy head cheerleader Quinn, the manipulative ex-wife of the teacher, & the narcissistic diva of the club Rachel. What is it with Ryan Murphy and making so many of the female characters on this show both unlikable and just outright bitchy?
Lance
Do people forget that Monteith posed nude & shirtless in a bunch of Canadian flicks (Bloody Mary & Killer Bash?) I don’t know why he was fretting….he’s exposed more.
L.
@Motard: That was *three* cents, mistah.
REBELComx
Not that anyone is paying attention to this article anymore, but for anyone interested, here is my blog post with my entire review of the show –
http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/blogs/latest/entry/a-decision-had-to-be-madeand-i-fucked-it-up-a-look-at-glees-rocky-horror-1
It’s a doozy.