Glee

GLEE - by definition (according to your dictionary.com): lively joy; gaiety; merriment

Also a television show. I was waiting for this show with great expectation. Jane Lynch is in it. I love Jane Lynch. She’s smart, funny, acerbic, and just cool. The show is about a glee club and the teacher that’s trying to keep the glee club at the school. It’s really about mocking the social hierarchy of high school. Now, in high school, I was in band and the math club, so I know something about school hierarchy. Not to say I had no friends, or that I got picked on, because, for some reason, I didn’t. But, to say the least, I wasn’t in the stratosphere.

In the series premiere, there is a boy in a wheelchair. He’s in Glee Club. He gets picked on, but no more than the other geeks in Glee. So, I was very happy about that. He was just one of the kids. There is a gay student. Not as happy about that. A walking stereotype. But, I’m still giving the show a chance.

Jane Lynch plays the coach of the Cheer Squad. She’s just nasty. They need to establish that. Here’s how they chose to do it:


JANE LYNCH: (As Sue Sylvester) So I had a little chat with Principal Figgins, and he said that if your group doesn't place at regional, he's cutting the program. Ouch.


MATTHEW MORRISON: (As Will Schuester): You know, you don't have to worry about glee club. We're going to be fine.


JANE LYNCH: (As Sylvester) Really? Because I was at the local library, where I read Cheerleading Today aloud to blind geriatrics, and I came across this little page-turner: "Show Choir Rule Book." And it turns out you need 12 kids to qualify for regionals. Last time I looked, you only had five and a half. Here - cripple in a wheelchair. I also took the liberty of highlighting some special ed. classes for you. Maybe you could find some recruits because I'm not sure there's anybody else who's going to want to swim over to your island of misfit toys.


UMMM, WTF??? Really, was that necessary? Really? Making fun of special ed?? Really? Don’t these kids have enough obstacles in life? We need television shows to make fun of them?

But, OK, I think. I’m being too sensitive. They need to establish that she’s horrible. OK, she’s horrible. Job done.

Next episode. The gay student is talking to the girl who’s the “best singer”. She is thinking that if Glee does well, maybe it’s her chance with the popular kids. His response:

"Even the Special Ed kids get more action than us."

OK, not necessary. Doesn’t move the plot forward, doesn’t move his character forward. It’s just played for comedy. Oh, ha ha, those pathetic special ed kids. We must be horrible if those losers get more action. What could be more pathetic than special ed kids? That’s how bad we are - we’re worse than them. Oh, yeah. That’s funny. Can’t stop laughing.

Excuse me if I don’t feel the “Glee”.