Falling for GLEE

I finally decided to check out the show so many of my friends have been raving about this fall.  I have a soft spot for acapella and if a primetime show on FOX can incorporate Kanye and Beyonce (excluding anything of the reality singing/dance/general talent competition variety), chances are I’ll be hooked.

Our story starts in a sleepy Ohio town full of high school cliches (or truths? depending of your level of cynicism and overall opinion of the teenage experience).  “Jocks” are everywhere, most notably the football players and cheerleaders, the latter whom belong to the very successful squad, the Cheerios, led by a hilarious Jane Lynch (of Best in Show and other Christopher Guest films).  The  Spanish teacher Mr. Schuester wants to revitalize the school’s glee club, after a same sex student-teacher sexual harassment case caused the legendary teacher to go running.  Mr. Schue has no problem rounding up three or four vocally talented misfits, but they are all afraid that they club’s lowly status within the school’s social hierarchy will make their lives worse than they already are.  At the advice of his colleague Emma, the school’s guidance counselor who has a charmingly neurotic case of OCD that leads her to clean even grapes, Mr. Schue sets out to find “the popular kids.”  In sort of an “if you build it they will come” plan, he cons the football team’s quarterback to join the club, hoping this will help the others feel more comfortable and give the group school-wide appeal.

Given these typical high school story lines, the Glee kids and teachers run in the other direction, taking every opportunity to make a witty joke or hilarious situation out of the seemingly normal confines of high school.  And, within each shows lies multiple musical moments, each more of a gem than the one before.  In their auditions, students sing traditional Broadway songs like “Where is Love” from Oliver to Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl.”  When Mr. Schuester introduces Le Freak to their repertoire, the kids opt for the edgier, more sexual explicit “Push It,” by Salt-N-Pepa (and a tremendously awkward school assembly ensues). There are glimpses of “Golddigger,” “This is How We Do It,” and “I Wanna Sex You Up” that are all fun to watch especially because they’re all so unexpected in the typical high school glee club playlist.

In the pilot episode the drama reaches a climax with high school cliques and popularity threatening to ruin the future of Glee.  Finn (the quarterback) tries to escape the pull of his football friends and cheerleader girlfriend, but peer pressure proves to be a mighty force, until he realizes one thing: his entire town is full of nobodies, and maybe music is his one way out. It all ends in the best performance yet, “Don’t Stop Believin” by Journey (which has experienced some sort of rebirth in popular culture beloved just as much by kids raised in the eighties as those conceived in them).   Just as the kids think that Mr. Schue has given up on them, their melodic notes and quirky performance (special thanks to the boy in the wheelchair with the jazz band hook up) draw him back in.  Glee will go on!

The fourth episode featured the fantastic rendition of “Single Ladies” (only the best song of all time).  Kurt looks better than Beyonce in his leotard, and his football storyline is ridiculous and highly unlikely, but so much fun to watch.

More on storylines…like I said, there are typical high school problems…relationships, sexuality, popularity, and bullies.  Some things aren’t tremendously believable.  For instance, is there such thing as a hysterical pregnancy?  And if so, does she ever plan on telling him? Or will it be like a Baby Mama moment when oops! there’s no baby inside me.   Perhaps the biggest “WHAT?” of all, is when Quinn tells Finn that she’s pregnant. Isn’t she the president of the Celibacy Club? Oh yes, that she is.  Despite their lack of official consummation, Quinn convinces the gullible Finn that their night in a hot tub produced an urban legend type pregnancy thanks to hot fast powered jets and fast moving sperm…right.  Of course that’s not the real story (and I’ll admit, I was relieved…but a little disappointed that Finn believes it).  Little Q actually pulled the boyfriend-best friend card, and got it on with the cougar hunting Puck, Finn’s mohawk sporting BFF, though Quinn insists it was a one-time thing (it sounds like such a Chuck & Blair in the back of a limo scenario…”You got me drunk on wine coolers and I felt fat that day.”  Prediction: they’ll eventually become a couple, with or without baby in tow and plot with Ms. Sylvester to take down Glee, just like C&B my favorite scheming TV couple).  This could be an interesting plot arch, but I hope it doesn’t go the typical route a la Dawson’s Creek or Gossip Girl and have the boys become estranged. Finn: dump Quinn and get with Rachel!

The first four episodes had me hooked.  I can’t wait for more musical performances.  Glee was also the first new series of the season to be signed on for a full 22 episodes (unlike others, RIP The Beautiful Life).  Here’s hoping that the next episodes live up to their predecessors!

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Gossip Girl goes collegiate

Finally! The day has come for our gossip girls and boys to head off to greener pastures and higher academic standards as they enter various esteemed academic institutions.  For Blair, Dan, and Vanessa, it’s NYU.  For Nate it’s Columbia.  And for tabloid fixture Serena Vander Woodsen it’s…Brown?  Yes, Serena is the sole friend leaving the isle of Manhattan.  For now.

First, allow me to vent a little.  I am really not liking Serena’s story line.  Last week we had to watch her steal a horse from a polo match and ride said horse through the upscale Greenwich party, on top of hearing about her wild and crazy European nights which may or may not have included tours of Cristiano Ronaldo and Prince Harry.  Although she came off as delusional (you’re going to act like slut and pose for paparazzi shots in the hopes that it will make your father change his mind about being in your life? because that will work), self-centered (how was your summer Blair/Dan/Eric/Jenny/Rufus/Chuck/Nate?…oh wait I don’t care.  Mom is visiting Grandma Cee Cee who’s on her deathbed? Sorry I need to go dance on another table), and promiscuous (woods sex, nice one S), she somehow managed to remain on the good side of her friends and family, getting them to understand her reasons for being the way she is.

So summer is over and Serena is off to Brown, a place where no one knows her and she can enjoy living her life free of Gossip Girl and the nasty rumors that come with it.   Where is Lily? Still with the grandmother? Not being around to take your child to college is a low blow, but maybe that’s how it’s done on the UES or in the Vander Woodsen family.  With her friends going to NYU and Columbia, and Chuck presumably staying in the city to work with Bass industries, I had been skeptical all summer that Serena wouldn’t last in Providence and I was pleased to see my prediction come true in all of five minutes.  Before she had even left her zip code, her fear and anxiety (normal of most college freshman) led her to make the rash decision of not going to Brown.  She would rather hide out in Chuck’s suite (which is so far away from her family and anyone she knows, they’d never figure it out) than go to school (like the rest of her peers, but then again when does S do anything like everyone else).

Chuck takes her in and agrees not to tell anyone.  Even though I already loved Chuck, I loved, loved, loved him in this episode (and am still reeling after my sighting of him in NYC!).  First of all, he wore a suit in every scene, which was fabulous.  Secondly, he seemed very determined and focused about his proposed venture, reminiscent of his plans for Victrola in season one.  He explains his interest in buying a new property to Serena, describing his plans for an underground speakeasy.  Not the most legal thing in the world, but he’s Chuck Bass.  Low and behold, Serena screws up his plans for him by crashing his meeting with the property owner (“My heel broke!”) and spilling the beans about Charles’ plans for a debauchery den.  Chuck, rightfully frustrated by Serena calls her a “train wreck” (yes! it’s about time) which leads her to run off in a huff.  It was nice to see the tables turn, and Chuck to be more in control within their relationship, looking down on Serena.  Despite all those times she ragged him about being disgusting or immature, she needs to look in a mirror.  Even though she tries, she’s still the same messed up girl, whether that mess comes from alcohol or drugs or just the effects of an absent daddy syndrome.

The Queen Bee prepared for life below 14th street by educating her fellow dorm residents on New York culture (“No one goes to a club on a Saturday night, it’s bridge and tunnel only!”).  Similarly to her friend S, B was struggling in a land where headbands, tights, and a penthouse aren’t prerequisites.  She and Serena both experienced some discomfort this episode, as they were new to life outside their thrones at Constance.  Blair tried her typical tactics of winning friends and influencing people with expensive gifts and lavish spreads of sushi, but the dorm dwellers just weren’t having it.  It was cute to see her lean on Dan, mostly for an invite to Georgina’s party, but nonetheless, I just don’t buy it when she says mean things or claims to hate him.  They’ve both been through so much together, and he dated her best friend.  Whether they like to admit it or not, I think there’s a bit of twisted fondness for the other inside both of them.

Vanessa is still around with her fake boyfriend.  Or should I say creepy lovechild of Rufus and Lily who moved to New York for the purpose of finding his estranged Humphrey relatives by way of cozying up to the Brooklynites’ best friend Vanessa.  I hope he really likes her, because I sense an awkward/sad confession a few episodes down the road, that will make Vanessa discouraged by her last failed romances.  WHY IS SHE BEING NICE TO GEORGINA?!?! I know that it’s been a year + since the Sarah-gate escapade at the end of season one but still, Vanessa! You witnessed that and saw Georgina willfully pretend to be someone else in attempts to blackmail  Serena, why so quick to grab a cup of coffee and discuss your new lit professor?  I’m also not really into the Blair-Georgina roommate rivalry.  G is toxic and old news, get her out.

Nate kept quiet this episode, mostly because he was holing up with his airplane fling Bree, who comes from a rival politcal family.  I wasn’t that thrilled by the house of Capulet/Montague scenario that is brewing, and I still wonder why Nate gets such minimal and absurd storylines.  Bree seems to have her own commitment issues when she insists that they’ll get sick of each other soon enough, while Nate, romantically confesses to saving the plane ticket from the day they met (and carrying it in his pocket every day?) Aw.  It was quite a departure from the disconnected boyfriend he played to Blair during early season one.  Maybe Nate really is looking for love and just needs the right girl to bring it out in him.
Dan is going to be such a stud at NYU, it is clear.  His longer hair and remnants of summer sun definitely help.   In a matter of minutes he managed to pick up a girl in a cafe, and land a new writing group.  She admits to reading his story from The New Yorker and confesses how incredibly talented she thinks he is blahblahblah.  Once the freshman hear about his dalliances with the Constance English teacher he’ll be an instant legend.  But wait. Was that flirting I saw from Georgina, specifically of the sparkly eye variation? I know they hooked up before but doesn’t anyone remember that Georgina is psycho! Dan do not fall prey to her feminine wiles…

Too late. I screamed at the end of the episode as Dan wakes up on the roof (true college freshman fashion.  Nice use of the word “wrecked” too) entangled with Georgina.  And a morning breath kiss! Way too intimate, no no no!

XOXO

P.S. Serena was wearing a onezie in this episode. Ugh. She would wear the trend that so few girls can actually pull off (she of course is one of them).

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I can’t wait for…

New York, I Love You in theaters October 16th!  I absolutely loved Paris, je t’aime, and apparently I wasn’t alone.  This comes from the producers of the film based in the city of light, and follows the same format: a series of short films by different directors.  In the first film, the stories took place all over the city, and some were sad, some were sweet, and some were silly (Steve Buscemi waiting for the metro was particularly memorable.  He is wonderful in everything he does).  Bringing this to New York makes perfect sense, it’s a beautiful and vibrant city, and recognizable to people all over.  I always love watching film and television that’s shot in the city, and get excited when I can recognize a place – a street, a store, a park, a restaurant.  The trailer seems a little more upbeat than the Paris J’taime, and more of a celebration of the city.  Paris was focused on love, but that love was not a single thing, it was represented in many different ways…will New York be the same?

I can spot Shia LeBeouf, Natalie Portman, Rachel Bilson, Christina Ricci, Bradley Cooper, Orlando Bloom, Hayden Christensen, and Ethan Hawke  in the trailer which are all good choices (although I’m usually pretty indifferent to Ethan Hawke, but he’s a New Yorker so he’s acceptable) as well as Irrfan Khan of The Namesake and Slumdog Millionaire (finally learned his name, I love him!)  His director from The Namesake, Mira Nair, is listed as one of the directors, as well as Natalie Portman (!) who is making her directorial debut (and also acting?). This should be very, very interesting.  I hope there’s a great soundtrack.

Simply the name “Michael Moore” can make blood curdle,  these three syllables can ignite endless debates about political bias.  Throughout his career, he’s been able to outrage many for simply using his first amendment rights.   I’ve never had a problem with him (because I usually agree with his opinions) and I believe that he represents a great thing about our country (despite the fact that he’s usually criticizing it).  Be thankful that you live in a country where someone like Michael Moore does exist and can exist.  A country where people are able to discuss their thoughts and frustrations, even if they differ from what is accepted and what has been mandated by the government.  I’ve seen all of his films: Roger & me, Bowling for Columbine, Farenheit 9/11, and Sicko.   Sure they’re biased, sure he edits things to prove his point, but isn’t that his artistic license as a director?  The financial crisis and the government bail outs seem like the perfect issue for Moore to tackle next and I cannot wait for his take on the villains of Wall Street.  The trailer already has me laughing (Where is our money…I don’t know?).  This is sure to stir up some more controversy, but it might also be more accepted.  The current economic struggles have reached more and more Americans, and have had affected their everyday lives.  More people may indulge Moore in his quest for answers, because they too are looking for answers themselves In theaters October 2nd!

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The city never sleeps, better slip you a Ambien

In a classy move, Jay-Z hosted a charity concert on 9/11 with all proceeds going to the New York Police & Fire Widow’s & Children’s Benefit Fund.  The concert aired live on Fuse, coincidentally enough (or not),  on the release date for Jay’s new album The Blueprint 3, adding more hype to an already anticipated disc.

For the occasion, Jay-Z celebrated his hometown, the city that has continued to rise above since the tragic events of September 11, 2001.  Jay set the tone by opening with “Empire State of Mind,” a lovesong to New York and probably my favorite off of his new album (sadly Alicia Keys wasn’t there). Followed soon by “Brooklyn Go Hard,” Jay’s swagger could be seen and felt even through the tv.   Even though he’s pushing 40, he’s still one of the coolest people around, and in his simple yet effortlessly fly ensemble of a black leather jacket, black tee, and sunglasses, he carried himself with such  confidence, you’d swear he’s never had an embarrassing moment in his life. His tone reflected the new-New Yorker, born in a post 9/11 world.  As he rapped “tell by my attitude that I’m definitely from… (New York),” his words represented the city as a whole, and were empowering during a day of reflection of what once was and what now is a reality.

With a catalogue of songs spanning over ten years, the show featured some of his earliest songs like  “Can’t Knock the Hustle” featuring Mary J. Blige, to more recent and mainstream hits like “H to the Izzo,” and “99 Problems.”  One of the best things about being Jay-Z is all of his many fabulous friends and collaborators who he can call to  stop by his little show at the Garden.  And stop by they did…Santigold, Kid Cudi, Memphis Bleek, Pharell, Rihanna, Kanye West, Mary J. Blige, Diddy all gave their time to the event.  Some performed alongside Jay, like Santigold for “Brooklyn Go Hard,” while others stuck around to entertain the crowd with some of their own numbers (like Mary J. Blige and Kanye West).  The most surprising guest of the night was John Mayer, who’s skillful guitar riffs were suddenly heard alongside Jay’s rhymes.  Mayer performed his own medley of Jay-Z’s songs, “03 Bonnie and Clyde,” “Dirt Off Your Shoulder,” and “D.O.A.”  His guitar was a unique take on Jay’s hits and definitely enhanced the overall experience of the show.  What is it about rap and a live band that makes songs that much better? It’s sort of like the best of both worlds (at least in my musical opinion anyway).

And the best guest of all…Beyonce! It makes sense that Mrs. Shawn Carter made an appearance, but still seeing her standing on stage throwing the diamond in the sky while the sounds of “Diva” blasted through the speakers was totally unexpected and totally fierce.  Can she ever look anything but intimidating? Especially in a song like “Diva,” she’s like the most untouchable girl in your high school mixed with a female bounty hunter (she looks like she could kill you).  Her clothes, her hair, her dance moves! She needs no further introduction…

Beyonce and Jay-Z didn’t seem to acknowledge each other on stage, is that weird? Every other guest hugged him before leaving, but she just walked off…I would’ve loved to see them do a song together, maybe “Crazy in Love”? “Diva” never gets old though, it’s just too damn good.  I wonder if one day they’ll decide to perform together permanently, or record an album together, kind of like Ike & Tina Turner (minus the domestic violence).  Maybe they’ll have tons of children and make a family band like the Partridge family! Jay can teach them to rap and Beyonce can dress the little girls in leotards and heels and teach them to dance.  Sounds like an idea for a reality show, but those two are so above that…

Enjoy those clips, but you really should check out the whole show.  If you like Jay-Z, rap, or just fun live music, it’s worth watching, even if just for the celeb spotting alone.

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Always a bridesmaid, never a bride…What’s next for Roddick?

Because of The Tennis Channel situation, I didn’t get to watch the Roddick-Isner match on television last night, but did resort to watching some of it online.  After that I turned to repeatedly refreshing usopen.org every few minutes to check the score, which still managed to fill me with anxiety.  Falling to a 0-2 early in the match, I was nervous that Roddick wouldn’t be able to come back.  He wasn’t playing badly though, from what I did see.  He had his serve and forehand working for him, and recorded twenty aces over five sets.  Isner was simply playing better.  But isn’t it Roger Federer’s job to break Roddick’s heart?

Roddick was unable to find any answers in his third round match. Photo courtesy of Sipkin/News

Overall, Roddick will be remembered as a successful American tennis star, carrying on the legacy of Jimmy Conors, John McEnroe, Andre Agassi, and Pete Sampras.  He began to make his mark just as Agassi and Sampras rode off into the sunset, and won his first major at the 2003 U.S. Open at 21 years old.  But since then he has been unable to win another major.  He’ll also be known for his countless matches against Federer, making it far enough to reach the finals, only to have his hopes smashed by the robotic Swiss, for whom winning Grand Slams is as systematic and natural as breathing.

But 2009 was supposed to be the year for Roddick.  After slightly falling out of the tennis consciousness and being surpassed as a fan favorite by Rafeal Nadal, who has proven he can actually beat Federer in Grand Slam finals, Roddick was slowly making his comeback at age 26.  He had a new coach, lost fifteen pounds, and was married in the spring.  After his fifth set tie breaker against Federer at Wimbeldon, Roddick had Americans rooting for him again.  His dramatic and heartfelt performance had us all pumped up for what should be have been a great U.S. Open.  It was finally his chance again, and this was his tournament.  Never did I anticipate (and I’m sure Andy didn’t either) that he would fall in the third round.  The third round! And this time his opponent was not the evil Federer, nor any ranked player on the tour, but a 24 year-old American (similar to a younger Roddick) who missed the past two majors this year because he had mono.  While Roddick was hard at work to regain his game, confidence, and fan base, Isner was probably in bed sleeping and watching day time television.  It just doesn’t seem fair.

Where does he go from here?  It’s one thing to end a career being known for a rivalry with Federer, the man who is his tennis equivalent to kryptonite (his and many other players’).  But after all of his effort in London, which led the media and fans to justify the loss under the assumption that the U.S. Open would be his, what happens now?  I”m not a Federer fan for some of the same reason I’m not a New England Patriots fan (except Federer doesn’t cheat), give someone else a chance to win.  Watching Roddick on the grass court that day was heartbreaking, and I couldn’t imagine how he would motivate himself to continue after a hard loss like that.  Now that the next major isn’t until January, what will Roddick do?

John Isner: The future of American tennis? Photo courtesy of NY Times

The frustrating part about tennis is that there are only four majors a year.  When you have someone like Federer who is the favorite to win them all, and most often he does, it becomes harder and harder to prove oneself, especially if they can’t beat the best when it counts.  Most fans don’t keep up with matches aside from the four majors, so a player really needs to win a Grand Slam to be considered a champion.  Roddick is extremely talented and has helped revive American tennis (the younger Americans have been great at the Open and suggest that U.S. tennis is again on the rise), but could it be that in 2009, tennis has passed him by?  Will Isner, Sam Querrey, Jesse Witten, and Jessie Levine, who have all had impressive victories in the tournament be the future of the sport, just like Roddick was to Agassi and Sampras?  Now that Isner has beaten Roddick, will he be handing off the title of best American player in the next year to one of these young hopefuls?

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Who gets the tennis channel?!

I’ll keep this short and start off by simply asking this:  Who out there gets the tennis channel? And why, on a weekend, would CBS not be able to broadcast the U.S. Open in primetime? Yes they have had seven hours of coverage already, including Roger Federer and another unforgettable match from American Melanie Oudin and Maria Sharapova, but switching off at 6 pm tonight was so abrupt because the day matches were still going on.  Andy Roddick’s third round match against John Isner was scheduled as the final “day session” match on Ashe but because of the Oudin-Sharapova thriller, it didn’t get underway until around 6pm, just when CBS was signing off. Ugh.   Now, in it’s fifth set, I’m going crazy, trying to watch the match on usopen.org while pacing in my living room, biting my nails down to nothing.

It just seems unfair that television companies have to put fans through all of this, when all we really want is to be able to watch these games and events when they are happening.  I’ve had enough of this over the years. First the YES network debacle, when Yankee fans in New York weren’t able to watch regular season games on a nightly basis. Luckily that didn’t last long.  This past season the NFL network bothered me, by broadcasting games on Thursday night that weren’t available to all viewers either.  I even think it’s unfair that Monday Night Football has crossed over to ESPN, what about those football fans who don’t get that cable channel? I know it’s 2009, and most people have hundreds of channels, but what about the reticent few who still maintain the modest 13 channels or so on their home sets? Shouldn’t they be given access to MNF?

I was frustrated earlier in the week when I realized that the Open would be shown on The Tennis Channel, which I conveniently don’t get, but luckily ESPN 2’s coverage beginning at 1pm was adequate enough. On a weekend, when I can watch as much tennis as I want, I want just that, choice and the ability to sit in front of the television for an entire day, if I feel like it.  Considering the quality of matches today, attempting to watch this online is killing me.  Andy hold your serve!

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