This is everything I could ever want and 10 million times more!!! In case you missed this week’s episode of Glee, check out this stunning rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Misérables featuring Idina Menzel and Lea Michele. The big reveal is that Vocal Adrenaline coach Shelby is (SHOCK!) actually Rachel Berry’s biological mother!!! Didn’t see that coming considering they are practically identical. Their voices here blend to absolute perfection providing us with one of the most emotionally rivoting performances of the season.
My only beef…. when are we going to get to meet Rachel’s dads?! They’ve got to be a hoot! Catch the video below and sound off in the comments section about your favorite Glee performance this week!
Take a second to catch your breath… I know it’s a pretty thrilling moment. It’s been months since you’ve gotten a taste of my witty pop culture banter and you’ve been having more urges than Rosie O’Donnell at a Lumber-Jane festival. Well gas up your chain saw and get ready to log roll because KG Off the Chain is back, bitches!
Since we last saw one another, so much has gone down in the world of TV, music, and movies that I don’t even know where to begin. I have a rapidly growing list of topics I want to chat about, but I wanted to welcome you all back with a bang and give you my top 5 off-the-chain pop culture nuggets of the past few months. Well, here goes nothin’!
5. RuPaul’s Drag Race – Season Two
How on EARTH did I miss season one of Logo’s breakout hit RuPaul’s Drag Race?! For those of you that haven’t been lucky enough to catch an episode, Drag Race pits twelve of the nation’s top drag performers against one another in an America’s Next Top Model style competition. The world’s first drag superstar, RuPaul, serves as both the Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn of the show, hosting the elimination ceremonies as a woman and losing the makeup and gown to mentor the contestants as they prepare for each challenge. As you can imagine, everything about this series is over the top. Challenges range from having the queens make over an old man into their “drag mother” to seeing who can make the most money performing in a raunchy burlesque show and selling cherry pie gift certificates outside of the venue. Last week’s finale was explosive as Tyra “The Other Tyra” Sanchez sashayed away with the title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar” after she owned runner-up Raven in the final “Lip Synch For Your Life” showdown. Yes… you read correctly… Lip. Synch. For. Your. Life. Enough said!
Watch the entire season NOW at www.rupaulsdragrace.com! And while you’re at it, upload your photo into “The Dragulator” and turn yourself into your very own drag superstar!
4. Simon Curtis – 8Bit Heart
I was clicking through some blogs and stumbled upon this new artist that I have absolutely fallen in love with! His name is Simon Curtis, and he might look a little familiar. Simon got his big break in 2009 as the star of Nickelodeon’s High School Musical rip-off Spectacular! (I didn’t choose to use that exclamation point… it’s literally a part of the title…). Luckily for Simon and all of us, he’s shed his faux teen idol veneer and has created a delicious electro pop album entirely about…. robot sex. Well, that may not be exactly true; however, one track does include the line “Try to play it like you think you’re something so hot / Hate to say it, but I’d rather fuck a robot.” The songs manage to be extremely catchy and creative while simultaneously telling a rather captivating story about a robot trying to find love in order to become a real person. In a post-Lady Gaga world, it takes a lot for a new pop artist to break outside of the box and I think 8Bit Heart is both interesting and marketable enough to captivate an increasingly diluted pop music audience.
As most of you know I am a total a cappella nerd! While I was pretty disappointed with the NBC series “The Sing-Off” featuring a few of my favorite college groups, I was way more excited to see some videos start popping up from this year’s International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella! While the SoCal VoCals took the title for a second time this year, the real stand out for me was Pitch Slapped from the Berklee school of Music. On top of having the best name I’ve heard in quite a while, Pitch Slapped nailed every number in their set with standout soloist and a rock solid, perfectly blended ensemble. Take a look at their cover of Beyonce’s “Halo” and I dare you not to get a goosebump or two!
Holy crap. Just when I thought Glee couldn’t possibly be any more awesome… this happened. After a long winter hiatus, my favorite showfinally returned in April and the second episode back was entirely devoted to the Queen of Pop herself, Madonna. I’m not a huge fan (I’m a part of the Britney generation!) but Madonna’s cultural influence and catalogue of hits speak for themselves. Every number was a showstopper, with highlights including Sue Sylvester’s frame-by-frame reenactment of the “Vogue” music video and Kurt and Mercedes joining the Cheerios for a roof-raising rendition of Madge and JT’s 2008 collaboration “4 Minutes.” Speaking of raising the roof, I almost shot through mine at the realization that the craptastic American Idol had run long and my DVR had cut off the finale number!!! It was a restless night of tossing and turning until FOX finally posted the episode on their website and I got to watch Rachel, Finn, and the gang (backed by an 80-member gospel choir!) take on “Like a Prayer.” And holy mother of Lourdes did they DELIVER! To no one’s surprise, the episode’s soundtrack debuted at #1 on the Billboard Charts and Glee has officially become the highest rated new scripted series of the season! Looks like we won’t be seeing New Directions take their final bow anytime soon! Gleeks rejoice!
Buy the EP Glee: The Power of Madonna on iTunes HERE
1. Lady Gaga and Beyonce’s Telephone Music Video
No words.
So what out there has been yanking your pop culture chain? I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for a cocktail in the interior illusions lounge… if you care to join me, sound off in the comments section!
Until next time! And remember, as RuPaul would say… if you can’t love yourself, how the hell you gonna love someone else? Can I get an amen?
First off…. if any of you didn’t catch the sneak preview of Glee following the American Idol performance show on Tuesday, you need to go iTunes or FOX.com RIGHT NOW and watch it for free. For those who missed it, Glee tells the story of Will Schuester (Broadway vet, Matthew Morrison), a high school Spanish teacher looking to reclaim his glory days by leading the school’s struggling glee club back to the success it once was. I’ve watched the pilot three times already and have been crazily stalking the show on Facebook, Twitter, and anywhere I can find more information! I’ve certainly never been this excited about a show after just one episode… but for good reason. Here are the top 5 ways I have justified my obsession with this outstanding new series:
5) This show is NOT a High School Musical rip-off.
In the pilot alone the difficulty of cheerleading is compared to being waterboarded, a teacher bribes his student by planting weed in his locker, and a kid in a wheelchair sings “Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat.” Something tells me Walt would be rolling in his grave (or cryogenic freezer) if Disney starting producing stuff like this. Ryan Murphy (creator of Nip/Tuck) is the mastermind behind Glee, and his dark sense of humor is certainly evident in the pilot. Additionally, the comedic genuis of Jane Lynch (The 40 Year Old Virgin, Best in Show) gives the show a punch of adult humor that will appeal to a much broader audience than the kiddie antics of Sharpay Evan and Troy Bolton.
4) Kristen Chenoweth is guest starring in Episode 4!
I think that cast member Chris Colfer puts it best in this sneak peek of Kristen’s guest appearnce when he says “Working with Kristen is what I can image a priest would go through if they worked with Jesus.” Check out the behind the scenes video here, courtesy of the Los Angeles Times.
What a perfect addition to this already delicious show! After Pushing Daisies bit the dust, I’ve been waiting for Kristen to find the next perfect project. Here’s hoping that the Wicked star could possibly find a more permanent home on the set of Glee! I’ve also included one of my favorite YouTube videos of Cheno in all her glory, demonstrating her extreme off-the-chainness. Enjoy!
3) Lea Michele.
Best known for originating the role of Wendla in Spring Awakening, Lea Michele is far and away the break out start of Glee. She plays Rachel Berry, a pint-sized dynamo with a busy MySpace schedule, two gay dads, and the voice of a seasoned professional. Above blowing the roof off every time she sings, she is also absolutely hilarious as the unpopular star-in-the-making. She doesn’t know which of her dad’s is the biological father. One them is black. LMAO!
2) The fall preview looks just as promising as the pilot!
OTC!!!
1) The music if off the chain!!!
”Rehab” and “Don’t Stop Believing” were both amazing in the pilot (iTunes top 25 most played, here we come!) and from what I am hearing its just going to get better from here! They have recorded over 40 songs already for potenital use on the show. Ryan Murphy has said in interviews that multiple soundtracks a year are going to be made available. AHHH! Click here to listen to a sneak preview of some of the music the show will feature in the fall! Upcoming songs inlcude “Halo” by Beyonce, “It’s My Life” by Bon Jovi, and “Somebody to Love” by Queen.
The only thing that I don’t like about this show is that I have to wait 3+ months for the next episode! I’d love to hear why you guys love Glee and how you are coping with the long hiatus! Comment below!
