Whoopi Goldberg made a guest appearance on this week’s Glee, as Carmen Tibideaux, supposedly the fiercest alumnus of the New York arts college (always referred to as NYADA) that Kurt and Rachel long to get into. Seems Carmen has recently been named the Dean of Vocal Performance, and is scavenging the countryside to build the best freshmen class at NYADA ever.
Yipes. As if Kurt and Rachel haven’t been nervous about this enough for the past season and a half.
It was “special” of Rachel to impart this information to Kurt right before he had to go onstage. But then again, if she hadn’t? Kurt wouldn’t have pulled out the song his Gut was telling him to perform for the audition from the very beginning. So see? There’s a reason for everything on Glee! And his risky choice was far better than “Music of the Night” anyway.
Lesson number one learned … always go with your intuition. You know your ownself best, after all.
However! I didn’t buy for one millisecond that Rachel would choke on that Streisand tune. I mean, I guess it’s a big old world and anything can happen. But as Rachel pointed out? She’s known this song sideways since the age of two. It just wasn’t believable to me that she’d forget it. Hell, even I remember every line, based on my obsession with the movie Funny Girl way back when. (Believe me. Every young chick with a romantic heart and involved in theatre is a sucker for Nicky and Fanny’s story.)
Having said that … Rachel did in fact mess up the audition horribly. And I had to feel sorry for her, even though I’m sick to death of her ego. Come to think of it, that’s exactly what the writers wanted from me. They had Rachel talk herself up in the mirror and in voice over to the point where we almost were wanting her to fail. But then when she actually did?
And she sang that heart wrenching version of Kelly Clarkson’s “Cry”? I felt her pain. I really did. Once, I auditioned for the comedy troupe Second City. A loooong time ago. I was prepared. I wanted it so bad I could taste it. I thought I had done well. I didn’t choke, like Rachel. But I still … didn’t get it.
Happens every day in that business. Every. Day. So Rachel better learn to roll with the punches, if she plans on going to New York.
Lesson number two learned … You can’t always get what you want.
Glee usually has three story lines going at once, and the next one followed Puck quitting school and then returning. First because he didn’t feel like putting the effort in to graduate, and then realizing that you can’t go very far in life without a diploma these days. (Thanks to the well timed visit out of the blue from his down and out drop out Dad.)
Huh. This one sure didn’t have a feel good ending either. Even after the guys banded together to help Puck study, he still didn’t pass his geography final. But we got some fun rockish coupla songs out of the deal.
Can you say “GED,” Puck? Yeah … I knew you could.
And lastly. Poor Coach Beiste! Here we all thought Cooter was such a nice guy, and come to find out he hits her. Here was the writers taking on a subject and putting in their positive two cents towards solving the problem for the kids out there.
I know that sounded like I was being sarcastic, but I’m really not. I actually like the fact that the show has done this kind of thing from the beginning. Although it’s rather confusing when the writers send out these semi-preachy lessons, and then pepper the episode with a lot of sexual innuendo and suggestive humpy dancing.
Hey. Maybe that’s just my own personal problem. Whatever.
Aside from that, I think Beiste is in trouble by going back to Cooter. Thank the maker this kind of thing has never happened to me, but I’m of the opinion that if he hit her once? He’ll do it again. Sigh.
I just hope when that inevitably happens? That our Coach will solidly and with great intent … clock him back and let her gym shoes do the walkin.’
What are your thoughts on tonight’s episode? Did you enjoy the songs? If so, you can click the links below, have them for your very own, and help CliqueClack out at the same time. And … thanks!
Clacked by Tara Shrodes
on May 02, 2012 @ 00:48 EST5EDT
Hey Gurl,
I did like the show but I didn’t like that they did the Cell Block Tango. I mean this is suppose to be a family show people. Young kids watching and all. I agree with you about Rachel but also glad she got a kick in the pants.
Regarding the coach, things like this happen all the time. These women keep forgiving and forgiving. And, of course, they blame themselves. One point I’d like to make is that it happens to pretty, slender women too. I knew a girl that looked like a model. Her boyfriend kept hitting her and she kept going back. It is all a self esteem thing of which they have none and as long as they stay with the ##@@@%%%, they will never have any. Hope they resolve this with her leaving him.
How you heard anything about them continuing this show with other “kids”?
I am SO glad Kurt didn’t do Music of the Night. Talk about not being convincing in that role.
I thought for sure the girls were going to do STRONGER by Kelly Clarkson, but then it wouldn’t have worked into the plot of the coaches telling them how off base they were. I love that number, but it was a bit salacious… it isn’t the first time GLEE went the naughty ‘spread ‘em’ route in the dance moves, though.
This episode didn’t move me. Well, aside from the domestic abuse storyline. Using Beiste as the victim was ideal. “She’s a big girl who can take care of herself” doesn’t make her less of a target to a man wielding an angry fist. She was the unlikely victim. I’m 5’11” and girthy. People think my size makes me capable of not being hurt/attacked/victimized. Please. I’m still a human and vulnerable. Beiste showed she is just a woman who wanted love. It broke my heart that she went back, but that, unfortunately, is how it often plays out. It was a good choice by the writers.
… and one more thing
I CANNOT STAND NENE LEAKES!
Loved Whoopi, as I usually do.
I’ve seen the abuse issue played out in the lives of two people extremely close to me. As one of them said, “How did this happen to me? I’m bigger than he is, educated about domestic abuse, vocal advocate since my teen years about never putting up with being hit, and I still lived out the beaten woman syndrome – including going back for more!! If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.”