Why Is Glee's Sexy GQ Photo Shoot So Tragic? A Movieline IM Discussion
Terry Richardson's scandalous GQ photo spread featuring Cory Monteith, Dianna Agron and an especially scantily-clad Lea Michele cavorting in the classroom, has created no shortage of headlines this week. But why exactly was this photo shoot -- produced at a time when oversexualized twenty-something actors is the norm -- especially appalling? Movieline's TV experts Louis Virtel and Julie Miller investigate.
Julie: First off, let it be noted that Terry Richardson and Lea Michele were not exactly pioneering anything with their scandalous photo shoot -- Glee already jokes about how Rachel Berry dresses like a Japanese man's fantasy.
Louis: Except there's a difference between "Japanese man's fantasy" and "gawking stripper in towering heels making BJ faces for eight pages straight." Or there should be.
Julie: Excellent point. The most disturbing part of this photo shoot for me was seeing how disproportionately oversexed Lea Michele was compared to Dianna Agron and Cory Monteith.
Louis: And that was clearly part of the deal -- she dominates this. I hate to say it, but what did we expect from GQ? Entirely clothed females sitting next to a gyrating naked dude? I don't even think I've seen a photo shoot like that before, which is telling. No, the blame here goes to the actors themselves for taking part.
Julie: Right, and with that understanding, I appreciate that Dianna Agron at least admitted that she had reservations about being portrayed all sexy-like. I am not shocked by the set-up of the photos, I'm just more surprised that Michele, an Emmy-nominated actress who stars on a show about self-empowerment, would dress up like Miss JV February in some jock's pin-up calendar. I would love Ryan Murphy to get meta with this story -- like he did with some of season one's criticisms -- and incorporate this storyline into an episode. The PTA wants Finn to pose semi-nude to raise money for Artie's new wheelchair ramp and Schue has to intervene by crooning the Staples Singers' "Respect Yourself" while covering Finn with a bathrobe! Or something. Ryan Murphy can pick the song, I'll just ask for creative credit for that episode.
Louis: That's all entirely possible, so careful. I'm baffled by Lea Michele here too, but the biggest crime of the photo shoot is what you just said: This completely undermines the point of Glee. Glee's ostensibly about camaraderie and embracing who you are, even if you're not "normal" by everyone's definition, right? I mean, Lea Michele looks like a Real Girl here. Cory will play the part of Lars.
Julie: I agree.
Louis: She looks like some closed-minded freak's vision of who she should be.
Julie: On another note, I find it ironic that in the re-run Fox aired this week, "Hairography," Rachel Berry vamps herself out Sandy Olsson-style to get Finn's attention...and in the end, he tells her that she just looks "like a sad clown hooker." Has Lea Michele learned nothing from her character's plot lines?
Louis: Ouch. "Sad clown hooker:" A term regularly saved for dicier Christina Aguilera reinventions is now an apt description of Rachel Berry.
Julie: But you're right, the photo shoot completely undermines Glee's message. It's sad to think of a some chubby, pimply-faced 12-year-old who lives for Glee discovering her father's GQ and seeing that her beloved Rachel Berry/Lea Michele thinks it's OK to mime fellatio on a Blow Pop.
Louis: If it makes that 12-year-old feel any better, this doesn't even cleverly reference Glee. These three look like any horrible ad for mall panties. So maybe that 12-year-old won't even recognize them.
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Comments
Kinda surprised that you guys were 'scandalized' by this. I guess, when you think of the chirren, it's kinda something they should save for when the ratings start to go down, but in a 'live and let live' environment, this is basically nothing.
The show was trying to pull in an audience segment that wasn't female and/or gay.
What do you expect from GQ, anyway? Haven't seen their photos in GQ yet, but this is what GQ is about. AND she's not the one who dressed herself up.
I don't agree with much of what was brought up in this dialogue. Is it really necessary to skewer Ms. Lea Michele the way you did? Yes, she could have said no to any number of things in this photo shoot, but to judge her based on ONE photo shoot instead of the number of really classy and tasteful ones she's done before is more appalling than anything in this photo shoot. She did nothing wrong, nor should she be made to apologize for anything.
Sluts rule.
but because she remained true to herself and her beliefs, she'll grow in a very real, very amazing way. The information will never be enough to handle the unexpected issues. You should make greater effort to be able to handle that.
Of course, this is the same Lea Michele who went topless on broadway, so colour me not-surprised.
WHAT?!?! Why haven't I ever heard abo... oh right, because nobody YouTubes theater.
"Tragic" seems to be pushing it a bit. Embarrassingly non-sexy, awkward, and doofy, yes, but I don't think 3 adults (1 a possible robot?) posing in a rather stupid-looking erstwhile American Apparel ad is much of a scandal.
I think this argument is running off the bogus basis that this show's message is "being special no matter what you look like" or whatever. The show's main "hero" characters are attractive: the teacher, the quarter back, and Lea Michelle. the villain, Jane Lynch, is not. All the "hook-ups" and relationships usually occur between the more attractive characters. Every one who's not drop-dead gorgeous is a background, side, or supporting character who every now and then gets thrown a bone with their own personal story. If you're gonna criticize this photo shoot then do the same to the actual show, don;t hold them in some high regard like they're saints for inner beauty. Sure the show may display a message of "being yourself" and "looks don't matter", but the Glee telling everyone to "respect yourself" is like McDonalds selling salads. The majority of people watch this show to see "hot" kids sing.
GQ, FOX and Terry Richardson tear down these girls and hawk sexism without shame. Women in Hollywood are pressured into stunts like this by their employers and agents. Argons comments demonstrate that old reality. She states regretfully that it wasn't 'her favorite idea'. No kidding. I feel badly for these young female actors.
Lea Michele wasnt always the prettiest nor was she the skinniest girl out there and now that she lost a lot of weight and finally feels beautiful i think she's want to show everyone that she actually feels beautiful. i also think in her mind it might be like a slap in the face and revenge for all of the people who turned her down for shows and plays because according to them she "wasn't pretty enough". just let her have her fun for a while... i think she deserves it.
Another fine example of a media outlet expressing a view a very small percent of the population agrees with and presenting as if its the way the majority feels. Force feeding opinions seems to be the norm nowadays in place of responsible journalism, keep up the terrible work!
I shake my head at all this scandal. Really?
first off this are not kids. they are all in their 20s. Second as Argon basically said if your kid has their hands on this (written for adult men) magazine without your consent perhaps the issue isn't the magazine but the parenting going on.
And the PTC clearly knows a lot about pedophilia if they think this photo shoot contains or would cause it. They made themselves and every site/magazine picking up the same call rather stupid looking.
These are actors playing a role. in the shoot, on the show. Neither is a reflection of them. As for Argon, she should have known what she was getting into before she agreed to do it. It's not like Terry's style is unknown. Just the opposite. It is very very well known. So I"m sorry but it seems to me that her "I wasn't totally confortable" is more spin to make herself seem innocent than a real reflection of what went down.
Julie and Louis: you people are lame. LEa Michele looks phenomenal in this shoot. She "dominates" because she is objectively stunningly attractive. There is nothing wrong with sex, sexual attractiveness or the human body. Your prudish, "oh, but her character isn't like this on the teevee, whatever will the poor children think" hand-wringing is just pathetic.
This is an adult magazine (no, not that kind of adult!), who hired adult actors (no, not that kind of adult!), for a photo spread (no, no that kinda sp...well you know!). If everyone was soo worried about children seeing these photos, why did every entertainment show air a segment during kid's TV hours? ET, Extra, Access Hollywood, and I'm sure countless others, all gave these photos more publicity during the 5pm-8pm time slot, just when innocent Johnny and Jenny are watching TV (and mom and dad probably not censoring TV during those hours, either!).
The great irony of all of this so-called scandal is that myself, and many others, would likely not have even found out about these photographs had websites and articles like this one not plastered them all over the internet in an effort to convince us how awful the photographs actually are. There is nothing wrong with this photoshoot, but if you do think there is something wrong with it, how about not blanketing the internet with the offending photos? I'm just saying...
Glee is about camaraderie? Try back stabbing, lying and pretending. That's what I saw so I stopped watching it. There is also manipulation and greed, to name just a few more. I see this everyday in the real world. Why watch it in some made-up TV series?
Do not include any failures - be positive and don't say why you left jobs or that your marriage broke down etc. Do not typewrite it as you will look as though you live in the dark ages. Always use a computer.
You must think STDs rule too.
Lea Michele is GORGEOUS and incredibly talented. What Lula said is absolutely right-
GQ, FOX and Terry Richardson tear down these girls and hawk sexism without shame. Women in Hollywood are pressured into stunts like this by their employers and agents. Argons comments demonstrate that old reality. She states regretfully that it wasn't 'her favorite idea'. No kidding. I feel badly for these young female actors.
It's the sad reality of Hollywood. But, to be fair, it's not like she's posing for playboy. It's out-of-character for both her and Rachel, but she probably enjoyed it because she wanted to break away from the "innocent girl" persona, even just a little. Lea Michele is the kind of celebrity who shouldn't be taking shit from anyone because she is genuinely talented and beautiful. So, while I don't agree with this sort of thing, I think the fact is she can do whatever she wants and get away with it because she's that awesome. And, the writers of this article sound stupid because they were badmouthing her at the beginning and then saying they were gonna emulate the whole thing by the end... 😛
OH! Just give it a rest it was one stinkin photo shoot (a very bad one) but every body knows that sex sells WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL
It's not "TRAGIC" or "SAD" just one bad decesion beside kids find WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY more sexy & scandaless photos then that
But i have to say Lea looked horrible in those pictures really freaky!!!!!!