Glee’: The Show’s Stars on Their Favorite Season 2 Songs
It’s been a week since New Directions failed to make the cut at Nationals during Glee’s Season 2 finale. And there’s still two weeks to go before the June 12 premiere of Oxygen’s The Glee Project helps you get through the long summer months until Glee’s third season begins in the fall. To feed your Glee fix, The Hollywood Reporter checked in with a few of the cast members to see what their favorite musical highlights were for the recently concluded season.
Chris Colfer: “ ‘As If We Never Said Goodbye,’ was my favorite solo I’ve done and it was my idea,” he said of the song from Sunset Boulevard that was featured during the “Born This Way” episode. “I asked Ryan to let me do it because I think the words are perfect for [Kurt returning to McKinley High] and I love Sunset Boulevard when Norma Desmond returns to the studio. Something about it is perfect and he agreed.”
Lea Michele: “My favorite song that I did this year was ‘Get Happy’/‘Happy Days Are Here Again’ with Chris,” she said of the Judy Garland/Barbra Streisand mashup featured in “Duets.” “The song felt very Glee to me and just getting to sing with him and being Barbra and Judy, it was kind of everything that I love and that is close to my heart. I cried every single take because it was so emotional.”
Heather Morris: "I genuinely can’t stop listening to Kevin McHale’s Fleetwood Mac version of ‘Never Going Back Again,’ ” she said of the cover featured in the “Rumours” installment.
Naya Rivera: “I had a great time with ‘Valerie,’ ” she said of the Amy Winehouse number featured during the “Special Education” episode. “That was one of my favorite songs.”
Matthew Morrison: “My favorite song is ‘Hell to the No’ that Mercedes [Amber Riley] sang. It was such a great, catchy song. Also ‘Trouty Mouth’ [performed by Naya Rivera],” he said of the tracks written specifically for the “Original Song” episode. “They’re really novelty numbers that ended up being these great, funny numbers that I just can’t get out of my head.”
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'Glee' Season Finale Preview Hints at Possible Farewell and Unscripted Act (18 May 2011)
The kids of New Directions will have their dream come true in the season 2 finale of "Glee". They will travel from Lima to New York City to compete in Nationals, taking in all of the sights from Times Square to Broadway to Central Park while in Big Apple.
But a preview to the upcoming episode shows that the cheerful moment will be interrupted as the glee club kids worry that Will Schuester may leave them to be on Broadway. Meanwhile, Mr. Schue and Jesse St. James (guest star Jonathan Groff) are likely to be surprised by an unscripted act during the Nationals.
"New York" will air Tuesday, May 24 at 9:00 P.M. ET on FOX. Charice will return as Sunshine Corazon, a member of Vocal Adrenaline which will be up against New Directions in Nationals.
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Lady GaGa Would Love to Guest Star on 'Glee' (11 May 2011)
Lady GaGa is urging "Glee" bosses to give her a role in the hit musical series so she can show off her acting talents. Producers have used a number of the pop star's hits on the show, about a group of singing high school students, and even used her acceptance anthem "Born This Way" as the theme for a special tribute episode last month.
Now GaGa is dreaming of the day she is invited to film a cameo on "Glee". She says, "I would love to. We should just work it out. I know that they're doing some more music on the show soon - and they just did the amazing Born This Way episode. So I would love to."
GaGa wouldn't be the first singer to make a guest appearance on the show - Olivia Newton-John, Britney Spears and Josh Groban have all stepped on the Glee set.
In related news, Lady GaGa helped raise a massive $47.4 million (GBP29.6 million) for good causes as the star performer at a charity show in New York on Monday night, May 9. The "Poker Face" hitmaker arrived at the Robin Hood Foundation's annual gala in Manhattan in a giant glowing egg to perform in front of Wall Street's top bankers, who paid up to $250,000 (GBP156,000) for tables.
Other performers during the event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center included veteran singer Tony Bennett, comedian Seth Meyers and Kid Rock, who sang with 300 military personnel in the aisles. Black Eyed Peas stars Fergie (Stacy Ferguson) and apl.de.ap were also on hand to auction off a special package to give one lucky fan the chance to write and record a song with bandmate will.i.am. The prize was sold for a massive $400,000 (GBP250,000).
Star guests at the gala included Sarah Jessica Parker, Michael J. Fox, Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber and Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady.
The money raised at the event goes toward the Robin Hood Foundation's veteran and poverty programs in New York City.
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'Glee' 2.21 Preview: Sue Plans Kidnapping and Killing (11 May 2011)
New Directions continue their preparation for the Nationals in the upcoming episode of "Glee". Will Schuester recruits Jessie St. James (guest star Jonathan Groff) as their show choir consultant to give some help about their set list, but some may not welcome him well.
Meanwhile, Sue Sylvester has an evil plan to stop New Directions from flying to New York and competing at the Nationals. At the same time, an unexpected loss rocks the world of one of McKinley's own.
"Funeral" will air Tuesday, May 17 on FOX. Confirming that the episode will see a character's death, Matthew Morrison recently said, "Somebody's dying. Obviously I'm not going to tell you who it is, but it is no-one you would probably expect."
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Next week would be the "Glee" episode which had people talking. Beside being given a spoiler, courtesy of the show's extra, about who would be the prom king and queen, this is the episode where the New Direction boys would cover Rebecca Black's "Friday", and where Jonathan Groff returns as Jesse St. James.
An extra spilled last month on Twitter about who would be the prom queen and king in the May 10 episode, inviting wrath from not only fans but the show's co-creator Brad Falchuck. It is, however, unclear whether the spoiler, which names Kurt and Dave Karofsky as queen and king respectively, contains truth.
The episode's synopsis says: "When the entertainment for prom falls through, Principal Figgins asks New Directions to perform at the dance much to prom coordinator Sue's dismay. Things get heated as the competition for prom king and queen draws closer."
Beside "Friday" which is sung by Sam, Puck and Artie, there will be covers of ABBA's "Dancing Queen", Adele's "Rolling in the Deep", Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely" and Barbra Streisand's "My Man". In addition, Blaine would do a solo as heard in the preview and three of these songs would be included in the sixth volume of "Glee" album.
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"Chris Colfer Hits the Big Time" - USA WEEKEND (20 February 2011)
Sure, there’s a growing trend of openly gay actors on prime-time TV (Neil Patrick Harris, T.R. Knight), but 20-year-old Chris Colfer is the only one also playing a gay character – fearless teen fashionista Kurt Hummel on the hit musical series Glee. He’s stealing scenes and hitting all the right notes as a diva unlike any we’ve seen on the small screen.
He recently chatted with USA ¬WEEKEND about his extended family of Glee-cast mates, working with his mentor Jane Lynch, and whether he still answers his own fan mail. (Yes fellow Gleeks, he does!)
Are the Glee cast members your closest friends?
“Oh definitely I would say without any shame, we are the best of friends because we were plucked from different parts of the world to do this show. We’re so lucky to have each other – I mean it’s pretty nauseatingly cute. I go to sushi with Lea [Michele], we all go to the movies, we’ve had sleepovers in like one person’s hotel room when we’re on tour but that’s stopped because they all snore and I can’t sleep. I mean these are pretty much the only friends that I have! We do everything together. I was at Kevin (McHale) and Jenna (Ushkowitz)’s house for New Years; we ate way too much Mexican food and watched the ball drop on TV! We’re definitely family, as corny as that sounds.
What’s it like working with Jane Lynch?
“Oh my god, I know that I am 30 years younger than her but I am so proud like a parent of her sometimes. If you’re having the worst day of your life, she will lift you up because she’s so funny. And her and her partner Lara are just perfect for each other and I love Lara because she’s so witty and quick – she’s perfect for Jane. Jane is definitely an inspiration for me. And it’s such an acting challenge to keep a straight face when she calls me a lady boy or a power bottom. Sometimes it’s the writers; sometimes it’s just her improvising.
What’s it like now when you go home?
“My dad text messaged me this morning to tell me that I was going to be inducted in the Clovis hall of fame which is really flattering though I’m not quite sure where the Clovis Hall of Fame is or that we even had one! They’re very, very proud of me and I am glad I did grow up there. Whenever I go home, a lot of people want to see me and I don’t get to see them all. But yeah it’s crazy. It’s so funny, the other day on set Ryan Murphy asked me what Clovis was known for and I looked it up in Wikipedia and the main thing it was known for was me!”
What are you obsessed with these days?
“Oh gosh, people are going to probably kill me for this but I am a Real Housewives freak. I love The Real Housewives of Atlanta, I am obsessed and I have to embrace it, especially NeNe and Kim. I live for Phaedra. It’s hysterical. Trashy reality TV and History Channel specials, like a documentary on the clothing of the French Revolution, I am all in!
Do you still answer all your own fan mail?
“Yes I do, if you write to me on Twitter or my real Facebook page it actually comes to me and I do write back. Although it might take me a little while, I get busy but I still do answer it myself personally. Oh but I probably can’t come to your birthday party in Nebraska, I do get requests like that. We all do [on the show] and it’s kinda heartbreaking.
(http://www.usaweekend.com/article/20110218/ENTERTAINMENT05/110217002/Chris-Colfer-hits-big-time)
Sure, there’s a growing trend of openly gay actors on prime-time TV (Neil Patrick Harris, T.R. Knight), but 20-year-old Chris Colfer is the only one also playing a gay character – fearless teen fashionista Kurt Hummel on the hit musical series Glee. He’s stealing scenes and hitting all the right notes as a diva unlike any we’ve seen on the small screen.
He recently chatted with USA ¬WEEKEND about his extended family of Glee-cast mates, working with his mentor Jane Lynch, and whether he still answers his own fan mail. (Yes fellow Gleeks, he does!)
Are the Glee cast members your closest friends?
“Oh definitely I would say without any shame, we are the best of friends because we were plucked from different parts of the world to do this show. We’re so lucky to have each other – I mean it’s pretty nauseatingly cute. I go to sushi with Lea [Michele], we all go to the movies, we’ve had sleepovers in like one person’s hotel room when we’re on tour but that’s stopped because they all snore and I can’t sleep. I mean these are pretty much the only friends that I have! We do everything together. I was at Kevin (McHale) and Jenna (Ushkowitz)’s house for New Years; we ate way too much Mexican food and watched the ball drop on TV! We’re definitely family, as corny as that sounds.
What’s it like working with Jane Lynch?
“Oh my god, I know that I am 30 years younger than her but I am so proud like a parent of her sometimes. If you’re having the worst day of your life, she will lift you up because she’s so funny. And her and her partner Lara are just perfect for each other and I love Lara because she’s so witty and quick – she’s perfect for Jane. Jane is definitely an inspiration for me. And it’s such an acting challenge to keep a straight face when she calls me a lady boy or a power bottom. Sometimes it’s the writers; sometimes it’s just her improvising.
What’s it like now when you go home?
“My dad text messaged me this morning to tell me that I was going to be inducted in the Clovis hall of fame which is really flattering though I’m not quite sure where the Clovis Hall of Fame is or that we even had one! They’re very, very proud of me and I am glad I did grow up there. Whenever I go home, a lot of people want to see me and I don’t get to see them all. But yeah it’s crazy. It’s so funny, the other day on set Ryan Murphy asked me what Clovis was known for and I looked it up in Wikipedia and the main thing it was known for was me!”
What are you obsessed with these days?
“Oh gosh, people are going to probably kill me for this but I am a Real Housewives freak. I love The Real Housewives of Atlanta, I am obsessed and I have to embrace it, especially NeNe and Kim. I live for Phaedra. It’s hysterical. Trashy reality TV and History Channel specials, like a documentary on the clothing of the French Revolution, I am all in!
Do you still answer all your own fan mail?
“Yes I do, if you write to me on Twitter or my real Facebook page it actually comes to me and I do write back. Although it might take me a little while, I get busy but I still do answer it myself personally. Oh but I probably can’t come to your birthday party in Nebraska, I do get requests like that. We all do [on the show] and it’s kinda heartbreaking.
(http://www.usaweekend.com/article/20110218/ENTERTAINMENT05/110217002/Chris-Colfer-hits-big-time)
