I'm proud to be different. It's the best thing about me.
--Kurt Hummel, Glee
So I am late to the Glee party, but the minute Johnny tweeted that he was excited about its spring premiere some weeks ago, I immediately had to get on board. And wow. I am so glad I did. What a treasure of a show! Brilliant dialogue, fabulous singing, three-dimensional characters, and some of the wittiest writing ever.
Last night's Lady Gaga-tribute episode--which had me at "Gaga"-- included more on the powerful plot line involving Kurt, Finn, and Kurt's dad, whom I absolutely adore.
For those who aren't fully up-to-speed on Glee, Kurt is played by gay actor Chris Colfer (follow him on Twitter!), whose emotional range as an actor is astonishing. The character of Kurt also is gay, and has a crush on football star Finn. And Finn's mom is dating Kurt's dad, Burt, played by the amazing Mike O'Malley.
Burt recently invited Finn and his mom to move in with the Hummels. But that is not without its difficulties.
This speech of Burt's, directed at Finn when he overhears Finn yelling at Kurt for decorating their room in Burt's house with "faggy" stuff, should be required reading everywhere in America:
You think it's OK to come in MY house and say "faggy"?... I KNOW what you meant! What, you think I didn't use that word when I was your age? You know: Some kid gets clocked in practice, we tell him to "stop being such a fag. Shake it off." We meant it exactly the way YOU meant it: That being gay is wrong. That it's some kind of punishable offense. I really thought you were different, Finn. You know, I thought ... that you were some new generation of dude who saw things differently, who just kind of, you know, came into the world KNOWING what it's taken me YEARS of struggling to figure out. I guess I was wrong. ... I love your mom. And maybe this is going to cost me her. But my family comes first. I can't have that kind of poison around. ... He is my SON.
Dear God. Yes. This SO MUCH.
THIS is parenting: Loving your children more than yourself; understanding who they are and that they are NOT you; accepting them for who they are; and then doing everything you can to help them be who they are to the fullest--to be the most vibrant, alive, joy-affirming, self-loving (which is not in any way the same as self-involved), fully engaged people they can be. In the most poison-free environment you can create for them.
So now my new daydream is that Burt Hummel and Patti Weir team up and hit the lecture circuit (John Weir should come too, except that I know traveling is difficult for him. Maybe he could join in via Skype?). Because we need them to speak at assemblies at every school in the country, and then offer parenting seminars in the evenings.
Mandatory seminars, IMO.
With perhaps a quiz at the end, followed by refreshments of beautiful cod (except in the Midwest, where they just want bologna and cheese).
So maybe eventually we could, in fact, raise new generations of kids who grow up NOT thinking bullying is OK, who are NOT all insecure about themselves which makes them feel threatened inside by those who are different, a feeling that stems from this kind of thinking: "If that kid is different from me, then maybe I'm wrong, because that's my secret fear, that whoever I am--which I don't really know who that is; I only know all the mixed messages I get about who I'm supposed to be--is just wrong anyway, and so clearly the only logical response on my part is to beat up the kid who is different so I can feel better about my own secret fears involving my perceived inadequacy as a human being. For a few minutes."
Maybe we could find a better way.
Let's start by taking to heart the message of last night's Glee as lived by Johnny Weir, and as articulated by a desperately defiant Kurt when faced with football-squad bullies (moments before Finn appears in a red rubber dress to save him):
I'm proud to be different. It's the best thing about me.
Me too.
On an entirely different but also gleeful note: Congratulations to Nicole Scherzinger and her partner, Derek Hough, on winning DWTS! I voted my maximum five times for Nicole at the DWTS website on Monday night because Johnny had asked his fans to vote for her, and his wish is my command, as always. So yay for Nicole!
And now, by popular demand, please enjoy this clip of my favorite moment from this season's DWTS.
One final bit of giddy gleefulness: Johnny tweeted yesterday that he loves peonies. And with the help of alert fan Nicole Davis, I suddenly realized that THAT is the quote that belongs on this photo:
PLEASE KEEP VOTING FOR JOHNNY
as "Most Addictive Reality Star"
in the NewNowNext Awards! Vote here
(he's the last one listed in the fifth category--scroll down!)
or on Twitter by constantly tweeting
and retweeting #realityWEIR.
as "Most Addictive Reality Star"
in the NewNowNext Awards! Vote here
(he's the last one listed in the fifth category--scroll down!)
or on Twitter by constantly tweeting
and retweeting #realityWEIR.
Voting ends June 4, which gives us plenty of time
to get Johnny oh, say, 100,000 votes!
PLEASE also VOTE HERE for Johnny to win
the 2010 Readers' Choice Skater of the Year Award
(voting ends July 15)!
PLEASE also VOTE HERE for Johnny to win
the 2010 Readers' Choice Skater of the Year Award
(voting ends July 15)!
copyright 2010 / Binky and the Misfit Mimes / Lynn V. Ingogly / all rights reserved
14 comments:
Binky this was such a touching episode and you have as usual hit the nail on the head. I truly truly truly hope the world is exposed to your blog because it is not only for JGW fans, it is for everyone!!! You are every bit as famous in my house as the ONE (JGW) we all love your words, and feel them deeply. I looked like a little boy, (short hair-flat chested) until I was in like the 10th grade and was always called "young man" so I have a bit of a taste of being different and wish I had the confidence of Kurt's character back then. However since JGW and all of the FB fans and your blog I embrace my differences they are what make me, me, and the confidence of an athletic icon has given me the strength to strive to be a better me! Thanks so much Binky!!! Big Love!
As Glee progresses, it seems like every new episode breaks my heart, but by the end rebuilds it using glitter glue and accepting hugs. I couldn’t not think of Johnny the entire show, wondering if this was maybe a small slice of hell that he had to go through to become the man he is today. The strength it must take to unapologetically be yourself when so few people are willing to understand humbles me. To hang on and fight to the death to, by god, be pretty (Johnny’s words) is more macho and takes bigger balls than so-called “masculine” men beating the hell out of some poor kid to look like a “man” to their bros.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Thank you, thank you, thank you Patti and John Weir for your unconditional love and acceptance to your children. Johnny is an inspiration for millions simply by being himself and you are the ones that made that possible. No, he doesn’t know me, and no, I really truly do not know him, but every day he gives me strength to go out each day and be myself. It’s hard, and I’m still learning, but it’s getting easier. He’s a star and you’re the ones that have helped make him shine.
We should all make an effort to abolish hateful words from our vocabulary. Words like fag, queer, and homo are hurtful and it makes me sick to hear them come out of anyone’s mouth. It isn’t funny and it only serves to make you sound like an ignorant asshole. Mind you, there are a lot of ignorant assholes out there, but maybe we can drown them out with GaGa 24/7 and keep chunking ice skates at their heads they’ll get the point. Our anthem could be “F*ck You” by Lilly Allen. Filthy language, but a damn good message. Best of both worlds, really. Oh, and Johnny, I LOVE your peonies!
ok - three very different comments:
1. last night was the 1st time i watched glee and i really enjoyed it,of course the GAGA music helped a lot. it reminded me of the tv show FAME that was on when i was a kid which i loved!
2. it really is ridiculous the way your sexual preference makes it ok 4 people to openly judge you. its the last prejudice that is still allowed. you cant openly make a comment against someones skin color without it being known that u are an ignorant jerk and the same should be for those who are gay. its the last group to get rights, its really bothers me because so many people must feel they have to hide who they really are. imagine if someone told a straight person they had to like the same sex because that is socially acceptable. its ridiculous!
and thirdly - is that a word? - i dont want to be mean but i am glad that Evan didnt win. A champion doesnt put down his competitors, he should have stood up for johnny in the stars on ice thing as well as against the vancouver comments about gender testing. I have tried very hard to control myself and not say anything too mean about him but i did have to send him a tweet a few weeks ago "johnny weir is a better skater than you will ever be and a better person" and i stand by my statement.
This post is wonderful in soooooo many ways, but roflmao about the peonies!! Perfect!
-BrightonDogwood
Brilliant, sheer brilliance!
I was born and raised in S.F. and am tired of the fact that some people will just NEVER get 'it'. They choose not to.
Yay to Peonies and Nicole!!
TK
You almost made me cry here.
Thank you.
Binky,
I found yesterday to be generally very emotional so the Glee episode, with its giddy, immature triumphs and thoughtful, full-grown stance, was a perfect fit.
I couldn't agree more with Jessica about her love and gratitude for the Weirs, and all the other parents who strive every day to listen and learn from their kids. Who are willing to fight to keep out the poison and help navigate and encourage a child's individual journey. On your baby boy's birthday, thank you, John and Patti!
And thank you, too, Binky, for our distant friendship and for sharing all of THIS with all of US. My thoughts are all over the place, so...just, thank you! xoxox me
Blinky,
Thank you so much for all your wise words. I agree with what is being said here. But just to lighten the mood can you make a gif of Evan spining Anna upside down with her V-jay-jay right in his face...HIS-TER-I-CAL! That was my favorite moment of DWTS! I laughed so hard I cried. -Amy
Binky- you've captured what made this Glee episode so especially important to all of us who love Johnny, all of us who have children, all of us who have to share this world with other people. All of us. Isn't an incredible message these little bits of "pop culture" convey? So many people are missing it!! We have to keep spreading the word. :-)
I do feel compelled to argue that homosexuality is not the last prejudice allowed, as one of the readers wrote up there^^^. Obesity is still a "deadly sin" that allows people to shake their heads in disgust and mutter insults under their breath. The "fat" are all but invisible in all media, unless someone is applauding themselves for helping them become not-fat. There is still a battle to be waged before heavy people are treated like human beings.
And, on a lighter note- I love that Johnny loves his peonies, and I love that you said so here!! What a positive, hopeful message you've sent, so glad to have seen it!!! I believe!
DD
Slowly but surely, progress is made. It takes education, dialog, awareness, sensitivity...all revealed and annotated by enlightened scriptwriters, journalists, and bloggers like you.Thank you for your enthusiasm and graceful touch.
love that you can make us hysterically shriek with laughter and you also have important, profound things to say.
in the past few years, i've started speaking up whenever i hear someone say "that's so gay". using gay as an adjective like that makes me want to spit nails and smack people, but i refrain and instead nicely give them my little talk about how it's offensive, not just to GLBTQ folk, but to straight people who have family/friends that are gay.
and you know what? sometimes people say "you're right. i'm sorry, i shouldn't have said that. i'll try not to."
and you know what?
that's SO FREAKING COOL!
xo
Princess Johnny-Love, who could really, really use a snuffle right about now
I can't say much about the show itself because I don't watch 'Glee', but I do get what your saying about how strong Johnny is, the message his parents could give everyone else about parenting and so on. You're right, of course!
i need to correct myself as one commentor pointed out. I meant to say and should have said that it is ONE OF THE LAST groups instead of saying it IS the last group to get rights. Sorry, thats what I meant, I agree that there are other groups that are judged unfairly. It was early and I was just babbling on as I often do on twitter...
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