Hairspray Live! (NBC) - General Discussion

[Frost]

He has the personality of a flounder.

[starri]

You know, I know Rosie O'Donnell loves Broadway, and I know she's loving getting to do this, but I never forget I'm watching Rosie.  And that doesn't have to be a bad thing, except that it is.

[bref]

Anyone following on Twitter? What's the consensus? (I'm in stupid Mountain Time, so it just started here).

This is my favorite show, so I'm kind of holding my breath for it not to suck. 

[hoosier80]

Yeah the commercials are killing the momentum, and they could lose the host.  I just want to see the show.  Maybe do the behind the scenes stuff as a special after the show.

Want to really love Maddie.  I think she's doing an above average job, but it's not a star turning performance.  I saw a video of her online singing at a club (I think Michael Feinstein's club in NYC).  Her voice was much lower, and sounded powerful in that lower range.  She's singing with the typical high pitched "Tracy" voice.  Maybe that is killing her power.  I was also surprised during the Mama I'm a Big Girl Now that I thought Dove Cameron had the strongest voice.

Link is meh.  He's pretty and that's it.

Kristin is a star and it shows.  Too bad Sean Hayes didn't have a bigger spot.   

Seaweed killing it now.  Go Seaweed.

[random chance]

2 minutes ago, starri said:

You know, I know Rosie O'Donnell loves Broadway, and I know she's loving getting to do this, but I never forget I'm watching Rosie.  And that doesn't have to be a bad thing, except that it is.

I never thought about it until I read your post, but that is absolutely true.

[Frost]

Wow, Little Inez is good.  Her mic needs work though.

[bmoore4026]

"They kicked me out on my young and gifted black behind" :D

She's a good singer, too, I think.

[starri]

3 minutes ago, hoosier80 said:

 He's pretty and that's it.

He looks like a Ken Doll.  A very gay Ken Doll.

And by that, I just mean a Ken Doll.

1 minute ago, bmoore4026 said:

She's a good singer, too, I think.

She's been in both The Lion King and School of Rock on Broadway.

[Bewitched]

3 minutes ago, hoosier80 said:

.  I was also surprised during the Mama I'm a Big Girl Now that I thought Dove Cameron had the strongest voice.

We're convinced that Ariana's mike was turned way down in that number. She should have blown them out of the water.  

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, starri said:

I think that was the sound cutting out.

I thought that too but then I didn't see her lips move.  And I could almost swear I saw it on her face. (ETA because I'm behind and catching up but I think there were sound issues with Sean's routine as well and his lips were definitely moving because he knows to keep going when things go wrong.)

 

1 hour ago, starri said:

And he's gay from space, but I'm trying to ignore that.

Something about that works as a fantasy for me, although I can't remember whether or not we're supposed actually care about the two of them as a couple.  Because if so, then it's a fail.

7 minutes ago, hoosier80 said:

 I was also surprised during the Mama I'm a Big Girl Now that I thought Dove Cameron had the strongest voice.

Yeah, so far Dove Cameron is the standout for me not just in the singing but also with her portrayal.  I'd never heard of her before this.

I do enjoy Derek's dancing and Kristen is just amazing.

Edited December 8, 2016 by Irlandesa

[bmoore4026]

10 minutes ago, ItsHelloPattiagain said:

I am however missing James Marsden's glinty toothy smile (although Derek comes close)

James Marsden needs to be in a lot more things.  Westworld  ain't enough.  I hate that they didn't give him more in the X-Men movies (though, admittedly, no one got more than Hugh Jackman/Wolverine, which irritates the shit out of me).

But I digress

[FlyingEgret]

22 minutes ago, starri said:

And they've cut to the lip syncing.

I just started watching at 9 and wondered what was going on with this, glad to hear the whole show wasn't lip synched

[bmoore4026]

Oh.  Bye Bye Birdie next year.  I was expecting something On the Town or Damn Yankees or something like that.  Well, given that it have a swear word in the title, I'm guessing Damn Yankees is out of the question for wholesome family musicals

[Sara2009]

3 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

I thought that too but then I didn't see her lips move.  And I could almost swear I saw it on her face. 

Something about that works as a fantasy for me, although I can't remember whether or not we're supposed actually care about the two of them as a couple.  Because if so, then it's a fail.

Yeah, so far Dove Cameron is the standout for me not just in the singing but also with her portrayal.  I'd never heard of her before this.

I do enjoy Derek's dancing and Kristen is just amazing.

I assume that we're supposed to care about them as a couple.

[Frost]

What role could Jennifer Lopez have?  The mousy secretary played by Janet Leigh?

[Omeletsmom]

Just now, Frost said:

What role could Jennifer Lopez have?  The mousy secretary played by Janet Leigh?

Yes.  The character is actually supposed to be Hispanic.

[mtlchick]

Quote

James Marsden needs to be in a lot more things.  

This cannot be said enough (and I adore Hugh Jackman, but James was short changed in X-Men 3.)  He managed to marry Liz Lemon! 

 

Quote

You know, I know Rosie O'Donnell loves Broadway, and I know she's loving getting to do this, but I never forget I'm watching Rosie. 

That's how I feel about Tom Cruise. 

J Hud has lost a lot of weight.  (I know she lost weight a long time ago, but it seems she lost even more.) 

[starri]

1 minute ago, bmoore4026 said:

I'm guessing Damn Yankees is out of the question for wholesome family musicals

Is a show starring a drag queen wholesome?

I mean, it's toned down from Waters' original film, but it's still pretty subversive by the standards we seen.  Except for Rocky Horror, I guess.

Just now, Frost said:

What role could Jennifer Lopez have?  The mousy secretary played by Janet Leigh?

That's who she's playing.  Especially since the character is supposed to Latina.

[Frost]

It's the mousy part that I think it will hard for her to pull off.  Or am I misremembering the role?

Edited December 8, 2016 by Frost

[Spartan Girl]

"Hold my waffles!"

For that line alone, I love Harvey.

[starri]

Just now, Frost said:

It's the mousy part that I think it will hard for her to pull off.

I doubt she's going to lower herself to even trying.

[mtlchick]

Quote

It's the mousy part that I think it will hard for her to pull off.

Hell, I didn't think J Lo could pull off Shades of Blue as a "tough corrupt cop" but she surprised me to the point I can't wait for it to come back next month.   I think she can pull off mousy. 

[starri]

And that's why you hire JHud.

[Frost]

Jennifer Hudson is fabulous.  I thought I would miss Queen Latifah.

[bmoore4026]

And, now, the problem with Jennifer Hudson playing Motormouth Mabel - she's thin.  Motormouth is supposed to be a woman who has embraced her plus size self.

Edited December 8, 2016 by bmoore4026

[hoosier80]

   I don't think the role of Rosie in Bye Bye Birdie has a lot of singing, maybe more dancing.  And the character is Rosie DeLeon, who is latina.

I'd say give Dove Cameron the role of the teenager in Bye Bye Birdie.  Do a different hairstyle and I think she could pull it off.  

[bmoore4026]

5 minutes ago, starri said:

Is a show starring a drag queen wholesome?

Sure, because Hairspray doesn't have a cuss word in it.  We Americans are oddly prudish about swear words in titles.

[starri]

1 minute ago, bmoore4026 said:

And, now, the problem with Jennifer Hudson playing Motormouth Mabel - she's thin.  Motormouth is supposed to be a woman who has embraced her plus size self.

Yes, but she was phenomenal.

[McManda]

I'm less excited about Bye Bye Birdie than I was about The Wiz, and I wasn't thrilled with the idea of The Wiz at all. (That said, The Wiz ended up being pretty great, so maybe I'll change my mind.) I do think that they should pick something ... more well known, or something that will get people talking. The idea of Bye Bye Birdie just bores me. The live musicals are a tough sell anyway (but I love that they've become a thing again!), so picking something like The Sound of Music or Grease is important to getting people to watch.

[hoosier80]

I heard a line in the song Big Blonde and Beautiful saying she used to be large - something to that effect.  She sang the hell out of that song.  She's been as good as most of the cast acting wise.  

How does Edna's role seem so small in this production?  It doesn't seem like a lead.  Velma is more of a lead, or maybe it's just because Kristin steals every scene??

[starri]

1 minute ago, bmoore4026 said:

Sure, because Hairspray doesn't have a cuss word in it.  We Americans are oddly prudish about swear words in titles.

It may also be that Damn Yankees isn't that familiar to most people.  Bye Bye Birdie has the movie, the TV movie, and has been revived within the last decade.  Damn Yankees hasn't been on Broadway for twenty years.

[Quickbeam]

Plus many people are now curious about Bye Bye Birdie since it was featured so heavily in a Mad Men episode. 

[McManda]

1 minute ago, starri said:

It may also be that Damn Yankees isn't that familiar to most people.

There are so many other musicals they could have picked that are better known - Oklahoma, My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls, The Producers - that I'm a little surprised by Bye Bye Birdie.

[hoosier80]

It's all about trending on Twitter and Social Media, so if the kiddies (majority) don't know it, forget it.  That's why they cast someone like Arianna Grande.  Arianna hasn't been horrible, but that role requires a comic touch, and she doesn't have it.

[starri]

Martin Short sings better than I would have thought.

[Quickbeam]

I love Martin Short so much. 

[UMAngela]

Just now, McManda said:

There are so many other musicals they could have picked that are better known - Oklahoma, My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls, The Producers - that I'm a little surprised by Bye Bye Birdie.

I've been crossing my fingers for West Side Story.

[surreysmum]

1 minute ago, starri said:

Martin Short sings better than I would have thought.

Don't forget that he (and Andrea Martin and Gilda Radner and Victor Garber and... ) was in the original Toronto production of Godspell. 

[hoosier80]

Quote

I've been crossing my fingers for West Side Story.

That's great idea, but I hope they wait a few years.  All we would need is a 50 year old JLo playing Maria or Anita.

[bmoore4026]

2 minutes ago, McManda said:

There are so many other musicals they could have picked that are better known - Oklahoma, My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls, The Producers - that I'm a little surprised by Bye Bye Birdie.

Ooo, Guys and Dolls would have been nice.  Could bring back Kristen Chenoweth for Adelaide.

[Sara2009]

Just now, UMAngela said:

I've been crossing my fingers for West Side Story.

I think it would be hard to get " names" who could sing that score properly.

[starri]

Just now, UMAngela said:

I've been crossing my fingers for West Side Story.

I'll be honest, I'm surprised they haven't tried that either.  But while Sound of Music is a beloved movie, West Side Story is an icon of cinema, and I think they might not want to touch it.

[bmoore4026]

Also, Martin Short and Harvey Fierstein rule!!!!

[McManda]

2 minutes ago, hoosier80 said:

It's all about trending on Twitter and Social Media, so if the kiddies (majority) don't know it, forget it.  That's why they cast someone like Arianna Grande.  Arianna hasn't been horrible, but that role requires a comic touch, and she doesn't have it.

Exactly why Bye Bye Birdie doesn't fit IMHO. It's not something you hear and think, "hmmm I should watch that" like with any of the previous live musicals they've done. Getting an audience is ninety percent of the battle and it's easier when the show is something more popular and well known in its own right. People that tune in aren't curious about the content of the story, they're curious about the talent and the feasibility of doing it live. 

That's probably why they're already tagging Bye Bye Birdie with having JLo ... because the show itself isn't enough to get people to be interested. 

[bref]

Yay! I'm enjoying it. Nothing sucks so far, I would say everyone is holding their own, and Kristen is a goddess now and forever. These interludes with the audience and the remotes and so on are awful, though. Would definitely prefer a straight cutaway to commercials.

[mtlchick]

6 minutes ago, starri said:

Martin Short sings better than I would have thought.

It was the singing that made his summer series with Maya Rudolph slightly tolerable. 

 

Quote

I've been crossing my fingers for West Side Story.

As surprising as it is that it hasn't happened yet, NBC knows that they need to tread lightly with highly revered musicals.  The Sound of Music production was great (Audra MacDonald!!!) but I still think Carrie was a bit ill suited for the role.  They would need to find someone that can light it up as Maria for West Side Story, which is no small feat. 

[hoosier80]

I'd be for taping Broadway shows with the OBC, maybe release after the show closes, a few years later.  Need for some way for those iconic performances to last.  I'm thinking of recent shows like Fun Home, American in Paris, or the Color Purple.

If they want to cater to kids, why not Matilda?  You could get a newcomer for the lead, and fill the adult roles with veterans and the "names".

Harvey and Martin, what a great number, and they so enjoyed it.

[starri]

...and then Maddie just earned it.

[mtlchick]

Quote

Arianna hasn't been horrible, but that role requires a comic touch, and she doesn't have it.

 Her SNL appearance was pretty good, especially her Jennifer Lawrence impression.  Her Penny is a bit more meek compared to Amanda Bynes. 

[Irlandesa]

17 minutes ago, starri said:

Martin Short sings better than I would have thought.

He used to sing a lot on Letterman.  I think 99% of the time that we typically see him sing it is as part of some joke or parody which can lead people to not really focus on well he's actually carrying the tune.

13 minutes ago, starri said:

I'll be honest, I'm surprised they haven't tried that either.  But while Sound of Music is a beloved movie, West Side Story is an icon of cinema, and I think they might not want to touch it.

Is it really that much more revered than some others that they've done?  SOM is one that is show annually.  Westside Story isn't.

There have been more production errors on this.  During Harvey and Martin's number, we saw a camera for a brief second and I heard "30 seconds" from the director.

Edited December 8, 2016 by Irlandesa