Hairspray Live! (NBC) - General Discussion

[starri]

2 minutes ago, mtlchick said:

 Her Penny is a bit more meek compared to Amanda Bynes. 

She sings a lot better, even if this isn't suited to the copious post-production she usually gets.

[Frost]

Ugh, Linc is practically ruining this whole production

[bmoore4026]

Penny :D

[Quickbeam]

1 minute ago, Frost said:

Ugh, Linc is practically ruining this whole production

He's so bad at this. Not singing and prettying, just acting interested in a girl. 

Edited December 8, 2016 by Quickbeam
Typo

[starri]

If Ariana can get a lid on her melisma, I'll be impressed.

[UMAngela]

4 minutes ago, Frost said:

Ugh, Linc is practically ruining this whole production

I really wanted to like Link because the actor is from my 'hood (from Metro Detroit) and one of my clients worked in local musical productions with him, but... blah, he's killing me.  Nothing about him is interesting.  Especially when I mentally compare him to dreamboat Efron.  

[bmoore4026]

Damn, Billy Eichner makes a good 60s era newscaster.  Perfect voice and everything.

[mtlchick]

11 minutes ago, Frost said:

Ugh, Linc is practically ruining this whole production

You know on SNL they had a sketch on Disney kids actors and all the things they tend to do in their acting?  He's the real life version.  He seems like a decent kid but oy.  

[chitowngirl]

People are familiar with Bye Bye Birdie since it is a staple for high school productions. 

[starri]

Hot damn, Miss Hudson.

I thought I'd heard they were ending on this, but maybe they decided to keep with "You Can't Stop the Beat."

[hoosier80]

Ms Hudson giving me chills.

[Frost]

Jennifer just blew the roof off

[Omeletsmom]

Yeah!  That's what I have been waiting for!

[starri]

I had to restrain myself from applauding that in my living room.

[bmoore4026]

OK, I will admit, Jennifer Hudson did a phenomenal job with that song.

[mtlchick]

Swap wigs and clothing and it's her TV version of "And I Am Telling You."  Which is NOT A BAD THING. 

[HoosierJen]

I didn't restrain myself from applauding in my living room.

[mtlchick]

I'll rephrase it: J Hud had some of us like:

 

[Omeletsmom]

Really missing James Marsden right now...

[pigs-in-space]

Is it my tv feed or is the picture quality really bad?

[Dee]

This show found its footing about a third of the way through and never looked back.

It's ranks right up there with The Wiz Live and Grease Live for pure entertainment value.

[starri]

Just now, Dee said:

It's ranks right up there with The Wiz Live and Grease Live for pure entertainment value.

It honestly is perfect for the format.  

I was disappointed that they'd followed Grease Live's lead and moved production out of New York, but I have to concede they made the right call.

[bmoore4026]

You tell, her, Tracy!  You tell Amber to go screw herself!

[Dee]

40 minutes ago, McManda said:

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. 

The problem is that a lot of 'mainstream friendly' musicals NBC could go with, especially ones with multi-ethnic casts, or could conceivably be cast, colorblind don't necessarily lend themselves to younger audiences imo.

Little Shop Of Horrors would've probably been a better choice, but Jennifer Lopez is a big enough 'get' to justify doing Bye Bye Birdie.

Edited December 8, 2016 by Dee

[Frost]

This is fun but it does make me want to put in my DVD of the movie.

[mtlchick]

Tracy won? But..we didn't see the numbers on the board as it was smoking up!  Maybe it was (looks around) rigged. Heh. 

[Omeletsmom]

I want Velma's Miss Baltimore Crabs tiara.

[bmoore4026]

FUCK YEAH, HARVEY FIERSTEIN!!!

[Frost]

Hearing Harvey's voice always makes my throat hurt.  His vocal cords just sound shredded.

[pigs-in-space]

2 minutes ago, Omeletsmom said:

I want Velma's Miss Baltimore Crabs tiara.

Same!  I'm from Maryland and I would totally wear it at my next crab feast.

[mtlchick]

J Hud's outfit matches what she brought to this: solid gold. 

[bmoore4026]

I love that gold outfit.

[starri]

That was phenomenal.  I grinned from beginning to end.

[hoosier80]

Awww, I thought they'd let Little Inez dance and win the crown.

[caltrask55]

Seaweed for the win.  Dude is full of charm!

[bmoore4026]

1 minute ago, hoosier80 said:

Awww, I thought they'd let Little Inez dance and win the crown.

That's one thing the movie of the musical did better than the musical or the original movie - we got to see Inez's stuff and her rightfully getting the crown.

[ancslove]

I think I like the movie ending a bit better.  This one seemed like several dei ex machina after Tracey appeared.  Penny's mom is happy, the governor pardons Tracey because she's popular, Tracey is the one to declare the Corny Collins Show officially integrated, and she wins the crown. The buildup of the movie You Can't Stop the Beat just seemed better, and I like the twist of Inez winning the crown, and of Link facilitating it, after his earlier refusal to join the protest. And Corny ceding the stage to Motormouth. 

But the show tonight was very well done.   

[Luckylyn]

Maddie won me over. She improved as the show continued.  

[absnow54]

Tracy and Seaweed had 10343413x more chemistry with each other than with Link-Bot and Mumbles Grande. 

[starri]

Ah, they wanted to give JHud and Ariana the chance to belt together.

Honestly, they've earned it.

[Frost]

Ariana had no business being on the same stage as Jennifer Hudson.  She's not in the same league.

[mtlchick]

Well it's missing Grease's finale of part of the cast on the trolley bus almost crashing after jumping the curb and they did NOT just cut from Kristin from taking her bow (what?!) but this was pretty fun!  Maddie was shaky but after the first break, she settled in and relaxed.  I hope this means big things for her in the future. 

 

NBC needs to lock in J Hud for Bye Bye Birdie immediately. 

[Quickbeam]

I liked watching Derek dance with the little girl in the yellow dress. 

[Aliconehead]

They cut away during Chenowith's bow. UNACCEPTABLE. 

[starri]

Just now, Aliconehead said:

They cut away during Chenowith's bow. UNACCEPTABLE. 

Yes.

I'm betting there's going to be profuse apologizing and a different camera angle on the version that'll be on Hulu tomorrow.

[millk]

Arianna Grande needs to take several seats. do you think all her talent is in her ponytail? She was quite painful to watch.

Edited December 8, 2016 by millk

[starri]

As much as it pains me, I think it was JHud, not Kristen who was the MVP.  But it's like asking to choose between my children.  If I had children.

[Dee]

Maddie Baillio was great. I hope she doesn't fade into obscurity like poor Nikki Blonsky.

[hoosier80]

I think Maddie was nervous and the issues with her mic probably didn't help.  From what I've read, she's been studying theater in college in NYC, so she's gotten some good training in thus far, as opposed to some 'newcomers'.  Those who were great for one role and are not trained in proper technique seem to become the answers to a trivia contest in a few years.  Hopefully, she can use this to springboard in whatever avenue her careeer takes her.

I still think Dove would be good for the role of Kim MacAfee in Bye Bye Birdie.  Get her hair less platinum, and she looks young enough to pull off 15/16.  She definitely can act, sing, and dance.  More importantly, who do they get for Albert, Birdie, and the dad?

[WhosThatGirl]

21 minutes ago, millk said:

Arianna Grande needs to take several seats. do you think all her talent is in her ponytail? She was quite painful to watch.

This. I kind of expected more. I liked her when she hosted SNL last year, she was funny and had comedic timing. Here she fell flat.

This was okay. The best live musical I've seen so far that any of the networks  was Grease live. Then again I didn't watch The Wiz last year  but I've seen all the others. I don't know. I just wasn't into it.

Edited December 8, 2016 by WhosThatGirl