Attendg The Rocky Horror Picture Show was not jt a right of passage for queer youth back the 70s and 80s, like was for many other teens (and aterny brothers, and stoners, and bored suburban upl, and anorexic food-stroyers). It was a refuge of sorts, an ad-hoc tentnal muny that gathered the dark, after hours, to revel s outsir stat (and affy for stroyg food). The movie was screened the most likely (Tim Square) and unlikely (Bumfuck, Alabama) plac, and, like a small-town gay bar, roed om their v every form of eaky eak to drag, preen, stt, and hook up. At a time when reprentatns of L.G.B.T. folks popular entertament were virtually taboo, the movie celebrated the monaly herent gay-lienatn through both s sane (and often ane) subject matter, as well as through the dience’s cidly mp ll-and-rponse language. I attend a number of tim my own pathetic 70s and 80s youth—cludg the 10th Anniversary showg 1985, when I got cidly dnk for one of the first tim. But I popped my R.H.P.S. cherry when I was 11, wh my mom, gettg beaned wh rice, as show virgs do, when she outed me to the crowd (an act she would repeat a few years later, wh a few twists, when we began discsg my sexualy). So seemed only ftg that I should watch this week’s episo of Glee, which featured a Rocky Horror theme (to say the least), wh a pair of teens who are sort of like dghters to me (they were stunts at the prchool I ran Manhattan’s East Village) and their parents (who are also sort of like my children, as they often required equivalent amounts of affectn and validatn!). Needls to say, I was pleased that both girls turned out to be R.H.P.S. fans, wh multiple attendanc unr their belts. Needful to say, for a bchy cric like myself, I was also generally pleased wh “The Rocky Horror Glee Show.”
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THE GAY GUI TO GLEE: “THE ROCKY HORROR GLEE SHOW”BY BRETT BERKOCTOBER 27, 2010SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEATTENDG THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW WAS NOT JT A RIGHT OF PASSAGE FOR QUEER YOUTH BACK THE 70S AND 80S, LIKE WAS FOR MANY OTHER TEENS (AND ATERNY BROTHERS, AND STONERS, AND BORED SUBURBAN UPL, AND ANOREXIC FOOD-STROYERS). IT WAS A REFUGE OF SORTS, AN AD-HOC TENTNAL MUNY THAT GATHERED THE DARK, AFTER HOURS, TO REVEL S OUTSIR STAT (AND AFFY FOR STROYG FOOD). THE MOVIE WAS SCREENED THE MOST LIKELY (TIM SQUARE) AND UNLIKELY (BUMFUCK, ALABAMA) PLAC, AND, LIKE A SMALL-TOWN GAY BAR, ROED OM THEIR V EVERY FORM OF EAKY EAK TO DRAG, PREEN, STT, AND HOOK UP. AT A TIME WHEN REPRENTATNS OF L.G.B.T. FOLKS POPULAR ENTERTAMENT WERE VIRTUALLY TABOO, THE MOVIE CELEBRATED THE MONALY HERENT GAY-LIENATN THROUGH BOTH S SANE (AND OFTEN ANE) SUBJECT MATTER, AS WELL AS THROUGH THE DIENCE’S CIDLY MP LL-AND-RPONSE LANGUAGE. I ATTEND A NUMBER OF TIM MY OWN PATHETIC 70S AND 80S YOUTH—CLUDG THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY SHOWG 1985, WHEN I GOT CIDLY DNK FOR ONE OF THE FIRST TIM. BUT I POPPED MY R.H.P.S. CHERRY WHEN I WAS 11, WH MY MOM, GETTG BEANED WH RICE, AS SHOW VIRGS DO, WHEN SHE OUTED ME TO THE CROWD (AN ACT SHE WOULD REPEAT A FEW YEARS LATER, WH A FEW TWISTS, WHEN WE BEGAN DISCSG MY SEXUALY). SO SEEMED ONLY FTG THAT I SHOULD WATCH THIS WEEK’S EPISO OF GLEE, WHICH FEATURED A ROCKY HORROR THEME (TO SAY THE LEAST), WH A PAIR OF TEENS WHO ARE SORT OF LIKE DGHTERS TO ME (THEY WERE STUNTS AT THE PRCHOOL I RAN MANHATTAN’S EAST VILLAGE) AND THEIR PARENTS (WHO ARE ALSO SORT OF LIKE MY CHILDREN, AS THEY OFTEN REQUIRED EQUIVALENT AMOUNTS OF AFFECTN AND VALIDATN!). NEEDLS TO SAY, I WAS PLEASED THAT BOTH GIRLS TURNED OUT TO BE R.H.P.S. FANS, WH MULTIPLE ATTENDANC UNR THEIR BELTS. NEEDFUL TO SAY, FOR A BCHY CRIC LIKE MYSELF, I WAS ALSO GENERALLY PLEASED WH “THE ROCKY HORROR GLEE SHOW.”WEIRDLY, I EVEN FOUND MYSELF LIKG PORTNS OF THE ALL-TOO-UAL (AND UALLY ALL-TOO-MECHANIL) MACHATNS AMONGST THE ADULT CHARACTERS. WELL, NOT ALL OF THEM. I STILL N’T HANDLE THE TIRED/CHASTE TIRED CHASE BETWEEN DROOPY MCCARDIGAN AND OL’ DOE EY, AND WHILE I’M UALLY PUT SIGNIFINTLY MORE THE MOOD BY A THREOME, THE ADDNAL ISOSCELATN PROVID BY THE DPERATE DENTIST SIMPLY MAK MY DRILL-B LOSE S POT. I HAD A PANICKY FLASH LAST SPRG WHEN I FIRST SAW THE FIRST PREVIEW FOR KNIGHT AND DAY, TALYZED BY MY FDG TOM CISE HOT FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. (DON’T WORRY, WORE OFF LONG BEFORE I ACTED ON ; I NEVER SAW THAT STEAM-PILE.) HOWEVER, JOHN STAMOS, HARLEY DAVIDSON KEN DOLL THAT HE IS, HAS NEVER ONCE ELICED THIS REACTN—EVEN DURG MY VULNERABLE TEENAGE YEARS WHEN HE PLAYED K-MART-RATE BAD-BOY BLACKIE PARRISH ON GENERAL HOSPAL—AND HE MATAS THIS PERFECT RERD SO FAR THIS SEASON.WHAT DID WORK WAS THE NFLICT BETWEEN WILL AND SUE. WHY? BEE, AS I’VE RAILED AGAST REPEATEDLY SCE THE START OF THIS LUMN, DID NOT FOC ON THE PAIR’S UAL ULTIMATE/ULTIMATUM, LIFE/ATH, SYLVTER/TWEETY ANTICS, BUT RATHER, ENGAGED A MUCH MORE NUANCED, UNRHAND, AND LOWER STAK FORM OF RIVALRY. STILL, I GOT BORED ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THIS B-PLOT—AS DID THE WRERS—AND LOST FOC (DTO THE SCRIB) LEAVG ME WONRG, WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED?ONE THG I WAS NOT NFED ABOUT WAS THE SPLENDID STG OF THE KIDS THEIR VAR ROL. IT ALMOST MA ME THK THAT THE GLEE CLUB HAS GATHERED S MEMBERS WH THE SGULAR GOAL OF ONE DAY PRENTG ROCKY HORROR. OR, PERHAPS MORE PELLGLY, THAT THE WEIRDLY CLIVE (THOUGH RACIALLY HOMOGENEO) FILM AND STAGE SHOW MAY HAVE ACTED AS AN OVERT TEMPLATE FOR THE MAKP OF THE TROUPE (RYAN MURPHY IS A QUEER CHILD OF THE 70S AND 80S TOO, AFTER ALL). WHATEVER THE FOWL/OVUM IMPET, THERE WAS NARY A WRONG MOVE TERMS OF WHO PLAYED WHOM. FN IS BRAD AND RACHEL IS JA, SO THAT’S EASY. ARTIE’S RIGNATN TO PLAYG DR. STT WAS BOTH ADORABLE AND ODDLY PROPRIETARY ( A GOOD SENSE). AND THE DOUBLE-STG OF THE GIRLS WAS FUN FOR ME—WHO’S OPPOSED TO A FEW EXTRA MAGENTAS AND COLUMBIAS; THERE WERE ALWAYS ELEVEN HUNDRED OF THEM AT EVERY SCREENG, LIKE A HALLOWEEN PARA A F SIECLE HUNGARIAN BROTHEL—THOUGH MORE GIRL-ON-GIRL THIS GIRL-ON-GIRL WOULD HAVE AMPED THGS UP SIGNIFINTLY. BUT KURT AS RIFF-RAFF, AND MERCES AS FRANK N. FURTER, WERE ABSOLUTELY SPIRED, NOT ONLY BEE THEY WERE EVOTIVELY AGAST TYPE, BUT BEE THEY GAVE MERCES A CHANCE TO SHE. (THOUGH I’D BE LYG IF I SAID I WASN’T THRILLED AT THE THOUGHT OF MIKE PUTTG HIS OWN BBERY TWIST ON THE ROLE.)YOU’LL NOTICE THAT I DIDN’T MENTN SAM’S TURN AS ROCKY. THAT IS BEE SERV S OWN PARAGRAPH, ALBE ONE SIGNIFINTLY LS BRIEF (UGH!) THAN THOSE GILD PANTI THROUGH WHICH OUR BLOND “MONSTER” FEARED HIS HUEVOS WOULD SCEND. AS WH DAISY D, I HALF-EXPECT A NEW PRIME-TIME-PERSONA-BASED CLOTHG TEGORY—ONE NOTG THE EXTREME MASCULE DIMUTIVE OF BOARD SHORTS—TO ARISE OM THIS DISPLAY. I CHRISTEN THEM, CHORD SHORTS. AND WHILE I FOUND THE MALE BODY-IMAGE SUBPLOT LKED TO THIS SARTORIAL REVELATN TO FEEL SOMEWHAT SUPERFICIAL AND TACKED-ON, I WOULD BE BETRAYG MY TE NATURE IF I SAID I DIDN’T APPROVE OF THE SUPERFICIAL TTHS (AHEM) UNVERED. MY -VIEWERS AGREED; ONE OF THE TEENAGE GIRLS WH WHICH I WAS WATCHG TEXTED SO MADLY THE LAST TIME SAM EXPOSED HIS UNRRRIAGE THAT HER CELL-PHONE WENT FLYG OUT OF HER HAND AND CRASHED ONTO THE FLOOR. “HE HAS THAT MAGIC V!” SHE SCREAMED, POTG AT THE SCENDG OBLIQUE FORMED BY MR. OVERSTREET’S TRANSVERSE ABDOMAE. CHORD NFSED TO ME THAT HE WORKS A FULL HOUR ON HIS MIDRIFF DURG EACH GYM VIS. IT SEEMS TO BE HAVG THE SIRED EFFECT!BEE OF ALL THE SHIRTLSNS, AND SHRIEKG (AND CRAPPY, ENZIED WRG), I ULDN’T REALLY TELL WHY THE CLUB CID NOT TO PERFORM THE SHOW FOR THE ENTIRE SCHOOL. BUT I WAS PLEASED THAT THEY PERFORMED AT ALL, EVEN IF JT FOR THEMSELV. (I WAS ALSO PLEASED THAT MR. SHUE DID NOT APPEAR ON STAGE THOSE FLAXEN HOT-PANTS.) AFTER ALL, THE NATN’S TEENAGERS WERE ALREADY WATCHG. AND LEARNG.SONG RATG (* TO *****)• “SCIENCE FICTN/DOUBLE FEATURE” (ROCKY HORROR) **** NICE. BUT WHOSE LIPS WERE THOSE?• “DAMM JA” (ROCKY HORROR) **** FN AND RACHEL FALLY FD SOMETHG THEY N DO RIGHT TOGETHER: SG LIKE ANNOYG SQUAR.• “HOT PATOOTIE” (ROCKY HORROR) *** NEVER BEEN ONE OF MY FAVOR, THOUGH TRIGUGLY VAGAL.• “SWEET TRANSVTE” (ROCKY HORROR) ***** MERCES KILLS AS FRANK• “TOUCH-A, TOUCH-A, TOUCH-A, TOUCH ME” (ROCKY HORROR) * OR DON’T• “OVER AT THE FRANKENSTE PLACE” (ROCKY HORROR) **** I N’T HELP , I’VE ALWAYS BEEN A SUCKER FOR THE ANTHEMIC.• “THE TIME WARP” (ROCKY HORROR)**** YOU’D HAVE TO BE AD NOT TO DANCE.GAYT MOMENT• REALLY? YOU EXPECT ME TO PICK JT ONE?PHOTO CRED: FOX.COME BACK EVERY WEDNDAY THIS SEASON FOR ’S WEEKLY RE-P OF THE PREV NIGHT’S EPISO.BRETT BERK WR GAILY ABOUT CULTURE, POLICS, AND RS FOR , AND IS THE THOR OF THE GAY UNCLE’S GUI TO PARENTG. VIS HIM AT OR FOLLOW HIM ON TWTER.MOST POPULARSARA RAMIREZ ISSU STHG RPONSE TO ANTI–CHE DIAZ PROFILEBY SAVANNAH WALSHOUR FLAG MEANS DEATH SEASON 2: EXCLIVE FIRST LOOKBY SARAH CATHERALLTHE GILD AGE WILL GET A LOT MORE OPERATIC SEASON 2BY RICHARD LAWSONBRETT BERK
It’s Halloween, and Logo, the gay—well, gayish—ble work has a very straightforward schle: From 10 a.m. Friday through 6 a.m. Saturday, ’s... * rocky horror show gay *
Much of s “midnight movie” succs n be attributed to LGBTQ dienc, who intified wh s embrace of sexual eedom, s objectifitn of men for a gay gaze and, of urse, s unfettable song-and-dance sequenc. “A lot of doctors still nsired homosexualy a mental illns. Beg gay was illegal large parts of the untry, ” he explas the vio above.
There was already tractn wh the LGBTQ+ rights movement Ameri when The Rocky Horror Picture Show was released. It was released jt six years after the Stonewall uprisg. At the time, many people still believed homosexualy to be a mental illns, and beg gay was illegal many parts of the untry. Exprsg queerns * rocky horror show gay *
It’s Halloween, and Logo, the gay—well, gayish—ble work has a very straightforward schle: From 10 a. Sartorial fecundy asi, I’ve never been que sure if the film is good for the gays. Newark is a llege town, and at that time was liberal enough to have a gay stunt unn but nservative enough that intifiable members of that group were liable to be harassed on the street.
And those midnight performanc were as close to a (mostly booze-ee) gay bar that Newark had at the time: It was a fay. See also: Is Hoc Poc the Bt Gay Halloween Movie? At the time, many people still believed homosexualy to be a mental illns, and beg gay was illegal many parts of the untry.