This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Andrew: We've got a mission to find the best song that's ever been on Glee.

[0:09] Andrew: There's no rhyme or reason to it, so don't get mad at me.

[0:18] Andrew: Glacket by Glacket, we'll rank everyone to see which song will move closer to spot number one.

[0:26] Andrew: Gleek of the Week, Gleek, Gleek, Gleek of the Week. It's Gleek, Gleek of the Week.

[0:35] Andrew: Um, hey guys, uh, I have a friend with me here, um, you might know him, I don't know, maybe from the hit Fox show Glee? And uh, hey, do you want to introduce yourself? What's your name?

[0:47] Kevin McHale: Hey, it's me, Kevin McHale.

[0:50] Kevin McHale: Um, what's up? Hey, what's up?

[0:53] Andrew: Hey, Kevin McHale. Oh my god, um, uh, also you're on Spelling Bee, which I've seen like maybe a dozen times now.

[0:59] Kevin McHale: Wait, I don't understand how you've seen it that many times and I haven't seen you there.

[1:04] Andrew: Actually, I'm so glad that we're actually starting the conversation off like this, because we actually, we are beefing. Yeah.

[1:10] Kevin McHale: We're, uh, we're in this big, big fight. Yeah.

[1:13] Andrew: I've staged door twice where I haven't seen it a dozen times. I'm so sorry. I will see it a dozen times. I've probably seen like five, um, but I've seen it twice where I've staged door and where everyone's coming out and I'm like, oh, where's Kevin McHale from the hit Fox show Glee? And then security is like, he's not coming out today.

[1:29] Kevin McHale: Here's what happens sometimes. I think I staged door most of the time. However, this voice is fragile. I get that. I'm not actually mad. I want you to know that.

[1:44] Andrew: Well, I'm mad cause I want to see you. Um, so you need to just like, tell me you're coming before. Can you do that?

[1:51] Kevin McHale: Next time I'm there, I'll be like, Hey, by the way, I'll be in your theater. So sometimes I have friends come. Yeah. And a lot of times like friends who have come, I haven't seen in a long time. Right. And it's like the only way I can like see people is if they come to the show. So sometimes I'm just like, you know, yappity yappity catching up with people and then it's over.

[2:07] Andrew: It's happened a couple of times. I've gone up there with my little Sharpie and there's nobody there.

[2:19] Kevin McHale: Wait, do you come out with your own Sharpie or do you have...

[2:24] Andrew: Yeah, I'll do, they give us, can we go out and we do it, but it's happened a couple of times. So the re yeah, the two reasons why I wouldn't do it is if one, I'm feeling like a little sick or like vocal rusty or there's somebody I'm just like gabbing with.

[2:36] Kevin McHale: And I forget sickness if I'm not mistaken is something that is a constant for you.

[2:42] Andrew: Yeah. Yeah. What's going on there? I don't, this is not a health podcast, but I don't know. I really don't know. And it's well, actually Justin Cooley, who is in love of my life, spelling bee.

[2:54] Kevin McHale: Yeah. He might've diagnosed me with something and I'm going to go, I haven't been to his doctor yet.

[3:02] Andrew: Oh, he's got like a 23 year old, 22 year old, just like, he also gave me a horoscope reading a couple of days ago. And I'm very like, Mike, none of that is usually matches up with me. Like the astrology shit.

[3:20] Kevin McHale: I meant like, it's fun for me, but like, and then he just fully, it was, I had chills. I was like, you stop looking right through me. I don't know how you're, you know, he, he knows you too well.

[3:33] Andrew: He's a real, he's a real world leaf, you know, like really like, and then wait, I'm so sorry to be calling you out like this. What are you looking at? You're looking all over the place.

[3:43] Kevin McHale: And I'm like, my eyes are up here. Am I? No, you're completely fine. I'm like, I'm not even looking at anything. Handle something right now. Maybe. No.

[3:54] Andrew: Okay. I have a Snapple nap that I'm looking at sometimes.

[4:02] Kevin McHale: Okay. I mean, we're in a blizzard right now.

[4:06] Andrew: No, no. I'm, I'm staring out a window. Wait, this view is, that's kind of crazy. I'm sitting in the window because I look a little extra busted today, you know?

[4:11] Kevin McHale: No, I mean, you look beautiful always.

[4:17] Andrew: Yeah. Because you can't see me because I have direct sunlight on my face. Um, no, you look, you look gorgeous.

[4:22] Kevin McHale: I don't want to have no pores. No spelling bee, literally. Congratulations. Like one of the best shows I've ever seen.

[4:28] Andrew: Um, so good. So much fun. I also think that it like makes so much sense. I don't know how you feel about it, but like, it makes so much sense. It's like someone that is known for a hit musical TV show that this feels like the lateral move that it's like, you guys didn't do any spelling bee songs on the show, but it's like, it's so in the world, right?

[4:46] Kevin McHale: I said I'm looking down again.

[4:49] Andrew: No, you're fine. Now I'm making you overthink it. It's me connecting my thoughts. I'm sorry.

[4:54] Kevin McHale: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But Paris Barclay, who directed a bunch of Glee episodes and who's one of our favorites, he came to the show the other night and before he got there, I was like, get ready to have like Glee flashbacks because there's so much of the show that reminds me of Glee.

[5:05] Andrew: It's yeah. Where it was nice to have him say like, I don't know why you said that. It's so different. I'm like, I know, but like, it does feel within the same world. There's literally risers, risers.

[5:16] Kevin McHale: There's like, there's a bunch of like uncool kids. They're getting up to do things at a mic. Like the whole format of it is similar.

[5:26] Andrew: And it also feels like the brand of humor is very similar.

[5:32] Kevin McHale: Yes. Like it does feel within the world as I'm watching spelling bee. I'm not sure if you've had this thought, but me, but like, I think it's so funny that the risers, you mentioned the risers, um, already never got to sit on the high risers.

[5:40] Andrew: I've absolutely thought about this. You're like, oh, this is what it kind of looks like from up here.

[5:44] Kevin McHale: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was talking with Autumn the other day because she was saying they hope like whenever she leaves the show or something that they cast another person with a disability.

[5:50] Andrew: Yes.

[5:55] Kevin McHale: And I was like, oh, I could tell you if they cast somebody in a chair, I can tell you the track for right now.

[5:59] Andrew: Yeah.

[6:03] Kevin McHale: I'm like, I thought about it. I have mapped it out. I know where they will go. I can tell you the choreography changes, like ready to go. But yeah, I have thought about it because I never got to be on the risers.

[6:10] Andrew: Never got to be in the risers. And now you're living, you're living your dream in the risers.

[6:13] Kevin McHale: Hey, yeah, I am. I am up there. I'm up on those top level of the risers.

[6:20] Andrew: And then also, like, I feel like Magic Foot, literally, I'm not blowing smoke. That's, I can't say best song in the show, because I mean, it's not the best song in the show.

[6:30] Kevin McHale: Objectively, the best song, I love you song is, but it's, I don't feel emotionally distraught at the end of Magic Foot, whereas with I love you song. Come on.

[6:41] Andrew: But like Magic Foot does like inherently feel like an Artie dream kind of number. I don't know, like, have you thought at all about how certain songs kind of led itself to the Hit Fox show, Glee?

[6:56] Kevin McHale: We were talking about, we talked about like, I did another interview recently, picnic playlist, which is great.

[7:02] Andrew: Yes.

[7:02] Kevin McHale: And talking about like, if you cast Glee characters in Spelling Bee, and I was just like, obviously, maybe because it's me, but I have to say that like, Artie would play Barfay, because it does feel so much like Artie number in a way.

[7:14] Andrew: Right? Yes.

[7:22] Kevin McHale: Like, I think a lot of the stuff they had me doing on Glee, like vocally, was like, sort of like stuff they didn't know, like who to put on.

[7:28] Andrew: Yeah, yeah.

[7:32] Kevin McHale: And so I would just end up doing it.

[7:35] Andrew: And crushed.

[7:36] Kevin McHale: And I feel like Magic Foot is that because it's not, it's the only, that and I think how Justin does, performs I'm Not That Smart. They're not like typical, we're singing all the way through a song type.

[7:52] Andrew: Yeah, yeah.

[7:54] Kevin McHale: We're, we're speaking, we're feeling we're having like, we're loud and big. And I feel like, yeah, sometimes Artie would do that too, vocally.

[8:02] Andrew: Yeah, totally. Do you like have another stage kind of role character that you're kind of vying for next? Do you want to continue doing the stage? What's your vibe?

[8:12] Kevin McHale: I feel like maybe we should workshop this. Like maybe, do you have some ideas?

[8:17] Andrew: I mean, like, I think we've talked before about like, Bach. Bach does feel very you, but like Bach, there's no dancing. And I would like to see that.

[8:26] Kevin McHale: I feel like this, like the things that people have said, or that I've seen like the obvious things through the years would be like Bach, Ogie.

[8:35] Andrew: Yeah.

[8:37] Kevin McHale: But Waitress is not on anymore.

[8:42] Andrew: What else my Little Shop?

[8:43] Kevin McHale: Oh my god. Well, that's I feel like, at the end of my life, I can like in my third eye, I can see like my entire life. And I'm like, okay, obviously, there will come a time in my life where I see Jenna and Kevin in Little Shop. Of course, it will happen.

[8:57] Andrew: I feel that too.

[8:59] Kevin McHale: Yes.

[9:00] Andrew: I think the other thing is, is like, being in New York now. And, you know, being in the theater world, all of a sudden, there, I'm getting like, asked to do a bunch of like workshops and readings and things for like, new things.

[9:12] Kevin McHale: And that is also very exciting.

[9:19] Andrew: I think I probably should be more intentional about like, what I would like to do. And next. But it's also just fun, sort of like seeing it all.

[9:30] Kevin McHale: Like, come at me and be like, Oh, is this good for me?

[9:37] Andrew: Is that I do like what I like, though, I is the comedy and silliness of it all clearly, right? That seems to be, I feel comfortable doing that in theater.

[9:46] Kevin McHale: Not that it's necessarily easy. But anything I think with that same tone, like I relate to that sense of humor.

[9:52] Andrew: And like, I did a reading a couple weeks ago for this like, silly, stupid, like very gay show.

[10:00] Kevin McHale: And I'll, yes, that's, you got it.

[10:07] Andrew: Yeah, like that brand of, so I don't know, maybe something new.

[10:14] Kevin McHale: Yeah, that is, like in line with all of I think that like, you just like, understand, I feel like this is not going to be like an entire hour of me just like, being like, so complimentary.

[10:19] Andrew: It truly like, you understand tone so well into your projects that you're in that it's like, you understand what the director has in mind.

[10:25] Kevin McHale: It's like truly the greatest compliment that I can give to you is that you make it look effortless in a way that I'm like, Oh my god, like, I can just be completely turn off my I can just completely turn off my brain and be like, this is not Kevin, this is a character.

[10:42] Andrew: And then at the end to be like, Oh my god, I can tell that he put in the hours and hours and hours of work into something that he made look so easy. Truly.

[10:52] Kevin McHale: You're right. That is the nicest thing you could ever say. So I appreciate that. Thank you.

[10:58] Andrew: No, you got it down. It's great. But I think you know, that's not that.

[10:58] Kevin McHale: I think, especially for this, it's like, Danny Mefford, who directed it is like, just the best, sweetest, most loved person.

[11:05] Andrew: And the amount of time he has put into making, you know, this show happen, the thought behind every single character, and every single moment of the show is why I think, you know, it all works.

[11:20] Kevin McHale: And that like, maybe if even part of what you said is accurate, that it looks effortless, sometimes is a lot of it.

[11:27] Andrew: And most of it is probably because of him and the other people.

[11:34] Kevin McHale: It's like, it's really easy. When you have like Jasmine Amy Rogers, as you're like, yeah, being partner, and you just look at her and your heart is breaking.

[11:45] Andrew: And like, all of that does make it effortless because everyone around you has you in this like net of support.

[11:52] Kevin McHale: Oh, totally. And I'm just like in awe.

[11:59] Andrew: Yeah. Like everyone has it down. I mean, Jasmine, did you get to see Boop or no?

[12:07] Kevin McHale: No. And now I'm...

[12:11] Andrew: Oh, so I just... I'm so upset.

[12:17] Kevin McHale: Incredible. Because it's like, when you hear like a Betty Boop musical is coming, it's like, okay, this is just going to the stupidest thing of all time. But she is carrying the entire show on her back.

[12:29] Andrew: It's like, she is so specific about like, taking this character that we know little to nothing about Betty Boop. And she's making it her own. We're falling in love.

[12:33] Kevin McHale: And it's like, she's up against like Nicole and Audra for this Tony. And it's like, yeah, actually, she stands a chance.

[12:43] Andrew: So good. Yeah, incredible. Jasmine Amy Rogers. I think, like, you know, when Lady Gaga came out, where it's like, oh, she's going to be as famous as long as she wants to be.

[12:47] Kevin McHale: Yeah, it was like a cold she got on all of us.

[12:51] Andrew: Yeah, you're like, oh, you get it. You're in, you're talented. You should be like this level. I'm going to know this woman for the rest of my life.

[12:57] Kevin McHale: Yeah, and Jasmine is up.

[13:00] Kevin McHale: Yeah, Jasmine is like the biggest, no, I have goosebumps talking about her.

[13:06] Andrew: Same.

[13:06] Kevin McHale: Yeah, so stupidly talented.

[13:13] Andrew: She's top five, maybe funniest people I've ever met in my life.

[13:17] Kevin McHale: So good.

[13:19] Andrew: But that took a minute for me to see because like we're in rehearsal and watching her work, talk about like putting in the work behind.

[13:28] Kevin McHale: She does make it look effortless to the point where like, even in rehearsal, she'd come back the next day and just have like everything figured out.

[13:34] Andrew: Yeah.

[13:38] Kevin McHale: Like she's so intellectual about it. Like she's so, so smart.

[13:43] Andrew: Yeah.

[13:44] Kevin McHale: And like, if she's struggling or anything, you don't ever really see it.

[13:50] Andrew: Like she takes it all right. Like she's okay with that.

[13:53] Kevin McHale: And I asked her, I was like, how have you, like, how did you do Boop eight times a week? Because like, I know how this is a one-act, Spelling Bee's a one-act show.

[14:01] Andrew: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[14:02] Kevin McHale: It's very much an ensemble piece. And it is still hard for all of us.

[14:04] Andrew: And there are breaks like built in.

[14:06] Kevin McHale: Absolutely.

[14:07] Andrew: Where it's like, okay, we don't hear for Jasmine.

[14:09] Kevin McHale: A lot of breaks.

[14:10] Andrew: Yeah, totally.

[14:11] Kevin McHale: And I'm like, how did you do this? She's like, oh, yeah, it was hard. But she's like, you know, sometimes this show feels harder.

[14:16] Andrew: Yeah.

[14:17] Kevin McHale: I think Boop was like more physically demanding. I think maybe Spelling Bee's a little more emotionally demanding. But like, Brandon Armstrong, who is one of Barfey's covers, he went on for me a couple weeks ago for the first time.

[14:33] Andrew: And he, we were texting like, you know, how to go like, how are you feeling?

[14:39] Kevin McHale: He's like, man, Jasmine. I was like, yeah.

[14:42] Andrew: Yeah.

[14:43] Kevin McHale: Like, I know. I'm like every single show, eight times a week. There's always at least one point in the show where I'm looking at her. I'm like, how?

[14:51] Andrew: Yeah.

[14:52] Kevin McHale: Are you? Like, she is so good.

[14:58] Andrew: And she's like, so kind, and like a good person.

[15:02] Kevin McHale: And, but like, filled with all this ability. It's just I can go on and on and on.

[15:07] Andrew: Totally.

[15:07] Kevin McHale: We can talk about her for an hour.

[15:09] Andrew: Oh, we can fill the entire hour.

[15:11] Kevin McHale: Yes, we could.

[15:12] Andrew: But like, Jasmine Amy hour.

[15:13] Kevin McHale: Yeah, she, like, I will always be a fan of hers, no matter what she does. I don't care what she does. I want her to be the just the biggest thing in the world. Like, she deserves it. Not only because she's a good person, but like her work ethic is so impressive.

[15:29] Andrew: And she's like, and I've just feel like so intuitively, and she has it, you know?

[15:34] Kevin McHale: She has it. Some people have it. Some people don't. She got it.

[15:38] Andrew: Yeah, she's got it.

[15:40] Kevin McHale: I also just like going back to the, um, going back to the what's the next role potentially for you? I feel like Titanic. You see Titanic?

[15:49] Andrew: Yes, I love Titanic.

[15:49] Kevin McHale: There's something new for you.

[15:51] Andrew: Yeah, I don't know what it is. But I would probably think.

[15:53] Kevin McHale: I think it might be Cal. I think it might be Cal.

[15:57] Andrew: Oh.

[15:58] Kevin McHale: What are you thinking?

[16:00] Andrew: The captain.

[16:01] Kevin McHale: Captain? Yeah. Yeah, I'm not crazy about the captain's number.

[16:04] Andrew: I, same.

[16:06] Kevin McHale: Yeah.

[16:06] Andrew: But I always, I'm like, oh, that's probably the only thing I could do.

[16:09] Kevin McHale: But no, no, no, no. Cal. Um, well, gay guy coded.

[16:14] Andrew: I like your vision.

[16:15] Kevin McHale: So there you go. Um, okay. So the entire Glee cast is on Broadway right now. Quite literally everybody that's ever been on the show. Do you feel like it's crazy that this is all happening? Or what are your thoughts on it?

[16:26] Andrew: I love it.

[16:29] Kevin McHale: I think it's so silly and weird. Like Diana has like her residency at the Carlyle.

[16:35] Andrew: I'm going Thursday.

[16:38] Kevin McHale: Hey.

[16:39] Andrew: I could only go tonight. But as we're doing this, it's Tuesday.

[16:42] Kevin McHale: Yeah. Yeah. Um, and sold out.

[16:47] Andrew: My girl.

[16:47] Kevin McHale: She should. She should.

[16:50] Andrew: As she should.

[16:52] Kevin McHale: And it's my fault for waiting so long.

[16:52] Andrew: No, no, no, no. Hey, Thursday. If you want to kiki after.

[16:55] Kevin McHale: I can't call out.

[16:56] Andrew: I mean, like, you go to sleep after the show. What's your vibe?

[16:59] Kevin McHale: Yeah, I usually. Yeah, like I'm usually I need to go home and like steam and you can't kiki with Lady Diana.

[17:07] Andrew: Yeah. All right. I know. But maybe.

[17:10] Kevin McHale: But I want to see her show. But yeah, it's Diana, Matt, me, Leah, Darren.

[17:15] Andrew: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[17:16] Kevin McHale: Alex just was.

[17:18] Andrew: Oh, my gosh. It's just it's crazy. The Gleeks are eating good.

[17:22] Kevin McHale: I guess it makes sense, though, for the type of show we were, you know, I mean, if anybody's going to do it out of the Glee cast that hasn't been on Broadway yet, who do you think would really adapt the best to Broadway?

[17:32] Andrew: I mean, I mean, I'm thinking I'm thinking Heather.

[17:35] Kevin McHale: Heather, I think Colfer would just like eat.

[17:39] Andrew: Oh, I like whether it's a musical or a play, whatever you wanted to do, it would.

[17:47] Kevin McHale: Are you kidding me? Getting to watch him perform live?

[17:50] Andrew: He needs to get back into it.

[17:52] Kevin McHale: Stop like a powerhouse performer.

[17:54] Andrew: Yeah, like I'm also thinking like truly Jacob. Come on.

[17:59] Kevin McHale: Oh, yeah, absolutely doing.

[18:03] Andrew: He needs to get out here.

[18:04] Kevin McHale: He needs to get out here. He needs he.

[18:07] Andrew: I don't know if this is just like too boring of an option, but like I like Fiero.

[18:11] Kevin McHale: That's not too boring. Are you kidding me?

[18:13] Andrew: I feel like that's I don't know.

[18:16] Kevin McHale: It's just like the bigger shows like the Lion Kings and the Chicago's or like whatever.

[18:19] Andrew: It's like, OK, I don't.

[18:21] Kevin McHale: But yeah, no, you're right. It's not boring. Right.

[18:23] Andrew: But I also feel like Wicked is in like a I mean, it's never not been in like a huge era, but, you know, it's still like prestigious and like crazy to get to play a part that is so beloved by so many people.

[18:39] Kevin McHale: And yeah, Jacob voice of an angel movement of an angel.

[18:45] Andrew: Like, yeah, I agree.

[18:47] Kevin McHale: I think Jacob would absolutely.

[18:49] Andrew: And I know, you know, Amber already has an Olivier.

[18:53] Kevin McHale: I was going to ask you.

[18:54] Andrew: She hasn't been on Broadway.

[18:57] Kevin McHale: There's a big revival happening literally this calendar year.

[19:01] Andrew: No cast announced yet for that.

[19:02] Kevin McHale: They announced they were doing Dreamgirls.

[19:04] Andrew: I texted Amber and I go, I'm not going to ask you anything.

[19:07] Kevin McHale: Yeah, I was going to say.

[19:09] Andrew: I'm so sorry, because your phone must be blowing up and you must be so annoyed.

[19:15] Kevin McHale: Oh, I'm sure I feel sorry for her.

[19:19] Andrew: Yeah.

[19:19] Kevin McHale: But yeah, I mean, I think whoever does it, I don't know who's doing it, but that has to be like the hardest ever.

[19:27] Andrew: I feel selfish asking for it.

[19:28] Kevin McHale: Yeah, same.

[19:29] Andrew: But like, who wouldn't want to see that?

[19:32] Kevin McHale: I mean, like, I mean, it's like the funny girl Leah thing.

[19:35] Andrew: And it's like, we're just being greedy again.

[19:36] Kevin McHale: Well, we already had Amber Dreamgirls.

[19:38] Andrew: But yeah, you're right.

[19:39] Kevin McHale: We did.

[19:40] Andrew: Yeah.

[19:41] Kevin McHale: So I don't know.

[19:41] Andrew: You're right.

[19:42] Kevin McHale: I know.

[19:43] Andrew: And it's like, yeah, she did it already.

[19:47] Kevin McHale: And like, did it to the highest.

[19:49] Andrew: She literally won the Olivier.

[19:51] Kevin McHale: And it has to be so hard to do that role.

[19:53] Andrew: So I don't know if she'd want to do it again.

[19:55] Kevin McHale: But I mean, I'm all about being greedy.

[19:59] Andrew: Yeah.

[19:59] Kevin McHale: Ask for the things you want.

[20:01] Andrew: Let's communicate to the gods.

[20:02] Kevin McHale: Speaking of Leah, that playbill of you when you posted that, you know what you were doing where it was like, you posted the playbill picture of the spread where it was.

[20:09] Andrew: I just, I couldn't.

[20:14] Kevin McHale: Yeah.

[20:15] Andrew: Yeah, no, I couldn't believe that.

[20:16] Kevin McHale: Like, I thought that was so funny.

[20:19] Andrew: I thought it was hilarious.

[20:21] Kevin McHale: The playbill editors, they're gleeks.

[20:23] Andrew: Yeah.

[20:23] Kevin McHale: Yeah.

[20:23] Andrew: But it was my first time ever being in playbill.

[20:26] Kevin McHale: And it was like a page interview.

[20:28] Andrew: And then on the page opposite it was the chess.

[20:33] Kevin McHale: With Leah's face.

[20:33] Andrew: It's amazing.

[20:34] Kevin McHale: And I was like, it feels like an honor bestowed on to me.

[20:40] Andrew: You know, like the queen of Broadway.

[20:44] Kevin McHale: And I'm the queen of Broadway.

[20:45] Andrew: Like I'm new here.

[20:46] Kevin McHale: I'm off Broadway.

[20:47] Andrew: Okay.

[20:47] Kevin McHale: Queen of Broadway and the king of off Broadway.

[20:50] Andrew: I think I'm too new to be king of anything.

[20:52] Kevin McHale: That's what people are saying.

[20:53] Andrew: Yeah.

[20:54] Kevin McHale: A lot of people are saying this actually.

[20:58] Andrew: Okay.

[21:00] Kevin McHale: I have to ask about the glee boot.

[21:01] Andrew: We don't know anything.

[21:03] Kevin McHale: That's another thing that we just like, don't truly.

[21:05] Andrew: We don't know.

[21:06] Kevin McHale: Nothing has been said.

[21:07] Andrew: No.

[21:11] Kevin McHale: I wouldn't be surprised if at some point.

[21:13] Andrew: Yeah.

[21:14] Kevin McHale: But I honestly think the longer it goes, probably the better, you know?

[21:20] Andrew: I feel like the further away we get from it, the better it is.

[21:23] Kevin McHale: Like the better a reboot would be.

[21:25] Andrew: Is that incorrect?

[21:26] Kevin McHale: I think that like for a while, I was like, no.

[21:28] Andrew: But like, I think unfortunately, as times are getting really dark right now.

[21:33] Kevin McHale: Yeah.

[21:33] Andrew: That it's like, I think that there are so many voices that actually need to be heard right now of people from marginalized groups that I'm like, okay, wait, that needs to be.

[21:45] Kevin McHale: Yes.

[21:45] Andrew: I'm interested, like, as a viewer or a person living in this current world.

[21:51] Kevin McHale: Yeah.

[21:52] Andrew: I would like to see what that would look like for kids today.

[21:57] Kevin McHale: Like, what are those marginalized groups?

[21:59] Andrew: Like, what does that look like in current, like 2026?

[22:02] Kevin McHale: Totally not Obama era anymore.

[22:04] Andrew: Yeah.

[22:05] Kevin McHale: Yeah.

[22:05] Andrew: Like, I would like to see that.

[22:08] Kevin McHale: And I do think it would be very important for the same reasons.

[22:13] Andrew: The original version was.

[22:15] Kevin McHale: Yeah.

[22:17] Andrew: It is crazy to think that like, the amount of friends I have in like the queer community, specifically who are like, do we just need to get married now? Or do I need to like?

[22:28] Kevin McHale: Oh, I have had friends that have done that already.

[22:31] Andrew: Yes.

[22:31] Kevin McHale: And you don't know what's going to happen.

[22:33] Andrew: And the fact, you know, hate crimes around the world are skyrocketing.

[22:37] Kevin McHale: And yeah, I do think the, you know, Glee was a lot of things.

[22:45] Andrew: There are supercut montages online of, you know, context moments of Glee that are absurd and crazy.

[22:54] Kevin McHale: Yeah.

[22:56] Andrew: But when it was on, it was wild.

[23:00] Kevin McHale: The influence and impact it would have just in like the living rooms of families.

[23:05] Andrew: Totally.

[23:06] Kevin McHale: In a positive way.

[23:07] Andrew: And yeah, I agree with you that seeing the past year, it's been like, oh, this is the first time that I've actually seen like a reason.

[23:16] Kevin McHale: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[23:17] Andrew: To bring it back.

[23:18] Kevin McHale: I do think, though, we have to adjust our expectations of how it would work in today's day and age, because back then, like music downloading was still fairly it wasn't new, but like it was more centralized than it is now.

[23:32] Andrew: You could still have like the show was so impactful that like the songs, you know, were top 10 of iTunes, which doesn't even exist anymore.

[23:43] Kevin McHale: So it's I don't know that it would feel as impactful no matter what, just because of the land of media.

[23:52] Andrew: That's interesting.

[23:53] Kevin McHale: Because there are a billion TV shows.

[23:56] Andrew: They're streaming that you're not watching network television.

[24:00] Kevin McHale: And I imagine the show would probably live on some streaming platform.

[24:04] Andrew: And it would be like a 12 episode season, maybe.

[24:07] Kevin McHale: Right.

[24:07] Andrew: Yeah, which I think would actually serve serve it very well.

[24:11] Kevin McHale: Sure.

[24:12] Andrew: Yeah.

[24:12] Kevin McHale: Let's cut the fat a little bit.

[24:13] Andrew: Yeah, right.

[24:14] Kevin McHale: I think that would be great.

[24:15] Andrew: Like a 10 episode Glee season.

[24:19] Kevin McHale: But, you know, the things come and go within a week or two.

[24:24] Andrew: So I do wonder how.

[24:28] Kevin McHale: Because I think with reboots, like you're always chasing the nostalgia of like how it felt when it was originally on how we all felt how the world felt about it.

[24:35] Andrew: And it's going to happen because we're in a different world now.

[24:39] Kevin McHale: And so it will be like any other show on streaming.

[24:42] Andrew: And so, you know, you want it to have that same impact, I think, that originally.

[24:48] Kevin McHale: But I don't know.

[24:49] Andrew: Possible.

[24:50] Kevin McHale: That is impossible.

[24:51] Andrew: We can recreate it the best we can.

[24:52] Kevin McHale: But yeah, I think we just have to like for me, I mean, this is like I would have to adjust my expectations of like what what that would look like.

[25:00] Andrew: How about you today?

[25:01] Kevin McHale: I think if like Ryan were to do it, I think he's smart enough to not like try to just copy exactly what we did before.

[25:11] Andrew: Yes, yes, I agree.

[25:13] Kevin McHale: But I also think that like we will never be our past selves when it was like the nostalgia of the of the series serves us so well as like, OK, the show, at least for me and I know for many other fans, it got them through such a hard time.

[25:26] Andrew: So it's like we can't have that expectation that it's going to be the same exact thing because we don't exist in that time anymore.

[25:33] Kevin McHale: So, Ryan, do you talk to him?

[25:36] Andrew: When was the last time you talked to that man?

[25:37] Kevin McHale: I haven't talked to him in a while, actually.

[25:40] Andrew: We did.

[25:41] Kevin McHale: I haven't talked to him in a minute.

[25:43] Andrew: Like, yeah, it's been a hot minute.

[25:45] Kevin McHale: Let's call him up right now.

[25:46] Andrew: We went through a phase where we talked a lot a couple of years ago.

[25:49] Kevin McHale: Yeah.

[25:51] Andrew: And he has 84 shows going on.

[25:53] Kevin McHale: Like, you know.

[25:54] Andrew: Oh, it's crazy.

[25:56] Kevin McHale: It's insane.

[25:57] Andrew: It's like it's every day.

[25:58] Kevin McHale: It's like, oh, here's a new project.

[26:00] Andrew: Anyway, yeah, okay, so we're gonna do one bracket competition you and I and doing these it's thank you.

[26:10] Kevin McHale: Like whenever you want me to come back and do these girl do not I don't love them. I do I do every time you post it on Instagram. I'm always clicking. You know, I'm alright. I'm checking too. I'm like, okay. Let's see Kevin's have a story. Let's see what he voted for. I make a mistake every now and then I'll do it. I'm like fuck, I shouldn't have done that. Fuck, Andrew's gonna see this. Yeah. Um, yeah, he's gonna think of me and the two of us will vote and if there needs to be a tiebreaker, we're gonna call upon the spirit of Artie Abrams and see what he would vote for.

[26:43] Andrew: The first song, the first song is an absolute banger if I say so myself. Okay, you will also likely love it if it ever damn loads, let's see. Oh here she is.

[26:57] Andrew: Diva. Share screen, share sound, boom. Do you see what it is? I'm so curious. We're just from this just from the screen grab.

[27:04] Kevin McHale: It's a game that we play but it's okay if you don't know, I don't think I do.

[27:08] Andrew: Well, hey, how would you know because it's "How Will I Know?" There we go.

[27:19] Kevin McHale: I was watching something the other day and Austin was in the other room. He just started laughing because he could hear Amber's ad-libs in some song out of nowhere. I was like, what's the edge of glory? Uh, she had some good ad-libs in that one. Yeah, he's like what? I'm like, I don't know but it's so good. It's so, so good.

[27:42] Andrew: Oh my god. I mean you were watching famously Gloria the other day was you posted to grid wait, what got that on? I'm so curious.

[27:54] Kevin McHale: Austin was showing me for those who don't know Austin's my boyfriend. Austin was watching a Glee out of context thing. Yeah, and it was actually the person I've seen where they were all so funny. It wasn't really out of context like because they're like absurd and offensive. It was oh, they're actually just the vocals insane. Yeah, like I was like that show was really fun.

[28:17] Andrew: Were you in the video?

[28:19] Kevin McHale: I think so. You have to have been I might yes, I think so and then we started talking. I don't know that made me think of something. I showed him then I wanted to show him like "Nutbush City Limits."

[28:32] Kevin McHale: Of course something in that video made me think of Nutbush and then because of Nutbush I was like, oh we got to have you seen Gloria we kind of remember and I were talking about it and how we were both so surprised by it and then I showed it to him and we were just like it's because it's like it's so deep in the series that it's like maybe it's not it's not going to be as good as early season. Oh it that's right up there.

[28:55] Andrew: Oh, it's because I really think that that whole storyline of them going at each having Rachel and Santana going at each other. Yeah, besides just like providing really good acting moments from both of them we got some bangers like there should have been more diva offs through song.

[29:13] Kevin McHale: Oh yeah on the show we got no literally because like just let it rip. There was not a bad song that storyline we got Santana's "Don't Rain on My Parade." We got "Brave" Sara Bareilles, "Every Breath You Take," Gloria. Come on. It's tell me. Oh yeah unbelievable.

[29:28] Andrew: And I yeah, that is one if there is a reboot have more people feuding through song.

[29:33] Kevin McHale: Oh, we need yeah, that's the secret sauce. I mean with this song "How Will I Know" I feel like this might not be the best example of like a song to put on like Glee on music video night.

[29:40] Andrew: You're aware of this premise?

[29:45] Kevin McHale: Well because I was doing it before I knew it was a common before his trademark. Yeah, like literally for the past decade have been doing it and I people had left my house like rolling their eyes. You're like, oh god, not more music videos. Not more and then it has become a thing. I was like didn't know I was just another cliché.

[30:05] Andrew: There are certain things that I'm like, oh, I'm exclusive. I'm like like I am a gay guy that maybe like "Kill Bill" was something that I was like oh, I like "Kill Bill" like that sets me apart from other gay guys and then I find out of course every gay guy likes "Kill Bill" and nothing is sacred. Um, but you like a diva Uma Thurman you killed "Kill Bill." Why did I think that that would be exclusive to me? But "How Will I Know?"

[30:30] Kevin McHale: Are you ever putting a Glee performance on the queue are you trying to stick away if there were other people?

[30:37] Andrew: It really depends.

[30:39] Kevin McHale: Yeah, it depend if it's people I'm really really really close with absolutely. Yeah, if it is people that I don't know as well. No.

[30:47] Kevin McHale: However, last year took like a weekend trip with some friends and we were at a gay bar and they played a music video, okay, what was it it was Amber singing I could do it. I think it was Amber's Olivier performance. Oh and I'm telling you are yeah and my friend it was like a newer friend turned to me and he's like, I love Amber Riley so much. I was like yeah, as you should of course get it.

[31:20] Kevin McHale: He's like her version like and Dreamgirls is just my favorite and then his boyfriend was like, oh well, have you like heard her do this or that from Glee and he's like what? Oh.

[31:33] Andrew: So then we went back over the school. I was like, I have to show you.

[31:37] Kevin McHale: Oh we were talking about rock because then "Rocky Horror" came on and I was like, but I was like, have you heard Amber Riley's sweet oh change the game like she did that and so we went back and I was like part of me was like I'm really embarrassed to do this, but I know I'm bestowing a gift on to him because it is truly an incredible version of this song.

[32:06] Andrew: No, it's and so in that instance I played it for someone I wasn't as close.

[32:11] Kevin McHale: No, she's I mean to put it into Glacket perspective she because we are in round three the Glacket right now nearing the end of round three almost on four Mercedes is cleaning up around here. And it's just like oh like it's like almost like what you would they're not like average songs but it's like it's just like she's cleaning up left and right and it's like how can we make any cuts when it comes to this woman, anyway, she's incredible.

[32:39] Andrew: Well, and it's like when you go in certain it is nice to like go out with her and you see how like the people react to Amber Riley, yeah, cuz I know I we know how we feel about her, right? I'm just like I'm used to people who are really good being underrated and overlooked to be honest, and then you go out and it's like oh, no, no, no the people know the people are aware. Yeah, people remember, of course. Oh my god. It's just incredible love that woman down bad.

[33:03] Kevin McHale: Yeah, how will I know? Do you have any any any thoughts off the cuff that you need to say?

[33:12] Andrew: Lots of thoughts. It's incredible. Yeah, you know, I love a almost talk about basically occupy a version. I think anything we've done like that or just like an acoustic guitar is just like mm-hmm the best because you want to hear all these people singing and the four of them singing together. So good sound great together.

[33:30] Kevin McHale: Yeah, they're all they'll have very distinct voices and like the magic is that they all blend beautifully. It's crazy. I also love that number. It's so good and nice incredible, I think beautiful gowns complimentary. Yes, exactly.

[33:45] Andrew: No, no shade, of course, like I truly mean it like we have the beautiful gowns and the beautiful vocals we have it all yes, and we don't normally get both typically so hard to be yeah.

[34:02] Kevin McHale: I'm going into what "How Will I Know" what's up against I think you're going to get this one from the thumbnail putting a lot of pressure on you. I'm nervous for whatever this is going because like "How Will I Know" is you know what? This is oh.

[34:10] Andrew: "Like a Virgin."

[34:16] Kevin McHale: "Like a Virgin." Here we go. Wait, can I say something about this? Yeah, so the other day when Austin and I started going down the Glee rabbit hole a little bit he was like I need to show you the songs like since being with you that I have downloaded from Glee yes that I realized are like my favorites and we're going through it and "Like a Virgin" is on there as it should as he said particularly because he loves nice ad-libs in it.

[34:34] Andrew: Oh yeah. Yeah, but he had that downloaded before we even met.

[34:41] Kevin McHale: Wait, which is terrible how much of um, but he respects a good outlet. How much of a Gleek was Austin?

[34:48] Kevin McHale: I think early on he was a pretty good-sized Gleek. He did not reveal to me for a while. Okay. Yeah, he when we first met and we were working together he did play "Don't Stop Believin'" for me and we're talking about the pilot version, of course.

[35:10] Andrew: Yes. Yeah.

[35:12] Kevin McHale: And then at some point he told me that before his like first trip to New York City he was playing our version of "Empire State of Mind" on like repeat.

[35:28] Andrew: What are your thoughts on that?

[35:28] Kevin McHale: That's a kind of complicated some of the words that they swapped out on that one. I had issues when we were recording it some of the words that they swapped out in that song. Oh, I don't even remember.

[35:41] Andrew: Oh, I mean, I mean I have not listened to that song by that version and probably a decade.

[35:45] Kevin McHale: Yeah, like online in that song that I don't know you can listen to yourself. I'm not gonna repeat it.

[35:53] Andrew: Yeah, here's "Like a Virgin."

[35:56] Kevin McHale: Really so special it's so good. I feel like every time that this song gets pulled like I feel like we watch porn. We were watching porn. We're watching porn together. Yeah, it makes me a little uncomfortable to watch.

[36:11] Andrew: Why because your friends are getting freaky?

[36:16] Kevin McHale: Yeah.

[36:18] Kevin McHale: Not because they're getting freaky it's cuz they're getting freaky on camera. They're freaky on camera. Whatever you do in the bedroom that's none of my business fine. Um speaking of getting freaky. Where's this going? I feel like I've been wanting to ask someone part of the Glee cast the Glee porn do you know the Glee porn?

[36:32] Andrew: Yes.

[36:35] Kevin McHale: And what are your thoughts on the Glee porn and did we all together? Really? I believe I believe Corey got a copy of it. Okay, and we went in one of our trailers and might have been mine I don't know if it was all of us at once but it was like whoever was working that day that we could like round up. Yeah, it wasn't our makeup or something. There were a good number of us in somebody's trailer and we did watch it cuz they're like in a choir room, right?

[37:03] Andrew: They're in a choir room. It's been a minute since I've done.

[37:11] Kevin McHale: I don't know if we watched all of it. Yeah, I think that there's if memory serves because it's musical you remember this. Yeah. Yeah I remember we watched like there's something going on in a choir room and they do Rachel Mercedes to a version or something girls don't think they like call big tushy hoes.

[37:30] Andrew: Mm-hmm.

[37:30] Kevin McHale: And they changed all the lyrics also like Finn and Quinn go to the doctor's together and they get freaky there. Yeah, well, yeah, I don't think we watched all of it, but I do remember watching the hey no Artie, where was Artie in the Glee porn?

[37:49] Andrew: Mm-hmm. I don't you know.

[37:49] Kevin McHale: Ableism and porn and there we go. I mean, maybe I'm showing how much I know of this Glee porn but there's also a scene of Tina and Sue. Uh-huh. Go on done my research Tina and Sue does Jenna know about this?

[38:01] Andrew: Wait, Tina and Sue Tina and Sue like Tina's in the bathroom.

[38:05] Kevin McHale: This is not good Tina's in the bathroom. Sue's like mad at her and they get freaky in the bathroom.

[38:13] Andrew: I don't remember I don't um, she doesn't need to be made aware of that. She doesn't.

[38:24] Kevin McHale: Yeah, I mean I think it's great at that point there were like all these like Glee versions of things and that yeah, like something you could never imagine happening crazy. You're like what an honor sure. Oh, it's insane. It pops up everywhere still like I was at do you know Falcon in Hell's Kitchen?

[38:43] Andrew: No, but this is the second time this week that it has come up.

[38:48] Kevin McHale: It's really lovely. It's a they literally have a balcony where you can watch the performances that are happening on the floor below and they did a performance of as we can't get it out of our mouth Gloria. There were three performers all doing.

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