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: Gleek it by Gleek it, 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: That's Coffee Coffee Dingle Dingle singing. Do you know that? No way, no way! Yes, I know that.

[0:40] Andrew: I'm a fan of this podcast, I know that. Coffee Coffee Dingle Dingle. I love him. Dingle Dingle.

[0:45] Unknown speaker: Yeah.

[0:46] Andrew: It is the her. It is the her of the two, yeah. Even better, golden girl!

[0:52] Unknown speaker: What's her name? Misty, Missy? I don't know her name.

[0:58] Unknown speaker: No, Missy. Missy McIntosh. I don't know.

[1:04] Andrew: I love her. Lena's out here getting everything wrong. I'm so glad we're not recording. Oh wait, we are recording! F*** her! This is now everyone knows. That's the clip. That's the clip. And I'm gonna tag Missy. I'm a fan! Beauty, golden girl! Okay, well. Oh my god, that's so embarrassing.

[1:19] Andrew: I love you, Missy. I'm sorry. I love you, Andrew. I'm sorry. I'm joined yet again by Connor and Connor and Matt.

[1:27] Unknown speaker: It was Matt.

[1:28] Andrew: It was me, Matt. Yeah, yeah. And it's so great. I couldn't book anybody else. And so it's just you guys again.

[1:32] Unknown speaker: Yeah, of course.

[1:36] Andrew: Well, I'd love to hear more about Zendaya, Connor, if you want to take it away.

[1:40] Connor: Yeah, it was such an awesome thing. I loved to do it. It was in the Czech Republic.

[1:46] Connor: I wore a little blonde wig. I looked beautiful. And I really liked it. And Zendaya, her last name is Coleman. I know her last name.

[1:52] Andrew: Wait, really?

[1:53] Connor: Yes.

[1:54] Andrew: Oh. I was just listening to the podcast and you guys didn't remember her last name. And I do know that.

[2:02] Unknown speaker: How many, but like, how many people actually do know that? I don't think it's like, I mean, people know that. It's not like a secret.

[2:07] Connor: Here's my question. In Shake It Up, was she billed as Zendaya Coleman or Zendaya?

[2:12] Unknown speaker: Well, I don't know. I was old.

[2:13] Connor: I was too, but I'd imagine it was probably Zendaya Coleman.

[2:17] Unknown speaker: I am going to, talk amongst yourselves. I'm going to look this up.

[2:23] Unknown speaker: Okay, while we're talking about like mononym celebrities, what is Adele's last name? Do either of you know?

[2:30] Unknown speaker: Adelson.

[2:31] Unknown speaker: Adele Adelson, famously.

[2:33] Unknown speaker: Adele Adelson. I don't know. I have no idea.

[2:37] Connor: Adele Adkins.

[2:38] Unknown speaker: Adkins. Oh, shout out. I like her shakes. Just kidding.

[2:45] Unknown speaker: Wait, no, what is like, what's like Madonna's last name? What's Cher's last name?

[2:50] Unknown speaker: No, oh, I said no. Oh my God. I literally read Cher's memoir recently. And she never mentioned having a last name?

[3:00] Unknown speaker: No, she does. But the thing I took away is her real name is Cheryl.

[3:04] Unknown speaker: Oh, that was the big takeaway?

[3:08] Unknown speaker: Yeah, so I don't remember the last name, but I do remember the ol.

[3:14] Unknown speaker: Yeah, um, everyone can, they can release their bated breath. She is billed as just Zendaya in Shake It Up season one. So she was a mononym from her roots, baby.

[3:21] Connor: Huh? With a name like Zendaya. I feel like it's like out of the womb. It's like, oh, yeah, you got a powerful name.

[3:25] Unknown speaker: Yeah, a list. I want I want like a bill to go mononym.

[3:35] Unknown speaker: Bill.

[3:36] Connor: Yeah, I just like I want like the most not even rich name, like a Sarah, that there's a celebrity named Sarah who's like, I'm so famous. I'm just gonna go by Sarah and people are gonna you know, that when you say Sarah, you're talking about me and not the 10 Sarah's, you know, personally, I'm not kidding with you.

[3:50] Unknown speaker: Like when you said Sarah, the first time that you said Sarah, a chill ran down my spine.

[3:54] Unknown speaker: Oh my God.

[3:56] Unknown speaker: Like, just like, whoa, the power that that must have.

[4:00] Unknown speaker: The power that has to be Sarah. It's like the pop star in a horror movie. Like, oh my God, Sarah, you know, it's one thing to be like, I'm who you think of when you think of Zendaya.

[4:10] Unknown speaker: Yeah, well, no, I don't know as Zendaya personally.

[4:12] Unknown speaker: Oh, like Madonna? If I'm thinking of pop star Sarah, when I could list off 10 Sarah's, two of which I'm related to right now.

[4:24] Unknown speaker: Wow. Lots to think about. Are there any like, mononym male celebrities?

[4:38] Unknown speaker: I don't. That's such a good question. Prince, but that's not like his name. You know?

[4:46] Unknown speaker: Leave it in the comments. I guess Prince. Let us know.

[4:51] Unknown speaker: I'm not really. If you're a male celebrity, comment below and let us know. We'd love to check you out below. Let us know.

[4:59] Andrew: Well, the gig is up. I'm joined by this is the Recovering Gleek episode. Every round needs one. The Recovering Gleek episode of round three.

[5:08] Andrew: Then we'll come back individually to ruin the Glackett. I feel like the Glackett has been ruined as of last week.

[5:14] Unknown speaker: Oh, that was really tough.

[5:16] Unknown speaker: That was really tough. But I understood what was happening. The correct decision was made.

[5:23] Unknown speaker: So it was tragic, but I wouldn't say it was ruined. It's inevitable. We're in round three. Tough decisions are going to have to be made.

[5:30] Andrew: Have you ever felt that the Glackett has been ruined? Like just in Glistory?

[5:36] Unknown speaker: No, no. There have been votes that have been really hard for me.

[5:41] Unknown speaker: But ultimately, I've been able to make peace with them.

[5:46] Unknown speaker: Usually the songs that are leaving are songs that maybe I understand that I'm the only person who's writing for. And I like, you know, I've made peace with that.

[5:57] Unknown speaker: I will say, last night, I was listening to the episode as I was falling asleep.

[6:02] Andrew: It was sending you into a deep slumber.

[6:04] Unknown speaker: Oh, I love that.

[6:06] Unknown speaker: Yeah. And it got to the point where I actually know I couldn't fall asleep. It was too riveting.

[6:12] Andrew: Oh, perfect.

[6:13] Unknown speaker: I fell asleep so late last night. But I got to the point where I knew that it was Valerie.

[6:18] Unknown speaker: And then I heard that the next song was the Adele mashup. And I sincerely was like, I can't deal with this right now. And I turned it off and went to sleep.

[6:25] Andrew: Good for you.

[6:26] Unknown speaker: Oh, yeah.

[6:27] Unknown speaker: I was so afraid.

[6:29] Unknown speaker: Honestly, I heard it and I was like, Ian would be so upset by this.

[6:36] Unknown speaker: Yeah, I don't know. That like messed me up. But like in a way that I was like, I stand by what I said. It was like, yeah, there was going to be days like this. And I knew it would happen. So yeah.

[6:43] Andrew: Anyway, it's rough because sorry to like continue to harp on it. But it's rough because Valerie deserves to go so much further. Like as a song. I personally think it's the best solo in the entire show.

[6:56] Unknown speaker: But it doesn't deserve to go further over Rumor Has It Someone Likes You.

[7:01] Unknown speaker: Yeah.

[7:02] Andrew: So it sucks that they were up against each other. Because Valerie would take out like half the songs in round three, I feel like. But it is what it is.

[7:09] Unknown speaker: Yeah.

[7:10] Unknown speaker: Yeah.

[7:11] Unknown speaker: Connor is being a little bit too aggressive about getting Valerie out of here.

[7:16] Unknown speaker: I messaged him and I said, I could kiss you for how hard you were.

[7:21] Unknown speaker: I mean, for Adele, I was relieved to know I was in good hands.

[7:26] Andrew: How are you feeling about like, just round three? Do you have any round three thoughts?

[7:31] Unknown speaker: Generally? What do you think is gonna happen this round with your third eye?

[7:36] Unknown speaker: Knowing us, I think it's gonna be easy.

[7:39] Unknown speaker: Yeah, I think it's gonna be really fun.

[7:41] Unknown speaker: Uncontroversial.

[7:43] Unknown speaker: Uncontroversial. I think we're not gonna make anyone mad. I'm not gonna cry about it.

[7:48] Unknown speaker: Yeah, yeah.

[7:49] Andrew: Okay, round three. I'm kind of pumped with pumped for I don't know what the grammar is there.

[7:55] Unknown speaker: Yeah, I'm really excited to listen in.

[7:57] Unknown speaker: Yeah, I think Matt maybe said last week that he was like, at this point, it's an honor that they made it this far.

[8:05] Unknown speaker: And I do feel that way.

[8:06] Unknown speaker: I'm excited to get heavy hitters and it's gonna be hard and it's gonna be sad.

[8:11] Unknown speaker: But I was like, the reality is, they made it to round three.

[8:15] Unknown speaker: That's really exciting.

[8:16] Unknown speaker: And I'm at peace that some beautiful girls are not going to continue on with us.

[8:22] Unknown speaker: They just simply can.

[8:23] Unknown speaker: That's how the glooky crumbles.

[8:25] Unknown speaker: Yeah, exactly.

[8:26] Unknown speaker: Um, I do have a gloy smell.

[8:29] Unknown speaker: If we care to listen.

[8:31] Unknown speaker: I would love to.

[8:32] Unknown speaker: Oh my gosh, it's like I'm on the radio.

[8:34] Unknown speaker: Wait, we can see this.

[8:36] Unknown speaker: Oh my gosh, I can see all of your emails.

[8:38] Unknown speaker: Oh, perfect.

[8:39] Unknown speaker: I'm gonna steal your personal information.

[8:41] Hannah: Hi, this is Hannah. I'm calling because when I'm recording this, this is the anniversary of the episode Tested coming out.

[8:48] Hannah: And I have such strong feelings about Tested. We talked before in the podcast about what's the worst episode of Glee.

[8:55] Hannah: And I want to throw Tested in the ring for the worst episode of Glee.

[9:01] Hannah: I think it is like complete character assassination of every single character that's on that.

[9:06] Hannah: I am a diehard Clayne person. And what the hell is that Clayne plot?

[9:12] Hannah: Where Blaine is like, Blaine gets fat? What? Where is that coming from?

[9:18] Hannah: The whole thing with the fencing is weird. The thing with Blaine and the cheese puffs.

[9:24] Hannah: Don't get me started on frat boys physicals. It's like complete character assassination of their relationship.

[9:30] Hannah: Because what's happening to Blaine? The Artie stuff where Artie is like sleeping around with all these women.

[9:36] Hannah: If you think back to like, I think it was like season two, where Artie loses his virginity to Brittany.

[9:42] Hannah: He's like, oh, it was really important to me. That like sexually important to me.

[9:48] Hannah: And then this is like the complete like reversal of that. He's over the place, which is crazy.

[9:54] Hannah: The Sam and Mercedes plot where Mercedes is just like, I don't want to sleep with you.

[10:01] Hannah: And Sam is like, but please, over and over and over again the entire episode.

[10:07] Hannah: And then that proceeds to happen for basically the rest of the season. All starts in that episode.

[10:13] Hannah: None of the songs in that episode are good. It's like my least favorite Clayne duet, which is really saying something because I love everything Clayne.

[10:20] Hannah: So I know Andrew said moving out is the worst. So yeah, it's not a great episode.

[10:26] Hannah: But I think to me, it's very clear when Artie dresses up as the SPB.

[10:32] Hannah: I have trouble with anybody making a case for tested. So that's me throwing tested in the ring for worst episode of Glee.

[10:40] Hannah: Love you guys. So thankful for everything you do. Big fan.

[10:46] Hannah: All right. I'll talk to you later. Bye.

[10:48] Unknown speaker: Okay. Not too much on the Chlamydia costume.

[10:50] Unknown speaker: Not too much on the...

[10:51] Unknown speaker: I wear that.

[10:52] Unknown speaker: Not too much.

[10:53] Unknown speaker: I'm not camp.

[10:54] Unknown speaker: That's my own Saturday club fit.

[10:56] Unknown speaker: Yeah.

[10:57] Unknown speaker: That's what my lounge wear.

[10:59] Unknown speaker: I like to let everybody know, hey, this is what you're dealing with.

[11:04] Unknown speaker: What's wrong with Chlamydia?

[11:05] Unknown speaker: And what's wrong with Chlamydia?

[11:07] Unknown speaker: Hold on a second.

[11:09] Unknown speaker: I refuse to get treated for it.

[11:12] Unknown speaker: We hate koalas now?

[11:13] Unknown speaker: Come on.

[11:15] Andrew: Okay. So first of all, I love this Glee smell, Hannah. My question to the both of you is, what are your thoughts on the episode Tested?

[11:24] Andrew: And also, what are your personal picks for absolutely worst?

[11:28] Unknown speaker: Oh, I feel like I actually know.

[11:30] Unknown speaker: Now that I'm thinking about it, I think I know.

[11:32] Unknown speaker: You know the official answer that we said on our podcast.

[11:34] Unknown speaker: Yes.

[11:35] Unknown speaker: Yes.

[11:36] Unknown speaker: Because we talked about it.

[11:37] Unknown speaker: What was it?

[11:38] Unknown speaker: I don't know.

[11:39] Unknown speaker: We both said Shooting Star and Anshu likes Shooting Star.

[11:42] Unknown speaker: Oh, yeah.

[11:43] Unknown speaker: Shooting Star is high drama.

[11:44] Unknown speaker: And I like a high drama.

[11:46] Unknown speaker: And hear me out.

[11:47] Unknown speaker: It is.

[11:48] Unknown speaker: They're acting down.

[11:49] Unknown speaker: I can appreciate it for that.

[11:51] Unknown speaker: Definitely.

[11:52] Andrew: Really fun conversation, Shooting Star.

[11:54] Unknown speaker: But I can give you other picks that I have besides Shooting Star for worst.

[11:58] Unknown speaker: Thoughts on Tested.

[12:00] Unknown speaker: Hannah, great points.

[12:02] Unknown speaker: An episode that I haven't seen in a while.

[12:04] Unknown speaker: So I can't exactly come in swinging for or against.

[12:08] Unknown speaker: But based on my memory, I'm with you on the Clayne stuff.

[12:12] Unknown speaker: That plot is cuckoo crazy in a bad way.

[12:16] Unknown speaker: I, from my memory, once again, I haven't seen in a long time.

[12:20] Unknown speaker: I don't know if I'm fully with you on the Arty and Samsadys.

[12:24] Unknown speaker: One, the Chlamydia costume is high camp.

[12:27] Unknown speaker: I'm obsessed.

[12:29] Unknown speaker: Two, I see what you're saying about like Arty.

[12:32] Unknown speaker: It was a really big deal to him, his virginity and having sex with Britney.

[12:36] Unknown speaker: And 100% that is very true.

[12:38] Unknown speaker: That's something we know about this character.

[12:40] Unknown speaker: We've also seen through the course of this show that Arty has questionable views towards women.

[12:46] Unknown speaker: And many times I'm led to believe maybe the reason that he is not more of a misogynist is because he is in a wheelchair.

[12:52] Unknown speaker: And so like the shallow girls at this high school aren't giving him the time of day.

[12:56] Unknown speaker: But like I'm saying, I think if Arty had more of a social standing in high school, he might have been more like what we saw in Tested.

[13:03] Unknown speaker: Are we, you guys are making faces.

[13:05] Unknown speaker: What's happening right now?

[13:06] Unknown speaker: No, no, no.

[13:07] Unknown speaker: Oh, no, the faces are in complete agreement.

[13:09] Unknown speaker: I'm sorry if I conveyed otherwise.

[13:11] Unknown speaker: Um, I, no, because I did want to flag the Arty.

[13:14] Unknown speaker: You guys are making faces.

[13:16] Unknown speaker: I looked and I was like, am I stepping in something right now?

[13:20] Unknown speaker: It made me very nervous.

[13:22] Unknown speaker: I thought we all agreed that he's a misogynist.

[13:25] Unknown speaker: He makes very off-color comments about women.

[13:29] Unknown speaker: Lena and I are famous misogynists with Chlamydia.

[13:32] Unknown speaker: And I refuse to treat my Chlamydia.

[13:36] Unknown speaker: But I do, um, I do remember that when, when Lena and I watched Tested for Recovering Gleek and we talked about it,

[13:44] Unknown speaker: we did say that it was kind of an interesting reversal where it's like Arty went from a high school where he was a huge loser, knowing he gave him the time of day.

[13:52] Unknown speaker: Because this is true when you go to art school.

[13:54] Unknown speaker: Oh my gosh.

[13:55] Unknown speaker: Where it's like you go from being ostracized to suddenly because everyone likes the same thing as you, you are hot shit.

[14:02] Unknown speaker: So I think it's fun that like now that Arty's with film nerds, everybody's trying to get with him.

[14:07] Unknown speaker: Yes.

[14:08] Unknown speaker: And knowing that Arty's viewing women as objects, I'm frankly not very surprised that he is getting with these women who want to sleep with him.

[14:14] Unknown speaker: Sure.

[14:35] Ian: Welcome back to Gleek of the Week! Today, we’re diving into another exciting round of the Glacket, and I’m thrilled to be joined by Lena from Recovering Gleek.

[14:50] Lena: Thanks for having me, Ian! I’m excited to discuss some of these performances.

[15:05] Ian: Absolutely! So, let’s kick things off with our first song, "Applause." What are your thoughts on this performance?

[15:20] Lena: I think it’s such a fun number! The energy is infectious, and the choreography really brings it to life.

[15:35] Ian: I agree! The way they incorporate the audience into the performance is fantastic. It really captures the essence of the song.

[15:50] Lena: And let’s not forget about the costumes! They really went all out with the glitter and glam.

[16:05] Ian: Yes! It’s definitely a standout moment in the series.

[16:15] Lena: Speaking of standout moments, what did you think of Quinn’s dancing in this episode?

[16:30] Ian: I thought it was great! She really shines in this performance. It’s nice to see her character come alive on stage.

[16:45] Lena: Totally! It’s like she finally gets to express herself, and you can see how much she enjoys it.

[17:05] Ian: Exactly! And it’s such a contrast to some of the more serious moments we’ve seen from her.

[17:20] Lena: For sure. It’s nice to have those light-hearted moments mixed in.

[17:35] Ian: Now, let’s move on to "Broadway Baby." This song always brings a smile to my face.

[17:50] Lena: Same here! It’s such a classic, and the way they perform it is just so charming.

[18:05] Ian: I love how they pay homage to Broadway while still making it their own.

[18:20] Lena: Yes! And the harmonies are just beautiful. It really showcases the talent of the cast.

[18:35] Ian: Definitely! And it’s a great way to highlight the different voices in the group.

[18:50] Lena: Speaking of voices, let’s talk about "Express Yourself." What a powerful performance!

[19:05] Ian: It really is! The message of the song is so important, and they deliver it with such passion.

[19:20] Lena: I love how they incorporate the themes of self-expression and empowerment. It’s so relevant.

[19:35] Ian: And the choreography is on point! It really elevates the whole performance.

[19:50] Lena: Absolutely! You can tell they put a lot of effort into making it visually stunning.

[20:05] Ian: Now, let’s shift gears a bit and discuss "Without You." This one hits hard emotionally.

[20:20] Lena: It really does. The vulnerability in the performance is palpable, and it resonates with so many people.

[20:35] Ian: I think it’s one of those songs that just stays with you long after it’s over.

[20:50] Lena: For sure. It’s a beautiful moment in the series that showcases the depth of the characters.

[21:05] Ian: I love how they balance the fun and the serious moments throughout the show.

[21:20] Lena: Yes! It’s what makes Glee so special. There’s something for everyone.

[21:35] Ian: Alright, let’s wrap up this round. What are your final thoughts on these performances?

[21:50] Lena: I think they all bring something unique to the table, and it’s hard to choose a favorite!

[22:05] Ian: I agree! Each song has its own charm, and they all deserve recognition.

[22:20] Lena: Absolutely! I can’t wait to see how they fare in the Glacket.

[22:35] Ian: Same here! Thanks for joining me today, Lena.

[22:50] Lena: Thank you for having me, Ian! It’s always a blast to discuss Glee with you.

[23:05] Ian: And thank you to our listeners for tuning in! Don’t forget to rate us five stars on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

[23:20] Lena: And check out our Patreon for exclusive content and bonus episodes!

[23:35] Ian: We’ll see you next time on Gleek of the Week!

[23:50] Lena: Bye!

[24:05] Ian: Bye!

[24:15] ♪ Musical number: "Applause" — performed by Glee Cast ♪

[24:45] ♪ Musical number: "Broadway Baby" — performed by Glee Cast ♪

[25:15] ♪ Musical number: "Express Yourself" — performed by Glee Cast ♪

[25:45] ♪ Musical number: "Without You" — performed by Glee Cast ♪

[29:11] Ian: And I was in bed.

[29:13] Lena: I was also in bed.

[29:15] Ian: Yeah. Four people DM'd me within just a minute of the first story being uploaded.

[29:23] Lena: And I think the first story was them backstage, and it was just Diana filming Leah and Darren together.

[29:31] Ian: And then the picture came, and I was like, oh, fuck. Crazy.

[29:37] Lena: Yeah.

[29:39] Ian: We got Diana hanging out with Leah Michelle.

[29:43] Lena: Diana acknowledging that she once starred on the hip-hop show Glee.

[29:47] Ian: And Diana starring in another Ryan Murphy project, all within like 24 hours.

[29:52] Lena: Oh my gosh, seriously?

[29:54] Ian: Girl, it was three hours!

[29:57] Lena: I was like, I am just putting my head back on.

[30:00] Ian: She is such an enigma to me.

[30:02] Lena: Oh my gosh, she's crazy.

[30:04] Ian: She's been running from this for a decade, and suddenly she said, all right, you want me to be a Gleek, I'll be a Gleek. All right, fine.

[30:12] Lena: Thank you, Mother, oh my God.

[30:14] Ian: I'll Gleek on Main.

[30:16] Lena: No, it was just really, really wild.

[30:20] Ian: And it's just like the last, I don't know, I just assumed that I would just live out the rest of my days.

[30:26] Lena: I know.

[30:27] Ian: Without them ever interacting again.

[30:30] Lena: Crazy.

[30:32] Ian: It just wasn't the time I was expecting it either.

[30:35] Lena: Yeah.

[30:36] Ian: There have been times when I was expecting it and she wasn't there, and then there she was.

[30:41] Lena: I'm happy she's here.

[30:43] Ian: But then as that day was transpiring, I was thinking, what do I even know about these two girls' relationship?

[30:49] Lena: Because I thought that I knew.

[30:53] Ian: I know that they were roommates all of season one.

[31:00] Lena: Were they roommates season two?

[31:02] Ian: I don't know. But what do y'all know about them?

[31:07] Lena: I just know that they were best friends season one, would talk about each other as best friends.

[31:13] Ian: Yeah.

[31:14] Lena: But that was season one.

[31:15] Ian: Yeah.

[31:16] Lena: And then post that, I didn't hear any rumblings about what was going on between them.

[31:21] Ian: Yeah.

[31:22] Lena: And then season three, the writing for the show was really leaning in heavy to the fact that they were aware, the creators, that they were aware that this relationship means so much to a fraction of the internet.

[31:41] Ian: I remember, I don't even know if it was just exclusive to Glee couples, but maybe it was just all couples history that they were like, what is your favorite TV couple?

[31:53] Lena: And Quinn and Rachel won.

[31:56] Ian: Yeah.

[31:57] Lena: And they tweeted a picture of them together and they're like, thanks for all the votes.

[32:01] Ian: And what?

[32:04] Lena: These girls.

[32:05] Ian: Gleeks are so crazy.

[32:07] Lena: They had their pickings and they were like, no, Rachel and Quinn, actually.

[32:14] Ian: Isn't that so funny?

[32:15] Lena: I'll take the queer baiting, please.

[32:17] Ian: I love Faberi so much.

[32:20] Lena: There's something I love about just as a lover of romantic media in general, like an academic rival sort of situation is always something that I love.

[32:25] Ian: So especially as a teenager, I loved that so much.

[32:35] Lena: And something about Ryan Murphy dangling it in front of my face and then telling me I'll never have it, I don't know, made me obsessed.

[32:45] Ian: And it's like, I have my pick of the, I love all these other couples so much. Why am I so obsessed with Faberi? I can't tell you.

[32:53] Lena: I know.

[32:54] Ian: I can't tell you.

[32:55] Lena: They were out here giving so many crumbs.

[32:56] Ian: I'm talking about the on my way scene when Quinn puts their Cheerios uniform back on. She's like, Rachel, lookie.

[33:04] Lena: She's like, Rachel, when you were singing that song, you were singing it to Finn, right?

[33:10] Ian: To Finn, right?

[33:12] Lena: And her being so relaxed about them getting married. It's like, okay, girl, propose.

[33:18] Ian: Girl.

[33:19] Lena: Yeah. Your turn.

[33:21] Ian: Oh, there's like a moment in season one when Quinn is writing Rachel's name with hearts next to it.

[33:26] Lena: Yes.

[33:27] Ian: Which I'm sure that I'm sure that was like a Diana joke because they were such good friends.

[33:31] Lena: Yeah.

[33:32] Ian: But like, if you put it in the show, I'm good. The crumbs are there.

[33:36] Lena: I'm freaking out.

[33:37] Ian: Yeah. They're providing so much.

[33:40] Lena: Oh, my gosh.

[33:41] Ian: Yeah. And I just remember when and then like by the time like season four came around, we were so desperate that we were like, are we ever going? Is she ever going to use this like train ticket? You know?

[33:55] Lena: Yes.

[33:56] Ian: And they finally I remember the spoilers where they were like, Quinn and Santana are going to come to New York City in an episode titled Naked.

[34:05] Lena: And log off.

[34:09] Ian: Yeah.

[34:10] Lena: Two lesbians in New York in an episode called Naked. Sign me up.

[34:14] Ian: I know what that's about.

[34:15] Lena: I know what that's about.

[34:16] Ian: Naked in Manhattan.

[34:19] Lena: We're like, my gosh.

[34:20] Ian: Right, right, right.

[34:21] Lena: Literally.

[34:22] Ian: So that was just really wild.

[34:25] Lena: So but I also not to like yank the possible fun out of this reunion between two beautiful girls. I did like maybe I'm just like calling it out and we all are aware. Do we think that Leo was just like, hey, Diana, I need to sell tour tickets. And this is a really good way.

[34:46] Ian: And if that's the case, she's right.

[34:49] Lena: And she's right.

[34:50] Ian: She's right.

[34:52] Lena: I she did get me because I didn't buy tickets until that. And I was like, there's a possibility that Diana goes the New Jersey date and they sing.

[35:03] Ian: I feel pretty.

[35:04] Lena: I'm pretty. And I don't want to miss out.

[35:06] Ian: No.

[35:07] Lena: Oh, yeah. No, that would be crazy.

[35:09] Ian: So. I think that's possible.

[35:13] Lena: I like the more I learn about PR, the more I realize that that kind of stuff is genuinely happening all the time.

[35:20] Ian: Yeah.

[35:21] Lena: I remember back when the funny girl of it all happened. I was working with someone whose friend was in Funny Girl with Leah.

[35:31] Ian: And they were saying they were like, she has been like nothing but incredibly lovely and like inviting the entire cast over to her house.

[35:41] Lena: And, you know, just like really trying to be friends with everyone, which one is really great to hear.

[35:47] Ian: And I'm happy that happened. But also, like.

[35:49] Lena: I'm sure part of it was that she had to go on a PR tour immediately before that show. Her public image was not good.

[35:58] Ian: Not now.

[35:59] Lena: So people were big. I'm short. I'm sure she and her team are aware. Like, we got to be on our best behavior and get your image back to where it was.

[36:09] Ian: Yeah.

[36:10] Lena: A few years ago.

[36:11] Ian: Mm hmm.

[36:13] Lena: And I don't. Oh, if anybody wants to take this one, we don't need to. Because I don't think that this is maybe like even a conversation to be had. But the Amber Riley of it all. Do we have anything to add to this?

[36:27] Ian: I don't know.

[36:28] Lena: I what I will say. I asked you if you have any thoughts, but I actually do want to have a statement about this.

[36:34] Ian: Yeah.

[36:36] Lena: I just thought it was so stupid that it was even a headline that Amber Riley unfollowing Diana and Darren after this reunion. I was like, let her unfollow them.

[36:44] Ian: Yeah.

[36:45] Lena: Why do we care? And then people were relating it to other people that Amber still follows. And I'm like, girl, I still follow shitty people, too.

[36:52] Ian: Like, we all follow fucking shitty people that we aren't fucking condoning everything that they're.

[36:57] Lena: I don't know. And I unfollow people for the stupidest fucking reasons.

[37:01] Ian: I don't know.

[37:02] Lena: Oh my gosh.

[37:03] Ian: So.

[37:04] Lena: Yeah.

[37:05] Ian: Yeah.

[37:06] Lena: Three of the girls that were in this performance. Let her unfollow them. Who cares?

[37:09] Ian: That Amber can do no wrong to me.

[37:13] Lena: No.

[37:14] Ian: I don't know. She she's been put through it. As far as I'm concerned.

[37:18] Lena: I like all of the Glee cast interpersonal relationships with each other. My view of it is always.

[37:26] Ian: They went through such insane experiences together.

[37:30] Lena: Yeah.

[37:31] Ian: That no one else will ever understand.

[37:33] Lena: That no one really.

[37:35] Ian: Is in the place to calm like no one can really make no one has all the information is what I'm trying to say.

[37:43] Lena: Yeah.

[37:44] Ian: As in like they are so bonded and also went through so much shit and also like clashed and were rude to each other in so many different ways because they were in such a vacuum and such crazy stuff was happening to them.

[37:55] Lena: Yeah.

[37:56] Ian: That no one will ever understand those dynamics. So anytime that anything happens anytime like customers reconnect and anytime customers break apart. I'm like, yeah, that makes sense.

[38:07] Lena: I'm sure it was crazy.

[38:09] Ian: I'm sure what they all went through was absolutely insane.

[38:13] Lena: But they're also they were co-workers like.

[38:19] Ian: Could you.

[38:20] Lena: I do not follow every co-worker I've ever had on Instagram.

[38:24] Ian: But not even current co-workers co-workers from 10 years ago.

[38:28] Lena: I avoid them.

[38:29] Ian: It's like, oh, my God, I would be driven up a wall and I would like publicly like go live and I would say things that I it would be very crass.

[38:40] Lena: I would be so mad if people were like, Andrew, you unfollowed this person that you worked with 10 years ago. Explain.

[38:46] Ian: I would be livid.

[38:47] Lena: I'd be like, I'm sorry, we haven't spoken. I don't know what's going on.

[38:50] Ian: And I don't like their content.

[38:55] Lena: All right.

[38:56] Ian: And every once in a while I will forget about a person. I'm not saying this is the case, but I'll forget about a person.

[39:03] Lena: Then they'll show up on my feed and I'll be like, oh, yeah.

[39:06] Ian: Oh, my gosh. Bye.

[39:09] Lena: Yeah.

[39:10] Ian: Sometimes it takes one post to be like, OK, there it is.

[39:12] Lena: Yeah, see, you know, that's it.

[39:14] Ian: I don't know.

[39:16] Lena: Mm hmm.

[39:17] Ian: Anyway, I think we solved it.

[39:19] Lena: I think we did.

[39:21] Ian: Yeah.

[39:22] Lena: Amber Riley, we love you.

[39:24] Ian: Love you.

[39:25] Lena: Also, she's in like every comment section of every Instagram reel I've ever seen.

[39:30] Ian: And I always like her comment.

[39:32] Lena: Oh, I love her.

[39:34] Ian: She lets people know where she is.

[39:35] Lena: And I love that her stories are this small when she's got something to speak.

[39:41] Ian: Let her speak.

[39:42] Lena: And I'm like, that's right.

[39:44] Ian: Audio medium.

[39:45] Lena: It's tiny.

[39:46] Ian: I'm talking about she is adding a lot to her story day in and day out.

[39:51] Lena: She's feeding us content.

[39:53] Ian: Yeah.

[39:55] Lena: And some of the content that she fed us was Express Yourself, Gleecast version by Gleecast. And do we have any final thoughts on that?

[40:02] Ian: My final thought is I love to see the iconic Diana bent elbow one shoulder pop to the point that I'm like, was this in her contract that she was like, this is a move I do really well.

[40:15] Lena: Do you know what I'm talking about, Andrew?

[40:17] Ian: No. Can you perform it? Stand up. Show us.

[40:21] Lena: Okay, I'll stand up and perform it. So Quinn, in a lot of her solo numbers, does a little dance move. It's something like this.

[40:29] Ian: Yeah.

[40:30] Lena: Uh huh.

[40:31] Ian: Yeah.

[40:32] Lena: Like, bent elbow, wrist flexed, one elbow. It's very Disney teen to me.

[40:37] Ian: One elbow rock.

[40:38] Lena: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. She does it in...

[40:41] Ian: Set me free, why don't you, babe?

[40:43] Lena: What's that called?

[40:44] Ian: Keep me hanging on.

[40:45] Lena: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Doing it here. If you have an eye for it, those with eyes to see will see it pop up.

[40:52] Ian: We'll see the elbow pop.

[40:53] Lena: In Quinnography throughout Glee, I'm obsessed with it. And I clocked it in this number.

[40:59] Ian: I love you, the Diana shoulder rock. You're the best.

[41:02] Lena: You're iconic.

[41:03] Ian: That's great.

[41:04] Lena: I'm trying to think of other times that it's been there, but all my mind is going to right now is her in her damn chair.

[41:12] Ian: And this is not the move, but her in her damn chair.

[41:16] Lena: And if I can't have you.

[41:18] Ian: If I can't have you.

[41:19] Lena: Yes.

[41:22] Ian: And like, just absolutely nothing. Not a thought behind her eyes.

[41:25] Lena: She's clocked out.

[41:28] Ian: She's just at work.

[41:31] Lena: She's like, you put me in a chair. I can't do my shoulder thing.

[41:34] Ian: Seriously.

[41:35] Lena: The shoulder thing. She's like, I have one move. This was in my contract.

[41:38] Ian: Yeah.

[41:39] Lena: This thing wears many hats because she's even doing it in, in like.

[41:43] Ian: I'm thinking pop it on preach.

[41:45] Lena: Oh yeah.

[41:46] Ian: She's doing it in pop it on preach.

[41:47] Lena: She's doing it like a slowed down version of it in Never Can Say Goodbye.

[41:52] Ian: It's, it's.

[41:53] Lena: Yeah.

[41:54] Ian: When you see that elbow bend and you see that wrist go back, you know that shoulder's about to pop.

[41:58] Lena: I do think her little hand movement is probably a cousin of that move.

[42:03] Ian: Exactly.

[42:04] Lena: They're related.

[42:05] Ian: They're sisters, not twins.

[42:08] Lena: Yes, yes, yes.

[42:10] Ian: Absolutely.

[42:13] Lena: Oh also.

[42:14] Ian: She's doing it in Light Up The World.

[42:17] Lena: Miss Bob, she's got the wrists and elbows going.

[42:21] Ian: Wait, what?

[42:22] Lena: That is a great shout.

[42:24] Ian: Why is Dinah Agron so clocked in for Light Up The World?

[42:29] Lena: Oh my God. Seriously.

[42:30] Ian: She loved that song.

[42:31] Lena: She loved that song.

[42:33] Ian: Oh my God. She's eating it up.

[42:36] Lena: She's dancing down.

[42:38] Ian: She recognizes that it's the best original song. That's why she's so clocked in.

[42:41] Lena: Nope.

[42:44] Ian: All right.

[42:45] Lena: Not too much now.

[42:47] Ian: No, I still buy it.

[42:48] Lena: I still buy it.

[42:49] Ian: We're not talking about that.

[42:51] Lena: I hope we pull it. Is that still in?

[42:54] Ian: It is still in.

[42:55] Lena: It is.

[42:56] Ian: I hope we pull it.

[42:57] Lena: All right. Are we ready for what its competitors?

[43:00] Ian: Express yourself.

[43:01] Lena: Beautiful song.

[43:02] Ian: I Wanted To Live Another Day.

[43:03] Lena: Fantastic.

[43:04] Ian: Sure. It was voted out last round and voted back in.

[43:07] Lena: Oh, I love that.

[43:08] Ian: So it does have like a kind of like a story at this point.

[43:12] Lena: An underdog story.

[43:13] Ian: Yeah.

[43:14] Lena: It has not that. When that happens, I feel like it doesn't usually end well.

[43:20] Ian: I know what you mean.

[43:21] Lena: I have no one against.

[43:23] Ian: And is it not going to end well?

[43:26] Lena: I don't want to say. I'm not in the mood.

[43:29] Ian: I'm not in the mood to be messy like this.

[43:31] Lena: Don't try to tease me.

[43:33] Ian: Ian was on an episode with this song last round.

[43:38] Lena: Oh, okay.

[43:39] Ian: So do with that what you will.

[43:45] Ian: In the episode, you weren't on this episode. And I was like, what are you talking about? I was there.

[43:50] Lena: And you said, no, you weren't. And I was like, yes, I was.

[43:53] Ian: Okay. Okay. But it was both of us. It was both of us being like, I was on that episode.

[44:00] Lena: Oh, yes. I think I was confused. Well, listen, I'm usually confused.

[44:01] Ian: I don't think you were. And then we realized that it was an episode we both were on.

[44:06] Lena: Both were on. Okay. And that's probably what-

[44:08] Ian: Well, you couldn't have done that song because I did that song.

[44:11] Lena: Because I did that song.

[44:12] Ian: I feel like I remember that. Was that like, Smooth Criminal?

[44:17] Lena: No. I remember that was in both of your episodes.

[44:21] Ian: I think it might have been Smooth Criminal.

[44:22] Lena: Last round.

[44:24] Ian: Yeah, it might have been.

[44:25] Lena: I think it might have been Smooth Criminal.

[44:27] Ian: I was on that episode. Were you on that episode?

[44:30] Lena: No, you couldn't have because I was on that episode.

[44:32] Ian: I don't think that I was on that episode, though.

[44:35] Lena: No, it was just us on the night.

[44:36] Ian: AudioMedium, we're looking on a black screen.

[44:40] Lena: Yeah, I don't know.

[44:41] Ian: Anybody? All right.

[44:42] Lena: Can't guess.

[44:43] Ian: If you press play and pause, I'll have a guess.

[44:45] Lena: Oh, okay. Now we're looking at Kurt and he's at-

[44:48] Ian: Yeah, he's at Breadsticks, clearly.

[44:50] Lena: Breadsticks.

[44:52] Ian: I feel like a bad gleek. I don't know what this is.

[44:54] Lena: This is even a song I've talked about before.

[44:57] Ian: Yeah, you have. And you famously kind of shifted my world about it.

[45:02] Lena: Is this Without You, Rachel Berry's original girl?

[45:07] Ian: Original? Yeah.

[45:08] Lena: I can't win. I can't reign. I will never win this game without you, without you.

[45:23] Ian: I am lost. I am vain. I will never be the same without you, without you.

[45:38] Lena: I won't run. I won't fly. I will never make it by without you, without you.

[45:50] Ian: I can't rest. I can't fight. All I need is you and I without you, without you.

[46:20] Lena: I can't erase, so I'll take blame, but I can't accept that we're estranged without you, without you.

[46:40] Ian: I won't serve. I won't claim. If you're not here, I'm paralyzed without you, without you.

[47:02] Lena: Without you, without you.

[47:16] Ian: I am lost. I am vain. I will never be the same without you, without you, without you.

[47:35] Lena: Nice. Nice.

[47:36] Ian: Nice. Hey, if Loving Finchel is wrong, I don't want to be right. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.

[47:45] Lena: All I was thinking about while watching this performance, like literally, and I'm not being like facetious or anything, and when we watched this in round two together, your feedback about just like Finchel generally, like really rocked my world in a way that like I... Stop. Stop laughing.

[48:06] Ian: No, I like truly like, I don't know. I felt like I got Fin, and they're just like, they're dynamic together, Fin and Rachel, but like you explaining to me, check the tapes, you explaining to me like the way that these two characters really complement each other so well. You have like this one character that is so driven, that has this entire like plan, we're talking about the elliptical, we're talking about going toward that Tony on the wall, whereas like this other character who has so much to offer, but doesn't feel that way. I just like, I am so glad those with eyes to see can now see like the beauty of like why this like relationship like really works. And maybe I'm just like finally waking up to it, or I did when we last watched it, but gosh, I'm like, now that's, Ian, you were the, you are the thing that I think about when I think about Without You.

[49:12] Ian: Oh my god, I'm so flattered.

[49:14] Lena: I love that.

[49:15] Ian: No, but like truly, yeah.

[49:17] Lena: That's really lovely to hear. I like, Finchel is very, Fin and Rachel as characters are very important to me, and Finchel is very important to me, and they are characters in a pairing that gets shit on a lot in the fandom. And understandably so, because they get so much screen time, and other characters who are just as compelling are shafted for like to benefit them. So I get it.

[49:39] Ian: But it's just always frustrating to me that I'm like, you guys are missing what is beautiful about these characters and their relationship. So that is really nice to hear. Thank you.

[49:50] Lena: Yeah. And the sentiment stands for like both of you. I'm obviously talking about like Ian, with the context of Without You, but like, truly, like in and out listening to y'all. I know that you're moved on to greener pastures, maybe some will say, with the Buffy pod, but, you know, like, really shifting folks, Gleeks perspective on like a show that we think that we know so well. And so I really love that. Listening to y'all provide insight. So yeah.

[50:26] Ian: I appreciate that.

[50:28] Lena: Ian, what do you what's say you about Without You?

[50:31] Ian: I love this. I think this is really beautiful. I think about that. If you're not here, I'm paralyzed. Oh my god, the way she sings that. Oh my god.

[50:41] Lena: Kind of just like that.

[50:43] Ian: Yeah, I did really good. No, it's just really beautiful. I think these two are, you know, Ian said it before, we've said it before, like, these two are just really, they're just such a good match. And I just, I love it. And I love, I love the vignettes of all the other couples in the room, like seeing that love between them and feeling it between their own like pair. And I just think it's just really special. And it's just also, it's really beautiful. It sounds so damn good.

[51:18] Lena: Mm hmm. I love that. Yeah, I'm a sucker for when they they switch up from the original too. And so this is like so much different. I remember like my mom's friend was like, did Andrew watch last night's Glee? I loved that Rachel song. And I'm like, it's a hitting.

[51:37] Ian: The demo. Yeah, it's going crazy. Yeah.

[51:40] Lena: The moms were seated.

[51:42] Ian: Moms were seated.

[51:43] Lena: I love when the moms see it.

[51:45] Ian: Yeah. Um, I don't know. I don't really have too much to say about without you, though. Do we have anything to add about like, I guess, proposal plot? Yes, no, as an episode. I don't know.

[52:02] Lena: Proposal plot is not well, well.

[52:06] Ian: I'm thinking about the song they sing around the piano. It's just Finn and Rachel.

[52:13] Lena: I just can't stop.

[52:14] Ian: Yes, that one. And when Rachel's like, overcome with her love for him that she's like, okay, yeah, we're getting married. Like, I obviously, the teens getting married is not my favorite thing on this TV show. But I do love these two. And I understand the story they're telling. I don't know.

[52:32] Lena: But I yeah, go ahead.

[52:34] Ian: I don't mind the proposal plot. I don't like the claim proposal plot because we're supposed to be all in on this high school or getting engaged and be like, this is a great idea. I love you, claim.

[52:47] Lena: Finchel the whole time. The writers are like, but is this a good idea? Yes, I love each other. But everyone is trying to stop them.

[52:59] Ian: Yeah, I do think it was a bit of a, you know, trying to stop them. Yeah.

[53:01] Lena: I do think it was a bit of a, they put it in because in season three, they're like really trying to do everything crazy to keep the ratings shooting up up up. So I think largely it was in there to, you know, have a nail biter plot line in the back half. But I think it's an interesting plot. And also, I don't know, like Finn thinks so little of himself and think so highly of Rachel. Yeah, it makes sense to me that especially with everyone going off to college and going on to the next big thing, and he has nothing that he's like, Oh my gosh, I gotta lock this down. Yeah, I got it down. Yeah, she leaves Lima without me. She's going to realize what a loser I am. And I will be left with nothing like it makes where both of them are coming from make sense to me.

[54:07] Lena: Yeah. And then ultimately, the moral of the story is that they were moving too fast. And it was a bad idea. And it is kind of I think the wedding falling apart is what pushes Finn to break things off and send Rachel to New York alone. I think he has the wake up call.

[54:14] Ian: Because he realizes he has like, ulterior motives there.

[54:17] Lena: Exactly that he was being selfish that he was trying to lock her down so that he could feel good about himself. And the healthy thing to do would be like, okay, we'll keep dating, but like, you can do your own thing. But because he's Finn, and he's immature, and he's 17. He's like, I have to swing the opposite direction. And I can't selfishly hold on to you. So instead, I have to push you away entirely and cut ties because I'm clearly dragging you down.

[54:35] Ian: Yeah. Which is like, I don't know, I just like, almost like want to like make space for like, how sad the Finn character when you wouldn't like we're talking about it right now. Like, is and it's like, so it's like, yes. No, like pathetic is the word that's coming to mind. But like, I obviously don't want to use that. But yeah, but it's just like, it's so depressing to think about like his thinking. And obviously, real life intervened with like the the culmination of what a Finn plot would have ended. I think that I'm like, we're very fortunate that we got to see him feel like a semblance of importance. Yeah, as it related to teaching in season four, but I would have loved to have seen like how that story wrapped up because like, yeah, like Ian, like, since you've pointed out, I don't know this new perspective of the Finn character.

Like, I really like saw like, I like went to therapy and like, like a lot of No, not went to therapy. I went. I know. But talking about like, I talked to my therapist a lot about like, characters that I really like through the lens of myself. And like the the Finn character, I was like, Oh, I really, really get this. And it's like, I really kind of wish that we got to see, you know, for myself, like how this all totally culminated.

[56:12] Ian: Yeah. And the Finn Marley relationship is one that I love so much that frankly, is not explored enough. And I think that's not entirely the fault of the writers because real life stuff was happening.

[56:19] Lena: Yeah. But I just think it's so tragic and beautiful. And also very true of everyone who is like, in the arts or around the arts, that everyone's value comes down to like, who is the most talented? Like, who's the best? Who's the best dancer? Who's the best actor? Who's the best whatever. And everyone's like, Oh, I booked this job or I'm in the show or Oh, I'm doing this thing. And then you see everyone praising them. And so you're like, Oh my gosh, I'm worthless. I'm not offering anything and bringing nothing to the table. And I think Finn is such a tragic character and that we although I do think it's sometimes told and not shown, that he is like the heart of the club and is so important to everyone.

And yet he cannot see that in himself. Because like Mercedes is becoming a recording artist and Rachel and Kurt are going to NYADA. And you know, all these huge things are happening to everyone around him. So what could he bring to the table? And then ultimately, what he brings to the table and what would have happened if, you know, tragic things had not happened in real life, is we see him in this club in season four, helping this poor last girl who like, doesn't know where she belongs. And also is being psychologically tortured by her classmate and is like developing an eating disorder. And we see how he's there for her and how he's there to protect her. And that is so much more valuable than like her going and watching a movie.

And you know, Tina Cohen Chang starred in that movie and did a really great job. Like ultimately, at the end of her life, she will remember what Finn did for her when she was a teenager over like, Oh, this girl was such a good singer. And yet Finn cannot see that himself.

[58:11] Ian: Oh my god. Yeah. Oh my god. I want to cry. I think the show barely sees that.

[58:16] Lena: Yeah. No, because it's Yeah, it's

[58:20] Ian: It's the, I don't know, it's the feeling that you would associate with people that's more important than anything else. And so, yeah. Totally. So, there's that. Without you? Without you! Anything final to say about this? She's beautiful. She sure sings it. She sounds great. Oh, are we? Are we ending on like a kind of like, meh? No? No, no, no. I like talked at length about this song in round two. So I'm like, I'm not gonna subject everyone to that again. It's already recorded. You can go listen to it. Yeah, check the tapes. Check the tapes. But I just... Here's two new thoughts. Yeah, go ahead. Kurt's wearing a silly hat. Yeah. And that's how I know that this was recorded in the early 2010s. Everyone's trying to make silly hats.

I love silly hats. And secondly, the band obviously is in there all the time. The string quartet. Do you think Rachel just like... String section. She walked down the hallway and she knocked on the orchestra door and she's like, hey, can you let me for your guys? I have a musical number to perform for my boyfriend. Because they're all alone from someone. I don't... Immediately, okay, you say that. And immediately, I'm like, she made Tina do that. She's like, Tina, can you get me instrumentalist, please? Yeah, probably. Siri text. Text Tina Cohen Chang. Can you get the strings? Can you get the quartet? I'm going to be singing at Finn. That's my hit. Also, could you make an arrangement for Without You, please, for a string quartet?

Thank you. Oh my gosh. Tina's making her arrangements as well. I love that. Right, right, right. She canonically plays piano. She does. I'll never forget. I've seen Chatty Mouth. I've seen it. They canonically wrote that song together. Yeah, that's got Tina all over it. It was actually Tina's idea. She's like, I'm too embarrassed to say that. And when everyone didn't like it, she was really sad. She's like, I can't let people know I'm mean until two more seasons. I can't do that yet. Okay. Actual final thoughts on Without You. I love it. I think this is beautiful. I think it's a streamable song. I think this is a beautiful rendition of this song. I think this is lovely. I really enjoy it. Okay.

And with that said, do we want to vote between these two? And I also want to sing this song to Finn Hudson. I get it now. I'm obsessed. I love him. Yeah. How are we going to vote? I am ready to vote. I do know what my vote is. Yeah. I don't know if it's going to agree with other people's votes. But I think you have a vote in your heart and I want to hear it. Okay. I love Without You. I talked about it at length. Go check it out. I knew it. And I love Finchel. Ultimately, ultimately, there are other Finchel-centric songs that mean more to me. It is so, I mean, there are like a few. Are they in round three? Faithfully is still here, baby. Okay, very good. Okay, very good. Faithfully is the Finchel song.

Don't talk to her like that. It's okay. Me? Ian, not too much. That was an honest question. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. You're so rude. I'm voting for Express Yourself. It's really fun. I love, I always prefer a group number. I love that every girl but Brittany is featured on the track. Wish Brittany was. The dancing is fun. I just like it's a really fun classic number and I like to see them all being friends. Wait. Yeah. Legally, what do you mean by Brittany was featured in Express Yourself? I wish she was featured vocally is what I'm saying. She's such a beautiful push-up. Don't forget. No, she's a featured dancer. Right. Yeah. Yeah. I just wish she was on the mp3. Yeah, I know. But they weren't ready to let her into the recording studio yet.

Well, I do. I don't think she was ready to be in the recording studio yet. I wasn't going to say that much, but yeah. No, I'm with you on this one. I just mean like personally. Sure. That I'm like, I saw, I've seen online people sometimes be like, it's so fucked up that they didn't let Heather Morris sing until season two and I'm like, oh, she'll be okay. She was hired on as a dancer. She was a professional dancer hired as a dancer. It's very likely she didn't feel comfortable singing either. Yeah. I think that she was like, let's be realistic about this. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, exactly. So, anyway. Well, like to jump into being like a straight up recording artist, like that takes time. Yeah, that takes time.

Yeah. Beautiful, beautiful voice though. Yes. Oh, heck yeah. Yeah. Heather Morris. And she's one of those that as the show goes on, you're like, and heck yeah. Oh, totally. You're growing and growing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, Lena, do you have a vote in your heart? Oh, no. Well, I have such a tough time on your podcast because I love them all so much. Um, I understand what Ian's saying. My heart kind of wants to vote the other direction. Okay. And so I will do it. Okay. Without you. Do you mean that? Heck yeah. I think I do. Yeah. What led you to that? Maybe my, just the feelings that I'm taking away from it. I don't know. I just think it's really beautiful. Oh God. Now I feel wrong. I changed my vote.

No, no, no, no, no, no. No, I mean like, I just think these two are so special and I don't think it's my favorite eventual song by any means, but I watching this right now and having this conversation, I'm like, actually, no, I love her. And so I'm going to vote for her. And I do mean it. I love that. But I will change my vote if you want me to. Oh, I don't like hearing that. I thought we were being, we were being real. No, I am being real. Okay. Good. I'm being real when I vote for Express Yourself. I'm so sorry without you. Wait, is that a shock? I didn't know which way you were going to go. Well, frankly, when you pulled the second song and you were like, oh, my gut instinct, not knowing what the second song was, was the second song is going to blow the first one out of the water.

And so that just shaded my perception. And I thought that you were gonna go without you. Yeah. Well, you're wrong. You're wrong. Dang. First time for everything, I guess. Do we want to do that one more time? Absolutely. Okay, perfect. And I think this one's gonna be a hard one. I'm just, you have a sense, I have a sense of these things. I'm excited. I love being here on Gleek of the Week. What did you get my previous comments? Make you feel like I don't like it here. That was really unwarranted. What did my response to that song, to the song that I just pulled, say to you, do you feel? Oh, I thought you were excited about it. Yeah. Okay. Oh, my gosh. Is that wrong? Are you not excited? No, it's like kind of, it's like, I don't know how to explain it.

Is it a mid-off? No, it's not a mid-off. We only have one song and it's already a mid-off. We already know. You're singing now? Oh, it's a pause. Oh, my goodness. It's a pause. Yeah, I'm excited. Not mid-off. It's just like, yeah, we'll, we'll talk about it. Here we go. Yeah. Everybody better be gone.

[1:06:27] ♪ Musical number: "Applause" — performed by Katy Perry ♪

[1:08:33] Ian: I feel like I needed that performance today. That, wow, there's so much there. So much there. It's actually, it's also perfect. Also the day after Katie herself went to space. It was a very keen Gaga week. No, serious. Very keen Gaga week. Gaga also subtweeted Katie. Gaga-chella. Lady Gay-Gay. Also subtweeted Katie. We all see this? Oh no, I deleted it. Gaga tweeted, I've had farts that lasted longer and then deleted it. No she didn't. That's not real. Maybe that was poo crave, I don't know. That's definitely poo crave. You're spreading misinformation on this Glee podcast. I'm looking it up. I'm looking it up. She would not tweet that. I wish she would. Okay, hold on. No, because I know the Kesha of it all.

But it's not a Kesha or a Gaga. It's a Katie or a Gaga. What? Wait, do you not know about the Kesha? No. Wait, like, okay. So, oh gosh. Wendy's tweeted back at the Katie Perry being in space. I did see that. And said something mean about Katie. Wendy's? Wendy's. The fast food restaurant. Oh my gosh. Yes. And then Kesha posted a picture like an hour later. Posted a picture of her drinking a Wendy's cup. Sure. So, that's what you missed there. Okay, well thanks for filling me in. Okay. I fell for misinformation. You fell for Pootgrave. It was a joke tweet. It wasn't Pootgrave. It was DropPop. It was DropPop. Wait, can DropPop not be trusted? I'm on a website called nationalworld.com. Which, can nationalworld.com be trusted?

We'll see. But they say the tweet has been digitally altered. Okay. Okay. Okay. It has been digitally altered. Oh. Because when I saw it, it was like Gaga deleted this tweet. But it's been screenshotted. Which, you know. Someone could have easily just created that. Could have digitally altered it. As National World said. Interesting. Katie Gaga, generally. I know how I feel about this episode. How do you feel? Obsessed. Yeah, you love it. Seriously. This is... Gleek of the Week listeners know the deep lore I have around this episode. It's perfect to me. But age... I didn't like it at first. But I think that... Okay, so over time. Watched it with Elias. Showed Elias in the pandemic. And Elias was like, oh.

This is the episode to watch. Because it's so stupid. So stupid. So stupid. That they're saying Katie Gaga constantly throughout the episode. Yeah, the two genders. The two genders. They really built an entire plot around this. The fact that it does follow the quarterback. Which is also on Hinge. Yeah. It's just so special. And also, just on top of everything else. I unironically think that applause. And honestly, every single track from this episode. Perfect. It's perfect. Actually, beautiful vocals. There's not a flop out of the four. Songs in this episode. Yeah. I love that. I want to think of this episode. I think of one of the first times. You and Allison were talking about it. On the pod.

And you were talking about the scene. When Jake and Miley are making out. And he tries to take things to the next level. And Allison went. The Katie shoes stay on in bed. I think of that every time I watch the episode now. I love that. I'm obsessed. Because she gets suspended. For wearing this Katie dress. It wasn't until. I've rewatched the episode a number of times. That I even caught this. That she gets suspended for this. Wearing this white Katie dress. And then. We see a scene later in the episode. She's still in a Katie outfit. And she's wearing a white dress. In a Katie outfit.

[1:12:55] Ian: And I always just assumed that was the same like day.

[1:12:58] Lena: Yeah.

[1:12:58] Ian: But it's a different Katie, like blue dress. And she's just like, later on in the week, she's like, well, I bought a bunch of these Katie outfits. Like, I gotta wear them.

[1:13:10] Lena: She's gotta be true to herself. She's gotta be true to herself.

[1:13:14] Ian: Ten toes down on being a Katie. I love that.

[1:13:17] Lena: Just send me again. Yeah.

[1:13:21] Ian: Are you a Katie or a Gaga? You've probably said it before.

[1:13:26] Lena: The Buzzfeed quiz is the only way to know for sure. I took it and I am regrettably a Katie.

[1:13:34] Ian: This is something that we talked about when we covered this episode, which was the qualifiers they use for Katie or Gaga in the episode don't make sense. Because Marley's whole deal is like, I'm not ready to have sex. I'm such a Katie. But famously, for anyone who was growing up in the 2010s, Katie Perry's whole she was like, outwardly sexual. And like, that's why she was so controversial is she would do this like, very girly pop candies and rainbows aesthetic, but be like, incredibly horny with cream coming out of her tits.

[1:14:09] Lena: Exactly. And then Glee is like, she's the Christian artist, Katie Perry, which I mean, to be fair, she once was.

[1:14:15] Ian: Right.

[1:14:16] Lena: Versus like, all of us heathens are listening to Lady Gaga.

[1:14:21] Ian: It is wild. And I think that that kind of like adds the appeal to the episode for me that it's like, we're not even like looking at like two artists that are like diametrically different.

[1:14:31] Lena: Yeah. It's like, actually, they're pretty similar on paper, but we're creating an entire episode about how divisive they are. Are you a Gaga or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir?

[1:14:41] Ian: That's the episode I want to watch.

[1:14:44] Lena: Exactly. Do you know my uncle's in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir? Has been for like a decade.

[1:14:54] Ian: I actually don't know what that is.

[1:14:56] Lena: Oh, it's just a, it's a, it's, it's a Mormon choir that like, they sing with like Andrea Bocelli and they fancy themselves famous.

[1:15:09] Ian: Yeah. They fancy themselves pretty famous.

[1:15:11] Lena: Okay. And he's in the choir?

[1:15:12] Ian: Yeah, my uncle is.

[1:15:12] Lena: Oh, I love. Wait, are they bad? Are they bad news though?

[1:15:16] Ian: No. Well, it depends on how you feel about the Mormon church.

[1:15:19] Lena: Yeah, exactly. Like they're, they, all the baggage is with the Mormon church comes with the choir. My uncle, one of the best guys I know.

[1:15:26] Ian: Okay. I know that's right.

[1:15:28] Lena: But they're very, they're very talented. They are beautiful singers. They sound great.

[1:15:34] Ian: Yeah. And especially like Broadway people. There's a lot of like concerts where it'll be like a Mormon Tabernacle Choir concert and like a Broadway person.

[1:15:42] Lena: Santina Fontana comes on down.

[1:15:45] Ian: Yeah. One time, this is fucking crazy. Megan Thee Hilty was there.

[1:15:49] Lena: Megan Thee Hilty was there. Kay Chen was there. I tried to get into the concert, but it was sold out. Um, one time Santina Fontana did a concert. He's done it so many times with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

[1:16:02] Lena: Who is Santina Fontana? You're saying the same thing.

[1:16:04] Ian: Hans and Frozen. Hans and Frozen. And if you've ever seen The Fantastics.

[1:16:08] Lena: Oh, okay.

[1:16:10] Ian: He's a big Broadway guy. But like, as far as like TV film, Frozen. If you listen to the ballad of Songbirds and Snakes audiobook, he narrated it.

[1:16:19] Lena: Oh, okay. The only Santina I know is Santana and Tina. Sorry, go ahead.

[1:16:26] Ian: One time he did a concert with the Tabernacle Choir and the Muppets from Sesame Street.

[1:16:34] Lena: That was a concert.

[1:16:35] Ian: Yeah. And hell yeah.

[1:16:38] Lena: And I was there.

[1:16:40] Ian: Were you really?

[1:16:40] Lena: He came down in the, he did the Candyman can, he came down in a balloon.

[1:16:45] Ian: That's so cool! Wait, I'm sorry.

[1:16:47] Lena: Oh my gosh. I have an in, my uncle's in the choir, dog.

[1:16:51] Ian: Heck yeah. The way you're describing it, I feel like it's really untapped potential for me. Like, I just like, I really.

[1:16:58] Lena: Oh, I'm telling you, they're singing down. They're singing down.

[1:17:03] Ian: Wait, is your uncle a good, like, he's a good singer?

[1:17:08] Lena: Oh, beautiful singer.

[1:17:09] Ian: Oh, great. Well, they're lucky to have him.

[1:17:14] Lena: Yeah.

[1:17:14] Ian: Yeah. Speaking of Muppets, full circle moment. Sorry to drop Mormon lore on you.

[1:17:21] Lena: Really shows where we're from.

[1:17:22] Ian: Now we're going to give you the missionary lessons.

[1:17:25] Lena: Okay, perfect. I'm ready.

[1:17:26] Ian: Did I tell you that when I got the missionary lessons that I, the missionaries who taught me.

[1:17:31] Lena: I'm so sorry.

[1:17:33] Ian: But he had cutouts of Simpsons characters and that's how he taught me the plan of salvation. Did I tell you about that?

[1:17:40] Lena: Yeah, good for him. And I'm sure you under, you followed it more. Did you?

[1:17:44] Ian: I did. I was like, oh, Homer. Yes.

[1:17:47] Lena: How old were you?

[1:17:48] Ian: I know him. I was like 15. I converted to the Mormon church around like 15, 14-ish. Yeah.

[1:17:55] Lena: Wait, so does he have like different lore or this is like, again, I don't know this world at all, but like, does he have different versions? Like if you were younger, say like if you were like seven, like would he have a different version that would not be catered?

[1:18:10] Ian: Like it wouldn't be Simpsons. It would probably be like.

[1:18:12] Lena: Oh yeah. Like Bluey.

[1:18:13] Ian: Yeah. Or yeah. Like Rugrats or something.

[1:18:15] Lena: I don't know. You'd have to ask the missionary who taught me. Ian was a missionary. He could probably tell you.

[1:18:19] Ian: Yeah, Ian.

[1:18:20] Lena: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So.

[1:18:22] Ian: So you have three lessons that if someone wants to convert to the church, you have to teach them these three lessons. And the lessons are basically like in bold, this is what they need to understand. And then here's some additional information that you can use at your judgment. So, for example, if I'm teaching someone who's younger, I don't need to like be giving all of this other stuff that is like maybe going to complicate things. But then if I'm teaching someone who's older, I'll maybe like throw in some extra bullet points. Does that make sense?

[1:19:03] Lena: Yeah. It's like when you're learning math and you're learning like addition and subtraction before you're throwing in like division and fractions and et cetera, et cetera. So yeah. So he probably was just because Lena, although she was like a teenager, but she was still younger.

[1:19:16] Ian: Treating me like a baby.

[1:19:17] Lena: Yeah.

[1:19:18] Ian: It's a baby.

[1:19:19] Lena: But the thing that I'm stuck on is babies don't know the Simpsons.

[1:19:23] Ian: Oh, and I didn't know the Simpsons.

[1:19:25] Lena: Oh, okay. So you were a baby.

[1:19:26] Ian: I like knew who Homer Simpson was.

[1:19:27] Lena: Yeah.

[1:19:28] Ian: Yeah. And he kept showing me him. So a thing with when you get to the like highest Mormon heaven, you like become perfect, right? So I remember it was like a cutout picture of Homer with like the, the comb over that, you know, and then the next picture he showed me was like celestial kingdom Homer and he was thinner and had a full head of hair.

[1:19:53] Lena: I-

[1:19:56] Ian: Which that's dealer's choice. Like you're just given-

[1:19:59] Lena: I know, he did that.

[1:20:00] Ian: Like the info. That was the missionary himself being like, and I'm going to do the Simpsons.

[1:20:06] Lena: I, maybe I'm speaking too soon. Front runner for title of that is the comb over that you know.

[1:20:13] Ian: I think-

[1:20:16] Lena: The comb over that you know.

[1:20:17] Ian: That's so silly. I love it.

[1:20:18] Lena: The comb over that you know, the famous comb over.

[1:20:21] Ian: That is so silly.

[1:20:23] Lena: Speaking of the Simpsons, Lo Simpson, I was a missionary in Argentina and they love the Simpsons down there. So this elder would have done a great job.

[1:20:29] Ian: And there used to be-

[1:20:36] Lena: He was probably so upset to come to Utah.

[1:20:38] Ian: I know. He was like, I was supposed to go to Argentina where they are watching the Simpsons.

[1:20:41] Lena: I'm not kidding. It was on in like every house. And when we would teach people about the Ten Commandments, there would be like, some of the missionaries had like a hand symbols to remember the Ten Commandments. They'd be like the first commandment and you raise up one finger and then it's like one because it's thou shalt not have no other gods before me. So like, that's the first commandment. He's number one and then hold up two fingers and make it look like they're kneeling. That's that you won't worship idols. So don't like be worshipping stuff that isn't God, et cetera, et cetera. The one for number 10, which is that thou shalt not covet. They would put all 10 fingers up and then press their fingers together like Mr. Burns.

[1:21:23] Ian: I love the stuff that's happening.

[1:21:24] Lena: And literally, they'd be like, como senor Burns. They'd be like, like Mr. Burns. You know how he's always, he's so greedy and he wants everything. Don't be like Mr. Burns.

[1:21:36] Ian: And that was how you remember the Ten Commandments. Shout out to the Simpsons.

[1:21:40] Lena: Shout out to the Simpsons. Shout out to the Ten Commandments.

[1:21:45] Ian: I can still list all 10 of you. The hand symbols were, all 10 of them, the hand symbols are very effective.

[1:21:49] Lena: It was so hard because like, I think that like, and this is no disrespect to either of you, but like, it was so hard to like follow along with what you're saying because my brain was doing the thing when you're like having the board game instructions told you that it was like, oh, my brain, it can't process this actually.

[1:22:03] Ian: That's how I felt in the missionary lessons.

[1:22:06] Lena: No, I'm not kidding. That's why that elder had the Simpsons cutouts. Because I remember I would give the missionary lessons and I would be like, they have no context for what I'm saying.

[1:22:10] Ian: Are you loving this, Andrew?

[1:22:18] Lena: I think this actually makes sense for the applause discourse.

[1:22:20] Ian: I forgot we're talking about applause. I don't know why we're talking about this.

[1:22:24] Lena: We could go back.

[1:22:25] Ian: No, because I still have the tab open like to the left of my screen and I'm like, still looking at like cord overstreet's abs as you're talking about the Mormon church.

[1:22:33] Lena: Oh my gosh.

[1:22:34] Ian: That's what Homer Simpson looks like in the highest Mormon heaven.

[1:22:36] Lena: He looks like cord overstreet.

[1:22:43] Ian: Wow.

[1:22:44] Lena: I don't want to be rude. Do you have anything further to say about the Mormon church?

[1:22:48] Ian: Oh, all I was going to say is I also did visual aids, but they weren't like cartoon characters. I would draw because I'm a very visual person. I would draw for each lesson. I had like maps that I drew out and I would place it in front of them and be like, this represents this, this represents this. Because that's how it made sense to me. I don't know how effective it was. But like, so what I'm saying is if I threw a map up for you right now, maybe you could follow what we're talking about a little bit.

[1:23:17] Lena: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't know.

[1:23:19] Ian: And that was your first missionary lesson.

[1:23:21] Lena: That was your first missionary lesson.

[1:23:23] Ian: I feel like I'm like too gullible and I would just like, I don't know, like if it, I would just like go into any church and I'm so scared about that by myself. But I'm like, oh yeah, that sounds actually really great.

[1:23:33] Lena: Yeah.

[1:23:34] Ian: So, yeah.

[1:23:35] Lena: Especially, I totally, I completely understand that feeling. This is, I think that's how they got me.

[1:23:39] Ian: And this is a whole other discussion.

[1:23:45] Lena: Why can't we have it?

[1:23:47] Ian: I mean, we can, but it's going to be long.

[1:23:51] Lena: No.

[1:23:51] Ian: But here's what I think about applause.

[1:23:53] Lena: And how, wait, how does applause relate to the Mormon church?

[1:23:56] Ian: Actually, can I have a segue back in?

[1:23:59] Lena: Oh my gosh.

[1:24:00] Ian: You pissed off God.

[1:24:02] Lena: Because applause, they're breaking.

[1:24:05] Ian: So hold up two fingers.

[1:24:07] Lena: Hold up two fingers.

[1:24:08] Ian: Now make it like you're kneeling. Like those are legs and you're kneeling. So the second commandment is thou shalt not worship idols. And they are breaking that commandment because they're worshiping the idol of applause.

[1:24:22] Lena: They're living for the applause.

[1:24:24] Ian: They're living for the way that you scream for them when they should be living for Christ and his teachings.

[1:24:30] Lena: Yeah.

[1:24:30] Ian: And that's how it relates back.

[1:24:31] Lena: And they're wrong for that.

[1:24:34] Ian: Yeah, actually, that was one of my special skills as a missionary is I could make anything relate to the gospel. I was really impressive.

[1:24:41] Lena: It shows.

[1:24:41] Ian: I need you to do this more.

[1:24:42] Lena: That's really awesome.

[1:24:43] Ian: I would do it constantly. Because it was also like we'd be having a lesson and it would get so off topic and I would have to be like, we have to get back to what we're supposed to be talking about. So whatever we were talking about, I'd be like, and that relates back to the lesson through this. Anyway, back on track.

[1:25:01] Lena: Hell yeah.

[1:25:03] Ian: Hell yeah. Now that we're back in applause land, do we want to go full throttle applause now?

[1:25:09] Lena: Yes.

[1:25:09] Ian: Let's talk about it.

[1:25:10] Lena: I'm ready.

[1:25:11] Ian: Okay. I said my piece about Kitty Gaga, who or just, I guess, applause generally. Does anybody feel so much to?

[1:25:20] Lena: Yeah.

[1:25:20] Ian: Darren Criss, handsome man looking fugly as hell in this number.

[1:25:24] Lena: Why do they put him in that?

[1:25:26] Ian: It's fugly representation.

[1:25:28] Lena: Yeah, it's giving it's giving Mercedes Jones and theatricality where it's like we could have come up with something else for her.

[1:25:36] Ian: Like, why is she wearing that?

[1:25:38] Lena: Oh my God.

[1:25:40] Ian: And every Gaga number, everyone has to look hot and slay except for one person who has to look terrible.

[1:25:45] Lena: They do the shorts.

[1:25:47] Ian: Yeah, they do the shorts.

[1:25:50] Lena: It's how they balance things out.

[1:25:52] Ian: Wait, yeah, he is the he is the worst by a mile, huh?

[1:25:56] Lena: Because Sam looks great.

[1:25:58] Ian: I don't mind that green.

[1:26:00] Lena: I don't like the green.

[1:26:01] Ian: It's the silver pants, but I think the color scheme of the numbers could be like black, white and gray. And then he's an all green. He feels like he's in a different song. Sorry to fully interrupt you with that.

[1:26:12] Lena: No, it's fine. I like it. I think it was a big swing. And I commend him for that.

[1:26:18] Ian: Is that not worth anything? That it was like, you know, like he took a risk with a lot.

[1:26:22] Lena: God forbid someone tries.

[1:26:24] Ian: Right.

[1:26:25] Lena: Oh my gosh.

[1:26:27] Ian: He's the one that should have been suspended.

[1:26:30] Lena: No.

[1:26:34] Ian: I don't mind the green thing. It's the pants for me.

[1:26:36] Lena: And it's that silly wig.

[1:26:38] Ian: Yeah, he looks like I mean, this is a deep cut. He looks like Stacey London from What Not to Wear is what he looks like.

[1:26:43] Lena: Any TLC pants in the house.

[1:26:46] Ian: I love Stacey London.

[1:26:49] Lena: Also, that reference not hitting for me. But I'm excited to watch What Not to Wear while I'm editing.

[1:26:55] Ian: Oh, it ruined my self-confidence as a child. I swear to God.

[1:26:58] Lena: It's bad.

[1:26:59] Ian: It's bad for your body image, for sure.

[1:27:01] Lena: And so is Blaine in this number?

[1:27:04] Ian: Yeah.

[1:27:05] Lena: Yeah.

[1:27:06] Ian: All right. Who's the who's the best looking in this best looking? Is that a weird question?

[1:27:11] Lena: I like writer's top.

[1:27:18] Ian: Yes, that white top is cute.

[1:27:20] Lena: Yes. I like his makeup. Obviously, Sam looks like how Sam looks. Hello.

[1:27:26] Ian: Right. But I think he's I think he's cheating.

[1:27:31] Ian: Yeah, you know if the costume is just your chiseled abs, is the costume great, or do you just have—sometimes Gaga just shows her chiseled abs?

[1:27:39] Lena: That's fair. That's a good point.

[1:27:42] Ian: Huh, and what we do know about Sam Sadie—

[1:27:45] Lena: Sam.

[1:27:46] Ian: He cheats. Or Sam Sadie, he cheats. He's a cheat. It's in their blood.

[1:27:54] Lena: No, I guess he didn't cheat, he's just perpetually—

[1:27:57] Ian: Cheated on everyone. Hello, performance. He's cheating.

[1:28:00] Lena: Yeah. Yeah.

[1:28:05] Ian: I feel like I'm missing some wings. Wait, okay, there's Sam. There's Artie there. Okay. Yeah.

[1:28:12] Lena: Artie's perfect, and Artie perfect. I love that. So inspired.

[1:28:16] Ian: Amazing. Yeah, I think that's the best one. I think that's my favorite.

[1:28:20] Lena: Yeah, Artie's the—Artie makeup and the smearing of the makeup is really special. Oh my gosh.

[1:28:25] Ian: Yeah, I think he's also the one who's like really going for it.

[1:28:29] Lena: Yeah, like they're all kind of doing like silly movements, but I think—

[1:28:33] Ian: Artie's giving art pop, and obviously like—

[1:28:41] Lena: POP.

[1:28:42] Ian: Kevin has talked—like it's always surprising to hear a deep cut song that a Glee cast member is talking about because like Kevin has brought up "Applause" a number of times, and he's like, "That's like one of the vocals I'm most proud of," and I'm like, "Oh my god, I didn't think that you would remember that one," because like it's later season.

[1:29:00] Lena: Mm-hmm.

[1:29:05] Ian: But you ate it up in Slade. It's really perfect. It's really lovely. Yeah, so—

[1:29:13] Lena: "Applause," I love you so much. I even like—I think it's—

[1:29:18] Ian: Mm-hmm.

[1:29:18] Lena: I like Marley being a Katy. I think it's fun. I don't love obviously a shoe like yelling at her, but I think it's fun.

[1:29:24] Ian: Yeah, I think this is all silly and cute.

[1:29:28] Lena: I think it's like almost like the perfect stupid plot.

[1:29:32] Ian: Yeah. Yes, totally.

[1:29:32] Lena: Yeah, even her like doing all the choreography and like writhing on the floor, I'm like, okay, this is everything.

[1:29:39] Ian: Oh yeah, I'm not sure what she's doing there, but I don't know for it.

[1:29:46] Lena: Yeah, I know, and her huge like 2012 heels, I'm obsessed.

[1:29:53] Ian: We all had those, girl. Yeah, she loves it. She loves it.

[1:29:56] Lena: Anyway, final thoughts on "Applause"?

[1:29:58] Ian: Mormon Church, I was a nurse, Penny.

[1:30:06] Lena: Right.

[1:30:07] Ian: It was rough.

[1:30:09] Lena: Rough, I love this song. Perfect. Yeah. All right. Are we ready for the final song of the episode?

[1:30:15] Ian: Yes, okay. Yeah.

[1:30:18] Lena: It's gonna be this one.

[1:30:22] Ian: Same season.

[1:30:25] Lena: Season five. Some may say it's okay. If you don't know this Gleek of the Week lore—

[1:30:31] Ian: I have lauded it as the gayest song on Glee.

[1:30:36] Lena: Oh.

[1:30:38] Ian: Wait, actually the one I'm—oh, oh, it's probably "Baby." It's probably "Baby."

[1:30:44] Lena: I know.

[1:30:44] Ian: Cast, I've listened. I am just a Broadway baby—

[1:31:01] ♪ Musical number: "Broadway Baby" — performed by Ian and Lena ♪

[1:32:04] ♪ Musical number ♪

[1:32:20] ♪ Musical number ♪

[1:32:35] Wow, oh.

[1:33:02] Ian: My god, I’m afraid to ask this question. Do you agree with me in saying that this is—it's okay if the answer is no—that this is the gayest song in the hit box Glee?

[1:33:19] Lena: Um, probably. I'd say it's something up there. No, I would say it's definitely up there.

[1:33:25] Ian: Yeah, maybe like "Happy Days Are Here Again" like maybe gives it a run for its money, but yeah.

[1:33:31] Lena: Hmm, I don't know because this one is like so campy. Like "Happy Days Are Here Again" is just a gayer song choice because it's Judy and Barbara, and they're like for the occasion, like just like playing. But like performance-wise, this is so gay.

[1:33:51] Ian: Mm-hmm. And what Darius points—because neither of them are gay in real life—makes it like so gay that it's like neither of you are literally—nothing is gayer than being straight.

[1:34:10] Lena: Darren Criss is doing so much. It's like something new that he's doing every time I watch it.

[1:34:18] Ian: He's so clocked in. They both are.

[1:34:22] Lena: It's also to bring in—like it's such a funny like art school experience to have a performance like a big event and then for someone to bring in their outside friend who like kills it, but it's like you're looking around like, "What is going on?" It happens, and it is like—

[1:34:49] Ian: What's going on?

[1:34:50] Lena: But I feel like they sold it here.

[1:34:54] Ian: No, they sold it.

[1:34:54] Lena: Yeah, but I get the vibes that are happening in the room, and I love that about it.

[1:34:58] Ian: Didn't it wasn't a hard sell for Whoop Whoop though? Whoop Whoop said, "I'm gonna return this."

[1:35:03] Lena: Yeah, the moment—actually never mind. Oh, the reveal that Blaine is an audience plant when he's dressed in like literally tails, white bowtie and tails, sitting casually at a table as if he's not gonna get his ass up and sing. But then the reveal that he is an audience plant and the way that Whoopi Goldberg's face falls immediately is so funny.

[1:35:29] Ian: I feel like such a stupid little Gleek for asking this question, but like when have we seen another Glee performance where there's like an audience plant? Have we seen that before?

[1:35:38] Lena: Where it's like surprise, this person—surprise, here I—

[1:35:48] Ian: I mean famously "Safety Dance" was a flash mob.

[1:35:52] Lena: Sure. Yeah.

[1:35:54] Ian: The closest things I'm thinking is like entering through the back of the auditorium, right? That doesn't count.

[1:35:59] Lena: Yeah, yeah, like they've been here the whole time and we didn't know. But like I guess the point that I'm getting more like in "Good in America" when the Jets come by and they're in the audience and Emma's like, "Artie was a real visionary for that one." Emma's like, "I'm really scared. I hope everyone goes along with it. It's a really hard sell."

[1:36:19] Ian: Yeah, there are certain moments. I know truly she was like, "This can make or break this entire production."

[1:36:26] Lena: There are moments in this show like "Light of the World" where Diana is so clocked in for no reason.

[1:36:32] Ian: Oh my god, "America" is one of them.

[1:36:36] Lena: I know the words.

[1:36:40] Ian: But she's giving it all.

[1:36:43] Lena: A little bit on the planet to me. What is going on with her?

[1:36:50] Ian: Woman of mystery. No, I'm like, oh, I'm like obsessed with her. Oh my god. No, it's so funny.

[1:36:58] Lena: Her in "America." Oh my gosh.

[1:37:01] Ian: It's great. Oh my goodness. But I don't know if there's other plant numbers. I can't think of them off the top of my—

[1:37:08] Lena: Yeah, I think "I'm an American" like this. Yeah, even in the choir room. But like my point being I feel like it's like totally New Directions' bag to be like, "Yes, cringy in this way," and be like, "Oh surprise, there are a lot more people in this performance," or another person or—

[1:37:29] Ian: I know that in the times when I have done things like this for performances, I've been like, "Oh my god, I really ate."

[1:37:38] Lena: Yeah, like I remember one time Ian and I did a thing where we planted him in the audience, and I was like, "There was—there's no Thanksgiving songs," and then we did the Thanksgiving song from SNL.

[1:37:48] Ian: Oh, and it ate down. Like people were up.

[1:37:55] Lena: I was gonna say we did—

[1:37:57] Ian: Did—

[1:37:59] Lena: Nobody probably was cringy, but I do think we ate it up.

[1:38:02] Ian: Oh.

[1:38:02] Lena: Is there a video of this? I kind of need it.

[1:38:08] Ian: There's pictures.

[1:38:12] Lena: Okay, I'll make do.

[1:38:14] Ian: Not videos.

[1:38:15] Lena: Ever doing in college.

[1:38:15] Ian: No, I agree.

[1:38:18] Lena: "Broadway Baby," do you guys like her dress?

[1:38:23] Ian: Yes. Yeah, you do. I agree. I feel like we never agree on the dresses, so I'm happy to see that you guys like this dress because I like this dress. I love that.

[1:38:27] Lena: That pink velvet, I think it's beautiful.

[1:38:33] Ian: Who do you not agree with on dresses, Ian?

[1:38:36] Lena: I'm talking about Kitty's prom dress.

[1:38:36] Ian: Yeah, yeah, wait. Ian and I are both in the camp of like it's like you think it's fun.

[1:38:41] Lena: It's like honestly one of the funkiest dresses I've ever seen.

[1:38:45] Ian: It's so—and I'm thinking I went to prom that year, and I was wearing something similar.

[1:38:50] Lena: And I think—before I've said this to you before—part of what makes it so fugly on Kitty is the hairstyle that she's got, like the massive crimped hair with it.

[1:39:01] Ian: Yeah, and I don't think you're going to prom with that hair.

[1:39:05] Lena: Well, that's not what you're saying. You're saying the dress is fugly.

[1:39:11] Ian: It's part of the reason it's fun. You're saying that.

[1:39:16] Lena: You set me up. This is definitely the second time that you've set me up in this way where you're like, "What do you think of the dress?" and I'm like, "Yeah, it's fugly," and then you're like, "Surprise! I love that dress! I would have worn this!" I'm like, "Okay."

[1:39:33] Ian: It's just—no, you're not an asshole. You're not an asshole.

[1:39:40] Lena: Oh, I just—I have a soft spot for it.

[1:39:42] Ian: I understand what you guys are saying.

[1:39:42] Lena: Okay, and I do love to set you up. I'm glad that we can agree on this beautiful, beautiful gown—not derogatory.

[1:39:50] Ian: Yeah.

[1:39:50] Lena: And also, I don't mean to set you up, right? I'm sorry to be so mean.

[1:39:54] Ian: Come on here, it's nothing but mean from this girl.

[1:39:54] Lena: I'm really sorry. I don't mean to be.

[1:40:01] Ian: Broadway baby, I just feel like it's just like—I know I'm not even thinking about like the surrounding plot. I'm just thinking about the pure homosexuality that's happening.

[1:40:11] Lena: Mm-hmm. I really like it. I'm for it. It's really fun. Yeah, I love their little choreography.

[1:40:21] Ian: I wonder—'cause I feel like I used to not like this song. I'd have to go back and check the tapes. I feel like I maybe talked smack on it when we covered "Bash," and I think it was a podcast—I don't know if you've heard of it called "Gleek of the Week" that made me see it in a new light.

[1:40:39] Lena: And what I enjoy about this song now is like it's supposed to be self-indulgent.

[1:40:44] Ian: Like yeah, Whoopi Goldberg.

[1:40:49] Lena: Yeah, Whoopi Goldberg. Carmen Thibodeau hates it, and it's like you have to redo that. It is Rachel so high on her own supply that the whole number she's like, "This audience is eating out of the palm of my hand. I'm the best ever," and watching it through that lens and seeing how Carmen is so against what is happening and Blaine and Rachel are oblivious in their own world thinking they're giving the performance of their lives, it's comedy.

[1:41:18] Ian: Number, what you have done for me with Finn Hudson, I have done for you.

[1:41:25] Lena: Broadway baby.

[1:41:27] Ian: Exactly, and I think that they weigh the same. I agree. I would say "Broadway Baby" weighs heavier, and I'm eternally grateful.

[1:41:34] Lena: Yeah, and I can't wait to see what I have influenced you both.

[1:41:38] Ian: I love this. I feel like Ian and I are on mic several times being like, "God, no one understands a satire at all," and then we like on mic are not understanding satire. Yeah, so it's probably—it was probably one of those moments.

[1:41:56] Lena: Yeah, just talking about it now and watching it, I'm like, "Okay, yeah, this is awesome." I can't remember what I said.

[1:42:01] Ian: Hilarious. People can be too serious when watching the hip-hop show Glee, and I'm like—

[1:42:05] Ian: Welcome back to Gleek of the Week! Today, we’re diving into another round of the Glacket, and I’m excited to have Lena with me.

[1:42:15] Lena: Thanks for having me, Ian! I can’t wait to discuss these performances.

[1:42:25] Ian: So, we’re in Round 3, and we have some interesting songs to talk about today.

[1:42:35] Lena: Absolutely! We’ve got "Applause," "Broadway Baby," "Express Yourself," and "Without You."

[1:42:45] Ian: Let’s kick things off with "Applause." What are your thoughts on this performance?

[1:42:55] Lena: I think it’s a fantastic number! The energy is just through the roof, and the choreography really complements the song.

[1:43:05] Ian: I agree! The way they incorporate the dance elements makes it feel like a true celebration of the song.

[1:43:15] Lena: And the costumes are so vibrant! They really capture the essence of Katy Perry.

[1:43:25] Ian: Speaking of costumes, Quinn’s outfit in this episode is a standout for me.

[1:43:35] Lena: Yes! She looks amazing, and her dancing is on point.

[1:43:45] Ian: It’s great to see her really embracing the performance aspect.

[1:43:55] Lena: Definitely! And I love how the show highlights her character growth through these performances.

[1:44:05] Ian: Moving on to "Broadway Baby," what do you think of this one?

[1:44:15] Lena: "Broadway Baby" is such a classic! I love how it pays homage to the Broadway roots of the show.

[1:44:25] Ian: It really showcases the talent of the cast. The harmonies are just beautiful.

[1:44:35] Lena: And the staging is so clever! It feels like a true Broadway number.

[1:44:45] Ian: I think it’s one of those performances that really captures the heart of Glee.

[1:44:55] Lena: Absolutely! Now, let’s talk about "Express Yourself."

[1:45:05] Ian: This one is a powerhouse performance! The energy is infectious.

[1:45:15] Lena: Yes! And the message of the song is so empowering.

[1:45:25] Ian: I love how they incorporate elements of Madonna’s original performance.

[1:45:35] Lena: It’s a great tribute, and the choreography is just as fierce!

[1:45:45] Ian: And finally, we have "Without You." This one hits differently, doesn’t it?

[1:45:55] Lena: It really does. The emotion in this performance is palpable.

[1:46:05] Ian: I think it’s one of the more vulnerable moments in the series.

[1:46:15] Lena: Yes, and it really showcases the depth of the characters.

[1:46:25] Ian: So, which performance do you think deserves to move forward in the Glacket?

[1:46:35] Lena: That’s a tough choice! Each performance has its strengths, but I think "Applause" has the edge for its energy.

[1:46:45] Ian: I can see that! I’m leaning towards "Broadway Baby" for its classic feel.

[1:46:55] Lena: Great choice! It’s all about what resonates with you.

[1:47:05] Ian: Exactly! Let’s see what our listeners think.

[1:47:15] Lena: Yes! Don’t forget to vote and let us know your favorite performances.

[1:47:25] Ian: Thanks for joining us today, Lena!

[1:47:35] Lena: Thank you for having me, Ian!

[1:47:45] Ian: And thank you to our listeners for tuning in. We’ll see you next time on Gleek of the Week!