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. There's no rhyme or reason to it, so don't get mad at me. Glacket by Glacket, we'll rank everyone to see which song will move closer to spot number one. Gleek of the Week, Gleek, Gleek, Gleek of the Week, it's Gleek, Gleek of the Week. Hi everybody! Okay, wait, so I just need to do, before I introduce the two beautiful Gleeks, um, today, I have housekeeping. Who was that? Um, housekeeping to attend to beforehand. Um, so Spotify was, like, kind of, like, weird about, like, okay, like, four years in, hey, we don't like that you're using licensed music, uh, in the podcast. And, and, like, they had one, it was Charlie and Patrick's episode that was down for a full week, and then I was, like, okay, I'll take it out.

And then they were, like, okay, and I didn't want to, like, draw attention to the over 100 episodes that, that, um, the same thing was happening. Um, so here's some news. Going forward, if you're listening to this on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, um, you will not be getting, uh, the performances, uh, the songs embedded into the episodes. If you do want that, that's at patreon.com slash Gleek, Gleek of the Week pod, because Spotify is not going to be on my ass there. Um, so, uh, further incentivize. And also, potentially, you'll get, like, video. Like, I know that people have been campaigning for full video versions of the podcast. So, um, watch this space for that. Um, not confirming, not denying, I'm going to see how much workload that adds onto my life. Um, but, yeah. Um, okay, great. And with that, um, I have with me joining today, again, um, Conor, how, how are you?

[2:08] Conor: So well. I had to rest my vocal cords there for a considerable amount of time after the Leah Michelle recap episode, which was famously three months, three hours long. I do have to say that in all of the correspondence in the lead up to the episode that Andrew and I had privately, I do have to say how much Andrew was like, no, like, seriously, this can't be that long. Like we need to keep it brief. We need to, it was never going to happen. Leah would literally say a sentence and she'd be like, I really think, and then it would be like, stop. Wait, like she thinks, huh? I heard she thinks now. But yeah, that was a wicked quote. So I've heard like the I've been thinking, yeah, I've heard. Yeah.

Um, but I had a great time on that app, um, recapping the therapist, Leah Michelle episode, which was a lot of fun. I sent it to you. Did you watch it back? No. Okay. You specifically requested it and I was like, have fun with it. If you want to listen back three hours. I do. There's actually, I've had this thing where like one day I'm going to ask you for every episode because you keep all of the video recordings. I do for better or worse. And I, and it's just some of them. I'm just, do you ever like dip back in? Uh, I needed to find, well, speaking of, and I will bring, should I just bring in this other person right now? So they don't feel shut out of the conversation. Um, uh, of Emily's rule of fame, that's a consistently her, her, uh, her claim to fame. Um, Emily, of course. Hi.

[3:47] Emily: Hello. Hi, hi, hi. Um, before we continue this, uh, Leah Michelle zoom video discourse, um, I do want to say that people have been campaigning for your return, Emily, in a huge way. As they should. That's so sweet. Queen of my life for real. And also, um, since your last appearance, you have, um, debuted on yet another Glee podcast. You're cheating on me, I'm hearing.

[4:11] Emily: I'm sorry, but I did give you a shout out. So, you know, of course, yes, I was on. I think Andrew, Andrew must be the most mentioned person on that podcast. Lena got a shout out and I was very happy that like to hear her name. Yeah. Yeah. They were talking about jigsaw and then like, um, I believe it was like Kevin that initially brought it up and was like, Lena has, Lena has the doll of jigsaw. Yeah. Or as their, as their Instagram caption read jigsaw Sue, which was the full, the full government. Um, no, but I needed to bringing together the videos, the full videos that I have of every episode, as well as connecting it to the Lee Michelle therapist episode. Um, I did need to go back to my first conversation with Adam Anders to fact check her, to post that clip of him being like, no, Ruth before branches was actually a song about my wife, Nikki and I's relationship.

That was already like a song four years before it was on the hit Fox show Glee. And so I just presented that as information. I'm not to be like, Lee Michelle, you're a liar. Because again, you know, it's, it's very likely that she just doesn't have all the facts, right? It's been over a decade ago. So it's fair. Yeah. Yeah. Um, wait, Emily, I want to ask about and that's where you really miss. How did that even come to be? Because I feel like you messaged me after it happened or something. And you were like, Hey, I just did this. And I was like, wait, that's insane.

[5:42] Emily: Yeah. Um, so I had put in, so I had been reached out to about the, the Corey episode, where they were doing all of the little tributes and everything like that. And they had reached out to me about that. And I was like, Oh, my God, that's so exciting, you know, to be just a part of that. And then a couple weeks, I think it was a couple weeks after Sam reached out and just said, Hey, we're looking for more, you know, fan content and friends of the pod and just asked if I would be interested. And I'm like, of course, like, who would be interested in that. So I it was actually during my work day, I came home for my hour lunch break, I recorded this episode, and then I had to go back to work. And I was like, it was like a fever dream. That's the only way to describe it. I'm like, going back to work and being like, no one, no one knows.

[6:37] Emily: Yeah, no one, no one. And no one like, who would care that I just did that I could tell everyone and they'd be like, okay. But no, it was it was really special. It was really cool. And yeah, they've reached out for a couple other, you know, fan, you know, input episodes and things like that. But yeah, yeah. So it was crazy, exciting, like, whoa. Can you remember, like, can you remember your first visceral reaction when the camera went on and you saw Kevin and Jenna sitting there? Because I feel like for me, I was like, shitting myself, throwing up, vomiting, like having a seizure all at the same time. Do you know what I mean? I just, I kind of, it kind of, right. I kind of felt like I do when I step on stage where I just kind of black out.

Like, I just kind of like was just like, oh, you are real people. And now you know, I exist in the universe, like you are perceiving me. Whoa. Yeah, we are in this space, this virtual space together. It was crazy that when our like, our first interaction with Allison and I with Kevin and Jenna was the clip that they posted. And like, I was like, oh, no, because I like, I didn't think that we were like, already in the recording. And I was like, I just need to let you know, I couldn't sleep last night, which is a terrible first impression. It was the same as me. So, so you're obviously placed in a Zoom waiting room. Which is the fucking worst. Yeah. And then they, and then they appear. And I was, I said something like, oh, hey, guys.

I was like, guys, both of you are glowing. Like, you look so, and me the entire time thinking that we had, we hadn't started recording. I know. But it was all in the episode. God knows, like, I would have been like, hey, bitches, what the fuck is happening?

[8:22] Emily: I know, it was so sudden, too, because I felt like I was in there forever. And I'm like, yeah, all of a sudden, they just appear. And you're like, oh, oh, oh, we're right into it. Like they were professional from the start. So that waiting room. It's no joke. Because then like, I'm like, considering like, okay, I can't. Now I'm like, I can't go back to the bathroom for like, another, like, just another pee break, you know, like locked in now, because God forbid they let me in and I'm not. Right, right. Oh, my gosh. Nerve wracking. Yeah. Drew, because you've been on it a couple of times. Is it just always the same?

[9:17] Emily: Um, sure.

[9:19] Andrew: How do we feel about the Glackett? Is that chill?

[9:23] Conor: Oh, I'd like I want Emily to lead on this, really, because it's been quite a while in comparison that you've been on the pod.

[9:30] Emily: Yeah. So I mean, I was reviewing this little information that you had shared with us, Andrew, earlier today. Do we want to talk about that? Or do we want to talk about grievances?

[9:40] Conor: What do you want to talk about grievances? I mean, I was just kind of reviewing because, you know, it has been what, like 15 episodes, right? Since, since your last appearance?

[9:50] Emily: Well, I guess since round, I guess I'm just going since round three started. When was it because that was your last appearance was with Brie. Yes.

[9:57] Conor: Oh, the last time I felt very chill. There were a few times where I did not feel chill. And yeah, I feel like we're at the point now where I'm hoping that like, it's, it's, it continues to be chill. Hopefully, I don't have these like bathroom things, which anyway, anyway, speaking of chill, is everyone chill right now?

[10:01] Conor: Uh, yes, with Brie. Yeah, that was the last time I was on. So I guess, you know, everything kind of happened the way it should have happened. I feel like for a lot of those competitions. There wasn't anything super crazy, I guess. I'm really still just thinking about this season. I just don't know. This season.

[10:23] Emily: This season. Yeah.

[10:24] Conor: I love that we're saying that now.

[10:26] Emily: I know. It's the season of it. I just don't know how Ice Ice Baby is just still.

[10:34] Conor: Skirting by.

[10:36] Emily: I just don't get it. I don't know.

[10:39] Conor: It is crazy. Wait, you want to continue because I do you want to veer off into this, this document that I've shared with you today?

[10:46] Emily: I mean, we can yeah, because I'm already looking at it just looking at history and stuff like that. Sure. Okay, so the document that I've shared with you as well as folks in the in the Patreon chat is this document where I went back and like tracked so we have 15 winners of officially including Valerie, which is now been voted back into Glackett round four. So I'm just like, I put together which songs they beat in round one, which songs they beat in round two, which songs their competitor around to be in round one, and which songs you know, the history of all of these songs. So like, it's totally clips the heart, for instance, beat more than a woman in round one, then it be womanizer around to womanizer beat chandelier in round one, totally clips the heart, beat bills, bills, bills in round three, bills, bills, bills, be uptight, everything's all right, in round one, and what doesn't kill you makes you stronger around to that song beat the rose in round one.

So effectively, I'm not going to go through all of that for everybody. But effectively, there are seven songs that each song at the end of round three will like have kind of like taken down if that makes sense. So I don't know, it was like interesting to see that corner. So you like you bring up Ice Ice Baby. And that's, I feel like, comparatively doesn't have like as many hard songs to beat.

[12:24] Conor: Right, right. That's what I was looking at. Because it's like, yeah, the the actual matchup of the kind of the tier of, you know, what it had to overcome to get here wasn't really that crazy, except when you look at Keep Holding On season five. So that's what I see. That's what it be. But if you look at the tier below that, it's Barracuda and Dream On.

[12:47] Emily: Oh, sick to me. And to that, I will say, I will point you to a different document, which of course, is the voting history document that Elijah made, where you can see that I, of course, voted for Dream On. But Allison and our other guests that week, voted for Barracuda, which didn't live much longer than that. Keep Holding On versus Barracuda, was that towards the end of the previous round?

[13:12] Conor: Yes.

[13:13] Emily: Yes. Okay. Yeah, I remember being so upset about Barracuda going home. I'm just gonna say it. I love Barracuda. I actually think I talked about it on this very podcast before. However, I will say, I think this is maybe now that we're on this topic, maybe where me and Emily differ, because I would have voted Ice Ice Baby through.

[13:31] Conor: I can't stand her. I think, and I think my resentment towards "Keep Holding On" Season 5 version has only matured because it knocked out "Barracuda." That's how hard I've gotten for "Barracuda."

[13:49] Emilee: I get that. "Barracuda" is like, kind of, when you think of like a song that it's like, oh, I forgot that they did that, which is like a really hard, like, thing, exercise to do, because those songs should not exist in the front row.

[14:07] Conor: I remember her.

[14:07] Emilee: But "Barracuda," I feel like it's like very forgettable. No?

[14:10] Conor: I remember her, too. I stream. I stream "Barracuda."

[14:16] Emilee: It's forgettable. It's forgettable. Here's the thing. It's forgettable. It's not a bad thing. I feel like if you call something forgettable, a song on the glacket forgettable, I think instantly people are like, oh, that's a negative.

[14:33] Conor: I think it is.

[14:35] Emilee: But there can be some positives, right? Like it doesn't necessarily have to be exclusively negative.

[14:44] Conor: Sure. I'm thinking of other forgettable songs for me. The other two that come up are...

[14:48] Emilee: Like what? I don't even remember them.

[14:50] Conor: "Baby, It's You."

[14:54] Emilee: Which is good.

[14:57] Conor: I remember like a few weeks ago, we were talking about like, what is the worst Marcello? And I think that like "Baby, It's You" is like, kind of like, pretty far down there.

[15:06] Emilee: It's beautiful vocals. It's just not for, it shouldn't be, she shouldn't be the one singing it, in my opinion.

[15:10] Conor: And then the other one is, I would be very surprised if you disagree with me about the forgettable status is "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."

[15:20] Emilee: Yeah, that's forgettable.

[15:22] Conor: Forgettable.

[15:22] Emilee: That is forgettable.

[15:23] Conor: I do like it, though, but I don't stream it.

[15:26] Emilee: I actually do like it.

[15:27] Conor: I do. I do like it. Like when it comes on, either if I'm doing a rewatch and I'm like, oh, yeah, I forgot they did this, but it's not bad by any means.

[15:34] Emilee: They were throwing those four characters a bone.

[15:39] Conor: I don't know how "Keep Holding On" Season 5 is not more hated by the Gleeks here. I just don't get it. What am I missing?

[15:45] Emilee: I mean, okay, so, yeah, I don't, right, I don't hate it. I'm a sucker for the nostalgia of it. Like, I'm like, I love the moment and I love the thing that like, oh my gosh, Quinn totally forgot that that happened. You know, like, I kind of love that of it.

[16:03] Conor: But it is not an MP3 I stream. It's not something that I'm gonna reach for.

[16:09] Emilee: Against "Barracuda" and "Dream On," I would have absolutely picked either one of those over that.

[16:15] Conor: But against "Ice Ice Baby," "Keep Holding On" would have had my vote because, God, I cannot stand that era of Will.

[16:23] Emilee: I cannot stand the-

[16:24] Conor: But it's like the song isn't even about Will.

[16:27] Emilee: I know.

[16:28] Conor: It's about the Glee club. And I think the MP4 hits harder than the MP3 for me, right?

[16:34] Emilee: So I've never been here when "Ice Ice Baby" has been picked.

[16:38] Conor: So maybe if I watched it, I might feel different.

[16:42] Emilee: Mm.

[16:44] Conor: Yeah.

[16:44] Emilee: Have we all revealed on this podcast before what everyone's favorite polo is?

[16:49] Conor: Have we?

[16:49] Emilee: Now that we're just-

[16:50] Conor: Have we tapped into that?

[16:52] Emilee: I feel like "Keep Holding On" season five.

[16:54] Conor: No, because I feel like everyone just doesn't talk about Puck because of the Mark Salling of it all.

[16:58] Emilee: Right.

[16:58] Conor: And I feel like we've dipped our toes in there before.

[17:02] Emilee: But I have a very clear polo, favorite polo of mine.

[17:05] Conor: Um, I'm the only one.

[17:07] Emilee: Beautiful.

[17:08] Conor: That's good.

[17:09] Emilee: I do like that.

[17:10] Conor: I really like it.

[17:10] Emilee: Mine is "Only the Good Die Young."

[17:12] Conor: I love it.

[17:13] Emilee: Also great.

[17:14] Conor: Also great.

[17:15] Emilee: Yeah, I really like that one too.

[17:16] Conor: Um, I admittedly think I really do like "Big Ass Heart." It makes me laugh every single time.

[17:24] Emilee: Okay, okay.

[17:24] Conor: But like, being a plus size person, it makes me laugh.

[17:28] Emilee: Um, but it just sucks when you actually watch it in the episode.

[17:33] Conor: Because, you know, she's offended by it.

[17:35] Emilee: Yeah.

[17:36] Conor: But-

[17:36] Emilee: Wait, is she offended by "Big Ass Heart"? Or is it "Fat Bottom Girls" that she's offended by?

[17:41] Conor: No, I'm sorry. I was mixing up the moments. Nope, I was mixing up the moments.

[17:45] Emilee: That I hate.

[17:46] Conor: Why did it have to happen twice?

[17:47] Emilee: Yeah.

[17:48] Conor: Right, right, right.

[17:49] Emilee: But I do like "Big Ass Heart." I'm a fan.

[17:52] Conor: I'm a fan.

[17:53] Emilee: Um, are you happy that we had this conversation, Conor?

[17:56] Conor: I'm so thrilled. We talked about Puck solos, okay?

[17:59] Emilee: Yeah, sorry.

[18:01] Conor: Moment's over.

[18:02] Emilee: Um, yeah.

[18:04] Conor: Um, what else do we need to say?

[18:06] Emilee: Oh, also, the big thing that I wanted to bring up in regards to this, like, Glacket takedowns of, like, you know, which songs each round four song has under its belt is "Don't Stop Believing" pilot version.

[18:21] Conor: Um, yeah. I think-

[18:22] Emilee: Got away lightly.

[18:24] Conor: Easily has the, like-

[18:26] Emilee: They are just getting by time after time, Gleecast by Gleecast.

[18:30] Conor: I'm talking about-

[18:31] Emilee: So here are the seven songs that they have, you know, just beaten in their corner.

[18:37] Conor: "I Follow Rivers," "Not While I'm Around," also "It Must Have Been Love," "My Favorite Things," "Pure Imagination," "It's Too Late," and "Little Girls."

[18:47] Emilee: And I'm like, they haven't had one, like, colossal song yet, you know?

[18:53] Conor: Yeah.

[18:54] Emilee: I think that, in my opinion, I'm really bummed that "It's Too Late" was gone as early as it is.

[18:59] Conor: I really-

[19:00] Emilee: Yeah. That's, like, one of my favorite episodes. I love Carole King. I love that duet.

[19:05] Conor: Um, so I wish that it would have gotten- gone through further.

[19:09] Emilee: But would it have beat the original pilot, you know, later?

[19:13] Conor: Sure. It's not that hard of a hitter.

[19:16] Emilee: Yeah.

[19:16] Conor: So yeah, they really skirted by.

[19:18] Emilee: But it's so interesting.

[19:20] Conor: It's so interesting, too, because when I was reading this list earlier, I was like, oh my god, "Don't Stop Believing" has had such an easy ride thus far.

[19:28] Emilee: Yeah.

[19:29] Conor: Hence my question for you guys. What is your favorite solo?

[19:35] Emilee: What's your favorite solo?

[19:37] Conor: What is the song out of those 15 that you think have had the- has had the toughest hashtag journey?

[19:45] Emilee: Ooh, the journey to regionals.

[19:48] Conor: The journey to regionals. Because I think there are some mids in there that-

[19:54] Emilee: like, when I look at, like, "Natural Woman," for example, I love "Natural Woman," and I believe it should be in round four.

[20:02] Conor: However, like, it bet "Pumping Blood," which I love, I feel like doesn't get enough love.

[20:07] Emilee: It bet "Cellblock Tango," "Marry the Night."

[20:10] Conor: I know there was a big discussion about, like, guest star songs and stuff like that. But I feel like that's had some pretty-

[20:16] Emilee: I look at that song and I'm like, that could have been gone in any of those rounds, really dependent on the guest.

[20:21] Conor: Do you know what I mean?

[20:22] Emilee: "Marry the Night"?

[20:22] Conor: Yeah.

[20:24] Emilee: No, "Natural Woman."

[20:24] Conor: "Natural Woman."

[20:25] Emilee: Yeah, I'm surprised that she's made it as far as she has.

[20:28] Conor: I think I've said it before. I think that she feels like a Dark Horse more solo, that, like, we aren't considering her, but she's great.

[20:39] Emilee: She is great.

[20:40] Conor: Yeah.

[20:40] Emilee: Also, can I bring up something or do we want to linger there?

[20:45] Conor: Um, I'm just going to shout out "At The Ballet," which "Natural Woman" does have kind of have beaten in their corner.

[20:52] Emilee: "At The Ballet" doesn't get discussed enough.

[20:54] Conor: That's true.

[20:55] Emilee: Yeah.

[20:56] Conor: It doesn't get discussed enough.

[20:57] Emilee: And actually, the discussion around "At The Ballet" on this podcast tends to lean overwhelmingly negative.

[21:03] Conor: I-

[21:03] Emilee: Not on my part, of course.

[21:05] Conor: Not on your part, but I feel like in the- in the Glacket universe, extended universe-

[21:11] Emilee: People do not like it.

[21:11] Conor: People are really shitting on "At The Ballet."

[21:13] Emilee: And I'm here to say, no more.

[21:17] Conor: No more.

[21:17] Emilee: Thank you.

[21:18] Conor: No more.

[21:19] Emilee: I'm with you.

[21:20] Conor: This ends now.

[21:21] Emilee: Disgusting, quite frankly, because "At The Ballet" was-

[21:25] Conor: "At The Ballet," why-

[21:27] Emilee: I mean, it was the entire feature.

[21:29] Conor: That must have been an SJP contract.

[21:31] Emilee: I-

[21:32] Conor: Well, I have a headcanon about "At The Ballet" that-

[21:35] Emilee: So, in "Lights Out"-

[21:37] Conor: Yeah, we all.

[21:38] Emilee: We all have a headcanon.

[21:39] Conor: What was the reason?

[21:40] Emilee: What's your reason for why it was included?

[21:44] Conor: I think-

[21:45] Emilee: No, because it's really sad when I say my theory. And I feel, like, pretty confident about it, too.

[21:49] Conor: Is that it was revealed by Gleek Up Brazil that, like, specifically, "We Will Rock You" was going to be, like, an entire ensemble piece by the entire Ohio cast.

[21:56] Emilee: And that included Sue, Finn, Will.

[22:00] Conor: Like, it included so much of the cast in "We Will Rock You."

[22:07] Emilee: And I know that, like, I believe Corey filmed scenes for "Lights Out."

[22:13] Conor: But it didn't make sense that, like, it was only, like, one scene.

[22:16] Emilee: But it didn't have the falling- like, the falling action scene later in the episode, maybe.

[22:20] Conor: Where it was just, like, okay, it just completely disjointed.

[22:23] Emilee: And so they had to scrap the entire Finn stuff.

[22:27] Conor: I know that Sarah Jessica Parker did- was the person that, like, presented this song to Ryan Murphy at "The Ballet."

[22:32] Emilee: It's a song that she really enjoyed.

[22:34] Conor: And so I think that maybe that was, like, a two birds, one stone. Where it was like, oh, Sarah Jessica Parker wants to sing this song. And also, we have all this extra time in the episode that we're not using because Corey's not in it.

[22:45] Emilee: That's-

[22:46] Conor: That's a great headcanon.

[22:47] Emilee: Where does everyone fall on the SJP-Kim Cattrall feud? Because I've got many opinions about that.

[22:53] Conor: And where-

[22:53] Emilee: And do you think that Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrall have the same favorite Puck solo?

[22:58] Conor: I mean, who must?

[23:00] Emilee: Can we find common ground here?

[23:02] Conor: Right.

[23:02] Emilee: Please.

[23:03] Conor: I think that they probably both have context for "Sweet Caroline," right?

[23:07] Emilee: They both know about that one.

[23:09] Conor: I mean, that's the age range.

[23:12] Emilee: One of the most moving moments in all of Glee, genuinely, just to bring it back, is in "At the Ballet," is that shot of Rachel, Kurt, and Santana seeing younger them in the class.

[23:21] Conor: That is such a gorgeous moment that we're not talking about enough.

[23:25] Emilee: And I feel like it is suffering from the condition known formally as end of season four anitis, in which it just gets completely overshadowed by the fact that it's unfortunately towards the end of season four.

[23:41] Conor: And you catch the itis.

[23:42] Emilee: And exactly.

[23:44] Conor: And we're not talking about her enough.

[23:46] Emilee: So I just want to say it out here, "At the Ballet," Glee cast version by Glee cast, if you're listening, which I know you are, I love you.

[23:54] Conor: And I think Andrew and Emily can co-sign that.

[23:57] Emilee: Preach.

[23:58] Conor: I know that "At the Ballet" is listening because they have nothing but time with that song. You know what I mean?

[24:03] Emilee: I don't need no more.

[24:05] Conor: They sleeping.

[24:08] Emilee: And also, before we potentially get into Galactic competitions, unless you want to have more discourse about this, I just have one more thing to say about this.

[24:16] Conor: Well, I guess I was just going to say, you had asked, like, which one has had the hardest journey?

[24:20] Emilee: I mean, "Blame It on the Alcohol," right?

[24:23] Conor: "Blame It on the Alcohol."

[24:25] Emilee: But like, maybe not hardest journey, but most turbulent journey.

[24:30] Conor: It's controversial.

[24:31] Emilee: Yes.

[24:31] Conor: I will sign it.

[24:32] Emilee: Yeah.

[24:32] Conor: Most turbulent is such a good phrase.

[24:34] Emilee: I was thinking that, I think, "No Air" has had quite a struggle to get here, because "No Air" won to "Poker Face" in round one.

[24:47] Conor: Now, very interesting to me, particularly, but go off.

[24:53] Emilee: Yeah, no, I feel the same.

[24:55] Conor: We do talk about "Poker Face" a lot.

[24:57] Emilee: I want to shout out.

[24:58] Conor: We do.

[24:58] Emilee: "Out Here on My Own." Another one, I think that people are forgetting about beautiful vocals.

[25:05] Conor: It's incredible.

[25:08] Emilee: "Constant Craving."

[25:09] Conor: "Out Here on My Own" is incredible.

[25:14] Emilee: Incredible.

[25:15] Conor: It's so good.

[25:16] Emilee: Yeah, and then we've had people talk about, yeah, "Constant Craving," how that should have gone further.

[25:21] Conor: I mean, the Shelby of it all is really the big A connector, but like, you know.

[25:26] Emilee: Yeah, but just to call them all out, "No Air" has beaten "Poker Face," "Out Here on My Own," "I Want to Dance with Somebody," "Cool Kids," "Constant Craving," "Got to Get You into My Life," and "You Can't Stop the Beat."

[25:38] Conor: And I would have voted for you.

[25:40] Emilee: "Can't Stop the Beat."

[25:41] Conor: I will say that really just to put in some grievances.

[25:45] Emilee: I will say that.

[25:46] Conor: Yeah, I really do like "No Air."

[25:49] Emilee: And the second I was listening to the episode a couple of days ago and I heard the competition, I knew automatically which way it was going to go.

[25:56] Conor: But I love you.

[25:58] Emilee: "Can't Stop the Beat."

[25:58] Conor: I know people have their problems with it.

[26:00] Emilee: But the last 40 seconds of the MP3 of that song, when you were listening to that in full blast, the Leah vocal, oh, the Amber vocal.

[26:08] Conor: Oh, please.

[26:09] Emilee: It is serving.

[26:10] Conor: See you next Tuesday.

[26:12] Emilee: It is absolutely iconic.

[26:15] Conor: It's such a great episode.

[26:18] Emilee: "The Purple Piano Project" is so good.

[26:21] Conor: We need to talk about her and we need to give her her flowers.

[26:24] Emilee: In my humble opinion, it's a great episode.

[26:26] Conor: And yeah, I would have voted for you.

[26:28] Emilee: "Can't Stop the Beat."

[26:28] Conor: I understand why "At Last."

[26:30] Emilee: But I love you, girl.

[26:32] Conor: I just want to say that.

[26:33] Emilee: "No Air" is really climbing the ranks for me, though.

[26:36] Conor: I really, I'm glad that she's here.

[26:38] Emilee: I was initially very upset, obviously, in round one that she took out "Poker Face."

[26:42] Conor: But of the eight songs here, as good as, quite frankly, all of them, and I'm even considering "Cool Kids," sure, I think "No Air" is the winner of these eight.

[26:56] Emilee: And I'm happy that she was the one that came out on top of these collective eight songs.

[27:01] Conor: Really? Even over "Poker Face"?

[27:03] Andrew: Hey, that's pretty big of you to say that over "Poker Face."

[27:05] Conor: I just think that "No Air," and I brought it up when we talked about it, that like, that's the, that was the Glee porn scripture. That's when, where it was written, you know?

[27:16] Emilee: It's, yeah, it's peak Glee, right? It's peak, like, the satire, the air, the knocking in the students, the...

[27:23] Conor: Oh, yeah, full cab. It's so good. It's really great. Um, anybody else have any grievances, anything to say about this document?

[27:32] Emilee: No, it's really interesting, though, to see.

[27:35] Andrew: I'll probably just need to build it.

[27:38] Conor: Yeah, it's cool.

[27:40] Emilee: Andrew, is there any, are there any songs for you that are still in the Glockenspiel that you're, like, angry about? Because I only have one.

[27:46] Andrew: For me, it's "Ice Ice Baby." I hate that song. I hate it.

[27:51] Emilee: Wait, "Ice Ice Baby" in round four? Like, of the 15 songs in round four, are you saying just, like, all the songs left?

[28:00] Andrew: No.

[28:01] Emilee: I just mean generally.

[28:02] Andrew: Oh, I was just round four so far. I guess, um, let me just, since I, you know, have the playlist right here, since it lives in my...

[28:10] Emilee: Since you do curate the playlist, of course.

[28:13] Andrew: Let's see what's left. Um, you know, for me, it's, and this is one I bring every single time, "Christmas Wrapping" is my least favorite Christmas song, Glee or not Glee, of all time.

[28:24] Emilee: So that one, I'm just like, get her out of here. I've just, I hated that song since I was in high school. Like, even before Glee was a blip in anyone's eye, I've hated that song.

[28:35] Andrew: So as soon as I heard that they, you know, were doing it, I was like, I will admit, the MP4 is a fun time if you're in the Christmas mood.

[28:45] Emilee: I love the dance of it all. But the song, I just cannot, like, it is just, it makes me angry.

[28:53] Andrew: I hate it.

[28:54] Emilee: Not to be a jerk, but there are plenty of "Christmas Wrapping" lovers.

[29:00] Andrew: I know, I know, I know. I know, I'm alone on my little "Christmas Wrapping" island.

[29:06] Conor: I think that there are other people. I'm sure that there are other people. I don't want to say that you're really alone.

[29:10] Emilee: No, I'm pretty alone, though. I know that's a really popular one.

[29:14] Andrew: Not like other Gleeks, yeah.

[29:15] Emilee: Not like other Gleeks. Let's see. Um, you know, honestly, I'm looking through this list. Oh, another one I mentioned last time was "L-O-V-E," Love.

[29:24] Andrew: Oh, you wanted out.

[29:26] Emilee: I'll get it out of here. Nah, that one's kind of lit for me.

[29:30] Andrew: But no, really, for the most part, I do agree with a lot of these. I think that we're in a good place for round four.

[29:41] Emilee: We've had some that have, you know, tragically seen the wayside.

[29:45] Andrew: But I think we, I would say, you know what, 90% of the songs are, you know, where they should be, I feel like, at this point in time.

[29:54] Emilee: That's good to hear. I like that. I do want to ask, though, between "Christmas Wrapping" and "L-O-V-E," if that was a competition that could happen in this very recording, where would you pledge your allegiance?

[30:06] Conor: Oh, God.

[30:07] Emilee: Oh, "Christmas Wrapping."

[30:08] Andrew: I would probably go "L-O-V-E." That's how much I hate "Christmas Wrapping."

[30:12] Emilee: Really? I think I would also do "Christmas Wrapping."

[30:15] Andrew: It's all right.

[30:17] Emilee: We could probably, we could just skip over that competition.

[30:20] Andrew: I really hope the competition doesn't happen purely just for the romantic effect.

[30:24] Emilee: We already know.

[30:26] Conor: No, honestly, I think if it was anything against "Christmas Wrapping," I would vote for the other one, even if it was...

[30:32] Andrew: "Love You Like a Love Song."

[30:34] Emilee: "Love You Like a Love Song," bitch. You are in my sightline and you are fucking going down the second that I see you, because it's personal at this stage.

[30:45] Andrew: I hate you. I hate you.

[30:49] Emilee: That's another forgettable Glee song, I feel.

[30:52] Conor: I don't know.

[30:54] Emilee: Yes, it's forgettable until you're forced to remember her.

[30:58] Andrew: The habit that she's reached.

[31:01] Emilee: Yeah, it's terrible. It's actually disgusting. I'm over it now.

[31:05] Andrew: Am I wrong? Is "Bitch" the only Sue solo left?

[31:08] Emilee: Yes, it is.

[31:10] Andrew: See, that's criminal.

[31:12] Emilee: Wait, but is that criminal? Is it? I mean.

[31:17] Conor: You know where I stand on the vogue of it all, Andrew, with you.

[31:21] Andrew: I mean, it could be worse, but I was just thinking about, you said, you said "bitch" before, and then that made me think of, you know, Sue's "bitch."

[31:30] Emilee: You said "bitch."

[31:31] Andrew: You said "bitch." And so I was just thinking about that. And that's kind of, that's criminal to me that that's the last one.

[31:40] Emilee: It's not the worst, but it's not, definitely shouldn't be the last one standing, in my opinion.

[31:45] Conor: Well, there's only three.

[31:46] Andrew: Yeah. "Bitch," "Vogue," and "Little Girls."

[31:52] Emilee: That's really all?

[31:56] Conor: "Physical"?

[31:56] Andrew: The ranking is "Vogue," "Bitch," "Little Girls."

[32:01] Emilee: I guess I think of like, I think of like "Physical." I think of that more of like a Sue, but that's a duet.

[32:07] Andrew: I have been trapped into saying, I see it a mile away now, where I have said, without thinking about the words, I like little girls, too many times on this podcast, that I am not, I'm not, I'm owning how stupid that is.

[32:28] Emilee: It's like those, it's like those TikTok, it's like those TikTok lives when people try to get the literature.

[32:34] Andrew: People read things.

[32:37] Emilee: Oh my god.

[32:38] Andrew: But I do like "Little Girls," Gleecasters are my Gleecast, to be, to be clear.

[32:43] Emilee: Anyway. Okay. And with that being said, now do we have any further things to say before we pull song number one?

[32:52] Conor: I mean, Emily, how have you been with, I know you said, in generally, but are you generally okay with the competitions?

[33:01] Emilee: Yeah, I really, I really have been. Admittedly, I have just been extremely busy. So I didn't really look past the like round, you know, the last, you know, 15 episodes or what be it.

[33:16] Andrew: But like I said, for me, the only real big one was "Ice Ice Baby" that I was like, why? Why is this song still alive?

[33:24] Emilee: But if you look at the rest of even just the ones from this round, I wasn't a crier. So I wasn't sad to see "Cry" go.

[33:31] Andrew: Oh, I was a crier.

[33:33] Emilee: I was a little sad to see "Applause" go because I really did. That was in one of my previous episodes.

[33:38] Andrew: That was in your first episode.

[33:39] Emilee: Yeah. And I really did like "Applause," but "Broadway Baby" is just, it's so much, it's iconic.

[33:44] Conor: It's so fun.

[33:45] Andrew: Right.

[33:46] Emilee: See, I just don't, I don't get it.

[33:50] Andrew: You will.

[33:51] Emilee: You will. Don't worry.

[33:52] Andrew: I don't get it. And I would have voted for "Applause." I also probably would have voted for, in the competition, I think it was with "Recovering Gleek," "Express Yourself" versus "Without You."

[34:03] Emilee: I probably would have voted for "Without You."

[34:05] Andrew: "Express Yourself" is another song from Emily's first episode. Sorry.

[34:08] Emilee: I'm learning throughout this Glackett exercise that actually, I'm kind of a big Rollo lover.

[34:15] Conor: Me too.

[34:17] Emilee: Something crazy in me too.

[34:18] Andrew: I'm surprised. She's the main character of this show that you enjoy.

[34:23] Emilee: Kind of surprised, I mean.

[34:26] Andrew: It's like the system's working.

[34:28] Emilee: Yeah. I don't think I really like Glee. I think I wheelie like Glee.

[34:35] Conor: I wheelie like Glee.

[34:38] Emilee: Wait, do I enjoy Leona Schultz's singing voice?

[34:42] Andrew: Right.

[34:43] Emilee: But yeah, there's just like, no competition am I like, oh my god, such a bad decision. But there are some competitions that I'm like, oh, okay.

[34:52] Conor: Like, for example, like last week's episode with "You Can't Stop the Beat" versus "Nowhere," I clicked on the Instagram poll and I voted for "You Can't Stop the Beat."

[35:01] Emilee: And it seemed to be that "You Can't Stop the Beat" was winning at the time.

[35:04] Andrew: I believe that the final tally was like 52-48 with "You Can't Stop the Beat" winning. Yes.

[35:09] Conor: Oh my god, it's like a Brexit situation.

[35:11] Andrew: Really?

[35:12] Emilee: Yeah.

[35:13] Conor: That song to me sounds like Kidz Bop. Like, it is one of the Kidz Bop-y ones for me. I love Hairspray, love the movie, love the musical, love, you know, but I don't know. It is not one I stream. It is just, it's not for me.

[35:30] Andrew: How do we feel about Glee songs where the story is slow for no real artistic reason?

[35:35] Emilee: What other? Okay, we have "Mamma Mia," end of list. What other ones are you thinking about?

[35:39] Conor: We have "Mamma Mia" and "You Can't Stop the Beat."

[35:41] Emilee: Yeah.

[35:42] Andrew: I don't like either of those.

[35:43] Emilee: And both times it's Rachel. And I quite enjoy it, to be honest.

[35:47] Andrew: I think it's fun. I think it is a good choice.

[35:51] Emilee: I don't like either.

[35:52] Andrew: Emily hates it.

[35:53] Emilee: I feel like I come on here and I'm such a like, negative Nancy.

[35:57] Andrew: No, I know you're not.

[36:00] Emilee: Um.

[36:01] Andrew: No, you're not.

[36:02] Emilee: Well, what are we manifesting today? We're manifesting "Christmas Wrapping" versus "L.O.V.E."

[36:06] Conor: No!

[36:07] Emilee: "Love You Like a Love Song." Let's get rid of her.

[36:11] Andrew: We're manifesting to get rid of her. Because I just want to provide context, legal note, it did take out "Safety Dance" in round one, which is crazy to me.

[36:20] Conor: That is insane.

[36:21] Emilee: And you can check the voting history on that. It does not sit well with my spirit.

[36:26] Andrew: Insane.

[36:27] Conor: Like you sitting there with like friends of Kevin McHale.

[36:31] Andrew: Absolutely terrible.

[36:32] Emilee: I can't believe you would portray him like that.

[36:34] Conor: I think Kevin McHale would be OK with it, though.

[36:36] Andrew: Yeah.

[36:37] Emilee: OK.

[36:39] Andrew: OK.

[36:40] Emilee: OK.

[36:41] Andrew: Wait, what are you manifesting?

[36:43] Conor: Oh, OK.

[36:44] Andrew: We're manifesting, of course, "Love You Like a Love Song."

[36:47] Emilee: I want to.

[36:49] Andrew: Oh my God.

[36:52] Emilee: Do you remember at the start of round three, I was like, it's time to get rid of some blow lows.

[36:58] Andrew: Oh, we have.

[36:59] Emilee: And then I was like, we have.

[37:01] Andrew: And then they're gone.

[37:02] Emilee: I kind of want to continue that trend.

[37:04] Andrew: I mean, the only ones, legal note, it's not unusual.

[37:07] Emilee: And "Bills, Bills, Bills," which I guess is enough.

[37:10] Andrew: And I guess like I know that some people are considering like "Love Shack" as a blow low.

[37:14] Emilee: I know that's very blade heavy, but that was all.

[37:17] Andrew: I love "Love Shack."

[37:20] Emilee: Um, with that.

[37:22] Andrew: Now, this is like my fifth time asking, do we have anything to say?

[37:25] Emilee: And I do mean it.

[37:26] Andrew: Do we have anything else to say?

[37:28] Emilee: No.

[37:29] Andrew: No.

[37:30] Emilee: OK.

[37:31] Andrew: All right. Here we go with song number one.

[37:34] Emilee: Make it a good one.

[37:36] Conor: Um, it's a good one.

[37:38] Andrew: It's OK.

[37:40] Emilee: It's good.

[37:42] Conor: I don't know if you've ever been here when this has been pulled, Connor.

[37:45] Andrew: I don't think that you have.

[37:47] Emilee: It's a Connor exclusive.

[37:49] Andrew: Connor, I don't know if you know this Glee song.

[37:54] Conor: We can see it.

[37:56] Emilee: Oh, it's OK.

[37:57] Andrew: Yeah, I'm feeling festive.

[38:01] Emilee: Are you?

[38:02] Andrew: I'm feeling festive.

[38:03] Emilee: For this one, not for another one.

[38:05] Andrew: Right.

[38:06] Emilee: I think we all know what song you're talking about.

[38:09] Andrew: Yep.

[38:10] Emilee: Of course, we are about to watch "Baby It's Cold Outside."

[38:12] Andrew: Listen along. Go to patreon.com slash Gleek of the Week pod.

[38:15] Emilee: Otherwise, on to the discussion.

[38:17] Andrew: Here we go.

[38:18] Conor: Hey, we're back.

[38:20] Emilee: Hi.

[38:21] Andrew: What do we think about that?

[38:23] Emilee: Emily, do you want to start the discourse on that one?

[38:26] Emilee: Sure. Um, well, for me, like this song is always a little weird because the lyrics are, you know, little yikes.

[38:32] Andrew: Right.

[38:33] Emilee: Right. Um, but, um, it just, uh, it's cute. It's fun. It's, you know, Christmassy.

[38:40] Conor: Very classic Glee, I feel like.

[38:43] Emilee: Um, I love that Darren doesn't play the piano, yet he's always forced to play the piano, at least in some parts.

[38:49] Andrew: Wait, okay. I don't, I know nothing about instruments. Does he not know how to play piano?

[38:53] Conor: See, I think Darren, okay, so they just, um, we just recapped the episode, uh, Kevin and Jenna.

[39:01] Andrew: Yeah.

[39:02] Conor: About how Darren was teaching the piano in "A Thousand Miles."

[39:05] Andrew: Right.

[39:06] Conor: And I'm like, he doesn't play the piano.

[39:09] Andrew: Wait, did they say that?

[39:10] Conor: That's not true, though. He plays the piano.

[39:12] Andrew: See, this is what I thought.

[39:14] Conor: And I thought they said, like, that he doesn't play.

[39:16] Andrew: Now, maybe I was wrong. Maybe they were saying something about Court not playing the piano.

[39:20] Conor: But I thought they said something about, like, Darren not playing the piano.

[39:23] Andrew: And that's why I was like, why would they make him play and pretend to play the piano in every single episode if he doesn't play the piano?

[39:30] Emilee: Well, and also, like, at his bar, Tramp Sam Granny's in LA.

[39:37] Conor: He plays, right?

[39:39] Emilee: He is, like, behind the, it's a piano bar. And he, like, often will, like, go behind the piano.

[39:44] Andrew: But he's played the piano on the show.

[39:47] Conor: Right.

[39:48] Andrew: But I'm, I'm pointing to in our universe things that have happened.

[39:53] Emilee: Yes, but he's played.

[39:55] Andrew: But Darren has played the piano live on Glee.

[39:59] Conor: See, that's what I thought, too.

[40:01] Emilee: When I heard this on Kevin and Jenna, maybe I'm wrong.

[40:03] Andrew: All of me suddenly see more "Teenage Dream."

[40:07] Conor: Against all odds.

[40:09] Andrew: Yeah, against all odds.

[40:10] Conor: Sorry.

[40:11] Andrew: It had to have been recorded, though.

[40:13] Emilee: He has played the piano live.

[40:16] Andrew: That's why I was so confused when I heard that.

[40:19] Emilee: Now I'm going to have to fact check that.

[40:21] Conor: Emily, you were just.

[40:22] Emilee: Now I've opened.

[40:23] Conor: Emily's, like, world crumbling in.

[40:26] Emilee: I'm just here as Kevin and Jenna's lawyer, and I understand that.

[40:30] Conor: I get it.

[40:36] Andrew: Okay, I'm gonna have to fact check that because I wrote that down. I wrote, Darren doesn't play piano? Like, wait a second. I'm confused now. But anyways, that's this number. I also wrote, wait, you don't like me? Where when? Or wait, you like me? I wrote that down when a couple episodes later when Kurt's like, I like you, Blaine? And Blaine's like, what? Yeah, like, this number doesn't give anything away. Like, what? I think Blaine is one of those guys that it's like, I think that there's been a number of Kurt so far, where he's just like, he likes, he likes the attention a little bit, you know? Sure. He's like, he likes playing. Yeah. Like coy, like, Oh, I didn't know. I that's my headcanon, at least. Sure. No. At this point, how are we feeling about Blaine at this point in the series? Like, it's only been what, two episodes?

[41:35] Conor: Well, I brought it up last time that this was seen in the Glackett in Matt and Alison Alamode's episode in round two. And just legally, it won against Last Friday Night, as it should have. But I brought up this song always makes me think Blaine is in his imaginary era, where he is not an actual person that exists in this universe that like, it's kind of like hard, like, it's like, this, it feels like a little bit too perfect. And it's really nice. I'm not to discredit of this song. It's very effective that it's like, very cute. But it's almost like, wow, this is like, really looking good for Kurt, you know, like, wow, really, really turned around. And it feels like, like a dream performance almost, but apparently, real.

[42:24] Emilee: Right. Doesn't feel-

[42:26] Conor: No, it is real.

[42:27] Emilee: No, it is. It is. Yeah. But it's like, at the end of the performance, Will comes in, and like, Kurt's like, I have a new guy that I'm talking to. And Will's like, sure. Okay.

[42:42] Andrew: That is so me coded. It's kind of sad that, well, okay, Emily, I feel like I know the answer to this question, but I'm just going to shoot the shit with you, because it's our first episode together. Where do you stand on the claim of it all? Are you a cleaner, yay or nay?

[42:59] Emilee: I am not, like, I'm not like a diehard cleaner. I mean, do I love the characters that they get back together and all of the, you know, the ups and downs of them? Yeah, it's, you know, it makes for good TV. I'm just not like, I am more a Rachel and Finn OG. And if I had to, you know, pick another couple, it would be Brittany and Santana. So they're probably like, you know, third or fourth on my coupling list. But no, I also wanted to say, I am totally wrong. I pulled up the transcript from Kevin and Jenna's episode. It says Darren is a really good piano player. Where the hell did I find that he, where the hell did I hear that?

[43:40] Conor: They're hiring you as their lawyer. Yeah.

[43:42] Emilee: Oh my god, please let me come back on your podcast. I'm not spreading lies, I swear.

[43:48] Conor: You have one conversation with Kevin and Jenna, and then all of a sudden you think that you could just split their work. Oh my god. Where did I hear that? I'm in the twilight zone. Sorry. I really do like that universe where he's faking it.

[44:02] Andrew: I was like, why would they do that? That's just horrible. It's like when Kevin, you know, had to pretend to play all the instruments for like the first like, five episodes of Glee, and they're like, no, this isn't gonna work. You gotta get rid of it. I really like this performance. I think it's like very cute. I'm trying to think of like other Clayne duets that we still have around. I feel like my memory is like not serving me recently. But what other Clayne duets?

[44:32] Conor: I can think of like a lot that aren't here, like Got To Get You In My Life.

[44:35] Emilee: Yeah, like They Got Rid Of One I Love.

[44:37] Conor: Somebody Loves You is gone.

[44:39] Emilee: Somebody Loves You is gone. American Boy is gone.

[44:42] Conor: Do you know that?

[44:43] Emilee: Candles.

[44:45] Conor: Oh, Candles is gone.

[44:46] Emilee: Yeah.

[44:47] Conor: Animal.

[44:49] Emilee: Do you know that? I'm just saying this for the sake of adding it to the carousel. But do you know that like award show where Madonna's like, Michael's gone. Amy's gone. Whitney's gone. Prince is gone. But I'm still here.

[45:06] Andrew: Boom. Baby, it's cold outside.

[45:09] Conor: So that's Baby, It's Cold Outside. Wait, is there really no other one? Animal died in round two.

[45:20] Emilee: It's too late.

[45:21] Conor: Daydream Believer.

[45:22] Emilee: Daydream Believer also gone.

[45:24] Conor: Gone.

[45:25] Emilee: Thank God.

[45:28] Conor: Wait a minute. I'm pulling up. Continue the discourse. I'm looking up.

[45:33] Emilee: I know. I'm doing the same. I'm such a researcher.

[45:35] Conor: Is he in season three?

[45:37] Emilee: Um, Perfect was in your last episode, Emily, I believe, right?

[45:40] Conor: It was. And yeah, the half sweater said goodbye. Um, Come What May gone. Wait, I think this might actually be the last one.

[45:50] Emilee: Okay, there's 16 claimed duets. Love is a Battlefield. Gone. Come What May. Gone. Got to get you into my life. Gone. Let It Snow. Gone. It's Too Late. Gone. Baby, It's Cold Outside. Here. American Boy. Gone. Daydream Believer. Gone. Animal. Gone. Story of my life. Somebody Loves You. You Make Me Feel So Young. Just Can't Get Enough. Perfect. Candles. And White Christmas. All gone. This is the last one.

[46:12] Conor: It's the last one!

[46:13] Emilee: Stop!

[46:14] Conor: Oh, that's important. Question, question. Does knowing that information scare you?

[46:22] Emilee: It scares me a little bit. I, but I think that like a lot of the claimed duets...

[46:27] Conor: Oh! Oh no!

[46:30] Emilee: More of a startle than a scare.

[46:33] Conor: Uh, it's important to know. I'm glad that we found out that information. Um...

[46:37] Emilee: Yeah.

[46:39] Conor: I think...

[46:40] Emilee: I'm glad, yeah, I'm glad we found out that information because I want everyone to be represented on the, I want it to be like men, like...

[46:48] Conor: Oh, I was just thinking of that Rihanna meme there.

[46:53] Emilee: To know the meme of Rihanna where she's like, we didn't just want to make the product to just be men and women and non-binary people of all gender appropriation.

[47:02] Conor: Gender appropriation, yeah.

[47:07] Emilee: I guess question...

[47:08] Conor: She's trying so hard to not get cancelled. But you know, I do, I do want a, I want representation for everyone. So...

[47:16] Emilee: I guess question is, is this the best Clay duet?

[47:20] Conor: I think it might be, this might be, it might not be my favourite Clay duet. I think like, um, Got To Get You Into My Life, very good to me.

[47:28] Emilee: Yeah, you come hurt, gosh.

[47:30] Conor: I do. But this one, Baby It's Cold Outside, I just feel like kind of encapsulates, it's the, it's the debut Clay duet. And it's like, it's also, I think that we need to like, acknowledge how progressive it is. It's like a huge moment. The first time a romantic duet has been sung on this show by people of the same gender.

[47:55] Emilee: Do you remember that woman, was it Victoria Jackson giving the...

[47:59] Conor: Where she's like, I don't want to watch this.

[48:01] Emilee: Does anyone remember this?

[48:01] Conor: The clean kiss?

[48:02] Emilee: Yeah. And I think, so she was being interviewed by some news channel and like the newsreader's like, um, glee, gay, kiss, outrage. And then she's being interviewed about like, how disgusted she is about it. I think they keep showing clips of Baby It's Cold. They keep on playing it all over her.

[48:19] Conor: She's literally like...

[48:22] Emilee: Oh God, my eyes.

[48:26] Conor: Queen, queen.

[48:27] Emilee: No, not queen.

[48:28] Conor: We love her.

[48:29] Emilee: Don't do that.

[48:29] Conor: We love her. Um, no, we, uh, Baby It's Cold Outside. No, I'm like, I'm really glad that we know all this information that we do about Baby It's Cold Outside. Just how it ranks. I think, yeah. And to answer your question, I do think it is my favourite Clay duet, but like, meh, like, okay. Like there was never really a Clay duet that made me sit down and truly listen.

[48:55] Emilee: I think that's the problem.

[48:58] Conor: Yeah. You know, I don't know. However, I will say, I do think when we, when we analyse this duet from a Chris Colfer vocal perspective, I do think that this song, as someone who knows little to nothing about singing and, or vocal things, um, I do think it sits wonderfully in the timbre of his voice. Sounds really lovely. And I think that the better Clay duets, I think the problem that they had with Clay duets is that like Darren and Chris as vocalists have relatively different voices. And the ones, if you look at the list of the ones that didn't tend to work, it's because they often set in one person's timbre, but not in the other person's. However, this one, they did a really good job at like writing and producing the mix for both singers.

[49:51] Emilee: I'd agree.

[49:52] Conor: I agree on that as well.

[49:53] Emilee: It suits them both really well.

[49:56] Conor: Yeah.

[49:57] Emilee: Yeah. Andrew, do you have any-

[49:59] Andrew: For example, a classic example of this, in my opinion, is Story of My Life. Darren sounds amazing, and Chris is just not sounding his best.

[50:08] Emilee: Yeah, another one that I feel-

[50:10] Conor: Listen to that, re-listen.

[50:11] Emilee: Another one that I feel like, while it's not even top five of my favorite Clay duets, that the voices feel good is Come What May. And I know it's because, um, you know, Kurt has a softer tone, and while he is singing the female, you know, he just, he sings female parts very well. And that's not something that's like a knock or anything like that. He just very, his tone works very well with those kind of ranges and where it sits, where you kind of feel that that balance, where it works for them, even though they have those very different types of voices.

[50:49] Conor: Yeah. I'm thinking like other ones, like, what other ones do I really enjoy? I think Got To Get You Into My Life, they both sound good at that.

[51:00] Emilee: Mm-hmm. Yeah, you get to hear a little bit of Kurt's kind of grittier, you know, because he does have quite a range of style that he has, and you get to hear a little bit more of, you know, where he's not in his high falsetto. It's more of a lower natural tone. I really like Just Can't Get Enough. I think that's one of my, that actually might be my favorite Clay duet.

[51:23] Conor: That's a good shout, actually. That's a good shout.

[51:25] Emilee: The MP4 is okay, because I'm, I don't love the storyline of the Karofsky of it all and all that. But man, that is a, like, when I'm just driving in my car, that's a banger to listen to.

[51:37] Conor: Wait, you're saying Just Can't Get Enough?

[51:39] Emilee: Yeah, is that the one that they sing at the house party? Is that the one?

[51:42] Conor: No.

[51:42] Emilee: Oh, no, I'm thinking Somebody Loves You. Sorry.

[51:45] Conor: Somebody Loves You is good.

[51:45] Emilee: Somebody Loves You. That's the one I'm thinking of.

[51:48] Conor: And then Just Can't Get Enough is done at the-

[51:49] Emilee: Is the wedding.

[51:50] Conor: Wedding.

[51:51] Emilee: The wedding. Yep.

[51:53] Conor: The list that I'm referring to right now is someone on the Glee Reddit four years ago ranking all the Clay duets, and they did rank White Christmas as last. I personally like it.

[52:04] Emilee: I like White Christmas.

[52:06] Conor: I think it's fun.

[52:09] Emilee: It's fun.

[52:10] Conor: Is it?

[52:11] Emilee: It's fun. I'm going to say it.

[52:12] Conor: That's the ice skating.

[52:12] Emilee: What did they have as their best? Oh, you can't remember. You're not, you didn't pull this up, did you?

[52:17] Conor: No, I do.

[52:18] Emilee: What's their best Clay duet?

[52:18] Conor: Their favorite is Love is a Battlefield.

[52:20] Emilee: And of course, we're talking about user NMT underscore 732. We're still talking about you.

[52:27] Conor: Yeah, we're still talking about you. We haven't fucking forgotten, okay?

[52:33] Emilee: And again, Baby It's Cold Outside, that ranks at six. So kind of just like right in the middle.

[52:40] Conor: Mid, yeah.

[52:41] Emilee: I think it's better than a mid. That's my opinion.

[52:44] Conor: Personally, we do disagree with you.

[52:46] Emilee: Yeah. User NMT.

[52:49] Conor: Sorry. Um, all right.

[52:52] Andrew: Anyway, um, what's everyone's favorite polo?

[52:55] Emilee: Glad you asked.

[52:59] Conor: Cold Outside should have been a polo, and he should have sang both parts.

[53:04] Emilee: AI was invented for a reason, okay?

[53:07] Conor: So he, you know, Puck, Puck, and if any character would have done it, it would have been Puck.

[53:11] Emilee: You know what? He would have had the ego to do it.

[53:13] Conor: Thank you so much, Emily. You're so right.

[53:16] Emilee: Um, I'm scared for Baby It's Cold Outside, for the culture, the Klane culture.

[53:21] Andrew: Um, here we go.

[53:24] Conor: Oh, God.

[53:26] Emilee: Oh, another Klane song.

[53:29] Conor: This is a fun competition.

[53:31] Andrew: Ooh, okay, okay.

[53:33] Conor: Okay.

[53:34] Andrew: And guess what? He's at the fucking piano.

[53:39] Conor: Because he's so bad at piano. Who said that?

[53:44] Emilee: This is how rumors start.

[53:46] Conor: This is how rumors, yeah, get started.

[53:48] Andrew: Darren Criss can't play piano.

[53:50] Conor: Never could.

[53:51] Emilee: Um, let's see.

[53:54] Andrew: So stupid.

[53:55] Emilee: Why would I even believe that?

[53:56] Conor: Here it is.

[53:58] Andrew: You know what it is before I even show you.

[54:01] Conor: Yes?

[54:02] Andrew: It is Teenage Dream.

[54:03] Conor: It is Teenage Dream acoustic.

[54:07] Conor: Darren Criss is not playing piano in this musical performance.

[54:09] Emilee: You can see it?

[54:11] Conor: Yeah.

[54:12] Emilee: That's so funny.

[54:15] Conor: From what I understand about the discourse around this song is that you fall on either side of the aisle. Do you find this cringe? Or do you find this entertaining?

[54:25] Emilee: I don't know if entertaining is kind of the right word. Or cringe or not cringe, I suppose. Uh, do I find it cringe? No. I think, like, I will answer your question with a question. Why do people find it cringe? And then let me unpack that.

[54:49] Conor: I don't know because I don't fall on that side. So I can't really speak to that. I do. I find this, this is the superior teenage dream to me. I think that I unfortunately, every time I watch this performance, I am reminded that this character is 17, 18 at absolute best, at this adult space. And he is getting very emotional singing a Katy Perry song, which I understand. It's Glee. And we're having fun and things are stupid. And all these things happen at once. But I am kind of distracted by the reality of that being a thing that could potentially happen when you are out on a Saturday night. That is kind of spooky to me.

[55:34] Emilee: Exactly. And also, I think the thing that kind of takes me out, TM, is that like, it's centered around a character who is so overcome with emotion because he knows deep down that he's cheated on a significant other via a lighthouse on Facebook. So it's like, I feel like if that storyline, is it because of my profile picture? I feel like if it was a different storyline that got us there, perhaps it would have held a lot more weight for us as an audience. But it's just because the whole thing is so convoluted with Blaine cheating on Kurt, that it just doesn't really land for me emotionally. And then on a broader context, and I don't want to skip to the end, but just to put it out there as a little nugget, I feel like when it comes to this competition, the overwhelming arc of the argument that one can make about these two songs is, this is going to be a competition between gay joy, David's cold outside, and gay trauma, Teenage Dream season four. And what do we enjoy more?

[56:52] Conor: I mean...

[56:56] Emilee: I enjoy the trauma.

[56:58] Conor: I know what I relate to more. But yeah, well, look, I'll let that linger whilst we discuss the intricacies of this musical performance as a whole. I do have like a rebuttal to say to that, Connor, but I do want to hear from you, Emily. What do you have to say about this?

[57:17] Emilee: So The Breakup is my ultimate favourite episode.

[57:20] Conor: Really? Interesting.

[57:22] Emilee: It's my favourite episode of the whole series. I live in the pain. I just, I love...

[57:29] Conor: We're not talking gay trauma?

[57:35] Emilee: Just trauma. No, I just really do. I really love every single song in the episode for its own reasons.

[57:43] Conor: I'll give you that. They all each.

[57:47] Emilee: Yeah, they really do. So I went through and did my own kind of like watch. I think it was during COVID. And I kind of just like picked out like my favourite songs of every episode. And I couldn't pick, like I had to pick every single song for this episode. So it was just like, I just, I love them all.

[58:04] Conor: Every single, sorry to interrupt, every single one? Is there one that kind of doesn't eat at 100%? Maybe 99?

[58:13] Emilee: Well, I mean, maybe not 100%. So this song is not like my top song of all time. But like, I can't, I don't know, it's hard. I mean, The Scientist for me is like one of my top favourite songs. I mean, of course.

[58:29] Conor: I know, it is like the moment of this episode. But I, no doubt, it's my favourite band. So I love the cover of Don't Speak. And that was sad to see to go early as well. But I just I love every single number in this episode. I just I'm a fan. But it is really strange to see Corey in the New York setting. It's weird to see him there. Just the glance, the couple of glimpses of him, I'm like, Oh, that feels and you never see him there again. It's so strange. But I do appreciate the live aspect of it. I will say I do love when Glee does a live cover. I wish it was more than just a live cover. Darren doing live covers.

[59:13] Emilee: But obviously someone else playing the piano for him because he doesn't know how to play piano. We all know he can't.

[59:17] Conor: No, he can't. But I wish they would have tapped into that more with other characters, because I feel like there are so many incredible singers who you've seen live on Broadway. They must have been asked, right?

[59:32] Emilee: Right. It must have been, he doesn't mind doing them live.

[59:38] Conor: I do want to just shout out, legal note, that Jenna does get live performances. They're, they're of course, not the first Noelle, absolutely iconic.

[59:49] Emilee: First Noelle.

[59:50] Conor: And Leah.

[59:51] Emilee: Yeah. But I just, wait, what's the Leah one?

[59:54] Conor: What a Girl Wants.

[59:55] Emilee: Oh, and like Cabaret. Yeah.

[59:59] Conor: I want the mp3 of What a Girl Wants.

[1:00:01] Emilee: You know what I fucking want? Leah, Michelle, get back in the fucking boot now. I want mp3 of What a Girl Wants ASAP.

[1:00:10] Conor: I put it on the two way.

[1:00:11] Emilee: Fuck you off at your Beyonce concert with J-Groff.

[1:00:15] Conor: In the vocal boot now.

[1:00:18] Emilee: I want, and I don't know if you guys know this, legal note, but this drives me fucking crazy. In the first time, Blaine and Rachel sing Tonight at the beginning of the episode. And they only get to, like, I think it's like a 45 second performance that's in the actual episode.

[1:00:39] Conor: They do release it on iTunes.

[1:00:43] Emilee: You know how, what the length of Tina's was in season one? 45 seconds.

[1:00:47] Conor: And they didn't release it.

[1:00:51] Emilee: Boo.

[1:00:51] Conor: Boo.

[1:00:53] Emilee: Boo.

[1:00:54] Conor: I'm hashtag justice for Jenna.

[1:00:57] Emilee: Yeah, right.

[1:00:58] Conor: Justice, I know, consistently. Anyway, um, but yeah, he's singing live. He's doing it.

[1:01:05] Emilee: Yeah.

[1:01:06] Conor: And I think that I, I do see it's hard for me to compare the two, right? It's hard for me to compare the season four to season two, because they're so different.

[1:01:14] Emilee: They're so different, different inspirations behind them.

[1:01:16] Conor: You've got the warblers and the cleaner version. And then you've got the sloppy trauma version.

[1:01:25] Emilee: It's explicit version.

[1:01:26] Conor: Yeah, right. But they both like first time I ever watched the season four version, tears, right? Like I was in the moment. He got me.

[1:01:36] Emilee: But now when I watch it, I don't say it's cringe. It just doesn't hit me. I can't ever experience it the first way the first time again.

[1:01:45] Conor: Right, right, right, right.

[1:01:46] Emilee: So it's a different, you know, emotion behind it.

[1:01:48] Conor: So this is a hard, hard competition for me.

[1:01:54] Emilee: Yeah, this is a tough competition, because for me, they're both just kind of mid. I don't really reach for either of them.

[1:02:01] Conor: No, I will say it. I don't, I mean, famously, I'm not, famously, I'm not like a clean fan. So like, I do take Emily's point in that I think every single episode from this song is a banger. However, should someone have a gun to my head, for me, the one that I would get rid of is Teenage Dream Acoustic. And just that just for me, I could be swayed even, but just for me, it would be Teenage Dream Acoustic. So to have, like, if both of these were taken out, double homicide, I wouldn't be terrible, terribly sad about it.

[1:02:39] Emilee: Like, you know, but I may take a time to linger on this, quite frankly, because I feel like both songs have points going for them, you know?

[1:02:54] Conor: No, this is a very fun competition. I think that this is going to be one that I will at least think about until the end of today, that I'll be like, huh, this will follow me. And I will be like, did I make the right decision? I do think I do know what my decision is.

[1:03:10] Emilee: Okay.

[1:03:12] Conor: But do we...

[1:03:13] Emilee: How about you, Emily? Do you, because I feel, wait, because I feel like I know what Emily's going to pick.

[1:03:17] Emilee: I don't know. Honestly, I'm kind of stuck. Uh, I do have a fun little, it's not even a legal, this is a legal note, sure. Um, Zach Fowl's first appearance in Like Like It in round one, um, his, one of the songs from his episode was Baby It's Cold Outside. Another one of the songs from his first episode was Teenage Dream season two version. And so now these songs are just, I don't know, in every universe. I really like, um, being aware of the web, the lack of web connects us all. And, um, and also what, okay. So this beat, uh, Teenage Dream season four beat, Start Me Up, Living on a Prayer, kind of famously in round one.

[1:04:00] Conor: Which I, she's so...

[1:04:03] Emilee: I love that number so much.

[1:04:05] Conor: She's so messed.

[1:04:06] Emilee: I'm, I'm noticing Andrew's silence.

[1:04:08] Conor: That should be here today.

[1:04:10] Emilee: You know where I stand.

[1:04:11] Conor: I, I just like, I, I rewatched Never Been Kissed the other day. And of course that is home to that exact mashup. And I, I just, I just want to get it. I just don't think I can.

[1:04:26] Emilee: So, okay. For me, you were just talking Connor before about the, you can't stop the beat and like the riffs at the end. The Mercedes riff at the end of this mashup is worth the whole song to me.

[1:04:40] Conor: And I don't know if it's in the episode.

[1:04:42] Emilee: I can't tell if, I can't, I don't know if it's in the episode, but her last, uh, oh my God, we're almost there. We're living on a prayer. I'm like, worth it. Done, done, done.

[1:04:51] Conor: And also, and also it goes back for me. It's like, so it's Amber in that song. It's Leah in that song. It's like, Leah sounds best singing Broadway musical theatre, but her second best genre is rock.

[1:05:04] Emilee: Me too.

[1:05:07] Conor: The glockens, the glockensweb, Barracuda, set me up living on a prayer. It's like, we love all of these things. I can't believe Andrew doesn't.

[1:05:16] Emilee: I don't know.

[1:05:18] Conor: I understand.

[1:05:20] Emilee: Okay.

[1:05:21] Conor: I feel as though, I understand so many Glee songs. I understand. I, I like pride myself on like understanding a lot of Glee songs that like Ben, for instance, I'm like, I can look past so much shit with Ben. I can understand.

[1:05:36] Emilee: See, that's mental illness though.

[1:05:39] Conor: That's mental illness. You, you have it in your, you have it in your heart that you can understand Ben, but there's no room for start me up living on a prayer.

[1:05:47] Emilee: I, okay. Yeah, Drew.

[1:05:49] Conor: You need therapy.

[1:05:50] Emilee: I, well, baby, I'm in it. I'm trying to get through it.

[1:05:55] Conor: Yeah.

[1:05:57] Emilee: Hey, I'm sure he loved that.

[1:05:58] Conor: Also my therapist, I don't think I've ever talked about this before. Um, my therapist does want to listen to the podcast. How you tell him not to.

[1:06:04] Emilee: The only episode that I was like, I want you to listen to it. Actually. I don't think I shared this with you. Connor was the Lauren Potter episode. I was like, I knew you were going to say, I was really proud of it. And I really want you to listen to it. And he really enjoyed it. Um, it's so good. He doesn't have much context for the hit box show Glee, but, um, he, why did I, I get like, I guess I was talking.

[1:06:24] Conor: That's what it must feel like to be mentally stable.

[1:06:28] Emilee: I was talking. I don't, I don't remember why I was talking about Diana Agron in a session, but like, um, no, no, I think I do know why, because I made that clip of me talking to Kevin and Jenna where I was talking about Diana Agron and it went like, I was like very proud of it. I was like, it went like really, it did really well. And I showed him the clip and he's like, oh, I'm friends with Diana. Like my, my therapist is just friends with Diana Agron.

[1:06:57] Conor: Friends with Diana.

[1:06:58] Emilee: My therapist is also just like, I will be talking about like Severance and he's like, oh, I'm in that. I'm just like, I'm in an upcoming episode.

[1:07:05] Conor: You told me this.

[1:07:06] Emilee: And I'm just like, stop.

[1:07:09] Conor: He's also an actor.

[1:07:10] Emilee: Wait, is he an actor?

[1:07:11] Conor: He is an actor.

[1:07:12] Emilee: Yeah.

[1:07:13] Conor: He's an actor and he's a therapist.

[1:07:15] Emilee: Oh my God.

[1:07:15] Conor: He's really fucked up.

[1:07:16] Emilee: Get me out of that Severance show.

[1:07:19] Conor: I'm just, I'm just an actor.

[1:07:21] Emilee: And that's it.

[1:07:22] Conor: Yeah, right. If you were a therapist and your, and your patient was like, hey, I really like Zendaya, then you could be like, oh, well, I know her.

[1:07:40] Conor: Yeah, that I shared too much of my therapist's life because it only works in one way. It's patient-client confidentiality. If my therapist had a podcast where he was talking mess about me, yeah, I guess that'd be another story. Right, right. I don't even know how we got there. But anyway, we were talking about your relationship with "Start Me Up" and "Living on a Prayer."

[1:08:05] Emilee: Oh, of course, I do need to bring it up next session.

[1:08:12] Conor: Yes, and I do have to say the point that I'm trying to make is that I feel like out of the three of us, the person who has most solidified their decision in their brain, even if they don't know it, is Emilee.

[1:08:27] Emilee: Really, really?

[1:08:30] Conor: I don't know. You just covered your mouth with a piece of paper. Did you write down your vote?

[1:08:32] Emilee: No, I'm writing notes.

[1:08:39] Conor: Oh, you're writing notes. Okay, I thought you were doing like a survivor thing.

[1:08:43] Emilee: Yeah.

[1:08:48] Conor: I don't know because I would love this to be a situation where Andrew and Emilee have a different vote and then I'm the tiebreaker.

[1:08:58] Andrew: Okay. Well, myself being very easily swayed, I will start then. I will vote for "Teenage Dream" season 4.

[1:09:05] Emilee: Okay.

[1:09:12] Conor: Do you want to write on that or...?

[1:09:17] Emilee: Yeah, well, okay. So while I'm killing the last Klaine duet, which it hurts my heart to say...

[1:09:24] Conor: It's just one sidebar, so it's not to interrupt, but it's "She's Not Dead Yet."

[1:09:30] Emilee: Okay. Well, I'm killing... Well, I'm saying I am like I'm voting against it is what I'm saying. Sorry, sorry.

[1:09:36] Conor: So you're using my words or turning the life support off?

[1:09:39] Emilee: Right. Yes, it has at least two switches. So I'm turning one of the switches off.

[1:09:47] Andrew: No, I don't know. I think there's something really powerful about this version of "Teenage Dream." If I did have to pick between season 2 and season 4 "Teenage Dream," I think I would agree with you. At the end of the day, while they're very different, I would also pick season 4.

[1:10:07] Conor: I don't know. I'm just... I'm not a Christmas episode fan in general. I love Christmas. I just like when I do a rewatch, nine times out of ten, I will skip the Christmas episodes because I know what's in them and I just... it doesn't really do much for me. So...

[1:10:24] Emilee: And you know, "The Breakup" really is my favorite episode of all time. So based on that, I'm gonna go with "Teenage Dream."

[1:10:31] Conor: Right, right, right. Let it be written.

[1:10:36] Andrew: Let it be written. That's one switch off. "Baby, It's Cold Outside," you're on thin ice.

[1:10:42] Emilee: Hmm, I... this is like no longer fun. I'm so sorry, Conor. I'm really sorry.

[1:10:48] Conor: Okay. Do you want to do you want to put me...?

[1:10:53] Emilee: No, not that you fucking sign.

[1:10:55] Conor: I feel that, but I can't... you presented this as like... I feel like I knew that, Emilee, you were gonna do that and I was like, okay, I had no idea.

[1:11:01] Emilee: I had no idea what she was gonna do, quite frankly. Now I do.

[1:11:10] Conor: Well, do you want to go first and then we can like just let it linger even though we already know how this is going to go?

[1:11:15] Andrew: You have to let it linger.

[1:11:15] Conor: Okay, I am going to vote for "Teenage Dream."

[1:11:29] Emilee: Oh.

[1:11:42] Conor: It's like Gail King, you know, Gail King when she's going up to space. Just do it.

[1:11:52] Conor: I'm so sorry to the cleaners. I'm so sorry to the cleaners, but it had to be done. I do want to just put a pinpoint in this to say and to express my gratitude for the "Baby, It's Cold Outside" effect on culture, especially for the LGBTQ+ youth at that time. We hold it in high regard. We must not forget the cultural moment that was Klaine. We must not forget the cultural moment that was simply two teenage boys who are actually like 20 and 24 respectively singing a duet on the hit show. That was such a big moment for all of us. However, I do think that voting for "Teenage Dream" in season 4 is the right decision in this case purely because I think the emotional essence of the show shines through a little bit more.

Even though it is, as I said, one may argue a little bit more perhaps convoluted than I'd wanted it to be. I do think that the reason for their breakup is obviously warranted because one person cheated on the other. However, so out of character at this point in the series for me that it just doesn't really hold any weight. But it's a new twist on the original. Darren sounds amazing. I love the live songs and I love how this is shot. I think it is absolutely beautiful.

[1:13:42] Emilee: Yeah, which we don't talk about enough. I love those fairy lights, the colored fairy lights in the bar.

[1:13:46] Conor: I was just at Marie's Crisis last week with fellow Glee podcaster Ian Allred, and they do have that like... I mean, it's very obviously based off... wait, what is this place called? Callbacks?

[1:14:02] Emilee: Callbacks.

[1:14:02] Conor: All that's like supposed to be Marie's Crisis and like...

[1:14:06] Emilee: Yeah, Chris, that is so tragic, by the way, because my drama school, their student bar was called Backstage.

[1:14:13] Conor: So that is very much a thing. I know I want to kill myself.

[1:14:22] Emilee: Is it a piano bar?

[1:14:22] Conor: No, it wasn't a piano bar. It had a piano at us.

[1:14:28] Emilee: Mm-hmm. There was a walk-in. He wouldn't know how to play. He wouldn't even know what it was.

[1:14:32] Conor: We had a bar by a theater. It's actually still a thing, but it was called the Stage Door Pub.

[1:14:41] Emilee: So definitely.

[1:14:41] Conor: Why drop? Like I went to... like my drama school was called the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, and it's quite like... not to like blow my own horn, but like it's a very prestigious school to...

[1:14:52] Emilee: Even when we were...

[1:14:54] Conor: Yeah, exactly. But even when we were like washing our hands, like I fucking hate that. Like in the bathroom, there was like a sign in every bathroom right beside the bathroom mirror that was like a picture of how to like properly like wash your hands step-by-step. Step one, step two, because it was like just... yeah, I'm sure. And it like written underneath instead of like step one, like pump the soap and lather up, it was like, I was jammed a spot.

[1:15:21] Emilee: I was like, you know what? If we all got bullied as teenagers, we fucking deserved. Like what is that about?

[1:15:30] Conor: No, that's so sorry. I love it. I love it. Anyway, I do go on. I also want to vote for... because from what I'm hearing from both of you, is that gay trauma does trump... trump. I know it just does.

[1:15:53] Conor: I was trying to make a bad joke and then I made an even worse one. But no, it has to. It's always been you, "Teenage Dream." This is one of those competitions that someone in the next coming weeks will come on and they're gonna be asked about their lack of grievances and they're gonna be the one to make such a brilliant nuanced point that we don't even vote for "Baby, It's Cold Outside." It's like that. We're just not because none of us...

[1:16:20] Emilee: Know what? Yeah, yeah. Well, speak for yourself, but like...

[1:16:25] Conor: But you know what I mean? It is gonna... that's... it's gonna be the kicker, I feel like. You'll have a mash on or in or lean or someone will come on and be like, "Oh, fuck, they're right." Do you know what I mean?

[1:16:35] Emilee: Yeah, they're already dead. They've been dead for weeks.

[1:16:40] Conor: What do you think? That this song could be a potential vote back? "Baby, It's Cold Outside"?

[1:16:45] Emilee: Yes, absolutely. I think that if we get enough... if you get on cleaners and depending on what the other choices are too...

[1:16:53] Conor: Hmm, actually, I would almost guarantee that this is a vote back. I don't feel that bad about it.

[1:16:57] Emilee: I wouldn't say that I would... there's 10 songs being voted back, right? So, okay. So so far that includes...

[1:17:04] Conor: Which... okay, so we have four songs so far including... okay, this is the fifth one. "Next to Me," "Mary Tonight," "You Can't Stop the Beat," "Cry," and "Baby, It's Cold Outside."

[1:17:17] Emilee: It's "Criers."

[1:17:19] Conor: They might...

[1:17:22] Emilee: I don't know if those "Criers" will push back. I love "Cry," but I...

[1:17:27] Conor: The "Criers" are allowed in the context of this competition.

[1:17:30] Emilee: I did in this... in the context of this process as a whole, but like I would say that cleaners are stronger.

[1:17:40] Conor: Yeah.

[1:17:43] Emilee: It's a Christmas song, so it's like... I don't know. Do people really care?

[1:17:47] Conor: Right? That's why it's hard, right? Because it's a... it's not just a normal Klaine duet. It's a Christmas Klaine duet, but it is the first... you know, all these things we talked about. So yeah, it... yeah, I think it's a very strong contender for sure.

[1:18:00] Andrew: Anyway, I guess we'll see. Hey, um, does anybody need to take a restroom break? Rest in peace, legend. Maybe you might be resurrected. There's still time.

[1:18:11] Conor: All right. So are we ready for one more of this?

[1:18:14] Emilee: Yes, let's go.

[1:18:14] Conor: Perfect, I think so. I don't know if my heart can take it, but we'll try.

[1:18:35] Emilee: Oh my god, no.

[1:18:38] Conor: Pick it, you cowards.

[1:18:38] Emilee: Yes, yes, no. Okay, so the song that I just pulled... audio medium, I just showed it to the webcam, is of course "I Feel Pretty."

[1:18:44] Conor: A song that we will get into it in the discourse, but has like... have like a mark of the beast on their forehead throughout the bracket. It's so far, so... and I'm so scared. And I know that you're excited that you get to talk about this, but...

[1:19:04] Emilee: Don't be scared. This is song number one. This is number two. Don't worry, I got a good feeling.

[1:19:13] Conor: No words.

[1:19:15] Emilee: I'm being so serious. Kind of like it could win. It could win it all.

[1:19:21] Conor: It could. She could be the one to take it all for me.

[1:19:28] Emilee: She could be, yeah. She wasn't the one in the year when I first started this podcast. She was not even on my radar.

[1:19:35] Conor: And now I know.

[1:19:43] Emilee: And now my views have changed so much about this song. I love her.

[1:19:45] Conor: Why down bad?

[1:19:45] Emilee: Just like... I just... it wasn't like it was always a song. I just... I was like the song TLC was one of my favorite bands growing up. I love the song. I love the mashup. You know, being a musical theater girly too, I just thought it was great, but it never really like affected me when I watched the show as much. But the more I grow and the more, you know, the discourse becomes and you're thinking about these people are 15, 16 years old and these struggles that they're going through and all of that, it's just... on the vocals and it's being the only... I really appreciate it so much more now being the only for Barry vocals we have in this whole big show.

[1:20:27] Conor: It is. It's really turned into something special for me, so I agree. This is a heavy hitter.

[1:20:35] Emilee: It's so good. And also, I feel like this time around watching it, I was made aware of like... I was just like ultra aware of how kind of funny and stupid it all is that it's like specifically the with Rachel in her bedroom looking at the mirror and the pictures cut out of Quinn's nose. I'm just like, no, this is perfect.

[1:21:02] Conor: Obsessed with this diva's nose.

[1:21:05] Emilee: Yeah, very "Death Becomes Her." Yes, I need that. I'm gonna need that.

[1:21:11] Conor: Yes. Yes. Conor, what do you think? You know, I think that, okay, so like the obvious, okay, it's musically, it's a great arrangement. The Anders Brothers did a great job. Okay, that's obvious. Secondly, two great vocal performances. Brilliant. That's another obvious point. Thirdly, the reason that I love the vocal performance and the arrangement in this song is that it's not simply Leah belting out over Diana. They did such a gorgeous job of showcasing both ladies' voices and highlighting how beautiful both of their voices are, even though Leah is obviously the stronger vocalist by definition. They did a beautiful job at blending both of those voices together. That's point number three. Point number four is that this song is the perfect example of a song where it meets two characters at a particular point, and it serves them both equally well.

In that regard, it's reminiscent to me of a song like Maybe This Time. So if you think of Maybe This Time, you have Rachel Berry and April Rhodes singing that song. From Rachel's perspective, you have her singing Maybe This Time because she has been ousted by the Glee Club, and she's going to follow her dreams of stardom, becoming the lead in a school musical. April, you have her reminiscing for a time where she was the star in high school. So it meets those characters perfectly where they're at. With I Feel Pretty/Unpretty, what this musical performance does for both characters, in my opinion, is that you have Rachel singing how she wants to be perceived to be more beautiful in the more conventional way that Quinn is.

And then from Quinn's perspective, you have her singing the way I perceive it, that she is the conventional beauty, but yet she still feels, in so many ways, quote unquote, ugly. And so you have this really gorgeous moment for where both of those characters are at. And it just, coupled with the fact that it's arranged beautifully and it sounds gorgeous, this is a winning Glee song.

[1:23:31] Emilee: Yeah. Meeting both characters where they are, oh my, so beautifully said, Connor. Thank you. Because when you think about it, isn't that all of the best Glee songs? Like, all of the best Glee songs meet the characters where they're at.

[1:23:44] Conor: Yeah, where it's like, they're not putting this song in because it's top 40 this week, and it's like, okay, we need Marley to sing Wrecking Ball. And it's like, Wrecking Ball just kind of comes out of nowhere. But this song, I've said it every single time, I'm sure, that we talk about I Feel Pretty/Unpretty, I'll neglect it, but like, just like, truly galaxy-brained mashup to mashup TLC with West Side Story. And it's just like, both songs fit so well together. I love both original songs so well. I love this, them together more. It's just, it's perfection. And it's, oh my gosh, I could literally- When we think about it, think about all of the mashups on Glee that seem to be mashed up purely as a result of linguistics. So, for example, Halo, Walking on Sunshine, Singing in the Rain, Umbrella. I Feel Pretty/Unpretty. It's so interesting to think of the fact, it's like, was I Feel Pretty/Unpretty mashed up purely because of the linguistics of it all?

[1:25:03] Emilee: Well, that's like-

[1:25:04] Conor: And there was magic found in the middle of it? Or did they have that, like, what came first, the chicken or the egg? Do you know what I'm trying to say? I feel pretty confident with my answer, that I feel as though that this was, whoever wrote this episode, and I do want to talk about Ian Brennan's recent episode, episode of that, and that's where we really-

[1:25:14] Emilee: Oh my god, yes!

[1:25:15] Conor: Talking about Lucy Caboussi specifically. But I feel as though, in my conversations with Adam Anders, that he has talked about how some of these songs that were like, in the script, I don't know if he actually gave an example of a mashup when he was talking about this, but he was like, hey, these two songs have two different time codes, that they're like, they don't even go together, and he tried to make it work, and he was like, some of them worked a lot better than others. I feel as though I Feel Pretty/Unpretty was like, hey, writers were like, I Feel Pretty/Unpretty, that's so funny, let's see, not funny, but this could potentially work, and let's have the Anders family kind of deal with that. And I think that what you're suggesting, Connor, is that they found magic in that, that it's like, what shouldn't have worked, worked so beautifully, you know?

[1:26:09] Emilee: Right.

[1:26:09] Conor: Yes. And then the other point that I'm making is that it's just, like, is it just a coincidence on Glee that so many of the songs that are mashed up are mashed up as a result of their titles? So I have a list here in front of me, like, I'm just gonna start, like, so, like, I'm just gonna start, like, mid-season two, so we've got I Feel Pretty/Unpretty, because they obviously both have pretty in the title, but then you have I Love New York, New York, New York, and they both have New York in the title, and then it's like, anything goes, anything, you can do, like, anything, like, then it's like, You and I, You and I, like, that's very interesting, and then most of the other mashups are mashups of songs of the same artist, so you've got, like, Borderline, Open Your Heart, so it's just interesting that, is, like, like, did they sit down and be like, we need to make a song mashup with I Feel Pretty with the word pretty in it? Like, that's interesting to me.

[1:27:04] Emilee: Well, I think, yeah, it's kind of, it's kind of interesting to see which one came first, like you said, you know, is it, like, was it one song or the other song, or was it, like, let's just find all the matching words? And, you know, sometimes it worked, i.e. this song worked very well, Magic Happened, it was, you, these songs almost felt like they were made to be mashed up together, you know, really odd way, but then you get ones like, I think of the You and I, You and I, where it's like, okay, it was a little bit of a struggle to get those two mashed up. I think of old time rock and roll and Danger Zone, like, for me, those ones, yeah, it was, like, it was, like, okay, sometimes it was a little, like, it was, like, work to get it. But then, like, you know, Halo, Walking on Sunshine, what a great, what a great mashup to come out of two songs that you would never think. So it's really cool. Yeah, it's a really cool concept.

[1:28:00] Conor: Halo, I feel like I can't think of, like, very few, I can't think of very many songs where Glee, what they did was, like, they brought, like, a slow song, like, Halo, and they sped it up, like they did with Halo, Walking on Sunshine. But I do want to say that I also feel confident that I'm Pretty was the first song that they, that they were working with in this scenario.

[1:28:26] Emilee: Sure. And I think that one of the, if I were to guess, again, the main motivators to get I Feel Pretty in there is because Unpretty, what we know about Quinn and Rachel, is that, like, maybe TLC, like, isn't in their immediate Rolodex. But I Feel Pretty is at least in Rachel's, you know?

[1:28:50] Conor: Oh, I would say both of theirs. Yeah, I would say both.

[1:28:55] Emilee: Yeah, I would say both of their Rolodexes. You know, I was going to mention what you said, Connor, about, like, the vocals and them bringing, you know, kind of balancing them out. Because both of them can have pretty, pretty big vocals, you know, even Diana's got more of, like, the pretty, more of the, kind of the jazz feel.

[1:29:12] Conor: That's true.

[1:29:12] Emilee: And, you know, that kind of, you know, and then you've got Rachel, who can do the real lighthearted stuff. Obviously, she played Maria when they, you know, did all of that. But, you know, she's got that big voice, too. And it's very interesting, because that can be really hard as a vocalist, to bring two people who have very different styles, and kind of find where they meet in the middle, and can blend really well. And, you know, obviously, some of that can be done in the studio, and, you know, when you're recording and stuff. But, you know, it just, they sound, they sound, for having such different voices, they sound so good on this track. So gorgeous.

[1:29:53] Conor: Yeah, it's a really amazing moment. The way, the way this is shot, as well, is so beautiful. I love the part when the two of them are in the classroom.

[1:30:02] Emilee: Yeah.

[1:30:02] Conor: And they're singing, and the camera kind of, kind of comes around them like that. And then, like, that's so gorgeous. I do have a point, just to take it back. I do have a point to pick with the Glee Extras department. Like, I understand that you are not going to get actual, like, it might be difficult to get 17-year-olds on set to play high school students. But I'm so sorry. The students sitting in front of Rachel and Quinn in the classroom, specifically, they're 43. Like, there is just no-

[1:30:27] Emilee: Are you talking about this girl that has, like, the, it's like a brown bob?

[1:30:31] Conor: Yes.

[1:30:31] Emilee: Yeah, I know who you're talking about.

[1:30:33] Conor: Oh, I missed it.

[1:30:34] Emilee: Single her out, specifically. But, like, why don't production just go to the effort to, like, get a 22-year-old? Like, I just don't get it.

[1:30:43] Conor: Find her.

[1:30:43] Emilee: Right? Yeah, I get it. I get it.

[1:30:46] Conor: Oh, you're talking about, okay, this...

[1:30:49] Emilee: Her.

[1:30:50] Conor: Is that who you're talking about?

[1:30:53] Emilee: You would think that'd be the teacher.

[1:30:56] Conor: Maybe someone's presenting, and she's sitting and watching. That's what's happening.

[1:31:01] Emilee: Rock her.

[1:31:02] Conor: Someone's presenting, yeah. There's a headcanon.

[1:31:05] Emilee: I mean, she doesn't have to be an old teacher, but she definitely does not look like a high school student. I mean, come on. Come on.

[1:31:12] Conor: You know, I do clock her every time that I watch this performance.

[1:31:16] Emilee: That's funny.

[1:31:17] Conor: And I just didn't have the chutzpah to bring her up ever. And so I'm really...

[1:31:23] Emilee: Thank God for comedy.

[1:31:24] Conor: Reminds me of when my agent messaged me a couple of weeks ago and was like, have you thought about maybe upping your playing age?

[1:31:32] Emilee: Because what did you have it at, if I could ask?

[1:31:36] Conor: Well, I had it up to 30, and I am 30. But I had a lot of mid-20s roles. But she apparently is kind of like, maybe you can have it 26 and up, which is fine.

[1:31:54] Emilee: 26 and up? Wait, I'm not an actor. You both are. Wait, 26 and up, don't you have a cap for how old you want to play?

[1:32:01] Conor: Yeah, well, you can go... Well, I don't know if it's different in the States, but it's usually in 10-year increments. So it's like, for me now, it's 26 to 36.

[1:32:10] Emilee: Okay.

[1:32:10] Conor: I feel like I can't play a 36-year-old, personally. So this is really awkward.

[1:32:18] Emilee: It's funny, because I've played a lot of different ages. Just in the last year, I played someone who sometimes can be in their 50s. I just played someone who was 32, which is a little younger than me. I played someone who was like, could be in their 40s, 50s, 60s. So I don't know, makeup can do crazy things on the stage.

[1:32:40] Conor: Yeah, I think maybe it's time I consider my Botox era as well.

[1:32:44] Emilee: I do think, and this isn't me just being like, a suck-up, but I do think that you both could be in the I Feel Pretty/Unpretty music video.

[1:32:53] Conor: Let's do it. I want the broken nose.

[1:32:58] Emilee: Emily really wants her nose to look like mine.

[1:33:01] Conor: Yeah.

[1:33:02] Emilee: Okay. What do I have more to say about this? Oh.

[1:33:06] Conor: Would anyone ever get a nose job?

[1:33:09] Emilee: I would.

[1:33:10] Conor: I've been thinking about it, because you see if I, audio medium, side profile, I've got a very Roman nose.

[1:33:15] Emilee: Oh, I've got a very, pointy nose.

[1:33:17] Conor: My nose, guys, you can say it, my nose is prominent, and that's okay, but I like it.

[1:33:24] Emilee: It's a good nose.

[1:33:25] Conor: It is a good nose.

[1:33:25] Emilee: Thank you.

[1:33:26] Conor: I've told this story before.

[1:33:27] Emilee: Wait, are you guys to go side profile? Because I was too busy turning side profile.

[1:33:31] Conor: I would.

[1:33:32] Emilee: Oh, it's like you're both faces, it looks like you're leaning in for a kiss.

[1:34:44] Conor: Oh, you should sell this at the shop. I want one.

[1:34:48] Emilee: Okay, so I'm seeing Lea Michele in concert next month. Initially, I wasn't going to, because I was trying to save money. But two things happened. One of which was that she posted like a teaser of her singing "Driver's License." And I was like, oh, wait, actually, and then the second thing was, if there is a world where now Lea and Diana are reunited, and Diana famously lives in New York, would Diana go to the New Jersey date? And I just don't want to live in a world where it happens and I'm not there. She hasn't had any special guests as of yet on the tour, has she? No. But um, you don't want to miss it if it's gonna happen. Like in Florida, like, who from Glee lives in Florida? Right?

[1:35:46] Conor: Right. It's true. Right. I wish she would. She's only she usually only goes in the northeast of the country. I am in Wisconsin, which is dead in the middle of the United States.

[1:36:02] Emilee: Yeah. So you know, even a Chicago is a day trip from where I live. Yeah, you know, even the Chicago concert.

[1:36:08] Conor: Oh, yeah. And forget about it. If you're European, forget about it.

[1:36:12] Emilee: Oh, yeah, right. I mean, got a grip get a grip, honestly. Fucking Europeans. Jesus Christ. Whoever they are.

[1:36:24] Conor: Yeah, but I, I would love to, because like last time that she did a tour, I remember I did definitely talk about this last time we talked about the song was that she posted this very cryptic, Lea Michele, of course, she posted this very cryptic Instagram story, where she was like, she asked people like, Hey, what song should I sing on tour from Glee? And someone said, "I Feel Pretty," and she said, um, oh my god, I would love to do this one. And I have just the guests that would sing it with. And she didn't sing it, of course. But like, what, what did she mean by that? Right?

[1:36:59] Emilee: If that if it happened, if it happened that you and Ian went to see Lea, I just, I, we need to get a documentary film crew from the both. Yeah. It would be a biblical event. You wouldn't. Like, it's the gayest thing that's ever happened.

[1:37:20] Conor: It's gay guy music video night brought to life. I, we do have the worst seats in the entire venue. So I think, I think my body would just like compel itself at just toward the stage where I would just be like, I don't care. I'm getting closer. I'm getting as close as possible to this.

[1:37:40] Emilee: This is so non sequitur, but Lea has such a strange obsession with that song "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten.

[1:37:45] Conor: Oh, give it up. I know. What is that about?

[1:37:49] Emilee: I know they're like poly. I think there were friends at one point or they're pals. And I get that it would probably be a rolo. But it's just very weird.

[1:38:00] Conor: No. Yeah, because she did. I was just gonna say I saw on TikTok, like kind of like her, like her medley that she does of all the Rachel songs. Yeah. She ends it with "Fight Song." And I'm like, ew, why? Also, I think that I just have like a stinky feeling around that song because of how it relates to the 2016 election. Do you, do you know about this?

[1:38:17] Emilee: Wait, no, I don't. So what happened with "Fight Song" is that like, oh, was this Hillary Clinton's like, big campaign? It was like a bunch of celebrities, Elizabeth Banks being one of them. And it was like one of those like tile songs where they're like all in different tiles singing like a Zoom call.

[1:38:36] Conor: I do remember this. And I remember so that was like, and then she, of course, lost. And then on election day 2024. I remember Elias and I went to ShopRite. And I was like, Oh, Kamala is going to lose because you know what was playing in the fucking ShopRite? "Fight Song." No. Cursed "Fight Song." Cursed. Anyway, terrible.

[1:39:08] Emilee: I feel pretty, I'm pretty into "Fight Song." Do we have anything further to say about? I'm so scared. I love you. This just brings me back. It's been, it's been a while since I've been emotional on this podcast. And I feel like I think I was the first person that cried on this podcast.

[1:39:25] Conor: I think I cried before you did.

[1:39:28] Emilee: I was crying at home.

[1:39:29] Conor: I did cry.

[1:39:30] Emilee: I think I was the first one.

[1:39:31] Conor: That this was pulled because it was "Faithfully" versus "I Feel Pretty." I'll never forget that. I did cry.

[1:39:37] Emilee: Never forget it. Never.

[1:39:38] Conor: Okay. Yeah, but that was kind of in a comedic way. Like it was kind of like, oh my gosh, I don't know you were crying.

[1:39:43] Emilee: It wasn't comedic to me.

[1:39:45] Conor: It wasn't comedic to me.

[1:39:47] Emilee: Okay. It was comedic to listen to.

[1:39:50] Conor: I'm glad that you enjoyed it. The gay trauma.

[1:39:56] Emilee: That was always trauma.

[1:39:58] Conor: It was.

[1:40:01] Emilee: I'm like afraid to pull it because of course, I did mention that this song does have a mark on its forehead. It was against "Faithfully" in round one, and then "Boys Mine" in round two. "Boys Mine" and "Faithfully" are still around. So I don't even want to put that out into the universe, but I'm already suggesting it that it could be either one of those songs again, against "I Feel Pretty." But.

[1:40:26] Conor: Shake it back up.

[1:40:28] Emilee: It's going to be against "Fight Song."

[1:40:29] Conor: It's going to be "Fight Song" and we're going to discover a new Glee performance that I have in my hard drive.

[1:40:37] Emilee: Terrible.

[1:40:37] Conor: Are we ready?

[1:40:40] Emilee: Sure.

[1:40:40] Conor: Ready or not.

[1:40:41] Emilee: I feel like you guys aren't scared. I'm fucking terrified.

[1:40:43] Conor: I'm not scared.

[1:40:44] Emilee: I'm scared.

[1:40:45] Conor: I'm not scared at all.

[1:40:46] Emilee: I'm going in hard with this.

[1:40:50] Conor: Okay, it's this one.

[1:40:54] Emilee: Okay.

[1:40:56] Conor: Okay.

[1:40:58] Emilee: Emily, do you also look at Andrew's face for like a micro of expression?

[1:41:02] Conor: I know, I am, I am, I am.

[1:41:04] Emilee: Well, Emily, this is literally your rule. Do you want to repeat what your rule is as I'm getting the song up?

[1:41:09] Conor: So yeah, so this was mostly in like round one. Andrew and Alison would kind of give away this. They wouldn't give away the song, but they would be like, oh, or they'd be like, oh, or they'd be like, oh, this is a good one. Or this is not a good one. And I feel like it would sway people's voting a little bit if it was, you know, perceived as a good song.

[1:41:32] Emilee: But I feel like we are so far past that now that we've been through all of the music. I feel like, I feel like Emily said Emily's rule on this podcast once. And ever since then, she doesn't really stand by it. But every single time Andrew gets her to play it, she's like, wait, I know.

[1:41:50] Conor: Hey, tell them your rule, Emily.

[1:41:52] Emilee: Okay.

[1:41:54] Conor: Tell them your rule, Emily.

[1:41:57] Emilee: Let it be written.

[1:41:59] Conor: Okay. With that being said, I'm not, I'm going to let this performance speak for itself.

[1:42:04] Emilee: Okay.

[1:42:05] Conor: Okay.

[1:42:06] Emilee: Out of acknowledgement for your rule that you don't even stand by.

[1:42:11] Conor: Um, okay.

[1:42:12] Emilee: Audio medium. Do we have any idea?

[1:42:16] Conor: What are we looking at?

[1:42:17] Emilee: Yes, I know what it is.

[1:42:18] Conor: Okay, wait.

[1:42:20] Emilee: What can I say it? Or will I?

[1:42:22] Conor: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Say it.

[1:42:24] Emilee: This is "Cool" from "Asian F."

[1:42:26] Conor: This is "Cool" from "Asian F."

[1:42:28] Emilee: It is cool.

[1:42:31] Conor: Okay.

[1:42:33] Emilee: Wow. We've already, Connor, you were famously here last time it was pulled in the Robert Ulrich episode.

[1:42:38] Conor: Wait, was I?

[1:42:38] Emilee: Yes, you were.

[1:42:40] Conor: Okay, you were there. We have, we have it on tape.

[1:42:43] Emilee: Um, Emily, what do you think of this performance?

[1:42:48] Conor: Well, you know, the thing is about it is that, you know, this is the Mike Chang solo, right? Like, this is the one. I, it just blows my mind when they talk about how Mike Chang can't sing. Because if I do a lot of musical theater, and if we had someone like that, who sang like that, I mean, and especially the dancing is a whole other topic. But like, even if we had someone sing like that, that's a pretty good audition. Like, that's a pretty good vocal audition. It's not, it's not bad, by any means. And you know, obviously, again, it's recorded, and it's whatever. But like, he doesn't have a bad voice. And I kind of wish that they would have explored that more for his character in that it took three seasons for him to actually have one solo and then that was it. So, um, and but the dancing part, I mean, obviously, beautiful, beautiful, but like, do you really think those football players would have learned those barrel rolls? I don't think so.

[1:44:10] Emilee: I think that's way above their, definitely.

[1:44:13] Conor: No, I use so sorry, really quick. I love how they use Azimio and Shane in this performance where everybody else, all the unnamed characters, kind of the unnamed football players, like are all like following along the choreo. But right.

[1:44:22] Emilee: It is absolutely hilarious. If you were listening on Patreon, you would have probably heard us laughing when Puck comes out. He's goofy.

[1:44:27] Conor: Yeah, so funny. Okay, so this song, I genuinely can't remember speaking about this. So here we go.

[1:44:29] Emilee: I'm trying to think if you've said anything.

[1:44:32] Conor: Oh, no. Well, because that was like a Robert, like more so a Robert interview where we just talked about Harry Shum.

[1:44:39] Emilee: Yeah, sure, sure, sure, sure, sure. So my headcanon around this song is kind of one of the most hilarious headcanons I have about the show in general that I feel like I've never talked about on this podcast before. So canonically, it is well known that Mike Chang is an amazing dancer. And then he comes out with a surprisingly relatively good singing voice. But my headcanon is obviously he's auditioning for Riff and he gets cast for Riff in "West Side Story." Riff is the second male lead. And like his female counterpart, Anita, he is arguably the more interesting male character in that show to both Tony and Maria. However, I will say this. My headcanon is just because it's absolutely hilarious. I think that Mike Chang is an amazing dancer. He comes out with a relatively good singing voice and he's just an awful actor. Like my headcanon is that if we were to see if we were to see his acting audition, it would be like, you know, Sky Jackson.

[1:46:05] Conor: Oh, "Sales Rex, Ali." If you're going to face someone's locker, at least make it original.

[1:46:12] Emilee: It's even worse than DIY Diane.

[1:46:19] Conor: That's Mike Chang in "West Side Story." Oh, "Sales Rex, Ali." Isn't even clever.

[1:46:24] Emilee: I trust that he was good.

[1:46:26] Conor: I trust that he was good.

[1:46:27] Emilee: No, he was giving it in the first time.

[1:46:30] Conor: He was.

[1:46:30] Emilee: He was giving it.

[1:46:31] Conor: He was giving it.

[1:46:31] Emilee: But that's what I mean. I would have liked to have seen, you know, they focus so much on the Blaine and Rachel of it, the whole virginity story and all that. But like, you know, they do focus on, you know, they do focus on Mike Chang with his Juilliard journey. But I really would have liked to have seen, you know, a little bit more of his journey on "West Side Story."

[1:46:56] Conor: Why are you laughing?

[1:46:58] Emilee: I'm just thinking of Sky Jackson.

[1:47:00] Conor: I'm so sorry.

[1:47:00] Emilee: I'm not laughing at Emily.

[1:47:02] Conor: No, I agree, Emily. Because like they it's just like the Mike Chang storyline. When I was watching the beginning of season three, it was like, oh, he's getting a storyline and I'm sure that he will continue to this surely can't be his only storyline the entire season. But they literally wrap up his story and hold on to 16 and then they cut the deleted scene with Mike Chang's parents from the season three finale. So it's like, yep, we do we hear from him? Does he do anything of substance for the rest of season three? Or how about this rest of the series? I know he comes back a few times for choreographing things at the wedding with the whole Tina thing, the Tina thing in season six. Like, and it's disappointing because it was I don't know, it was really cool. It's cool when you have these characters who were not cool, who were not, you know, really meant to shine as much like Britney, like Mike Chang, like, you know, even Santana, like where they really had gone to.

[1:48:15] Conor: It was just really disheartening to not really see him go any further than that.

[1:48:23] Emilee: Speaking of Andrew bringing up the writing of it all, surely we're going to have more Mike Chang as the series goes on in Season 3.

[1:48:38] Conor: You did bring up a point, Andrew, that we need to backtrack on because we got completely distracted by it. And I need to bring it back up, the Ian Brennan interview.

[1:48:46] Emilee: Oh my god!

[1:48:51] Conor: And that's what you really missed. Please continue what you're going to say because I think I've got some input.

[1:48:56] Emilee: Thank you very much. It does feel completely out of place. But I'm glad that we are having this conversation because it didn't sit right with me that Ian Brennan cited. And maybe I'll just put it all out there and then dissect. He said that the Lucy Cabousy storyline is one that he doesn't think fondly back on. That he was like, that was too crazy. That was insane. And I felt like some regret around it. But I also do think that maybe it's just Lucy Cabousy just by proxy of being in Season 2 of this large series, that it's like that is a more citable reference than Tina Vapo-Rub, you know? That could have easily been a touchdown, you know?

[1:49:52] Conor: 100%. The way I interpreted it is that I remember so distinctly when watching Glee as it aired. So that episode came out when I was literally like 16.

[1:50:01] Emilee: You're saying Born This Way.

[1:50:03] Conor: Born This Way. So I remember when Born This Way aired for the first time. It was the first time I viscerally remember thinking to myself, watching the show live, regarding Lucy Cabousy, I remember thinking, this is ridiculous.

[1:50:16] Emilee: Really? I love Lucy Cabousy. I think it's such a fun storyline.

[1:50:21] Conor: No, I think it's fun. But like, in terms of like, this is just stupid. Like, this is just stupid. She, her real name's Lucy. I remember thinking about it, like, it was the first time probably in the series where it just didn't, like, that's when Glee completely went off the walls for me. Like, I know the entire thing up to that point is ridiculous in its way. But like, that backstory that was just kind of completely unnecessary and so over the top was the first time in the series, period, where I remember being like, this is just, this is just too much. So I understand where Ian's coming from.

[1:51:00] Emilee: Interesting.

[1:51:01] Conor: I kind of see it from both sides, right? I can definitely see where it's, where it's like, okay, this is just a way to get, you know, a storyline for Quinn, a way to have something else deeper than just the prom queen thing to involve Lauren to involve, you know, all these things. But at the same time, like, I liked it, like, because it was giving something for Quinn to do other than just being pregnant. And, you know, just, it was just, I don't know, just something else. But I didn't hate it.

[1:51:33] Emilee: I also feel similarly, that like, it's like, I feel like kind of both ways about it, where it's like, I think at the time, I was really excited by the Lucy Gaboussi storyline, because similar to the Mike Chang storyline that I was like, oh, this surely will continue. Like, this is a storyline that like, there's, there's some meat here, the Quinn stuff that it's like, see, they offered, like, this isn't the first time that they offered it with Quinn. But like, it was like a more obvious, like, exploration into earlier adolescence, that did like provide and the writings were on the wall, just within the episode of the doctor being like, you have a nice nose, of being like clocking the fact that that's not her nose.

[1:52:14] Conor: Right, right, which I think is fun. But again, like, if that was at the beginning of season two, that would have meant a little bit more than within the same episode that they're writing. But you know, I like Lucy Gaboussi. And I like, again, I like the involvement of Lauren, I thought that was very, very interesting and in fun. And I think that there was like, such like a high camp of Lauren, like reciting the Quinn's entire like journey to be where she is right now. I think that's so hilarious.

[1:52:51] Emilee: Yeah, but no, it's all fun. And it's all great. But what I'm saying is that from a writer's perspective, I can see exactly where he's coming from in terms of all of the Wacky Goofy stuff up until that point in season two was kind of innocuous. Like, yes, I know, Rachel sent Sunshine to a crack house. Yes, I know. It's kind of like silly goofy that like, you know, about the Terry Schuster of it all and her and Quinn being pregnant. But Lucy Gaboussi, although it is camp and iconic, just really took the show to a whole other stratosphere.

[1:53:26] Conor: Yeah, this is just getting off. Like, this is like, it's a dog getting away from its leash and maybe Lucy Gaboussi was like the invitation to go further. Without Lucy Gaboussi, could we have the VapoRub? That's what I'm saying. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I think that that's where Ian's mind is. That's how I interpret it. Now you're opening the doors to yeah, I get that.

[1:53:47] Emilee: Yeah. But I can't wait for part two for Ian Brennan on that.

[1:53:53] Conor: I know, I know. People are listening to this. Tea time!

[1:54:01] Emilee: Wait, yeah. That's interesting. Do we have anything?

[1:54:08] Conor: Do we have an audio medium? He's still going with the Sandy Ryars and bingers.

[1:54:13] Emilee: Do we have anything further to say about the Ian Brennan? I'm excited to hear the rest of it.

[1:54:20] Conor: Yeah, I am too. It's really interesting. I think his ranking of the seasons was really interesting.

[1:54:25] Emilee: Oh, yeah.

[1:54:26] Conor: Oh, yes.

[1:54:27] Emilee: Which I was very surprised. What did he say?

[1:54:31] Conor: So he said one, two, six, three, four, five.

[1:54:35] Emilee: Yeah, that does sound right, yes.

[1:54:38] Conor: Yeah, so I'm just surprised with six being as high as it is. He really, really loves six.

[1:54:42] Emilee: But like, when you watch six, again, writings are on the wall with like, Ian Brennan has his fingerprints all over that season.

[1:54:52] Conor: It's true.

[1:54:53] Emilee: And for the better, of course. Yes.

[1:54:56] Conor: Right. Yeah. And there's some great moments just in those 13 episodes. There's some weird stuff in those 13 episodes too, that are like, these, this is the last 13? Like, really?

[1:55:07] Emilee: Yeah, I hope more tidbits are revealed in part two, because there are things that I'm listening to, and I'm like, oh, please, just ask about this. It sounds like I'm criticizing them. I'm not criticizing them. It's just like, us being the greats that we are, we're kind of like, go there, go there, go there. But like, they don't because they don't have the wherewithal.

[1:55:31] Conor: Ask about Terry's sister.

[1:55:34] Emilee: No, because actually, like, I want to fucking know. Like, actually, Terry's sister, that was a joke at first. But like, now I'm like, I want to know. I know that Ian Brennan was responsible for Terry's sister.

[1:55:41] Conor: I want to know, like, I want to know the answers to like, basic questions. I want to know. But like, seriously, I want to know the answer to like, Ian Brennan, who is your favorite Glee character? And who is your favorite Glee character to write for? And are they different answers? And then who's your least favorite Glee character?

[1:56:00] Emilee: Yeah, oh my god, that'd be fun.

[1:56:03] Conor: Like, just basic shit. Like, I want to know this. I want to know.

[1:56:06] Emilee: Yeah, I want to know about all of the plot holes.

[1:56:10] Conor: Me too. I want to know everything. Like, did they know? I want to know, did they know when they were writing? Do you know that, that, that, that meme of, is it, that girl from, what's that reality TV Jersey Shore?

[1:56:20] Emilee: Yeah.

[1:56:21] Conor: Snooki?

[1:56:21] Emilee: Snooki.

[1:56:22] Conor: Is it Snooki?

[1:56:24] Emilee: Snooki, yeah.

[1:56:24] Conor: This is so bad. When she's rushed, and I'm like, this is, this is so bad.

[1:56:28] Emilee: I want to know, I want to know about Sven Gubels. I want to know how that came, maybe that will come up in part two, potentially.

[1:56:35] Conor: I hope so. Anyway, we talked enough about questionable episodes. I want to talk about one of my favorite episodes. And that, of course, is Home of Cool, Asian F.

[1:56:43] Emilee: Asian F, yes.

[1:56:44] Conor: I'm obsessed with this episode.

[1:56:46] Emilee: Me too.

[1:56:46] Conor: And it really is, I would say, my favorite episode of this damn show. I-

[1:56:51] Emilee: Wow.

[1:56:51] Conor: The way the promo material around this episode was really rumping off.

[1:56:56] Emilee: Yeah.

[1:56:56] Conor: Like, the promo material for this episode in particular was crazy.

[1:57:01] Emilee: Yeah.

[1:57:02] Conor: Critics are calling it Glee's best ever, like, it was insane.

[1:57:06] Emilee: Yeah.

[1:57:07] Conor: Yeah, it's definitely a top five for me. Really up there.

[1:57:10] Emilee: It's so, so good. And it's just like, I was on Happy Media podcast a month or two ago. And I talked about my three favorite episodes of the show with the host, I'm forgetting their name right now. But Happy Media, I'll share it. But I talked about Asian F, duets, and, oh my god, oh, wheels.

[1:57:33] Conor: And those are the three episodes that I wanted to spotlight.

[1:57:36] Emilee: I just thought, like, all three of those episodes just, like, spotlight these characters that we don't really hear from very often.

[1:57:46] Conor: Yeah.

[1:57:46] Emilee: And I just, I really love, it's so touching, this storyline. Mike and his mom, specifically, the scene in the ballet room with, like,

[1:57:56] Conor: Oh my god, it's so good.

[1:57:57] Emilee: I gave up my dream.

[1:57:58] Conor: Oh my god, tear stream down on my face. You know what I mean?

[1:58:02] Emilee: That's a good one.

[1:58:03] Conor: Emily, what are your favorite episodes? I know one of them you said is, but if you have to pick a top three.

[1:58:08] Emilee: The breakup. Yeah, I would say the breakup. I really love, I love Nationals. Is it season three? I don't know what the episode's called. Sorry, I'm terrible with that.

[1:58:21] Conor: Nationals.

[1:58:21] Emilee: That wasn't me. Is it Nationals?

[1:58:23] Conor: Yeah.

[1:58:23] Emilee: That's what I thought. Okay. I just love, I just love the, you know, that's so, whatever. But, and I actually, for me, it's going to be either Asian F or Katie or Gaga.

[1:58:37] Conor: Really? That's so fun.

[1:58:38] Emilee: Oh, yeah. It is just, it's weird that it's season four, because season, two of my favorite episodes, oh, season five, I'm sorry. Two of my favorite episodes are from four and five, which for me is so weird, because they are definitely not on my higher, like, overall. They're definitely more on the back half. For me, I'm more of a first three seasons. But I just really enjoy, I enjoy, for Katie and Gaga, especially, I enjoy the, kind of the power switch between the two groups where they're doing things that aren't for them.

[1:59:10] Conor: Yeah.

[1:59:12] Emilee: Bad Reputation is also a good one.

[1:59:13] Conor: Oh, that's great.

[1:59:14] Emilee: For me that I really like. So, yeah.

[1:59:16] Conor: Cool.

[1:59:17] Emilee: I think mine are Asian F. I really love Comeback.

[1:59:27] Conor: That's a fun choice.

[1:59:29] Emilee: I love that episode. It's so good, with the Rachel Mercedes diva off, with how Rachel Brittany I'm obsessed with.

[1:59:36] Conor: Funny it is. Yeah, Rachel Brittany I'm obsessed with. It's got one of my favorite endings of an episode that makes me cry. Oh my God, the ending of that episode makes me cry. And then another episode I really love, and I think a lot of people don't really understand it, I love Choke.

[1:59:55] Conor: I love Choke, and I think Choke is one of my most re-watched Glee episodes, because I'm obviously a Rachel fan, and I just think that Leah is in her bag in that episode.

[2:00:09] Emilee: We get the good Arola at the end, but we also have the amazing I Am That Amazing Cloud monologue at the start, with her and the-

[2:00:16] Conor: Walking backwards.

[2:00:17] Emilee: It's absolutely iconic, walking backwards. Everything becomes a metaphor for it. Absolutely fucking iconic. We get Cleek, of course. We get Tina as a prop.

[2:00:30] Conor: My leg fell asleep, walk it off. Oh my God.

[2:00:33] Emilee: I will say an honorable mention. Honorable mention for me, though, how could I have not mentioned it, is Jagged Little Tapestry. Just such a good episode in kind of, you know, like I said, it's not that season six is bad. It's just that, like, it's like, these are the last 13, but definitely a star point.

[2:00:51] Conor: It's clean. Oh my God, and I forgot, like, until like Kevin and Jenna talked about that episode recently, that they were talking about the Becky storyline, and at the end of the episode, when Becky and Daryl are at Breadsticks, Becky's like, I need to come clean about something.

[2:01:10] Emilee: I have Down Syndrome.

[2:01:11] Conor: I have Down Syndrome.

[2:01:13] Emilee: I thought that that was a line from the show. That is so fucking funny.

[2:01:19] Conor: God, she is just so good. She's so good.

[2:01:23] Emilee: Happy Halloween.

[2:01:24] Conor: Coach Ross is like, wait, your sister, your best friend, and your daughter have Down Syndrome?

[2:01:37] Emilee: I'm upset.

[2:01:37] Conor: Too good.

[2:01:37] Emilee: Oh, so good.

[2:01:38] Conor: Asian F, you are that girl. And I do, I think we all know how this competition is going to go.

[2:01:46] Andrew: Welcome back to Gleek of the Week! Today, we have Conor and Emilee joining us to discuss some of the most memorable Klaine duets, noses, and of course, the elephant in the room.

[2:02:16] Conor: Thanks for having us back, Andrew! I'm excited to dive into this episode.

[2:02:46] Emilee: Yes, it's always a blast to talk about Glee with you guys.

[2:03:16] Andrew: So, let's kick things off with the first performance. What did you think of "Baby, It's Cold Outside"?

[2:03:36] Conor: I loved it! The chemistry between Blaine and Kurt was just perfect.

[2:03:56] Emilee: Absolutely! It was such a fun take on a classic duet.

[2:04:26] Andrew: And the way they played off each other really showcased their relationship at that point in the series.

[2:04:46] Conor: For sure. Plus, the humor they infused into it made it even more enjoyable.

[2:05:06] Emilee: I also appreciated how they made it feel fresh and not just a straight cover.

[2:05:26] Andrew: Right! It had that Glee twist that we all love.

[2:05:36] Conor: Speaking of twists, what about the next song, "Cool"?

[2:05:46] Emilee: "Cool" was such a standout moment. The energy was infectious!

[2:06:06] Andrew: I agree! The choreography was on point, and it really highlighted the characters' growth.

[2:06:16] Conor: And the way they incorporated the ensemble was fantastic. It felt like a real performance.

[2:06:26] Emilee: Definitely! It was a great way to showcase everyone’s talents.

[2:06:36] Andrew: Now, moving on to "I Feel Pretty/Unpretty," what did you think of that mashup?

[2:06:46] Conor: I thought it was brilliant! The juxtaposition of the two songs really worked well.

[2:07:06] Emilee: Yes! It was such a powerful moment for both characters, and the emotions were palpable.

[2:07:26] Andrew: It really highlighted the struggles they were facing at that time.

[2:07:36] Conor: And the vocal performances were stunning. They both nailed it!

[2:07:46] Emilee: I couldn't agree more. It was one of those moments that really stuck with me.

[2:07:56] Andrew: Now, let's talk about "Teenage Dream" (Acoustic Version). What are your thoughts?

[2:08:06] Conor: This version was so intimate and heartfelt. I loved it!

[2:08:16] Emilee: It really showcased their vocal abilities and the depth of their relationship.

[2:08:26] Andrew: And the arrangement was beautiful. It felt like a completely different song.

[2:08:36] Conor: Exactly! It brought a whole new layer to the performance.

[2:08:46] Emilee: Plus, the setting was perfect for the vibe of the song.

[2:08:56] Andrew: I think it’s safe to say that all these performances really highlighted the evolution of Klaine.

[2:09:06] Conor: Absolutely! Each song had its own unique flair while still being true to their characters.

[2:09:16] Emilee: And it’s always fun to see how they navigate their relationship through music.

[2:09:26] Andrew: So, what do you think about the elephant in the room?

[2:09:36] Conor: It’s definitely a topic that needs to be addressed.

[2:09:46] Emilee: For sure! It’s something that has been lingering throughout the series.

[2:09:56] Andrew: I think it’s important to discuss how it impacts the characters and their journey.

[2:10:06] Conor: Agreed. It adds a layer of complexity to their relationship.

[2:10:16] Emilee: And it’s something that a lot of fans can relate to in their own lives.

[2:10:26] Andrew: Exactly! It’s a real issue that resonates beyond the show.

[2:10:36] Conor: I think it’s great that Glee tackled such important themes.

[2:10:46] Emilee: Yes! It really set the show apart from others at the time.

[2:10:56] Andrew: Well, that wraps up our discussion for today. Thank you, Conor and Emilee, for joining me!

[2:11:06] Conor: Thanks for having us, Andrew!

[2:11:16] Emilee: It was a pleasure as always!

[2:11:26] Andrew: And to our listeners, make sure to tune in next week for more Glee goodness!

[2:11:36] Conor: Don’t forget to check out our Patreon for exclusive content!

[2:11:46] Emilee: And leave us a voicemail with your thoughts!

[2:11:56] Andrew: Until next time, keep gleeking out!