#Glee’s birthmom/Adoption subplots & my take on it as a birthmom

Posted on May 29, 2010. Filed under: TV & Film reviews of Adoption stories | Tags: Barbra Streisand, Cheerio's, Don't Rain on My Parade, Finn, Glee, Glee Club, Glee Live, Glee's Gay Problem, Golden Globes, I Dreamed A Dream, Idina Menzel, Joy A. Kennelly, Kurt, Lea Michele, Matthew Morrison, Mr. Shue, Neil Patrick Harris, Nip/Tuck, Puck, Quinn, Rachel, Remote Controlled, Ryan Murphy, Shelby, Sue |

By Joy A. Kennelly

I always know I want to write, or need to write, about an issue when I still feel strongly about it days later. That’s how I felt after watching this past week’s Glee episode.

Whoops! Just got sucked into watching all the Glee actor’s ten things you didn’t know about them on the Fox web site. Now if only there was a button to rush through the commercials at the beginning of each video.:)

Okay, I’m back. Where was I? Sorry, that was a nice little distraction for a Saturday morning.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve been a huge fan from the very beginning! I love the diversity, the singing, the story lines, and the rivalry between the Cheerio’s (cheerleaders) and the Glee Club (singers.) I really wish I could have seen Glee Live!

Even the Golden Globes agree.

I’ve enjoyed watching Quin’s birthmom subplot as a young girl considering adoption and Puck, the bad-ass birthfather, who is starting to come around and take the baby more seriously.

I also love this mishmash of Barbra Streisand (my vocal idol and apparently Ryan Murphy’s too!), Lea Michele who plays Rachel, the adoptee, and Idina Menzel, the woman who plays Shelby, the birthmom, singing Don’t Rain on My Parade. This is one of the main reasons I love Glee! You never know what amazing vocals and song you love you’re going to hear and be able to sing along with. (At least that’s what I do.:))

But! Last week’s episode about the re-uniting of Lea, the girl being raised by her two gay dads (I know, they keep pushing the envelope, but what do you expect? The creator is from Nip/Tuck – one of the darkest shows to hit TV in awhile last time I watched it which was years ago) and her birthmom was sooooo shallow and simple. Unlike real life at all!

I know, I know. It’s TELEVISION! BUT C’MON!!!! lol

The song Lea and Idina sang together to symbolize the temporary severing of their relationship as birthmom and daughter after their re-uniting, I Dreamed a Dream was rather heart-wrenching though. I think that was the one honest moment in the whole subplot. Music evokes such emotion which is why this was so successful.

But Rachel showing up in a horrible GaGa outfit and her mom being the one to fix it? Farce.

I hope that whole birthmom/adoptee re-united storyline just simply fades away, (right along with the two Dads). It’s not helping any of us living with adoption day in and day out. It cheapens and disrespects our experience at what cost? A TV Show’s popularity? Misrepresentation of something that is so personal and oftentimes so painful for many wanting a connection with the child we placed in adoption?

Now the other adoption subplot of Puck & Quin I think has nuances and is true, but lose the re-united one. Please!

Oh, and it was soooo nice to read this blogger’s take on Chris Colfer who plays Kurt, the sweet gay kid, and his “Kurt The Stalker” characterization on his site, Remote Controlled:

GLEE’S GAY PROBLEM:

“Above all else I want the writers to kill off the truly horrible Kurt The Stalker storyline. Having Kurt mooning over and manipulating Finn, probably the most heterosexual character on the show, isn’t just sad – it’s downright weird and kinda creepy. ( PREACH IT RICHARD!)

And worst of all it reinforces another key stereotype that’s been used for decades now – that all gay men are out to ‘turn’ all straight men. (MAYBE CUZ IT’S BASED ON TRUTH IN CERTAIN INSTANCES?) I honestly worry about the messages this storyline sends out and hope it doesn’t play out much longer.”

I totally agree. Last week’s entire episode was uneven, trying to do too much with too little, and ultimately satisfiying to nobody. You can’t string songs together and expect there to be a reasonable story line. We missed the poignancy and hope from other episodes.

Bring back Sue! We missed her last week. I love this video!