2-9-11 - Deconstructing Glee and Bobby Proves His Broadway Mastery

In case you missed it...

COLD WEATHER, REMEMBERING STANDUP AND PARKER BEATS ROSIE AT CHESS
Rosie and the staff started today's program talking about the incredible cold weather New York is having right now and the coldest cities in the United States.   Deirdre prefers the cold weather over the heat.  This then brought on a discussion about the "Windy City" Chicago which Deirdre loves.  Janette doesn't like Chicago and remembers going there during the standup days.  Rosie's performed in many cities doing standup but usually just went for the work and never really took the time to tour the cities.  Janette said if the audiences sucked in any particular city it caused her to make generalizations about the entire state.  Rosie recalled the isolated feeling of being on the road as a comic.  She did her first gig when she was just 16 years old which is so odd for her when she realizes she now has a 15 year-old son!   Janette was almost 30 years-old when she started standup.  Rosie thinks there was an advantage to starting so young because she was so cocky and clueless at that age.  Because she was so young she didn't care about the risks she was really taking.  Bobby remembered watching Rosie on the road after she performed in Grease.  He thought it was fascinating watching her craft a show and how she changed it up every time she was on stage.  He never realized how much improv and tweaking goes into a standup routine until he followed her out on the road.  Rosie said she never wrote any of her material down, it was all in her head.  Janette said writing standup is the hardest writing in the world. And she said Rosie would walk into the room and tell a story and have the whole room laughing at every line.  She said Rosie has an amazing skill at delivering punch lines.  Rosie wished she still had that skill but said it's something you have to continue to work on.  Speaking of standups, Rosie mentioned one of her favorite standups, Kevin Meaney and his version of The Marriage Ref. Rosie said just thinking of this video makes her laugh.

Kevin Meaney - The Marriage Ref

Rosie will be presenting an award to Dr. Mathilde Krim at an amfAR event this evening! And she said she played chess with her son Parker last night and he legitimately beat her two times in a row. She remembered the first time her brother Timmy, who she also taught to play, beat her at chess too.  Rosie said she and her kids then all watched Glee together, one of their favorite things to do as a family.     

GLEE AND CALLERS
Rosie and the staff then discussed last night's episode of Glee!  Did you miss it?  HERE'S A LINK to last night's Glee.  Rosie said last night's episode had an "interesting storyline" and wanted to know what the staff thought about it.  Rosie said it was interesting to watch her kids remark how gross it was that Puck liked the girl who was heavy.  The episode offended Janette, who was heavy as a child and teen.  She said it felt like pandering and was too unbelievable to believe.  She felt like the show was trying to make an unrealistic politically correct point.  Janette said she was "that girl" and a guy like Puck would never have asked her out.   Janette also thought the girl's level of self-esteem was unrealistic and unbelievable.  She thought if the girl was beautiful like a "Brooke Elliott" she might have believed it. 

Rosie said when she and Kelli were broken up, but still trying to work things out, she went to Vegas with Sharon Gless.  They were playing blackjack and  started up a conversation with a gorgeous guy.  Rosie told him he was "absurdly good looking" and they chatted for a bit.  He was so nice and so kind and he asked her out!  Sharon told her to go for it!  Rosie thought that type of guy would never like her and only was interested in her because she was famous.  Janette disagreed.  She knew Rosie before she was famous and said she had the same great personality and that  was undeniable and probably what the guy enjoyed about her so much. 

Deirdre said she too often feels not good enough for gorgeous men.  Rosie told her that couldn't be true because she once told Rosie she would have hooked up with John Mayer if she wasn't a few pounds overweight a few months back!  Rosie said someone with low self-esteem never would have said that.  Deirdre said there are times she feels inferior and like a guy wouldn't be interested in her.  Janette said the difference is, Deirdre's WRONG.  Rosie told Deirdre there's a layer of societal condemnation that Deirdre doesn't have with her insecurity about herself.

Rosie saw Kevin Smith on Joy Behar's show on CNN who recently lost 65 pounds.  Kevin Smith is a talented director who was told he was "too fat to fly" by Southwest airlines about a year ago.   Rosie said she would like to interview him.  She said he's a talented, good looking man who seems kind of obsessed with his weight.  Pete listens to his podcasts and said Kevin mentions weight in almost every one. 

Rosie felt there were a lot of fat jokes in last night's Glee despite the fact it was a "fat empowerment episode."  Janette wondered why they cast a chubby character with so few redeeming qualities.  Bobby loved the storyline and that the heavy character was so sure of herself.  He said it's not right that in today's society a character like Santana can be bitchy because she's pretty but the fat girl isn't allowed to be bitchy because she's fat.  Bobby loves that the character is bitchy and totally empowered.  Rosie hopes this character will soon show how she can really, really sing. 

Rosie took several callers about Glee who had varying opinions on the new heavy Glee character and the romantic relationship with Puck.  One caller told Rosie how much she loves Rosie Radio and that she was so sad they'll be going off the air in June.  Rosie told the caller (and the listeners) there's a good chance Janette and the gang are going to get to do something on Sirius!!!!  If you'd like to join the "Keep Janette Barber on Facebook page" to lend your support and have your voice heard CLICK HERE!

One caller told Rosie she heard the cast of Glee is going back on tour and Rosie said if it does she will definitely go see it again!   She said the Glee Live Show was as great as a Broadway show.  Rosie also said she thinks Kurt's character is doing a tremendous service for the younger generation helping them become more accepting of teens like Kurt.  Rosie spoke to one caller in particular who said just because someone's big doesn't mean they have to subscribe to society's rule that they're worthless.  Rosie agreed and said she sees people who are big, especially in the gay women's community, that have tremendous confidence.  One caller said we can't compare experiences from 20 years ago to what it's like in schools today because there are a lot more heavy teens in today's schools.  And she said being heavy doesn't have the same stigma as it once did.   

Then another caller told Rosie how much they will miss her when she goes off the air in June and Rosie said she's "sure" Sirius has something in the works for the rest of the Rosie Radio staff!

THE JOAN RIVERS REALITY SHOW AND THE TRIALS OF LILO,
Rosie asked the staff if any of them have seen the Joan Rivers reality show Joan Knows Best?  None of the staff members had seen it so she invited listeners to call in and share their thoughts.  Rosie thinks it's a fantastic show and finds it real and revelatory.  Rosie enjoys the show because she said it's a real reality show like her other favorite reality show Ruby.    Rosie said she knows Joan Rivers and she can tell they're not acting or doing shtick on the show.  Rosie does think the hot nanny is a set up though but she thinks the rest of it is real.  Rosie took several calls on the topic.  One caller thought the show felt "contrived and unreal."  Rosie mentioned Joan's documentary A Piece of Work which Rosie loved and said she thinks the gist of the show is real.  One of the callers Rosie spoke with is a new stay-at-home-mom who enjoys listening to Rosie Radio and Rosie gave her a weekend of cooking classes at the Culinary Institute of America!  You can catch Joan Knows Best Tuesdays at 9pm EST on WeTV. 

Rosie was shocked to announce that Lindsay Lohan is in trouble again!  Lindsay has been charged with felony grand theft for allegedly taking a necklace from a California jewelry store.  The necklace retails for $2500.  Lindsay has two explanations.  One story is that she put it on and forgot to take it off and one story is that her wardrobe person did it.  Rosie wondered what Lindsay's mental state is to mess up again while she's on probation.  Janette said she can't be well-balanced and is acting destructively.  Rosie said Lindsay used to be immensely talented and a great actress.  Everyone in the studio felt for Lindsay.  Rosie remembered when Winona Ryder was caught shoplifting.  She said when you're at the height of your fame you have no boundaries, no rules.  Then, just like any wave, you hit the shore and those freedoms don't apply to you anymore.  And that's what she thinks happened to Winona and to Lindsay.  Rosie took several callers who gave their opinions on Lindsay's felony charge.  One caller didn't think Lindsay has the survival skills for the real world.  Rosie agreed.  Rosie said Lindsay needs someone to ground her because her parents thrust her out into the limelight and then also enjoyed it there.  Rosie said you don't see Martin Sheen and his wife on tabloid television giving interviews.  She said the Sheens don't try to use their son's troubles to create their own celebrity.  Rosie worries what will happen to Lindsay.  A caller asked Rosie what is typical for stylists when they're dressing a celebrity.  Rosie said a stylist will bring clothes over to your house and you try them on.  Some of the clothes have been given to the celebrity because the designer wants to have his/her clothes worn at an event or on a red carpet.  But some of the clothes you must purchase.  But she said when clothing is given to a celebrity it's usually for a specific event or appearance.   Bobby has dressed many celebrities and said he's had clients walk out of stores mistakenly wearing items they haven't paid for and running back in to pay for them!  He thinks it's possible it was an accident and won't judge until he's heard more details.   

BROADWAY NAME THAT TUNE
During this game the player heard a short clip of a famous Broadway song.  If they could get the song with a 1 second clip they would receive 3 points.  If they needed a second clip they would get 2 points and if they needed the entire song played they'd get 1 point.  The two players that scored the highest would play against each other in the speed round!   

ROUND ONE
Rosie: heard a short clip of a song from Annie and got it for 3 points.
Pete: heard a short clip of a song from Les Miserables but he couldn't name the song or the show for 0 points.
Janette: heard a short clip of a song from Chicago and got it for 3 points.
Bobby: heard a short clip of a song from The Lion King and got it for 3 points.
Shoshana: heard a short clip of a song from Cats and got it for 3 points. 

ROUND TWO
Rosie: heard a short clip of a song from Rent and got it for 3 points.
Pete: heard three short clips of a song from Grease and got it for 1 point because he couldn't name the song.
Janette: heard a clip of a song from Sound of Music.  She named the show and not the song for 1 point.
Bobby: heard clip of a song from Wicked and got it for 3 points.
Shoshana: heard a clip of a song from 42nd Street.  She named the show but not the song for 1 point.

ROUND THREE
Rosie: heard a short of clip of a song from Chorus Line and got it for 3 points.
Pete: heard a clip of a song from Fiddler on the Roof.   He named the show but couldn't name the song for 1 point.
Janette: heard a clip of a song from You're a Good Man Charlie Brown.  She named the show but didn't know the song for 1 point.
Bobby: heard a clip of a song from Oklahoma but guessed it was Annie Get your Gun.  He got 2 points for knowing the song though.
Shoshana: heard a clip of a song from Springtime.  She named the show but couldn't name the song for 1 point.  

SPEED ROUND BETWEEN ROSIE AND BOBBY
Rosie: heard a short clip of a song from Annie and got the song and the show for 3 points.
Bobby: heard a short clip of a song from Chorus Line and got the song and the show for 3 points.
Rosie: heard a clip and passed because she didn't know it!
Bobby: stole Rosie's song and got it!  It was a song from Evita and got the song and the show for 3 points!
Bobby: heard a short clip of a song from Fiddler on the Roof and got the song and the show for 3 points.
Rosie: heard a clip and passed because she didn't know it!
Bobby: stole Rosie's and guessed Guys and Dolls but he didn't know the song for 1 point.
Bobby: heard a clip of a song from Grease and got the song and the show for 3 points.
Rosie: heard a clip and passed because she didn't know it!
Bobby: stole Rosie's and guessed West Side Story though he didn't know the song for 1 point.
Bobby: heard a clip and passed because he didn't know it!
Janette: stole it though she didn't get any points because she wasn't playing!  lol They didn't say what show it was from. 
Rosie: heard a clip and passed because she didn't know it!
Bobby: stole Rosie's and guessed the song and the show Avenue Q for 3 points.

BOBBY WON BY A LANDSLIDE!

At Rosie's demand, Bobby then sang There Are Worse Things I Could Do from the Broadway show Grease a cappella and it was fantastic!!!!!! 

Rosie closed the show.

and that's what you missed - kw