Let’s Do the Time Warp Again
I was born to be Magenta. Seriously. It is the one benefit to having my mop of brown curls; you brush it out, tease it up, smear on some lipstick, find a French maid outfit (make sure you wear a black bra underneath and not your normal beige one), and head out to Rocky Horror.
And for a long time running, I was Magenta. You know, like those kids who stand in the front of the theater and act out the movie, helping the audience to call out the right lines. I was pawed by more Columbias and laughed evilly with more anemic-looking Riff-Raffs than I care to remember. For your viewing pleasure, a 16-year-old Melissa with her hair all teased out a la Magenta on the way to the Key Theater in Georgetown*:
Which is why I was so excited to find out that Glee is covering Rocky Horror tomorrow night (October 26th) as their Halloween episode. Forget the fact that I have never even seen Glee. I was so excited that I wrote it into my datebook so I wouldn’t forget to Gleek out. Isn’t that what the kids call watching Glee? Gleeking out?
My feeling is that there is no such thing as bad Rocky. I’ve seen a few stage productions of it and I’ve seen it in plenty of different theaters so I’ve encountered numerous “casts” that way. And while none touch the pure joy of watching Tim Curry or Susan Sarandon, it’s all good. So I’m excited to see Glee tackle it too.
Josh even endured listening to the soundtrack this weekend in the car while we drove downtown. He must really love me.
* The odd line you see around the photo is the fact that it is a Polaroid (oh my G-d, it makes me feel so old to think that we had cameras where you couldn’t even make a second copy of the photograph much less put it online).
26 comments
OMG, I loved you before Mel but now I have a case of hero worship for you. I LOVE Rocky Horror…and you rock as magenta!
Love the photo, Mel! I’ve only watched Glee a few times. It’s fun (I LOVE anything I have ever seen Jane Lynch do!) — & if they manage to prompt a younger generation to discover Broadway musicals & Rocky Horror, more power to them. ; ) Although I was just reading an article about whether Glee is appropriate for children to watch… if they think it’s normally bad, just wait until they unleash Rocky Horror at 8 p.m. & have to explain transvestites, etc., to a younger generation, lol.
I saw Rocky Horror for the first time with a group from my dorm at university during Frosh Week in the fall of 1980 (and yes, there are photos). We had a special showing at a rickety old movie theatre on notorious north Main Street in Winnipeg. It wasn’t midnight — that section of town was scary enough in broad daylight, lol. It was quite an interesting sight, all of us in full Rocky Horror getup, bearing water pistols, newspapers, toast, etc., stepping around the winos on the sidewalk. And let’s just say the theatre added to the atmosphere. I remember wondering whether I should leave my feet on the floor — I was certain a rat would run over it at any moment. :p
I find it hard to sit through the whole thing on TV these days — it definitely lacks something without the audience participation — but whenever it’s on (& it’s usually on right around Halloween), I HAVE to watch at least to the point where Tim Curry sings “Sweet Transvestite.” : )
I can’t believe you’ve never seen Glee! Then again, I’ve never seen Rocky Horror Picture Show until last week when I rented it just to get myself psyched up for the Glee episode tomorrow. All I can say is WOW
I am concerned that many of the *ahem* much younger fans of Glee have never watched the original Rocky Horror in its glory.
I was a very lucky girl to view it in it’s heyday (when it was still showing at every theater at midnight), and better yet I saw it in THREE countries! In english no less, because the fans in Europe thought it was utter blasphemy to subtitle it in Italian, French, or German.
I’ll be watching Glee, sans toast. I can’t see wasting the bread.
Damn, I am old.
I love Rocky! But for some reason, I’m slightly apprehensive about it being on Glee… how do you improve upon or even cover perfection?
You make a great Magenta! I’m super excited about Glee tomorrow – the most excited I’ve been about a big theme episode so far.
OMG I LOVE, LOVE that photo. Everything about it! You, your amazing hair, the wallpaper, what a precious memory to have. You make a great Magenta.
Okay, I love that picture.
I’ve never seen Glee…and I’ve never seen Rocky. Still want to be friends with me?
I love Glee and I am more excited about this episode than any other so far.
Oh my god you are adorable.
Love your photo!! Hate Glee. Love Rocky. May have to watch just because you said so. 🙂
You looked awesome!! I love Rocky Horror! Teehee I listened to the soundtrack this week too! I am so going to be a gleek tonight!! Perez had a preview for one of the numbers:
http://perezhilton.com/2010-10-25-sneak-peek-rocky-horror-glee-touch-a-touch-a-me-jayma-mays
I have done a few stints as Magenta in college, with a now ex who could pull off a good Riff Raff. I am looking forward to Glee tonight!
I watched Rocky Horror for the first time a couple weeks specifically to prepare for this Glee episode. I viewed it solo in my living room— it was apparent from the get-go that it lost a particular something without the audience participation. I kept thinking, “What is WRONG with me? How am I not getting into this?!” I’m hoping to give it another shot, this time in a theater with other people >:)
I love this photo and sadly I have never seen Rocky Horror. I will have to put it on my list of things to see.
Cool picture!
In Munich there is a small cinema theatre where you can watch movies in their original language. And this theatre is famous because you can watch Rocky Horror Picture Show every Friday and Saturday at almost midnight (23h45). They have this movie on their program for years, I think 20 or so. Every weekend. For 20 years. I think this is über cool. Just felt like sharing this useless piece of info with a TRHPS fan. 😉
Great photo 🙂 I think Rocky was one of the perks of pre-kid life. I could actually stay up that late at night (you know, willingly) for the midnight Friday showing we have here. Ah, sweet nostalgia!
LOOK AT YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Omg, you look amazing, I knew you were amazing and NOW..here is the proof , in all it’s POLAROID glory.
Enjoy the show tonight, and I’ll be thinking of you…..
You are *so* the perfect Magenta. Rocky Horror was a huge part of my early high school life. My three close buddies in HS were Austin’s Magenta, Riff-Raff and Rocky (the longest running Rocky Horror Picture Show in the world!).
Yeah. I’ve seen Rocky more times than I care to admit… Man, that brings back memories. I am totally curious to see Rocky given the Glee treatment!
I love that picture. Remember when you actually had to go to the movie theater to see Rocky Horror? Maybe I’ll have to check out Glee also. Hello from ICLW.
Omg, i don’t even know what to say. You are gorgeous. And Magenta is indeed one of the coolest things on the planet, just made a little bit cooler. That photo is amazing, that wallpaper, all of it. Priceless!
Thank you for reminding me about this. I don’t watch Glee either, but I LOVE Rocky Horror. You did make a great Magenta. Just wait until you can freak your kids out by dressing up like Magenta when they are in highschool.
MEL!! You look GORGEOUS and Magentaliciously Fab!! I mean, you’re always gorgeous and fab, but I totally love this throw-back! the polaroidness about it makes it even more special.. and it made me smile at seeing you hold on to that feather duster so tight! 🙂
Missed the show last night, but it’s on the dvr for tonight!
You make a lovely Magenta! And, frankly, you don’t look a day older. Well, no more than a week older, tops.
I’d like to know what you thought of the episode. I have many friends, fans of Glee and Rocky Horror both, who were terribly disappointed in the episode. Who felt that, perhaps, the people responsible for the episode copped out by not using the platform as an opportunity to really spread the spirit of the musical. Conspicuously missing (I hear, it will be several days before I get a chance to catch up on my personal TV viewing) was the lyric, “Don’t dream it, be it.” Without having seen the episode, I’m inclined to agree that the opportunity to reach out to so many disenfranchised GLBTQQ (add to the acronym as you wish) youth, especially in light of so many public deaths, was woefully lost.
I had such fun watching that episode. It brought back a lot of memories.
Ok so I have to admit. Not only have I never watched Glee but I’ve never watch The Rocky Horror Picture Show either. And I’m not sure who Magenta is but you look very cute.