23 National Nightmares We’ve Already Overcome
By Tina Wargo
Courtesy: NBC.com
#13: Live TV Musicals
I love musicals more than I love most things. But you know what I (and most of the American people) love MORE than musicals? Hate-watching wacky stuff. It makes me feel like a certified genuine garbage person, but watching something LIVE where people will be SINGING with the hope that it’ll be fulfilling but the understanding that something could go terribly wrong right before my eyes is THRILLING. So, tbh, thank goddess that this phenomenon will continue for the foreseeable future with the new wave of live TV musicals being produced.
It all started with Sound of Music: Live!, which made me so disturbed, I had to unfriend someone on Facebook for thinking it was good. Then, we had Peter Pan Live!, which brought me so very much cynical unrest slash genuine joy. Then, we had The Wiz and Grease Live! which, honestly, were fantastic, and if you must unfriend me for thinking that way, I accept your rationale and wish you the best of luck. But after? After Grease came the weirdly secret hardly advertised TYLER PERRY’S THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST LIVE. And not only was it a musical. Oh, no. It was turned into a JUKEBOX musical, about Jesus. Those of you at home who spent your high school years at parties getting laid won’t know, but a jukebox musical is a musical that manages to utilize popular songs to function within the world of a play. Meaning-and please, take the time to prepare as I didn’t have the chance to when I learned this news- Jesus sings Katy Perry’s “Unconditionally.” The Lord also belts out Creed’s “With Arms Wide Open.” And, if any of you are still with me, we have the pleasure of watching Mary, Mother of God’s rendition of “Hands” by Jewel. And we GOT THROUGH IT. Here we are, living to see another day! Can you believe how strong we are? Truly, the greatest nation in the world.