GQ Photo Uproar Marks the Beginning of the Glee Backlash

Come on now, we have all seen the GQ photos featuring the cast of Glee and they look like pretty much any semi-perverted fashion spread you find in magazines like this. And if you haven't seen them I will tell you what all the fuss is about.

Apparently Lea Michelle (who plays Rachel) had her legs spread opened too wide for parent media watchdog groups and Diana Agron (who plays Quinn) had on a pair of short shorts that were just too short. Then Lea made the ultimate mistake of suggestively licking a lollipop while leaning up against a locker.

The reaction to these photos is best summed up in the inflammatory statement made by Tim Winters of the Parents Television Council. His claim was that "it borders on pedophilia." Mr. Winters must have a very sick and twisted little mind to equate anything that goes on every week on Glee with pedophilia.

Come on now, these actors are well into their 20's. They can't take some artistic, saucy photos without causing a National uproar? And it's not like these photos were being published in Tiger Beat. GQ is not the type of magazine that suburban youth tend to buy very often. Or ever. It is a very adult magazine that deals with adult issues and features racy photo spreads.

Ms. Agron had this to say about the drama, "They asked us to play heightened versions of our school characters. At the time, it wasn't my favorite idea, but I did not walk away. If you are hurt or these photos make you uncomfortable, it was never our intention. And if your eight-year-old has a copy of our GQ cover in hand, again I am sorry. But I would have to ask, how on earth did it get there?"

This brings me to my next point. Ever since it became public that Barack Obama's kids love Glee it has started to become looked at as a "kid's show." These outraged parents (Katie Couric among them) who claim to watch it with their youngsters might want to reconsider what they are doing.

I know kids grow up faster today but Glee has never shied away from showing skin, addressing hot button topics or being overtly sexual. Also, the creator of Glee also created the very dark, disturbing and sexual Nip/Tuck. You don't do a show about plastic surgeons and then fling yourself into a remake of Barney the Purple Dinosaur.

My final point? Glee is not a kids show and GQ is not a magazine for kids. Why don't you wait to vilify this successful young cast until they have actually done something wrong? And it's Hollywood so you know it's coming.