#nonglee asks

[tuiyla]

Wait what is GKM? I’m kinda curious now…

OKAY SO

I wasn't actually here for any of this, I just stumbled across the whole lore when going down the Glee fandom rabbit hole so anyone and everyone please feel free to correct me or add to this. I'm also so ready for people to start discussing this because of the morbid fascination I have with it lmao so don't be shy, anyone who knows what I'm talking about. Research it even just a bit and you'll see why it's a "morbid" fascination.

As far as I know, the story goes that very early on in Glee's run LiveJournal communities started to form. Remember LiveJournal? Yeah no one really does. But those who do will tell you that it was one of those pre-tumblr fandom spaces, before social media was what it is today. And very early on, the Glee Kink Meme started. It was essentially a series of threads where people, anonymously or not posted smut prompts, noting characters and, well, kinks, and others would fill those prompts. That sounded tame enough to me and I am a believer in people being allowed to write whatever they want because it's just fiction and just words, but oh boy looking at some of those threads sure was something.

This is a link to part one, a thread that has 7291 comments beginning November of 2009. Yep, like I said it started early. And then I guess it went up to 26 parts? Right until the end of the show, and in fact looking at it now a prompt was posted as recently as a year ago. I also found this pinboard that makes it much easier to search. Go down that rabbit hole at your own discretion, if you like reading smut then I'm sure you'll find good stuff but some descriptions were enough to scar me. I discovered GKM through a fill on AO3 that, no hate to the author, but was so vile I didn't feel like reading fics for a while after that. Morbid curiosity won out though. It's a fascinating piece of fandom history and I'm sure Glee wasn't the only piece of media with a community like this but it sure seems like it was the biggest one. I can only imagine that a lot of teenagers explored their sexuality through these prompts and fills and to that I say good for them, even if some of this did make me clutch my pearls as if I was a suburban Christian mom. Like, come on, it covered SO much that I'm sure everyone would find something in there they just cannot stomach.

I feel like issuing a warning again and maybe I'm just overselling it a tiny bit but, at the same time, you only need to read some of the headlines to see what I mean. It's... truly an anything-goes kind of thing.

[tuiyla]

With every passing day I am convinced that Ryan Murphy did not like his own cast 😭😭

I really, really don't think that's true. We've got to start distinguishing between "did and wrote crappy things" and actual dislike of his employees.

Idk the podcast episodes with RM have shown him in a different light to me. He's even acknowledging some of the mistakes which is great. He was still responsible for some shitty things, but why on earth would he actively dislike his cast. I get that he wasn't the greatest at conveying appreciation through his writing and the way he handled things, but he clearly did not dislike the Glee cast. The fandom as a whole has got to stop being conspiracy theorist about Ryan Murphy, he's just some guy who happens to have a lot of power, yeah, but I don't think he's AS vindictive as people believe.

[tuiyla]

And people like to say lea and naya were never friends or the cast never liked her, there's tons of personal pictures of them with lea

With the disclaimer that I largely avoid commenting on irl events and cast bts... yeah. Naya herself said in her book that they did get along once, kale chips on couches and all. And also that the feud was blown out of proportions, but of course tabloid shit always focuses on the drama. Bugs me when people completely buy into tabloid shit and feel entitled to real people's lives.

Again I don't like being a hypocrite and diving into irl events, but if you ask me it's just a damn shame that all people will remember the Lea and Naya dynamic for is "the feud". Idk if they ever would have been actual friends again but it's clear they didn't wish each other ill and it's just so tragic to think that was that - things always are tragic when it comes to Naya's untimely death.

[tuiyla]

Dianna looked really unhealthy lately

idk what urged you to send this in an ask to a stranger but first, once again, I largely don't talk about the cast's personal lives, second, I've seen the Acidman promos on Insta and I think she's as radiant as ever

[tuiyla]

I don't know how much you know about the fandom from the time when glee was still on air. Naya and Heather were always loved, brittana was always loved, but Heather never really talked about brittana and she was getting shit from the fans for that. Naya on the other hand talked about Santana's gay journey constantly and about brittana a lot too. It'd always just seemed like Heather didn't find it as important as Naya had. There are rumours it was because of some bts stuff between Naya and Heather and then there was Heather's longtime on and off boyfriend who then became her baby daddy and husband and so with all that Heather didn't seem too interested in fawning over brittana. But that's all rumours, the point is, after Naya passed away Heather realized real fast that this is her responsibility now, that this is her part in keeping naya's memory alive, and she really didn't have to take on that responsibility but she did and I think we should be grateful. She's all we have left now.

(btw those podcasts episodes are far in the future now but I'd imagine Heather will be invited to some important ones, wedding, maybe IKAG, maybe rumours, since the podcast will definitely be Naya heavy in the way the previous podcast wasn't and Heather is the only one who was really there in those majorly important scenes. We're going to be emotional messes) (btw again aside from the perfection that was Heya on showmance i thought Heather recently on the new pod was her best appearance on the pod yet and IMHO she should become a semi permanent third host)

Okay Anon, I realize you're trying to be helpful by providing this summary and I'm appreciative of the intent, but I just take such issue with hearsay and the sense of entitlement fandoms often feel towards cast members. And I'm not trying to put all that on you by explaining this under your ask, but I just have to clarify a few things.

Neither Naya nor Heather ever owed the fans anything. I love actors who champion queer ships as much as the next bitch but it's not their responsibility. It never was and never should be. Naya was an angel for what she did for Santana's story, on-screen and off, and I for one feel like the community is forever in her debt for how she pushed for things and then spoke out about it. The GLAAD tribute was what she deserved. I find it appalling that Brittana fans would give Heather shit. No, I wasn't around the Glee fandom as it was airing, but friends I've made in the fandom were and I've chatted a lot about things like Heather's treatment during the Bram debacle and in general. Particularly in light of her ATWYRM episode where she talks about the spotlight not having been something she actually wanted and feeling uncomfortable with the expectations, I think we should know better than to put that on her.

And I know you say she didn't have to take on the responsibility of captaining the ship after Naya's passing, but everything you describe earlier says that she did. "Heather realized real fast that this is her responsibility"? I mean wow that does not sit well with me. And again I'm not saying all this against you, it's going out to the portion of the fandom who do feel entitled to Hemo taking that on. No. Simply just no. If she had zero responsibility before she sure does have none now, having lost a friend. We lost a performer in Naya, Heather and others lost a friend they loved. So if Heather never wanted to publicly talk about Brittana again, that'd be totally understandable. She did decide to pick up the mantle, to a degree, and that's commendable but that's her choice. Not something that ever should have been expected, something that's treated as second best now that Naya's gone, or something she finally did.

I'd also just like to note that "Heather didn't find it as important as Naya had" just feels wrong on many levels. Not because it's not true, idk about that and to my previous point, we're not entitled to knowing whether that's true. It feels wrong because assuming anything about these actors feels wrong, and it also feels wrong because the meat of the storyline and indeed the PoV has always been put on Santana. So if we were to expect one of them to be vocal about it, not that we should, then Naya is the logical choice. As for hearsay about BTS, the only "rumour has it" I'm willing to acknowledge is the banging mashup.

I very much doubt Heather would guest near IKAG and honestly, maybe it's best she doesn't, but I do hope she appears often as the three of them are a joy to listen to. Just wanted to note that as well at the end here. I realize all this may sound harsh and I don't mean to be harsh towards you; again, I acknowledge that this is summary is meant to be helpful. I'm just grateful every day that I wasn't part of the Glee fandom while the show was airing because even fans nowadays are acting so poorly and entitled so I truly wouldn't have been able to cope with the height of it. It just feels wrong.

[tuiyla]

Have you ever listened to Dianna Agron's podcast series Narcissa? Maybe you should give it a try! It only has 8 episodes, features a sapphic love story between Dianna’s character and the other female lead (who I can’t really describe because she’s a walking spoiler) and the sci-fi thriller storyline is also really interesting and eventually converges with the queer romance plot. I also recommend it for Dianna’s beautiful and soothing voice and the podcast’s amazing sound effects. I'd love to read your thoughts on it if you do decide to listen to it. :)

(A few downsides, though: 1) not every loose end was tied up, but I assume it's because there might be a second season; 2) content warning: there’s one disturbing scene of SA).

I haven't! I assumed it'd be an older project but turns out it's from last summer, interesting. I do love Dianna's voice and can only assume things about the plot based on the title but sounds intriguing, I'll check it out. I've been meaning to check out more of Dianna's stuff for ages haha and I thought that'd be Shiva Baby and other movies but sure I can give the podcast a go.

Thank you for the rec and the warning, appreciate the heads up.

[tuiyla]

What are the best goes podcasts?

Glee podcasts? 😀

I only actively listen to (other than Showmance and ATWYRM) Recovering Gleek but I can recommend that one. The two hosts are fun and have a good dynamic, they dive deep into the episodes and only talk about the episodes at hand instead of bringing in later plotlines. They're currently on 5x07 so there's a big catalog to listen to.

I've only ever heard one or two episodes from other podcasts. The one I listened to the most is ig Gleek of the Week, but it's... not for me. They have good guests on like actual Glee cast and crew and Glee Project peeps but ngl I find the hosts sort of irritating. Oops I'm usually nicer than that.

Any other recommendations from peeps? The only one I can recommend is Recovering Gleek but curious if others have more they listen to.

[tuiyla]

Oh, also? The "Lea can't read" meme is possibly THE most likeable and least controversial aspect of her persona, and the fact that her ego is too huge to laugh at it and that she even reverted to lazy white feminism to attempt to call it out? Honestly, kind of makes me understand even more what it must have been like to work with her.

Honestly like I get how the can't read stuff is super silly and actually pretty annoying because it's so overdone BUT from the beginning this joke has been so outrageously over the top and not serious from anyone with common sense. Her response was just wild, honestly, and I rolled my eyes so hard at the part where she invoked white feminism.

Also just her response to the bullying and racism allegations too, like girly saying "if I were a man people would come at me so hard" is not the way to go the fuck. Racist men are also shitty, your point? Anyway not to go down a Lea Michele rabbit hole, I truly do not care for her enough to do so and I don't actually wish harm on her or anything, hope she learns and grows one day. But this response was so wild and as ridiculous as the can't read thing is, you're right it's like the most likable thing about her at this point. She needs a publicist who'll tell her how it's good for them if people are laughing at stupid jokes instead of pointing at the mountains of evidence that she's, at best, highly difficult to work with and at worst a bully and a racist.