Sunday, January 9, 2011

Spankable Celebrities -- # 5

We reach the halfway point of my fantasy Top Ten Spankable Celebrities list with a lady who, until this past summer, wasn't even on my radar.

When my regular shows go into hiatus or reruns, I like to take a look at other programs that I've heard good things about. You never know when you might stumble upon a new "favorite" show. The prime example of that, for me, was Buffy The Vampire Slayer. I didn't watch it all the first year it was on, but watched many of the summer reruns and enjoyed it immensely. Come the next TV season, I tried to go back to my old viewing habits, but discovered that I'd rather be watching the goings on in Sunnydale of Buffy, Willow and the gang.

That's exactly what happened here. All I kept hearing was what a wonderful new program this show called Glee was. I finally saw some reruns, and then I got the first season on DVD and watched it straight through. I didn't take long before I was a certifiable "Gleek". Consequently, Spankable Celeb number five is the show's "Rachel Berry"--Lea Michelle.

Her inclusion on the list has very little to do with her. Like Emma Watson, it has more to do with the character that she plays. I knew more than a few "Rachels" in high school and, believe me, if I'd had the courage every one of them would spent some time with their skirt up and over my knee. Lea's portrayal hits all the right notes and brings back memories of those high school ladies, so it should come as no surprise that she makes the list.

Lea and two other of her Glee castmates got in a bit of trouble recently for a somewhat racy photoshoot they did for GQ Magazine. Lea especially had on fewer clothes than normal, and apparently many parents thought it set a bad example for the children who watched the show.

My own reaction is that it's much ado about nothing, and also more than a little ridiculous.. These are actors playing high schoolers. Most of them are over 21, and a few are probably closer to 30. The entire cast could appear nude in Playboy if they felt so included. They're not going to be on Glee forever. They have their future careers to think of, and for some that may very well mean more adult and sexier roles. Photoshoots a re a good method of showing future casting agents what the actor or actress is capable of and can bring to a role.

Bottom line--Characters on TV shows make lousy role models, and parents should not be holding them up as examples. The parent is the best role model a kid could have. Mom and Dad should try to live up to those demands, and stop expecting the TV to do it for them.

In the article that accompanied the pictures, Lea took a, "Gee, I'm not sure how that happened" innocent attitude toward the pictures. Maybe she just got caught up in the moment. Maybe the photographer said, "Okay, let's lose some clothing" and two out of the three actors ignored him. Who knows? I'd like to believe her--but then I take a look at the third photo, the Rolling Stone magazine cover from the first season of the show. Let's see, of all the characters on the cover, which one has her skirt flying up exposing her panty-clad bottom?

Yeah, Lea deserves a spanking, all right--and that's why she's #5.









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