So You Like Glee? You should really give credit to what came first.

What with all the talk of the Glee Season 2 premiere, I think it’s important to give credit where credit is due. That is, Fame. 

As much as I love Glee, I'd rather be with the vibrant, laughing Fame kids below, than stuck in a dumpster. Just sayin'.

Joyful and dumpster-free.

When Glee first hit TV, I was totally against it. That’s because I’m a huge Fame nerd. The film Fame  is great, but I’m really in love with the TV series.

Don’t get me wrong, I am now a certified Gleek. I succumbed to the power of the commercials and watched it. I loved it. It’s clever, witty, entertaining (not to mention the singing/dancing is fantastic) and features a lot of my favourite songs. But my true love will always be for the leg-warmer-wearing, cheesy 80s burst into-song-kids.

What truly annoys me is that Ryan Murphy (the creator of Glee) as well as many of the cast members have said in interviews that “there’s never really been a show like Glee before. We’re the first television-musical” (or something along those lines). Umm, what?!?

To illustrate my point, I suggest you look at the vids below. Both show the school glee kids bursting into song at a music store.

Don’t lie to me: I know you’d rather be with the Fame kids, jumping around, dancing in roller-skates/leg-warmers/booty shorts.

Oh, and I guess it's a coincidence that there's a kid named Jessie in Fame and in Glee. Purrrleeeease.

Left: the original Jessie, his coolest/cheesiness oozing in this photo. Right: Leroy, possibly one of the best dancers ever, who kicks Brittany from Glee's ass.

Jessie from Glee, played by Jonathan Groff. Actually, I think Glee deserves a point in this case, mostly because I have a huge crush on him. Plus, he's super talented (he was in Spring Awakening on Broadway, which made me fall in love in the first place).

Although Glee has super talented people like Matthew Morrison, Lea Michele, and Jane Lynch, they ain't got Debbie Allen. This video makes me nostalgic for the 80s (although I was 2 in the 80s). It makes me wish I was one of the Fame kids so I could meet Debbie Allen. Maybe if she'd met me, she would have adopted me. Sigh.

Apparently there was a hugely successful Glee tour this summer. Kudos to them. But there was also a Kids From Fame tour that started in 1983, where they did a Michael Jackson tribute during the year that Michael Jackson was actually cool. Sure, Glee did a Madonna tribute, but I'm pretty sure Madonna didn't release the biggest-selling album of all time like Thriller this year. Shucks.

I'm not gonna lie, I love watching the interaction between Sue Sylvester & Will Schuester on Glee. She constantly taunts him about his hair (which is perfect, Mr. Schu. Marry me.) 

Best Sue Sylvester hair lines:

"I don't trust a man with curly hair. I can't help, but picturing birds laying sulfurous eggs in there and I find it disgusting."

"Oh, hey William. I thought I smelled cookies wafting from the ovens of the little elves who live in your hair."

"...and, Wow, I just lost my train of thought. You have so much margarine in your hair."

"Oh I will bring it, William. You know what else I'm gonna to bring? I'm gonna bring some Asian cookery to wipe your head with. Cause right now you've got enough product in your hair to season a wok."

I'm sure Sue would have a field day with all the curly craziness on Fame:

The singing superstar Charice is supposedly a full-fledged character this season on Glee. Good for her. But let's see...Fame had Janet Jackson as a character named Cleo. Sorry Glee, but you can't top that.

"Mercedes from Glee ain't got nothin' on me."

In addition, Glee has a lot of crazy storylines. For example, Mr. Schu's wife pretends she is pregnant, and tries to convince one of the pregnant kids to give her the baby. The shop teacher drinks too much cough syrup and ends up cutting off both his thumbs. Olivia Newton-John makes a music video with the cheerleading coach, Sue Sylvester. 

In Fame, however, Danny gets leukemia & ends up recovering from it in a day. Chris is a perfect look-a-like for a prince and ends up switching identities with him (until he almost gets shot by the prince's bodyguards). Leroy's apartment gets burned down by his niece, so he ends up staying with his teacher Ms. Grant & they dance in her kitchen & he kisses her (oh my!)

Okay, so I do love Glee. But I'm a little dismayed that they think they're the only TV musical. In the Fame theme song, it goes "Baby remember my name." Clearly, that hasn't happened.