Re: Kurt Hummel Snark & Bark Thread--Part 5

[bayth]

Speaking of Blaine - I just voted him the most annoying teenager at the Tubey Awards.

[Jellyrolls]

It's funny how different people interpret Darren differently because I don't see Darren as humble or genuine at all--I see a fakeness about him when he is trying to come across as humble or genuine. I see him as an attention grabbing fame whore who is always self-promoting. Even in the group events and photo shots, it seems like he is almost always making weird faces or strange poses so that the eye is drawn to him to be come the focus. Even when he is saying nice things, he often comes across more as fake nice to me, and often times, when he is saying nice things about others, it seems like it's really just a round about way of putting focus on himself.

And Ariana, Darren's popularity in the singing department stems entirely from song choice. He is consistently given relatively recent top 40 pop hits, or older well known songs (i.e. Silly Love Songs and It's Not Unusual, etc) that people know and recognize. He is given songs that the younger generation who are more likely to buy iTunes songs will like. Cory and Mark seem to get a lot of 80's songs which, though they were hits in their time, may not be as recognizable or popular with the younger kids more likely to buy iTunes. Chris has gotten a lot of Broadway songs (most of which aren't well known unless you are a real Broadway fan). So Darren's popularity in singing is really in large part due to the song selection.

I do think that a lot of the Darren hate stems from the fact that the producers and writers insist on shoving him down our throats so much on the show, and having him in a role that Darren is not really capable to handle as an actor. It's really overexposure on the show. Blarren as a combined thing is really a RIB created monster that I think has been detrimental to just about every other cast member on the show. I could like Darren as a supporting actor on the show, but he does not have the talent to be a leading man, especially opposite someone as strong as Chris. All of the songs they give him, and the few bad storylines they gave him take screentime away from more capable actors.

[arina]

Darren frustrates me.

You could say I have love hate feelings about him.

He can say things that annoy me and make him look like a dick. But then he says nice things about Chris and others and I like him again.

I know I could never be a close friend with someone like Darren, I would like strangling him some of the time.

I love Kevin and Mark's singing. Love and adore Chris's and Corey's, and I like Sam's. I have never been a fan of female singers, so none of them interest me.

I will always love and adore Chris's singing more than any of the others on the show.

Singing is one thing where I am cheating on Chris. Kurt is my favorite character (although the writers sometimes makes it hard lately), Chris is my favorite actor on the show and my favorite celebrity (actually the only celebrity I read and watch all the interviews with and talk about him on forum almost every day) but he is not my favorite singer on the show. I absolutely adore his voice and he can put emotions in his song like no one on the show (well, Cory is also great at it) and when he's given a right song and in right key I am in heaven. But the songs choices for Kurt, mainly in season 3 wasn't that great for me (except for Not the Boy next door and few other exceptions).... It's always sad when he doesn't sing for many episodes and then he is given something I don't like so much and I can't enjoy it how I would love to. I really hope for another Rose's turn, I wanna hold your hand, Happy days, As if we never said good bye.... in season 4.

If i'm being completely honest i don't get the Darren hate. I understand why someone would hate Blaine, but Darren seems like a genuinely nice guy...so i just don't get it.

Although his stans are f*cking annoying.

Probably the same I don't understand the appeal of his voice and many people love it. We all see the same things different and we find different types of people likeable or unlikeable. Actually I don't understand that either, he always seems very nice down to earth, says humble things, I have never seen him as attention seeker even though many people do... But it's the same with Chris, I find him very likeable, funny, sweet, inteligent and some people think he is pretentious.

And to tell the truth even though Darren has probably more crazy fans, some of Chris's fans are just as bad.

[M&M]

It's funny how different people interpret Darren differently because I don't see Darren as humble or genuine at all--I see a fakeness about him when he is trying to come across as humble or genuine. I see him as an attention grabbing fame whore who is always self-promoting. Even in the group events and photo shots, it seems like he is almost always making weird faces or strange poses so that the eye is drawn to him to be come the focus. Even when he is saying nice things, he often comes across more as fake nice to me, and often times, when he is saying nice things about others, it seems like it's really just a round about way of putting focus on himself.

And Ariana, Darren's popularity in the singing department stems entirely from song choice. He is consistently given relatively recent top 40 pop hits, or older well known songs (i.e. Silly Love Songs and It's Not Unusual, etc) that people know and recognize. He is given songs that the younger generation who are more likely to buy iTunes songs will like. Cory and Mark seem to get a lot of 80's songs which, though they were hits in their time, may not be as recognizable or popular with the younger kids more likely to buy iTunes. Chris has gotten a lot of Broadway songs (most of which aren't well known unless you are a real Broadway fan). So Darren's popularity in singing is really in large part due to the song selection.

I do think that a lot of the Darren hate stems from the fact that the producers and writers insist on shoving him down our throats so much on the show, and having him in a role that Darren is not really capable to handle as an actor. It's really overexposure on the show. Blarren as a combined thing is really a RIB created monster that I think has been detrimental to just about every other cast member on the show. I could like Darren as a supporting actor on the show, but he does not have the talent to be a leading man, especially opposite someone as strong as Chris. All of the songs they give him, and the few bad storylines they gave him take screentime away from more capable actors.

All of this The thing is, his sincerity, if you are looking for it, is as good as his acting. At the beginning, I thought he was humble and sweet and I liked him and was pushing for Klaine. As we have moved further along, his hubris has showed. He thinks he is awesome and loves the attention from his fans. Look at the Broadway "How to Succeed" debacle with the Starkids, where he made the show all about him. He is always shooting blowing smoke about Chris, but I think that is so people remember that they are paired together. His "riding Chris's coattails" just adds to this and is also a device I think to try to look humble. He likes the attention and he wants it from Chris's fans as well, who have, I think, cottoned onto this. I resent he gets so much time (something I still believe was written into his contract - including being a junior), when he is such a weak actor and average singer. I think the show knows it too, but don't think they have another option. Darren was a block of wood in season 2 so in season three they gave him more flamboyant clothing and Darren started acting with contrived "gay" mannerisms. They were trying to build some kind of character through what he was wearing. Funny thing is, they did that with Kurt at the beginning, but Chris made Kurt more than that. Darren is a surface actor.

I will say, I believe Darren is now completely aware that not everyone likes him and that he is too much everywhere. I wonder if that's why he essentially took the summer off? He had been talking about another stint on Broadway, but that may have just been his people again (X-Factor anyone?)

[Divalicious]

I don't really know what to think of Darren as well, but as I will never know him, and be able to make an informed decision, I prefer to give him the benefit of the doubt. Do I think his huge success is directly relateble to his relationship with an already hugely successful character, yes, I do. Do I think that TD sold so well because of Chris portraying Kurt's absolute happiness? Yes, I do. I also think that, just like Naya, he realized on this show, to get a decent storyline you need to be gay. While they are supporting the gay storylines in a mostly positive manner, and haven't just made it lip service, I don't think it was purely unselfish. That is being human. I would probably do the same thing myself in such a situation, to better my life and potentials, but I would also realize I have to step up to the bar and exceed it for the chance I have been given.

Darren is an exuberant performer, and that helps. He is also given songs that are very agreeable to the audience that usually buys ITunes.

Do I also wonder where Kurt's story would have gone if it had indeed been Sam whom he dated. Yes, I do. I think it would have been alot more equal, because they have little in common. Unfortunately, Kurt and Blaine have a lot in common, and the writers are determined because of Blaine's more accessible voice, to push him, and totally forget Kurt's uniqueness is what Glee is supposedly about.

They say they are going back to the underdog stories again, well, Kurt is the only one who has remained in that position the entire time. Rachel quickly left being underdog when she was handed everything she every wanted, always. Blaine hasn't had to fight for a thing, he fights people off from offering him things, including sex. Same thing with Brittney, even Santana, she was a bully throughout, I think that is one reason they give her such a hard coming out. To contrast to Kurt's, and to gain her sympathy. It didn't work with me.

We can voice frustrations endlessly, there will always be small minded, bitchy people in the universe, who climb out of their pit of self loathing to point out people "less" than they are to make themselves feel better. Tearing down people can never make you feel better for long, and these guys never seem to learn that.

We just have to be happy in our little community of Chris lover's, who adore all the things he brings for us to enjoy. Chris is really there for the fans, but also for his own creative outlet, a perfect symbiotic relationship. Screw the haters, kids.

[zuppid]

I disagree.
I am a huge starkid fan and I started liking Darren way before he got this famous.
He seems to me a very nice and extremly down-to-heart guy.To me he seems the same adorable dork he was before the fame thing

Regarding Blaine,I used to like him very much during Season 2...we learnt so many things about him in a very short time...During S3 he was just a very cute jukebox.Nothing more.

[Buenos]

The three top sellers IIRC in season 3 were "W are young" (Cory, lea and group number) , "Rumors/someone like you Adele mash up (Amber/Naya) and "Somebody I used to know" (Matt Bomer/Darren Criss).

All three were contemporary pop songs whose original at some point was a huge number #1 within months before, during or after the Glee hit. (ditto "Forget You" and "Teenage Dream" from season 2)

I think it's a stretch to say the songs sold so well because of who sang them (not saying they weren't a positive factor) , but simply to underline that when pop songs are placed in the show in the right context, with the right production, it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy to say Singer X Y Z sells well or better. The singers I just listed also had relatively poor sales with other songs that weren't incorporated in the show as well or didn't have the same pop cachet. Naya had the most best sellers in Season 3 then anyone because her opportunities tripled or quadrupled to be highlighted in good pop songs, I give her credit but she actually is the proof it's not just the singer since she wasn't a big seller in previous years as much.

[arina]

I follow tumblr that posts besides Chris also about Darren so I probably know a lot more about him than I would need too. I was wondered earlier if his modesty is not fake because he sometimes seems just WAY TOO nice, but the more I read about him, the more I think that he really is like that. He would have to be really great actor to be able to pretend so often and every report about him is always very nice. He seems to hang out still a lot with people he was friends with before he was famous... Also glee cast seems to accept him very positively and I don't think they would do it if he was such a attention whore... That's my opinion, who knows what the reality is. He makes good impression on me as a person but the less Blaine on Glee the better for me.

[Glorfindel]

I don't want to form an opinion on Darren because bottom line is: I don't know him that well. I don't follow his interviews or work outside of Glee besides from what I pick up here and there on Glee forums. So I will not make any judgment on him.
All I'll say is that I think he's not a good actor, who can only do comedy well, and therefore he is weighing Chris down.
But I don't get the hate he gets. Chris seems to get along with him just fine and that should be enough for the haters to shut up.

To me Blaine is the really annoying one. I hate how the writers kiss his *ss all the time, how he's made the golden boy when I can't see it, and how Klaine negatively influences Kurt's independence and snarkiness.
And I think Blaine sings way too much, especially as I believe that he is the weakest male singer on the show, and that frustrates me. When you have singers like Matt, Kevin and Chris around, who don't get to sing too often, then listening to yet another mediocre Blaine solo is grating.

And I must say that some of his fans are terribly obnoxious, tagging the wrong tags in tumblr, pushing Blarren into anything Chris related (following their idol's "riding Chris' coattails" advice), not accepting any criticism, and always trying to 'defend' Blaine against Kurt, even when they say they are Klainers, when in reality they do not care for Kurt or Chris at all.
But I don't want to generalize, because I've met (online) some wonderful, lovely Klainers, and not all Kurtsies are sweethearts either.

[Buenos]

I don't think any of us "know" the actors ie Chris colfer or Darren Chris's or lea or Cory to make calls on what they are really like. For me A good rule of thumb is giving them the BOD unless they do thing specifically and consistently to change my mind, but that would take a lot.

[brisallie]

I'm someone that knew Darren during the AVPM days and he seemed like a college boy who was enjoying to do that because he was a fan too, but at the end for me he was the guy who played "Harry", nothing else...until Glee.

Nowadays what I dislike is the fact that Blaine sings in every single episode and as you have pointed Darren is strong doing comedy instead of drama, so still I'm not convinced but his emotions in those scenes. In addition everytime I search something about Chris/Kurt, then immediately Blarren is there too. Is like they were stick to each other with a powerful glue.

[tanita_mors]

yeah, we don't really know any of these people. we form opinions on what we are able to deduce about them from the limited exposure we get and the word of mouth.

frankly, i got nothing against dc. he seams nice enough and relatively genuine, although he does give off very opportunistic vibes to me, but lets face it, that is a common thing in hollywood. at times i feel like he is trying very hard to sound well versed in many things not to mention give long-winded and repetitive answers to simple questions - i generally hate that in people ( i like it when people go straight to the point). it's like when students don't know the right and direct answer to a question so they embellish their answer, and actually they end up saying so little with so many. other then this, i have no problems with him. he isn't a particullay gifted actor in my opinion, but that is hardly a character treat and he can't change or influence his talent.

as for his singing, i like his commercial voice. it sound good, particularly on a proper song. but his voice is rather limited, especially when it comes to a more classical and broadway sound. (he doesn't have much power in it and barely any vibrato to speak off). it's not perfect, but it is perfect for what the show sells best - pop and indie rock. what does bother me is the amount of features he gets, especially in proportion to his importance in the show and role in the current storylines. does every storyline he is connected in have to result in a solo or 3 for him ? how come the same doesn't happen with kurt or quinn for example. that type of injustice and clear favoritism, next to some other well known blaine problems, have made me lose any interest in the character and the actor as well.

[Buenos]

Darren doesn't bother me, but the problem is that the character he plays is so linked with Chris Colfer's Kurt that it impacts one of my favorite TV characters. At the same time, if they would write Blaine better I wouldn't want necessarily to separate the two.
I do feel bad for Blaine/Darren fans because the show, for all the special treatment they give Blaine hasn't succeeded in developing him as a stand alone character. Part of the problem is that his rise to fame is as the gay boyfriend of Kurt, and yet Fox seems terrified to actually let Blaine be "gay" for lack of a better word.

Away from Kurt they want him flirting with girls, being one of the 'bros', being a fighter/boxer and even keeping him away from most gay story lines. They used him briefly for "I kissed a girl" (but all the characters were involved), but after that they conveniently left him off the Karofsky and Unique storylines where Kurt was involved in, and they even made made him mute to the effemiphobia Kurt experienced in "I am Unicorn". ( I suspect they will keep him away from Unique as much as possible)

So it's hard for me to link him with Kurt since Blaine seems to be treated so deliberately different then Kurt that it seems so planned , at least that is my perception. He's like only "gay" around Kurt and the the rest of the time the show wants to pretend he's just another straight boy on the show. Very bizarre.

That is why it's hard for me to warm up to the character, though I try. He seems to be more neutered then when he was first introduced as anout and proud gay boy who pretended to have it together.

[fantastica]

do we need a darren thread?

i don't care about anyone except chris, so I will refraine from talking about anyone unless I am in a particularly bad mood. and right now I am in a good mood, so I shouldn't be in this thread at all.

To newbies: this is the thread where very opinionated opinions can go. So if you feel offended by anyone you can avoid this thread like plague. We want to accomodate everybody: lovers and haters and anybody in between, because fans come in all shape and sizes, so this is a compromise: for someone who needs to rant, about anyone (except Chris), they can come here and be nasty. doing so in other threads are not allowed because it can piss off other fans.

Just so you all know.

[Glorfindel]

What's funny is that Amber is also a bad actor and sang a lot in season 3, but we never complain about that.

I guess it's because there haven't been that many Kurtcedes scenes, or Mercedes scenes in general, and Mercedes isn't as front and center and connected to Kurt as Blaine is.
Plus, whenever Mercedes sings on the show she has the pipes to back it up.

It's the overexposure of Blaine, plus the blindness to his faults and stanning of RIB/Fox that has ruined Blaine as a character. Same with Rachel now.
Which is a pity, really.

[arina]

I don't complain about Amber very much also because she has one of the best voices on the show. The same as Harry dances a lot because he is one of the best dancers.. of course there are more great singers than dancers on the show but still I can undestand and accept using more of stronger singer than mediocre singer which is Darren for me. I was just mad there was not another 4 minutes.

Also maybe I am still a little bit bitter because I remember that time when my favorite character, who used to fight for solos, went to different school and as series regular had to be quite for long time while new guest star sang solos in every episode...

[Sani]

If i'm being completely honest i don't get the Darren hate. I understand why someone would hate Blaine, but Darren seems like a genuinely nice guy...so i just don't get it.

Although his stans are f*cking annoying.

Probably the same I don't understand the appeal of his voice and many people love it. We all see the same things different and we find different types of people likeable or unlikeable. Actually I don't understand that either, he always seems very nice down to earth, says humble things, I have never seen him as attention seeker even though many people do... But it's the same with Chris, I find him very likeable, funny, sweet, inteligent and some people think he is pretentious.

And to tell the truth even though Darren has probably more crazy fans, some of Chris's fans are just as bad.

I think I might be in minority, but I actually happen to like Darren's voice. It's pretty basic, but it's nice. I don't know Darren personally nor have I seen many of his interviews, but the little I've seen of him, he comes across as a genuinely nice person, but yeah different people see different things.

But enough about Darren, I feel like I'm starting to sound like one of his stans... ugh what an horrifying thought.

[arina]

If i'm being completely honest i don't get the Darren hate. I understand why someone would hate Blaine, but Darren seems like a genuinely nice guy...so i just don't get it.

Although his stans are f*cking annoying.

Probably the same I don't understand the appeal of his voice and many people love it. We all see the same things different and we find different types of people likeable or unlikeable. Actually I don't understand that either, he always seems very nice down to earth, says humble things, I have never seen him as attention seeker even though many people do... But it's the same with Chris, I find him very likeable, funny, sweet, inteligent and some people think he is pretentious.

And to tell the truth even though Darren has probably more crazy fans, some of Chris's fans are just as bad.

I think I might be in minority, but I actually happen to like Darren's voice. It's pretty basic, but it's nice. I don't know Darren personally nor have I seen many of his interviews, but the little I've seen of him, he comes across as a genuinely nice person, but yeah different people see different things.

But enough about Darren, I feel like I'm starting to sound like one of his stans... ugh what an horrifying thought.

Haha, actually I wrote my post about not undestanding why he is so popular as a singer because I feel like I am in minority :-D it probably depends on what discussion do you read... but I agree, enough about him :-)

[Sani]

^ I meant that I'm in minority in here.

[Jellyrolls]

Marie, I think that the difference between Amber and Darren is that for as much as Amber sings, she isn't really thrust into the forefront the way Darren. The writers didn't write Mercedes in a way that makes her loved, admired, and better than everyone else like they do Blaine. RIB and the writers don't throw her into storylines that she doesn't belong in, or have her attached at the hip to one of the best actors on the show, where her deficiencies as an actress would be more noticable. So as much as Amber sings, it's not as bad as Darren because RIB and the writers aren't trying to make us believe that she is the most amazing actress and singer on the show the way they do with Darren.

And I did at one time like Darren's voice. "Silly Love Songs" and "Somewhere Only We Know" were two of my favorite songs from season 2. But his overexposure on the show has made it so I can't even stomach listening to those songs anymore.

I would like Darren on this show if he was properly as a supporting actor, and he sang half as much as he does. I liked season 2 Darren because he was used as a supporting actor to develop the story of a lead actor. It wasn't until he was overused and thrust into the forefront that I started to stop enjoying him on the show.

[tanita_mors]

"Silly Love Songs" and "Somewhere Only We Know" were two of my favorite songs from season 2

that's interesting. next to that stupid boyfriend song he did at prom, silly love songs is my least favorite dc song on the show. it's even below fighter and last friday night for me. i just don't like his version. i was more blown away by ewan mcgregor's few lines of it in the love song medley for moulin rouge, then darren's whole interpretation of it.

glee should totally do that medley (even though they covered a number of songs from it), all the couples could do it or as group number. it's brilliant.

[zuppid]

[quote="Sani"]

I think I might be in minority, but I actually happen to like Darren's voice. It's pretty basic, but it's nice. I don't know Darren personally nor have I seen many of his interviews, but the little I've seen of him, he comes across as a genuinely nice person, but yeah different people see different things.

I agree with you!He hasn't this unique voice or incredible singing skills but I like the way he sings quite a lot.
What makes this boy special to people is his charisma and humility
I used to follow him just as much as I do with Chris (interviews,Twitter,projects).I like him (and worship Chris ) but I always say "Chris success is 95% talent and 5% personality"(and I do think Chris is an incredible person) while Darren is 50% talent and 50% personality.

I feel the need to point out that i don't follow both because they are "Klaine" or whatever.
I Knew Darren way before I had the pleasure "to meet" Chris


Sorry for my bad english.I can read,listen and talk in english but writing is quite difficult when you are italian...It's so different the sentences contruction

[Glorfindel]

^Your english is fine (certainly better than my Italian ), and will only approve with more practice writing posts.

Also maybe I am still a little bit bitter because I remember that time when my favorite character, who used to fight for solos, went to different school and as series regular had to be quite for long time while new guest star sang solos in every episode...

Oh Lord, don't remind me of Dalton! I was so pissed that Blaine got to sing so much and Kurt many times only lipsynched in the background, not even singing on the Warbler tracks (besides of the duets).
And when Blaine started singing Silly Love Songs after Kurt organized/initiated the Lonely Hearts Club dinner.....

"Silly Love Songs" and "Somewhere Only We Know" were two of my favorite songs from season 2

that's interesting. next to that stupid boyfriend song he did at prom, silly love songs is my least favorite dc song on the show. it's even below fighter and last friday night for me. i just don't like his version. i was more blown away by ewan mcgregor's few lines of it in the love song medley for moulin rouge, then darren's whole interpretation of it.

glee should totally do that medley (even though they covered a number of songs from it), all the couples could do it or as group number. it's brilliant.

YES, I would love that. I hear a lot of talk about 'Come What May' of Moulin Rouge, but the Love Medley is sooooooo good. It would be a great group number.
And I love Ewan McGregor's voice: it's not a 'big' voice, but, just like Chris, he puts so much emotion behind it.


As for Blaine's songs and Darren's voice:
Darren can sing indy or singer/songwriter songs very well. My favorite Blaine songs are SOWK and Teenage Dream (tbh: TD mostly for the memory of seeing Kurt smile). He's also good in being a supportive 2nd voice in a duet.
If they keep Darren in the small niche of songs he's very good at I would enjoy his voice very much. It's the overexposure and making him sing songs that are way out of his league and wheelhouse that is really frustrating me.

[Sani]

Sorry for my bad english.I can read,listen and talk in english but writing is quite difficult when you are italian...It's so different the sentences contruction

I have no problems understanding English, but when it comes to writing and speaking... I suck completely at it

[Glorfindel]

Sorry for my bad english.I can read,listen and talk in english but writing is quite difficult when you are italian...It's so different the sentences contruction

I have no problems understanding English, but when it comes to writing and speaking... I suck completely at it

Practice makes perfect.

Posting every day on Glee forums is better than all the English lessons I ever had.

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