Re: Chris Colfer Appreciation Thread!--part 8

[ColdFlame96]

“Jane Lynch, Kathy Griffin, Darren Criss, Naya Rivera, Adam Lambert, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Hannah Simone, Allison Janney and Adam Shankman are among those slated for interviews during the red carpet pre-show.”

—	Star-Studded TrevorLIVE Benefit to Honor Jane Lynch (SocietyNewsLA.com)

Naya and Darren get an interview but Chris doesn't. Sure, that makes sense. It's not Like Chris donated tons of money and time to the Trevor Project, or became an important figure for gay youth. Oh wait...

[Buenos]

are among those slated for interviews

that doesn't mean it's necessarily everyone to be interviewed...they just threw a few names out there..

Last year Chris skipped the red carpet interview thing, ...

[fantastica]

Red carpet is just another opportunity for stars to promote themselves. Chris is being very classy for not wanting to hog the spotlight. I really expect him.

[Glorfindel]

Sorry but Chris HIMSELF has said he doesn't like or is comfortable singing live as himself.  

That is different then saying he doesn't want to sing as Kurt on Glee. The second example we have verifiable evidence, his interviews, which shows he is willing to sing as Kurt on Glee and enjoys it.   So I agree it's bullshit  not giving him songs to sing as Kurt as far as Chris not wanting to perform as Kurt.

Now for a different scenario:  Chris  has not sang live on his own EVER since he came out on Glee.    EVER.    He's sang as Kurt including the last time in the summer of 2011.  That is over two years ago.

To repeat:
Chris has said in several occasions he is not comfortable singing live.
He has never sang live as Chis Colfer
So to say he might never have been committed to SING on Trevor Live is not perpetuating a rumor, it's a speculation based upon his past record.

As to last year:

I"m not saying the fan was lying, but It's desengenous to say because a fan on Tumblr  had no incentive to say something they that there fore it's accurate and true .  It could be, but that's hardly evidence for what I think is a pretty serious accusation to fling at Trevor Live.  

We've already settled this elsewhere, but just to be thorough I think I should point some things that were partly in my replies to you on the other board here as well.

- The fan account of last year cannot be confirmed, but what is confirmed is that this year Chris first was listed as a performer. Trevor Live could not have done that if Chris had not offered to in some way perform live at their event. So at least this year we already know that Chris wanted to perform, whether that is singing, acting a sketch, or pole dancing.

- As wrong as it is to blame e.g. Darren or Adam Shankman, or even Fox, for Chris not singing at Trevor (as I've seen some people do) without any proof of that, it's also wrong to just assume that Chris himself asked not to sing live at Trevor.
These kind of pure speculated assumptions tend to be picked up and spread like nutella in the fandom, and then taken for truth, and then used to justify why he e.g. gets less than others (like him not feeling comfortable shirtless, not wanting to sing much on Glee, or being sidelined because he himself asked for more ime off for his books).

- Kurtsies have been discussing and trying to denounce these rumors-turned-into-facts-by-the-fandom over and over, and in all instances so far they were right and these rumors/assumptions have been proven not to be true.

- Of course there's nothing wrong with speculating about it being Chris' choice only, but you can't use it to just dismiss any other possibilities, like that Trevor Live has a nasty track record of glorifying the straight allies while ignoring their own community members.

- As for singing live and Chris working on overcoming his nerves: what better way to try singing live again than at an event where the audience will love him, and, by the looks of it, while singing a line or 2 solo in a possible group number with his cast mates and friends (like Amber) to honor a woman he adores? He can even play a role, by being a "host" and/or "just one of the people/Glee cast members honoring Jane Lynch": he's not doing a concert tour proclaiming to be a pop singer.
Singing at Trevor Live under these circumstances is a perfect example of "How to overcome stagefright while singing" basic 101.

- I'm not saying that my assumptions/speculations are true, but they are not less true or possible than saying that he doesn't want to sing live, period. Chris namely also said he was working on overcoming his fright for singing live himself. You can only do that by singing live.
Things change, people evolve and grow, and quotes get wrongly interpreted, put too much weight/significance on, taken out of context, or they simply were in the past and are outdated by new facts.

- A year ago noone could have predicted that Chris would post pictures of himself and his boyfriend in sexy costumes, that he'd be that open about his personal relationship, and yet he did. He's constantly growing and evolving (like the rest of us), and at least for this year we know that he wanted to perform live at Trevor's.
So not letting him do that, whether it involved an offer to sing or not, is something I will blame the organisation of Trevor for if no new information comes out that Chris had to withdraw his already made offer due to any other reason.

[Ranwing]

For me, it really boils down to something painfully simple. By initially listing Chris as a performer, it means that he was asked and agreed to perform in some capacity. The odds are that it would have been a vocal performance of some type. But it remains that he was initially asked to perform and then the director changed his mind because something shiny came down the pike. That is a crappy way to treat someone as respected as Chris, and someone who has done as much for the Trevor Project in particular and LGBT issues in general. It has nothing to do with Adam Lambert (who should be performing at these types of shows), Darren Criss (who'll attend anything) or any of his other current or former co-stars who seem to be switched in and out as per Shankman's whim. It's that he was asked, and then they changed their minds.

This is an issue that means an enormous amount to Chris and I know that he'll be glad to participate in any way he can. If they don't want him to sing, he'll do whatever else they ask of him and he'll do it with a smile because 1) he's a total professional and 2) he recognizes that it's the organization and the cause that's important, no who sings what. I would love to see him given a few minutes as his appearance to talk about what it's like to be a gay kid growing up and to be bullied to the point that his parents had to home school him to keep him safe. I want him to explain as only he can why the Trevor Project is so important and to remind kids who are at this minute going through absolute hell and don't think that there is any hope left is that they can get past this and have great lives full of joy and love. This is something that no "ally" can ever do. They will never be able to reach those kids on the visceral level that Chris can.

[angelnessa]

Sorry but Chris HIMSELF has said he doesn't like or is comfortable singing live as himself.  

That is different then saying he doesn't want to sing as Kurt on Glee. The second example we have verifiable evidence, his interviews, which shows he is willing to sing as Kurt on Glee and enjoys it.   So I agree it's bullshit  not giving him songs to sing as Kurt as far as Chris not wanting to perform as Kurt.

Now for a different scenario:  Chris  has not sang live on his own EVER since he came out on Glee.    EVER.    He's sang as Kurt including the last time in the summer of 2011.  That is over two years ago.

To repeat:
Chris has said in several occasions he is not comfortable singing live.
He has never sang live as Chis Colfer
So to say he might never have been committed to SING on Trevor Live is not perpetuating a rumor, it's a speculation based upon his past record.

As to last year:

I"m not saying the fan was lying, but It's desengenous to say because a fan on Tumblr  had no incentive to say something they that there fore it's accurate and true .  It could be, but that's hardly evidence for what I think is a pretty serious accusation to fling at Trevor Live.  

We've already settled this elsewhere, but just to be thorough I think I should point some things that were partly in my replies to you on the other board here as well.

- The fan account of last year cannot be confirmed, but what is confirmed is that this year Chris first was listed as a performer. Trevor Live could not have done that if Chris had not offered to in some way perform live at their event. So at least this year we already know that Chris wanted to perform, whether that is singing, acting a sketch, or pole dancing.

- As wrong as it is to blame e.g. Darren or Adam Shankman, or even Fox, for Chris not singing at Trevor (as I've seen some people do) without any proof of that, it's also wrong to just assume that Chris himself asked not to sing live at Trevor.
These kind of pure speculated assumptions tend to be picked up and spread like nutella in the fandom, and then taken for truth, and then used to justify why he e.g. gets less than others (like him not feeling comfortable shirtless, not wanting to sing much on Glee, or being sidelined because he himself asked for more ime off for his books).

- Kurtsies have been discussing and trying to denounce these rumors-turned-into-facts-by-the-fandom over and over, and in all instances so far they were right and these rumors/assumptions have been proven not to be true.

- Of course there's nothing wrong with speculating about it being Chris' choice only, but you can't use it to just dismiss any other possibilities, like that Trevor Live has a nasty track record of glorifying the straight allies while ignoring their own community members.

- As for singing live and Chris working on overcoming his nerves: what better way to try singing live again than at an event where the audience will love him, and, by the looks of it, while singing a line or 2 solo in a possible group number with his cast mates and friends (like Amber) to honor a woman he adores? He can even play a role, by being a "host" and/or "just one of the people/Glee cast members honoring Jane Lynch": he's not doing a concert tour proclaiming to be a pop singer.
Singing at Trevor Live under these circumstances is a perfect example of "How to overcome stagefright while singing" basic 101.

- I'm not saying that my assumptions/speculations are true, but they are not less true or possible than saying that he doesn't want to sing live, period. Chris namely also said he was working on overcoming his fright for singing live himself. You can only do that by singing live.
Things change, people evolve and grow, and quotes get wrongly interpreted, put too much weight/significance on, taken out of context, or they simply were in the past and are outdated by new facts.

- A year ago noone could have predicted that Chris would post pictures of himself and his boyfriend in sexy costumes, that he'd be that open about his personal relationship, and yet he did. He's constantly growing and evolving (like the rest of us), and at least for this year we know that he wanted to perform live at Trevor's.
So not letting him do that, whether it involved an offer to sing or not, is something I will blame the organisation of Trevor for if no new information comes out that Chris had to withdraw his already made offer due to any other reason.

Thank you. This is exactly how I see it as well, but you stated it so much better.

[brisallie]

are among those slated for interviews

that doesn't mean it's necessarily everyone to be interviewed...they just threw a few names out there..

Last year Chris skipped the red carpet interview thing, ...

Really? If I recall I saw him being interviewed by this guy Taylor Oakley and another girl on the red carpet last year.

[Lottie2303]

I finally decided to take a step back from Glee because it will just anger me, fully expecting that everything non-Glee related will make me smile, and how this shitstorm is happening.  

I see it very clear cut. Chris himself agreed to perform, he was openly announced and now this statement was withdrawan. Obviously Adam Shankman changed his mind proven by some tweets. Considering Chris is part of the LGBT community, changing HW and actually really helping kids part of the LGBT spectrum, I have zero understanding and respect why his performance needed to be rejected. This is just utter bullshit.

[ColdFlame96]

I finally decided to take a step back from Glee because it will just anger me, fully expecting that everything non-Glee related will make me smile, and how this shitstorm is happening.  

I see it very clear cut. Chris himself agreed to perform, he was openly announced and now this statement was withdrawan. Obviously Adam Shankman changed his mind proven by some tweets. Considering Chris is part of the LGBT community, changing HW and actually really helping kids part of the LGBT spectrum, I have zero understanding and respect why his performance needed to be rejected. This is just utter bullshit.

But yet they have no problem letting Darren and Amber (both of whom are straight allies) perform. I don't understand why these LGBT exclusive groups like Out, Backlot, Trevor Project, etc insist on putting the straight allies on a pedestal, (Oh yes, because being a decent human being is just so brave of them. How could they possibly cope?) but completely disregard the actual minority they're supposed to be supporting.

[Lottie2303]

ETA: I really... have no words. Naya and Darren are both very well liked and talented artists (we can argue as much as we want, BOTH are), but they both got performances last year, and they couldn't bother to hand one to Chris who is part of the freaking LGBT community. Or Becca, who also may have personal connections that we are not aware of. This just looks like a consolation price to avoid potential backlash.

Can they just rename the award show "The big ally celebration"?! Sounds truer then actually pretending that they care for their own people in the entertainment industry  

[ColdFlame96]

I'm not surprised they managed to shoehorn Darren in (because singing more is totally what he needs right now), but as long as this information stays accurate and Chris performs, I don't care.

[Buenos]

I don't know how accurate this thing it.   NGL, I don't think anyone is surprised Darren is going to perform and that doesn't bother me at all because I expected him to perform, it's his one trick he does at all these events, so I hate to connect him performing somehow related to Chris not performing, IMO they are NOT related at all.

What we don't know is in what capacity Chris offered to perform on Trevor.   Was it singing with a group?, was it a comedy sketch, was it a dramatic sketch, was it part of an ensemble?  etc, etc, etc.   All they said initially before it hit the fan was that  he was going to be part of a montage, which by all definitions is part of a "GROUP" something.  So even we as fans were trying to guess what THAT meant.

I think he offered to do * something *, TREVOR jumped at it and announced he was performing but nobody had figured out how to accommodate what he wanted to do.

While it could be true, there is no evidence that Chris said "Hey I have this solo song I want to perform" and has been snubbed.  I'm not defending Trevor but I'm just repeating the fact that Chris has NEVER sang as Chris Colfer  in ANY event in nearly 5 years of Glee.

EVER.

So the meltdown that somehow Chris was willing to sing a song and is snubbed, I would be pissed off, but I 'm holding off jumping to conclusions about that yet.  It's the same thing per Darren, he's sung about 1000 times in these events the last 4 years so I don't put much weight to that based on that past history that it's at all related to Chris and putting him to the side. Whether Chris had planned to sing or not I fully expected Darren to sing.

For selfish fan reasons, I just want Chris to sing in any live event, but he's certainly been reluctant in his career to do it, but it wouldn't shock me if his original commitment was more limited than we suspected.  Once again, speculation. I will admit that speculation by Chris fans that Chris is being snubbed because he's not "mainstream" for singing I do not agree at all, and let's just leave it at that.

ETA: I don't' like this lumped up with Glee itself.   On the show Chris singing less AS KURT is rationalized by some, including even some Kurt fans, is that it's because Chris doesn't want to sing on the show.  To me that is BULLSHIT and more BULLSHIT, but that's apples and oranges IMO to the Trevor life thing.

The Glee thing I lay on the feet of Ryan Murphy who decides who sings what on the show.

[sheny]

ETA: I really... have no words. Naya and Darren are both very well liked and talented artists (we can argue as much as we want, BOTH are), but they both got performances last year, and they couldn't bother to hand one to Chris who is part of the freaking LGBT community. Or Becca, who also may have personal connections that we are not aware of. This just looks like a consolation price to avoid potential backlash.

Can they just rename the award show "The big ally celebration"?! Sounds truer then actually pretending that they care for their own people in the entertainment industry  

This is the 3rd or 4th change in that list for this week  . There are 2 more weeks to Dec 8th so who knows how many more people will be added/removed.

[Buenos]

For all we know, the Glee people will do a group thing related to honoring Jane.  

Wouldn't surprise me.

I would give a kidney to have Chris sing live with Naya.

[Lottie2303]

He, I expect Chris to have one line and otherwise he will sway in the background. When it comes to Chris, and singing, and Darren being around, I have zero expectations nowadays.

[Glorfindel]

(---)

What we don't know is in what capacity Chris offered to perform on Trevor.   Was it singing with a group?, was it a comedy sketch, was it a dramatic sketch, was it part of an ensemble?  etc, etc, etc.   All they said initially before it hit the fan was that  he was going to be part of a montage, which by all definitions is part of a "GROUP" something.  So even we as fans were trying to guess what THAT meant.

I think he offered to do * something *, TREVOR jumped at it and announced he was performing but nobody had figured out how to accommodate what he wanted to do.

While it could be true, there is no evidence that Chris said "Hey I have this solo song I want to perform" and has been snubbed.  I'm not defending Trevor but I'm just repeating the fact that Chris has NEVER sang as Chris Colfer  in ANY event in nearly 5 years of Glee.

EVER.

So the meltdown that somehow Chris was willing to sing a song and is snubbed, I would be pissed off, but I 'm holding off jumping to conclusions about that yet.  It's the same thing per Darren, he's sung about 1000 times in these events the last 4 years so I don't put much weight to that based on that past history that it's at all related to Chris and putting him to the side. Whether Chris had planned to sing or not I fully expected Darren to sing.

For selfish fan reasons, I just want Chris to sing in any live event, but he's certainly been reluctant in his career to do it, but it wouldn't shock me if his original commitment was more limited than we suspected.  Once again, speculation. I will admit that speculation by Chris fans that Chris is being snubbed because he's not "mainstream" for singing I do not agree at all, and let's just leave it at that.

Honestly, I really don't think there was a meltdown because some fans mistook "performing" for "singing", at least I have seen nothing like that on my dash or on any forum.

All people were pissed about at first was that Chris, a role model LGBTQ member, was stated to "perform" at Trevor (in some capacity) and then got demoted to "appearing".

The whole singing debacle was only added when some people started justifying Trevor (and other mentioned performers) that Chris doesn't want to sing in public and therefore probably requested not to "perform" at Trevor.
Some Kurtsies then reacted to that assumption purely based on speculation by saying that although Chris has had expressed his doubts and fears  about singing live before (and hasn't done so since summer 2011), he also said he wanted to overcome that and was slowly getting persuaded to e.g. do an album or be on Broadway.
And as long as he himself does not confirm or deny it, we don't know if he ever asked not to sing live, or if he never offered to sing at all.

The initial uproar/protest wasn't about Chris specifically being refused to sing at all.
It was about Chris being announced to perform, and then suddenly he wasn't.

[Buenos]

All people were pissed about at first was that Chris, a role model LGBTQ member, was stated to "perform" at Trevor (in some capacity) and then got demoted to "appearing".

Well that sort is part of the whole issue, no? How do we KNOW he was demoted if we don't even know in what capacity he was going to perform. Like Anne Neville pointed out, these events throw names out there and they get shuffled and changed.

I admit the wording per Shankman is bad, but I question the assumption that Chris was DEMOTED, which has caused among some fans this huge uproar.

[Buenos]

It is an appreciation thread... 

[Buenos]

He's back on as performing, no?
 

First time I see Naya listed as performing...

[msjoanlucette]

I sort of wish they didn't release anything until everything was final. I mean, oh, Chris isn't singing or performing again at Trevor that isn't new. But to release that he was, and then he wasn't, and then he might, was really annoying and disappointing. But I suppose being a fan of Kurt we probably would be used to disappointments.

[fantastica]

since they are doing a jane tribute of some sort it makes sense to get some glee cast to do something.

i cannot imagine the show organizer will put someone's name on the "performing" list without asking him/her if he/she is willing to do in the first place. most of these celebrities are performers in their profession, so most if not all can and likely would do something on the stage. there are probably a lot more people willing to perform than the program's time would allow, so how they actually choose who to perform maybe the real dirty little secret.

i think that this changing performing list is very idiotic and unprofessional and i wouldn't be surprised if it keeps on changing until the last moment. meanwhile, us fans will enjoy riding this emotional rollercoaster just by reading the list from day to day.

[Glorfindel]

Well that sort is part of the whole issue, no?  How do we KNOW he was demoted if we don't even know in what capacity he was going to perform.  Like Anne Neville pointed out, these  events throw names out there and they get shuffled and changed.

I admit the wording per Shankman is bad, but I question the assumption that Chris was DEMOTED, which has caused among some fans this huge uproar.

Really, you're just jumping on every little difference of wording now.

The whole issue is that, although "demoting" may not be the right term to use, there definitely is a difference between "performing" and "appearing".

At first Chris was listed to perform, and not mere appear, and the Trevor PR therefore deliberately created certain expectations in his fandom, namely that he would perform.
And then he suddenly wasn't listed as performing anymore.

There is no assumption here.
Even when the PR team or organisation screwed up with giving out a too early announcement before the definite performers were picked among the ones that offered, someone at Trevor must have given the note to their PR team that Chris Colfer either was asked or offered to perform, or else they couldn't have listed him in that announcement as a performer in the first place without getting into real trouble with Chris' agents and managers.
And if Chris agreed to perform if they wanted him, then at some point someone (Adam?) at Trevor said "no" or "not sure if we'll let you" and took him off that list.

Maybe they intended to put him back up that list, but per their own words “Adam Shankman (who is directing the show), hasn’t decided exactly how he wants to weave Chris into the show. So he asked we list him as appearing. He may perform but he didn’t want to guarantee it just yet.”

Bottom line is that Chris, as a perfect LGBTQ role model and inspiration, is available and ready to perform at Trevor, and they were not sure not only how they would let him perform, but explicitly also were not sure if they would let him perform.They were thinking about not letting Chris, a gay man who did a lot for the Trevor Project (and who they even tweeted to thank him just last week), perform at all.
That's what the fuss was about, and it was completely justified.

[Lottie2303]

Honestly, something really sketchy happened with the Trevor project and Chris fans have very valid reasons to be mad. We are not reacting due to some rumors, but valid facts as Marie so nicely has written them out in the post above.

[Buenos]

Well he's back on the list of performers now, isn't he?

So I guess it's all a moot point.

[Buenos]

I just have to say that the one thing it seems Chris really cares about is his writing career, he seems so (justifiably) proud and thrilled about anything do do with his books.   Even his bookstore appearances are like his fave performances.

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