If more girls in this industry had as much maturity as this one, we’d be out of a job!
This week, people became outraged by the scandalous Glee spread in next month’s GQ. Haters were appalled by the over-sexualized images of Lea Michele, Cory Monteith and Dianna Agron. The latter decided she wasn’t just going to let people think the worst of her. She took to the internet to explain herself and the photo shoot and she does so with more elaquancy then you hear from most other girls her age.
On her Tumblr, she writes:
“I├óΓé¼Γäód like to start by saying that these are solely my thoughts on the November issue of GQ and the controversy that has surrounded its release. I am not a representative of the three of us, the show, or Fox, only myself.
In the land of Madonna, Britney, Miley, Gossip Girl, other public figures and shows that have pushed the envelope and challenged the levels of comfort in their viewers and fans…we are not the first. Now, in perpetuating the type of images that evoke these kind of emotions, I am sorry. If you are hurt or these photos make you uncomfortable, it was never our intention. And if your eight-year-old has a copy of our GQ cover in hand, again I am sorry. But I would have to ask, how on earth did it get there?
I was a very sheltered child, and was not aware of anything provocative or risque in the media while I was navigating through my formative years. When I was finally allowed to watch a movie like Grease, I did not even understand what on earth Rizzo was talking about!? I understand that in today’s world of advanced technology, the internet, our kids can be subject to very adult material at the click of a button. But there are parental locks, and ways to get around this. I am twenty-four years old. I have been a pretty tame and easy-going girl my whole life. Nobody is perfect, and these photos do not represent who I am. I am also not the girl who rolls out of bed with flawless makeup and couture clothing. I am most comfortable with my hair thrown on top of my head, in sweats, laughing with my friends. Glee is a show that represents the underdogs, which is a feeling I have embraced much of my own life, and to those viewers, the photos in GQ don’t give them that same feeling. I understand completely.
For GQ, they asked us to play very heightened versions of our school characters. A ├óΓé¼╦£Hit Me Baby One More Time├óΓé¼Γäó version. At the time, it wasn├óΓé¼Γäót my favorite idea, but I did not walk away. I must say, I am trying to live my life with a sharpie marker approach. You can├óΓé¼Γäót erase the strokes you├óΓé¼Γäóve made, but each step, is much bolder and more deliberate. I├óΓé¼Γäóm moving forward from this one, and after today, putting it to rest. I am only myself, I can only be me. These aren├óΓé¼Γäót photos I am going to frame and put on my desk, but hey, nor are any of the photos I take for magazines. Those are all characters we├óΓé¼Γäóve played for this crazy job, one that I love and am so fortunate to have, each and every day. If you asked me for my dream photo shoot, I├óΓé¼Γäód be in a treehouse, in a wild costume, war-paint and I├óΓé¼Γäód be playing with my pet dragon. Until then├óΓé¼┬ª..”
Someone give this girl a pet dragon, NOW! Hell, someone give her two!
We think this was the best way of handling the situation – apologizing to the people who are upset, but no apologizing for being part of the Hollywood machine.
Any comments from you, Lea? Maybe even Cory? We’re all ears!