November 8, 2010
Gleeful Discretion
By Erik Fisher, AKA Dr. E... www.DrEPresents.com I have to admit something from the start. I am a Glee fan. My wife and I looked forward to the pilot when we heard the concept and bought in from moment one. Being on "the Journey", I have never stopped believin' in Glee. I have watched the show evolve in theme and storyline, and from the beginning of this season became concerned with the sexual content, that they almost flaunted at will. Others in the media took note as well, perhaps to poke fun at The New Kid in Town. The sometimes outrageous sexual content almost followed the theme of their episode last season when Rachel, who most commonly dresses more conservatively, was encouraged to dress in a more sexual manner to change her image. By the end of the show, she realized that the style did not fit her personality, and she returned to her more comfortable dress. Where Have You Gone, Will Schuster? Well, the Glee that I was sold on was not the Glee that is has become this season. You didn't have to change your style to get me to like you more. Realize that it is just my wife and I that watch this in our home, but I have concerns about the influence of this content on our already "oversexualized" society. Here is a compliment to the writers at Glee - you don't need to add the sex to have a great show. So here is where it gets better. I am not sure where it came from, whether it was the discussions in the media about the content, a set up from the start, and/or a growing awareness of where the show was going, but in last night's Rocky Horror episode, I wanted to give the writers a big hug and thank them for the message they communicated. Is this a case of art imitating life? In this episode, Will Schuster, the Glee club instructor, pulls back from performing the Rocky Horror Picture Show with his students. In a dialogue with Cheerio's instructor, Sue Sylvester, he makes a realization that even though there are plenty of avenues where his students are exposed to sexual content, he didn't have to play along. It was him getting lost along the way that almost led him to inappropriately make his students he vehicle of his OWN issues. Sue makes the statement, "If you lead them to it, you make it okay." FOX  Network, Changing the World In the history of television, there have been many moments where trends changed, and when I look at when sexual content became more of a part of the television vernacular; it was when FOX network started pushing the boundaries in the late 80s with  Married with Children . As ratings went up, the other networks eventually followed the almighty advertising dollar and sold their collective soul. I would ask this of the FOX network, let this be an opportunity when you do the unconventional again and turn the corner. Can we, as a society, enjoy the boob tube without the boobs? I believe that we can. It will take some effort and good writing, but we can do it. After all, "When you lead them to it, you make it okay." About the author:  Erik Fisher, PhD, aka Dr. E?, is a licensed psychologist and author who has been featured on NBC, CBS, FOX and CNN. Visit him at  www.DrEPresents.com  to learn more about his books "The Art of Empowered Parenting" and "The Art of Managing Everyday Conflict" or to check out his blog. Permission granted for use on  DrLaura.com .

Posted by Staff at 4:56 PM