While we wait three full weeks for a new episode of Glee — not to worry, coming next Wednesday is Episode 9: Wheels — it’s heartening to find on the new website of Mark Salling (Noah Puckerman, or “Puck”) a gem of a song which won’t be performed on the show but is, nonetheless, all about the show — and quite special.
Salling, who’s been devoted to music since an early age and self-released an album under the monicker Jericho last year, has written, performed and recorded a splendid little song which he doesn’t even seem to name, except by the title of the video clip on his website which provides it. So I’ll name it for him, until he comes up with one: Chilling on Glee. That’s part of the lyrics, after all, and in tone and theme, it’s also fitting.
The video shows Salling leading a young actor’s life in So Cal: rising before dawn to drive to work in the dark (while he sings–or lip-synchs–the narrative song), then intercuts with video footage from the set, showing cast and crew members whom he loves and names and considers “family.” (There’s a quick spoiler shot of Diana Agron wearing a pregnancy prosthetic, BTW.) At the end, he drives through the Paramount gates onto the lot at 5555 Melrose and goes to work–prepared to be there until going home after sunset, but he doesn’t mind. To him, Glee is more than a TV show, and I think all Gleeks share that sentiment.
With this, and after seeing Salling on the Wendy Williams show — where he politely called her “ma’am” but was treated quite shabbily, being nagged about his love life and even his ethnicity instead of being asked about his career and Glee itself — I realize that he’s just a nice Texas boy at heart and far from the character he’s created of a brusque, contemptuous jock.
That’s called acting. But Salling is also, quite clearly, a gifted singer/songwriter, and I urge you to check out Chilling on Glee — or “Glee Cast and Crew Homage,” as he labels it. I could do without the indulgence of letting the show’s “Jew-fro” actor make a lame joke at the end in an irrelevant, stitched-on segment, but that’s show-biz. Perhaps it just further goes to show Mark’s generous spirit.
At any rate, I’ve covered show biz for many years, have visited the Paramount lot many times, and know how it must feel to Mark to be a hard-working actor who’s grateful for finding a special home and is counting his blessings as he lives what he truly believes are golden days.
You’re right, Mark — and like you, I’m chilling on Glee. Now you’ve become a big part of the reason why.
(Glee fans: Check out my archived blogs on Glee at this link. Thanks!)