GQ Editor on 'Glee' Photo Shoot: 'They're Old Enough to Do What They Want'

By Zach Dionne Posted Oct 20th 2010 05:18PM

GQ editor in chief Jim Nelson responded to a concerned Parents Television Council on the subject of his magazine's sexy 'Glee' photo shoot, telling The Insider: "The Parents Television Council must not be watching much TV these days and should learn to divide reality from fantasy."

According to TMZ, the Parents Television Council said the magazine's photo shoot "borders on pedophilia," adding it is "disturbing that GQ, which is explicitly written for adult men, is sexualizing the actresses who play high school-aged characters on 'Glee' in this way."

GQ's Nelson responded without mincing words: "As often happens in Hollywood, these 'kids' are in their twenties. Cory Monteith is almost 30! I think they're old enough to do what they want."

In PopEater's recap of the photo shoot and article yesterday, we noted Dianna Agron's comment, "I've never been shot in so little clothing." We also noted she is 24 years old.

In Agron's blog, the actress apologized to all offended parties. "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 ... 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?"

"For GQ, they asked us to play very heightened versions of our school characters. A 'Hit Me Baby One More Time' version. At the time, it wasn't 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't erase the strokes you've made, but each step is much bolder and more deliberate. I'm moving forward from this one, and after today, putting it to rest. I am only myself, I can only be me," she wrote.

Nonetheless, the PTC calls the Terry Richardson photo shoot "near-pornographic," adding, "The creators of ['Glee'] have established their intentions on the show's direction. And it isn't good for families."

On The Street: We Ask New Yorkers If They Think the 'Glee' Kids Went Too Far:

Contrary to the PTC's concerns about the negative influence 'Glee' and the GQ piece will have on young viewers, 28-year-old high school dropout Cory Monteith is quoted in the article as saying, "The last thing I want to do is kind of imply to readers in high school that you too can drop out and be an actor and get on a big show and be famous and make a s***load of money."

'Glee' co-creator Ryan Murphy also tells the magazine that while he was skeptical of doing a sugarcoated family show, he knew responsibility would come into play. "I wanted to do my version of a family show. But we try to be as responsible as we can, because we know some young people watch."

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Tags: Glee, GQ, Parents Television Council

Comments

(301)

Thursday 21 October

By Ziebodique

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Hey parents, stop whining. If YOUR child is reading GQ or other adult magazines that is YOUR fault. Don't blame the ADULT ACTORS for it. We're in the year 2010. If you're in such an uproar over these photos you have issues. YOUR child most likely knows more than you think. If YOU have such a difficult time seeing these ADULT photos, lock your doors and stay hidden under a table at home. GET OVER IT.

By Roberta Meier

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What messages do we want to send to our young people? These are actors/actresses that our young people look up to and with pictures like these our teens/tweens feel this is what is expected.

By jenny

What message are you sending them to look up to actors and actresses (especially young and inexperienced ones) instead of scienctists, CEOs, politicians, humanitaries and the like?

My parents never cared who was on the cover of a magazine, and I never had a celeb role model. My role models were Nelson Mendela, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Princess Diana Harvey Milk, Rosa Parks, people who made a difference in the world. Not the latest celeb on the cover of a magazine.

By Deborah

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They my be older, but they are portraying high school students. THe audience is primariliy gradeschool - highschool age level. A bit inapproprite...

the audience is certainly NOT gradeschool level. And if gradeschool kids are watching this TV14 rated show that's on the parents not the TV show.

The kids can still buy the music and enjoy that separately but the TV show itself is aimed at teens and adults NOT KIDS. Just because there's singing and dancing doesn't mean it's High School Musical in context.

By richard nicoletti

Have you ever noticed how these irresponsible producers and actors throw everything right back to the parents. Woe to the parent whose child sneaks a copy of this garbage. Have you ever been a kid? If they want it, they'll get it, just like the rest of that crap that is so available today. It's a tough world to grow up in. Thank you,ACLU.

By TEVA

I am not sure that anybody besides young kids watch the show?
It does not have much in the way of appeal to anyone who in not intrested in hard bodys.I have never seen the show and will never probably see it. The whole idea that all the attention the show gets from the media makes it popular with viewers is misleading and it will go the way of other show that have no content.

By Ron in NY

TEVA, you must lead a very full life. If you think only young kids watch GLEE, go to YouTube and do a search of Ohio Union Flash Mob - you'll see Ohio State College kids dancing in the Student Union to a song from GLEE. It's great! The college president even joins in. You'll hate it.

By andrea grageda

.....and that is why I told my daughter after last week, we are not watching this any more...and she is 17! With the exception of a VERY few shows, TV is a huge waste of time

By You Sexy Thing

Dont understand why the woman are over sexualized and the guy is just goofy playing the drums. I have no problem with is but surely there is a slant here. The blonde is doing a split and the brunette is in her panties, yet the guy is all dressed wholesome? What is that all about?

By mammothroller

Just wondering why a show based on high school students employs actors that are way beyond high school age?? just wondering.. no skilled teenage actors? wow. Seems like if the actors would just play roles equal to their actual age, none of this would be happening...guessing it's difficult to attract the 19-49 yr old fan base without 20 year old sexpots!! Da...

By Mary

I don't find these pictures pornographic, but I think it's unfortunate that these woman think they need to pose like this to increase their popularity. I notice that Cory isn't showing any skin, by the way. I do enjoy watching the show, but recognize that although it's set in a high school, the content has some situations I don't want my kids to see...therefore I don't let my kids watch the show unless I see it myself first. They are teenagers themselves, but that doesn't mean they are old enough for some of the content of this show! And I have no plans on bringing the magazine in my house.

By stacy

If you don't think these pics are pornographic I sure would hate to see what you think is porn. Men and young men don't need more than this to be headed down that steep slope of porn that can ruin their lives and their familys lives. Many sexual predators and murders started with soft porn they said so.

I think if Mary saw some real pornography, she'd probably hava a mild stroke.

By Nitrouso2

The Parents Television Council is yet another front for the religious extremists who feel that they've been anointed by God to impose what they imagine to be God's Will upon the rest of us. They are the very definition of blasphemy, and they should be called what they are and roundly ignored by the rest of society.

By lisa

I think it is down right disgusting. The 'young woman' is portraying a high school girl,BIG DIFFERENCE being she is not 'high school age'. When will these shows care about the affect their 'semi porn' pictures and actions have on our teens and preteens. Heck when will the so called adults 'like males over 25 and the ones old enough to be her dad' that enjoy such pictures realize it damages the image of what a girl is supposed to be or dress.

Sorry, but you're trying to fight the tide there. By your argument, the Victoria's Secret catalog, Sports Illustrated, all sports cheerleading, not to mention all music videos and the entire porn industry - all of which focus entirely on young females in their physical prime - should be done away with. Good luck with that. Maybe a better idea is to be a responsible parent, don't give GQ to your kids, and teach your daughters about the difference between imagery in media and real life. What a concept!

By Tammy

What they are trying to say is "real life" teens & younger who will & do watch this show are getting the wrong message of what is age appropriate for them. Girls don't stop and think that these are Grown women playging teen roles.
If they had actual teens playing the roles, this photo shoot would not have been done like this.
Teen girls are NOT supposed to dress & look like 20-30 year old women.
I'm just saying.

By libby

They may be old enough, but the pictures are pretty tacky and tasteless. Of course so is the show. It really isint a kids show at all. It is meant to be over the top and satarical. The story line is pretty inappropriate...if teachers acted like that they would end up fired or in jail. The music is the only good thing about the show.

By stacy noboa

I watched "glee"onetimebecause of the music then saw it was just another junk show. It made me sad because I was in choirs all through highschoolin the late 80s and thought it would be fun to watch a show about that. Its unfortunate and sad howfar society has fallen. sexualizing teenagers for money. I happened upon a katey perry video one day and wanted to see what all the hype was just more teenage sexualization. It was hard enough going to school in the 80s wouldn't want to be there now.

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