Press Tour Diary: 'Glee'

WHO: Matthew Morrison, Cory Monteith, Lea Michele, Kevin McHale, Chris Colfer, Amber Riley, Jenna Ushkowitz, Jane Lynch, Jessalyn Gilsig, Jayma Mays, Dianna Agron, Mark Salling, and exec producers Dante Di Loreto, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan. MIA: Series creator Ryan Murphy
PREDICTIONS: Given the size of the panel, I’m praying Fox imposes a moratorium on roundup questions. Example: “Can each of the castmembers explain what drew you to your respective roles?”

1:46 pm/PST: Fox is handing out strawberry slushies in advance of the session.

1:47 pm: Ryan Murphy is “very involved” in the show, although he was too busy to attend today’s panel. He has a good excuse though: He’s in New York shooting a movie with Julia Roberts.

1:50 pm: Regarding the show’s wretched pregnancy plot involving Gilsig’s character, e.p. Falchuk says the ends will justify the means. (Hope so, because the means are unwatchable.)

1:52 pm: Lynch would like to see her character perform “Rose’s Turn” from Gypsy. I second that motion.

1:53 pm: Lynch enjoyed her brief time on Party Down, but she calls Glee the role of the lifetime. “I get to say the best, [most] heinous things.”

1:54 pm: D’oh. Round-up question. “How do you relate to your characters?” Someone shoot me. Or hand me another slushie.

1:58 pm: Everyone on the panel agrees that McHale is probably the best dancer in the cast. Ironic considering his character is wheelchair-bound.

2:01 pm: Lynch isn’t a mean, horrible person. But she loves playing one on TV.

2:02 pm: Scoop! There’s an episode coming up titled “Wheels” featuring the entire cast doing a dance routine in wheelchairs.

2:05 pm: Scoop! First Glee soundtrack will drop in November. Second one could be out in December.

2:07 pm: Last question — and it’s a roundup! “Can the cast talk about what you remember from high school and how you fit in.” No they can’t, dammit!