Welcome to The Kids From Fame Media Blog

I'm Mark & I've been a Fame fan since the beginning of the TV Series in 1982. This blog is dedicated to the incredibly talented cast of the show who have brought so much comfort and pleasure to my life over the last 40 odd years.

Every week day we post and our Archive can be found on the Kids from Fame Media TV Series Archive Website.
Including Interviews, Episode Information and Videos, Scripts, Merchandise, MP3 Downloads, Reunions, Fan Fiction, Cast and Crew Information.

I hope you have a great time Remembering "Fame"!

To Contact Me Please Send Emails to: mark1814uk@googlemail.com


Any problems downloading Please read:
Instructions To Download MP3s & Videos

Episodes can be watched on the TV Series Archive Website.
and on our Facebook Fame Episode Group.

Get new posts by email:

Thursday 31 August 2017

After Dark - Michael Cerveris

 
"After Dark" comes from the season 6 episode "Ian's Girl". Written by Jude Johnson it is performed by Michael Cerveris.
 
 
 


Fame Calendar September 2017


Not that current a picture of Morgan but the most update that there seems to be.

View on Calendar Site

Wednesday 30 August 2017

Song of the Week - Special - Janet Jackson


Special - Janet Jackson



Hey J
It's been a long time since
I've seen you last
A half and twenty six years
(My time is fast)
I'm well, Though I've gone through
Some deep changes in my life
It hasn't been easy
Oh no not for me
It's been difficult at times
Sometimes I sit down and cry
Ask God, "Oh why?"
(Fair, what it is?)
I know how your feelin'
Same thing I did dealin'
Not as alone, as you may feel
You see but oh
It catches up to us fast
We have to deal with the past
I know it's painful but
There you'll find specialness
'Cause everybody needs to feel real special
We need to remember
That love lies deep within our selves
We have to want it so
It starts with us and no one else
We must learn
We're all born with specialness inside of us
I have the need to feel real special too
You see you can't run away from your pain
Because where ever you run there you will be
You have to learn to water your spiritual garden
Then you will be free

I know how your feelin'
Same thing I did dealin'
Not as alone, as you may feel
You see but oh
(Ooh)
It catches up to us fast
We have to deal with the past
I know it's painful but
There you'll find specialness
'Cause everybody needs to feel real special
We need to remember
That love lies deep within our selves
We have to want it so
It starts with us and no one else
We must learn
We're all born with specialness inside of us
I have the need to feel real special too

Picture of the Week


Nia Peeples

Tuesday 29 August 2017

U.K. Charts 28th August 1982


The Kids From Fame album is still at number one on the U.K. album Charts for 28th August 1982 while the original movie soundtrack slips down to number 7. One the U.K. singles chart Irene Cara's "Fame" theme song is down to 6 but flying up to number 7 is "Hi Fidelity". Valerie Landsburg was on a whirlwind tour of the U.K. doing radio, magazine and TV interviews to promote the single and it works. She also appears on Top of The Pops for a brief Interview. 



Ian's Girl - Full Episode

 

Ian's Girl from season 6 -  Full Episode

Read Review

Download Video in 6 parts


Monday 28 August 2017

Ian's Girl Part 6 - Episode of the Month



Ian's Girl from Season 6, is the episode of the month. The video comes in 6 parts and this is part 6.

Read Review

Download Video


Friday 25 August 2017

A Musical Bridge - 35th U.K. Broadcast Anniversary


Picture



26th August is the 35th Anniversary of the U.K. Broadcast of "A Musical Bridge" .

Here is a witty recap of the episode from TV of Yore Website

Picture

Leroy is treating Danny to breakfast in a diner and outright tells him he wants to copy his English paper. Danny's like, "Uh, no" so Leroy retorts, "It's an honest bribe, you have to respect it." Danny explains that he literally can't give him his paper to copy, since he handed it in three days ago (when the assignment was due). Also, Miss Sherwood might get a tad suspicious when she grades two English papers that are exactly the same. Dumbass. To Leroy's misfortune, Miss Sherwood is sitting in a booth that's well within hearing range. She barks, "And I appreciated it, Danny!" and storms over to their table to shoot a really squinty stink-eye at Leroy. She tells him she expects to receive his paper asap, then recommends he go straight to the library to start working on it. Danny obediently replies, "Yes, ma'am!" and hustles Leroy out of the diner.

Over at the School of the Arts, the "kids" are groovin' in the foyer. Some random guy is playing on a set of drums, and Julie, Coco, and Doris are doing some kind of suggestive looking pelvis dance. Montgomery arrives and excitedly announces that he has the new cassette by the C47s - a terrible sounding band in the Fame universe. He puts the tape in the ghetto blaster (hee! '80s technology) - but Coco stops him from pressing play and says that Leroy would looove to hear the C47s. Doris perks up at that and offers to go look for him, then rushes off down a flight of stairs.

Back at the diner, Miss Sherwood and Ms. Grant are discussing the Leroy situation. Ms. Grant asks her if she's going to fail him, and Miss Sherwood says he's only done 25% of his assignments...so, d'yuh. Ms. Grant says that Leroy's not failing in her classes and that she gives him all A's...which is kinda irrelevant and not really comparable, 'cause she teaches dance. Miss Sherwood comes right out and asks Ms. Grant if she's asking her to go easy on Leroy, and Ms. Grant looks sheepish, stops talking, and apologizes for implying that she should give him a free pass without merit. Miss Sherwood hands her the check for their breakfast and says she's got to figure out how to handle a scholastic fuckup like Leroy.

Montgomery hits the play button on his ghetto blaster, and everyone - including Leroy in his shorts-over-sweatpants outfit - starts boogying to the C47s' lame sounding song called Gimme That, Gimme That...and the dancing goes on for what seems like an excruciatingly looooong time. Bruno arrives at school and watches the dancing with his usual sardonic, I'm-so-over-it expression [that I'm getting really sick of and makes me want to punch him in the face]. Just as the performance comes to an end, Miss Sherwood and Ms. Grant arrive...and when they notice Leroy in the middle of the jumble of dancers, a chagrined Ms. Grant tells Miss Sherwood, "I guess Leroy couldn't find the library." Heh.


Picture

In one of the music rooms, Bruno mocks the lameness of the C47s' music, but Montgomery tells him not to knock it, 'cause right now it's the hottest cassette around. Bruno derisively says you have to turn off your mind to listen to schlock like that, then demonstrates how easy it is to compose shittastic music. He sits down at the synthesizer and tells Montgomery to say the first word that pops into his head...and at that very moment, Mr. Shorofsky enters the room, which causes Montgomery to gasp, "Mr. Shorofsky!" and naturally he refrains from explaining to Bruno that Mr. Shorofsky just entered the room. Bruno, who's so wrapped up in his composing that he doesn't notice Mr. Shorofsky standing there, starts crooning, "Oooooh...Shor-OFF-sky!" and rattles off some funny lyrics about the big bearded teddy-bear. Mr. Shorofsky quietly listens and stares at Bruno in fascination and bewilderment.

Miss Sherwood tells Leroy she wants to discuss his dismal academic performance with his parents, and he glares back at her and goes, "Who?!" LOL. She hands him a note that she prepared for his parents, then instructs him to deliver it and ensure that they set up a parent/teacher meeting with her, like pronto. Leroy tells her she doesn't have to bug his parents, but she insists on speaking with them and forces him to take the note.

Bruno sheepishly explains to Mr. Shorofsky that he was mocking the genre of music, not him. He says he could have inserted anything in the song in order to demonstrate its weak structure to Montgomery. Mr. Shorofsky grumbles, "I detest the cacophony!" and agrees that it was mindless schlock. After Mr. Shorofsky exits the room, Montgomery agrees that the song was mindless, but that it also has commercial appeal.

Leroy bitches at Danny for talking so loudly in the diner that Miss Sherwood was able to overhear their conversation...and Danny snarks back that he should have just done his English assignment on time. Leroy explains that he lives in a shitty neighborhood and got mugged while walking home from the subway...so Danny jokingly asks him if he's saying that the muggers stole his English paper. Leroy snarks, "What I think is that you owe me, and I'm here to collect." It's unclear why or how Danny owes this hostile grump anything. Leroy orders him to write a note that looks like it's from his momma, and Danny just rolls his eyes and chuckles.

Montgomery has blabbed to the gang about the awesome "Mr. Shorofsky" song that Bruno rattled off, and they all want to hear it. They drag Bruno into the music room and beg him to play the song, and he says he doubts they'll find it very funny...but indulges them and starts playing it. Everyone enthusiastically bops to the beat...and, interestingly, it's the most happy and alive I've ever seen Bruno. Maybe he's finally found his true calling. Montgomery glances down at his ghetto blaster, which he brought along and placed beside him on the floor, and discreetly presses the record button.


Picture

Miss Sherwood reads the note that Danny cobbled together, pretending to be Leroy's momma, and tells Leroy she's suspicious of its authenticity, but won't go so far as to accuse him of forgery. Leroy pretends to be all confused and goes, "Wha-a?" so Miss Sherwood explains that if his mother actually sent her this ridiculous response, then it's clear she doesn't understand how dire his situation is. She then insists that he bring his parents by the school at 4pm tomorrow and barks, "No excuses!"

Leroy asks Doris if she'd be willing to pretend to be his momma on the phone and tell Miss Sherwood she's unable to come to a parent/teacher meeting tomorrow. Doris snarks that that's a stupid idea, which could get them both booted out of school. Leroy shoots her the stink-eye and says that the next time they're in dance class and she leaps in his direction and expects him to catch her, she should remember this conversation...and Doris scrunches her face with concern at the thought of Leroy dropping her on her head in the middle of a rehearsal. Haha! I would definitely enjoy that.

Montgomery tells Bruno that he played the Shorofsky song for the lead singer of a band called Psychic Powers (who he knows through family connections) and he loved it! He arranged for a meeting between Bruno and the band, but Bruno just makes a face and grumbles about how much he despises that type of music. Montgomery points out that this meeting could lead to a paying gig - and Bruno looks momentarily intrigued, but then stubbornly insists that he still hates that kind of music. Sigh. We know, Bruno...we know.

Bruno meets up with Papa Martelli after school and climbs into his cab. The two chat about their day, and Bruno tells his dad he has to meet up with Montgomery later 'cause they have a meeting with a band.

Ms. Grant finds Miss Sherwood sitting in her English classroom, looking pissed off. She tells Ms. Grant that Leroy's parents didn't show up for their 4pm meeting, then firmly declares, "If the mountain won't come to Muhammad then Muhammad must go to the mountain!" Ms. Grant looks alarmed at the thought of Miss Sherwood ambling around Harlem alone and warns her that it's a really bad idea. Miss Sherwood insists that she has to do it if she's going to help Leroy, then storms out of the room. 

 Picture


Miss Sherwood arrives in Harlem by train and walks briskly down the street. She quickly locates Leroy's derelict building and tentatively steps inside. She knocks on his apartment door, and a glaring Leroy answers and lets her in...then quietly sits on his bed as she sadly glances around his squalid living quarters. She quietly asks, "You live here?" and he says, "Yeah" and tells her he doesn't have parents, and she's all, "Wha-a?!"

Leroy fixes Miss Sherwood a plate of corn chips and pours her a drink, and they sit at his dining table for a heart-to-heart chat. He tells her that his dad is long gone, and that his mom lives in Detroit with her sister 'cause she couldn't find work in New York. Miss Sherwood asks him what he does for money, and he tells her he works at a nearby pool hall...and since the owner of the pool hall also owns his apartment building, he gets a break on the rent. He tells Miss Sherwood that he's doing OK, and will continue to do OK as long as she doesn't fuck up his life and get him "sent to welfare". Miss Sherwood says that receiving welfare might not be a bad idea, but he threatens to bolt if she does that. He snarls that it's his life, and that it's working...and she says she's going to have to think about all this. She gets up to leave, then turns around and says, "You're too young to live like this" and he retorts, "I haven't been young in a long, long time." 


Picture

During lunch, Montgomery tells the gang that he might have snagged a record deal for Bruno, and that it's awesome 'cause they're getting in on the ground floor of a new company. Julie reminds him that Bruno hates the kind of music he'll be expected to churn out, but Montgomery points out that he may be able to make some real money at it. Bruno arrives and sits down at the table, and the gang jokes about him forgetting them, the little people, once he's rich and famous.

Miss Sherwood tells Ms. Grant about the icky squalor Leroy is living in. She's contemplating blowing the whistle on his situation so that the system can place him with a foster family (um, he's twenty), but Ms. Grant says he'd probably just run away. Miss Sherwood wrings her hands worriedly and says it's a miracle that Leroy is able to make it to school as often as he does. Not sure why it's such a miracle - the subway goes right to his 'hood.

In Central Park, Montgomery buys ice cream cones for Bruno and Papa Martelli. The record company has prepared a contract for Bruno to sign, but Papa Martelli doesn't like the wording, since it declares that the company will own all the rights to the music that Bruno composes. Montgomery points out that it's a foot in the door, and Bruno says that at his young age, he probably shouldn't be all that choosy. No fucking shit.

Leroy is shirtless and sweaty as he dances by himself in front of the mirror of the dance gym. Ms. Grant enters and sassily asks him what he's doing here and not in English class, so Leroy explains that he was excused from class, and produces a note to that effect. Ms. Grant reads it, makes a face, then declares to Leroy that this is the last time he's evuh going to have the dance gym all to himself. Leroy scrunches his face in confusion and asks her why she's so mad at him, and she mutters, "I'm going to correct that" and stalks out of the room.


Picture

Ms. Grant asks Mr. Shorofsky if she can borrow Mrs. Berg - who, for some reason, is hanging out in his classroom. The two women then head over to Miss Sherwood's classroom, and Mrs. Berg whispers something to Miss Sherwood...and a few seconds later, Miss Sherwood rushes out, leaving Mrs. Berg to take over the class.

Mr. Shorofsky asks Bruno if he's a recording maven yet, and Bruno mopishly says he has mixed feelings about signing the record deal because he can't seem to allow himself to be happy or enthusiastic about fucking anything ever. Wise sage Mr. Shorofsky tells him he's afraid of writing junk and being "a schlockmeister" before he fully grasps what it means to create quality music.

Ms. Grant accuses Miss Sherwood of crippling Leroy, then explains that she grew up the way Leroy is living right now. She advises her to give him a failing grade if he is, in fact, failing...'cause it would be wrong to unleash him onto the world if he can't read or write. She gabbles some more about forcing Leroy to be challenged and fight, blah blah blah...and Miss Sherwood looks like she's newly inspired about how to deal with the Leroy situation.

During lunch, Bruno spots Mr. Shorofsky sitting a table eating his lunch...and he sits at a piano and starts playing. Mr. Shorofsky looks up and smiles.

Miss Sherwood storms into the dance gym and tells Leroy in no uncertain terms that she's going to talk and he's going to listen, damn it.

Bruno plays a catchy, interesting sounding tune to prove to Mr. Shorofsky that he can, in fact, compose quality music. Mr. Shorofsky concedes that it was very good - but that he can do better. Bruno glances over at Montgomery, who nods knowingly and promises to cancel the meeting with the record company. The kids then start egging on Mr. Shorofsky to play Bruno's kind of music for a change, and he accepts the challenge and sits at the piano and jokingly grumbles, "No one appreciates good music." He starts playing...and Bruno sits at another nearby piano (there are two pianos in the cafeteria!?) and plays along...and everyone really gets into it and starts bopping to the beat. And a random guy starts playing on a set of drums!

Miss Sherwood tells Leroy it's a crime he has to live in such a shit-hole - but that she'll help him by "going back to the tough way". Leroy cheekily asks her if they can start with the tough stuff next semester, but she sternly says they're going to start with it right now. She orders him to come to her class in two minutes to get his next assignment, then struts out of the room.

Everyone's still dancing wildly to Bruno's/Mr. Shorofsky's piano playing. Three dancers climb atop Bruno's piano, and I truly feared that they would crush the poor instrument. Bruno and Mr. Shorofsky grin joyously at each other, and when they finally finish playing, everyone appreciatively hoots and hollers.

Leroy enters Miss Sherwood's classroom, stands in front of her desk and says, "I'm listening" and she looks very touched and smiles up at him.


Picture

Ian's Girl Part 5 - Episode of the Month



Ian's Girl from Season 6, is the episode of the month. The video comes in 6 parts and this is part 5.

Read Review

Download Video

Ebay of the Week


This Week "A Musical Bridge" Script

View Auction

Remembering Graham Jarvis


Remembering Graham Jarvis on his birthday.

Thursday 24 August 2017

Ian's Girl Part 4 - Episode of the Month


Ian's Girl from Season 6, is the episode of the month. The video comes in 6 parts and this is part  4.


Read Review

Download Video


Tuesday 22 August 2017

U.K. Charts 21st August 1982


The Kids from fame Album remains strong at the top of the U.K. album Charts for 21st August 1982. The original movie soundtrack starts to slip and is down to number 4. Irene Cara's  "Fame" theme also starts to slip and is down to number 3. However Valerie Landsburg's "Hi Fidelity" rises steadily to number 26.


Mannequin - Sheet Music


Picture



Mannequin - Sheet Music

View Sheet Music





Ian's Girl Part 2 - Episode of the Month


Ian's Girl from Season 6, is the episode of the month. The video comes in 6 parts and this is part 2.


Read Review

Download Video

Friday 18 August 2017

Ian's Girl- Guitar Instrumental


Ian's Girl - Guitar Instrumental comes from the season 6 episode "Ian's Girl".

Download MP3

Download Video

Expose - 35th Anniversary of U.K. Broadcast



Picture




19th August is the 35th Anniversary of the U.K. Broadcast of "Expose" .

Here is a witty recap of the episode from TV of Yore Website

Picture


Julie’s mother is having some kind of anxiety attack in the kitchen of her apartment and is breathing into a paper bag. She tells Julie she's nervous about job hunting, and is worried that asking Ms. Grant for help is too much of an imposition for her. Julie assures her that Ms. Grant is more than happy to help her out, then says they need to head over to the school, like pronto, 'cause she has an important rehearsal to attend. Unfortunately, as soon as Mrs. Miller stops breathing into the paper bag, she starts hyperventilating, so Julie decides to forgo the rehearsal and tend to her basket case of a mother.
 

In the dance gym, Doris is railing to the other performers that Julie is late for rehearsal. She storms out of the room, then a few seconds later wheels in a headless mannequin and announces, "I'd like you to meet the new Julie Miller!" Everyone bursts out laughing, but Doris keeps a straight face and insists she wasn't trying to make a joke. She points out that since Julie was cast as the role of mannequin, they might as well use the real thing as a stand-in. Leroy hugs the mannequin, then starts dancing with it as he sings in a painfully off-key, screechy voice, "Maaa-nnnnnequin..." Yikes. Would it have killed the producers to hire one Fame kid with a halfway decent singing voice? After the trial run, everyone gabbles excitedly about how much they enjoyed doing the performance with an actual mannequin. Montgomery and Bruno agree that the number was fantastic - but Montgomery warns that it's going to be hard to tell Julie she's being replaced by a mannequin. Doris shrieks, as though she had nothing to do with the sudden casting change, and bewilderedly exclaims, "Julie will absolutely platz!" (OMFG - I can't express enough how fucking much I hate the sight, sound, and aura of Doris Fucking Schwartz.)


Picture

Miss Sherwood enters her classroom with a student teacher named Jeffrey Harris, and explains to the class that Mr. Harris will be assisting her for the next few weeks. Julie arrives late to class, and for some reason she seems drawn to Jeffrey's dorkiness. The two hold up the class while they flirt, smile, and stare at each other until Julie finally regains her senses and takes her seat.

Ms. Grant is helping Julie's mom cobble together a resume - which is no small feat since she's only ever been a mom to Julie and a wife to Julie's deadbeat father. No worries. I'm sure McDonald's is hiring.

Doris breaks the news to Julie that she's been replaced by a mannequin in the upcoming show. Julie's all, "Wha-a?!" and indignantly refuses to give up her coveted role to an inanimate object. She assumes she's being punished for being a no-show at rehearsal, but Coco insists that it's nothing personal and that the performance just works better with an actual mannequin.

Jeffrey finds Julie eating alone in the cafeteria and joins her with his tray of food. He tells her he's not all that into teaching and is only doing it 'cause he thinks it's something he should be doing. A few seconds later, he switches gears and grumbles about how the cafeteria food tastes like ass, and Julie giggles and looks charmed by his immature frankness.

Julie thanks Ms. Grant for helping her mom with her job search, and Ms. Grant assures her it's no trouble and then remarks on how "positively radiant" she looks today. Julie barely hears her as she hungrily stares toward the hall where Jeffrey is standing, then quickly excuses herself to give him a tour of the school. Ms. Grant's all, "Wha-a?" and then she and Miss Sherwood look on in dismay as they witness the unmistakably flirty vibe between Julie and Jeffrey.

Miss Sherwood asks Jeffrey what he thought of his first day of teaching, and he tells her it was scary, yet fascinating. She advises him that teaching at the School of the Arts can be difficult 'cause it's easy to "fall under the spell of these kids". LOL. As an example, she cites Julie's compositions, which are sometimes as beautiful as she is, and that they remind her of what it's like to be a vulnerable seventeen year old (even though in real life she's a twenty-five year old). Jeffrey tells Miss Sherwood he had lunch with Julie and then got a tour of the school, and Miss Sherwood purses her lips disapprovingly and tells him it's important to draw boundaries with these "kids". As teachers, they can care, listen, teach...but it's important to not step over that line into touchy-feely territory. Jeffrey acts all fake shocked that Miss Sherwood would assume he's getting too personal with Julie, and she wryly tells him she wouldn't be giving him this lecture if she didn't think it was required. Jeffrey explains to Miss Sherwood that journalism was his first major in college - not education, which he doesn't even like that much - but he figured why not bring the two disciplines together and write an article about the School of the Arts and write it from Julie's point of view: Grand Rapids Girl Moves to the Big Apple. (Nice try, Jeffrey - but the writers pretty much fished that lake dry during the series pilot.) Miss Sherwood sheepishly apologizes for giving him a lecture on inappropriate teacher-student relations, but then somehow neglects to give him the reminder: you're at this school to serve as a student teacher not as a journalist lecture.

Jeffrey tracks Julie down and tells her he intends to write an article about the school from her point of view. She looks flattered, then suggests that perhaps one of the older students (the thirty year olds..?) might be a better choice - but Jeffrey says it has to be her, since he already told Miss Sherwood she was on board with the project. To seal the deal, he gives her an appreciative once-over and asks her if she can stand to hang out with someone of his generation...and she shoots him a dreamy look and replies, "Yeah. I can stand it" which...well, d'yuh. I'm pretty sure you're both about the same age.


Picture

Later in the week, Jeffrey asks Julie if they could work together during the lunch hour...and Miss Sherwood overhears and asks him how his article is coming along. He tells her it's really coming together, and she compliments him on his teaching abilities and saunters off. Jeffrey asks Julie a round of questions about what it was like to leave Grand Rapids and move to the Big Apple, and she tells him she wasn't sure she was going to be able to fit in, but then did...blah blah. (For more on Julie's overtold "fish out of water" story, see the series pilot.)

Over in the teachers' lounge, Ms. Grant is looking over Mrs. Miller's volunteer credentials. Apparently, she has a lot of experience organizing lunches and special events. Mrs. Miller says she's scared and worried about her future, and Ms. Grant assures her she'll help her find the perfect job (taking food orders at Mickey Dees).

The students are rehearsing the mannequin number again...and holy hell, my ears. Jeffrey slips inside the dance gym to watch, and when Leroy spots him, he abruptly stops the number, glares at Jeffrey, and barks, "You want somethin'?" Jeffrey says he just wants to watch, so Doris informs him that teachers aren't supposed to watch rehearsals. Wuh? Since when? Doris explains that they're supposed to be allowed to sink or swim, so Jeffrey explains that he'd like to write about the rehearsal process in his article, and Leroy perks up at that and agrees to let him stay and endure his screechtastic singing voice.

Jeffrey later tells Julie it was "a trip" watching the Fame kids put the mannequin performance piece together. He then tells her he'd love to be able to take a tour of her Grand Rapids high school - but will settle for a peek at her old yearbook, and suggests they go to her apartment so he can get some background material on her. Mmm hmm..

In the next scene, the two are cuddled on the couch in Casa Miller, looking over Julie's Grand Rapids High yearbook. She gabbles to him about all the false stereotypes regarding kids in New York and the Midwest, then asks him why he's entering teaching if he actually prefers journalism. He tells her that teaching is steadier and less risky...plus he's a little afraid he might not cut it as a journalist. She assures him that self doubt is normal, especially for the students at the School of the Arts...and Jeffrey takes that as a cue to lean in for a kiss - which gets interrupted by the sudden arrival of Julie's mom. Julie hastily explains to her mom that Jeffrey is a teacher at the school, and Jeffrey corrects her and says, "Student teacher" as though it's any more acceptable for a student teacher to be messing around with a student than it would be for a regular teacher.

Later, Mrs. Miller gets all snarky to Julie about catching her playing kissy-face with Jeffrey. She threatens to call the school to complain, but Julie assures her that nothing happened between her and Jeffrey and promises that nothing will...but then totally contradicts herself when she wails that Jeffrey's the first guy she's met (since Lester) she really cares about. Well that's just dumb. She hasn't even known the guy a week.

In the office, Danny tries to convince Mr. Shorofsky to go halvsies with him on a portable cassette player at a two-for-one sale, but Mr. Shorofsky says he abhors these newfangled earphones and declares that music is to be enjoyed by everyone - not used to tune out the world. He's so damned adorable. Some guy named Mr. Cobb arrives at the school to talk to Jeffrey about his article...and he hands it back to him and says, "Close, but no cigar." He explains that the magazine's new owner is operating in "a new way", meaning he'll only publish "short words, simple ideas, flesh and scandal". He wishes Jeffrey success with his teaching career - but Jeffrey stops him and says he'd like to take a shot at delivering the kind of salacious smut the magazine is striving to provide its readership with.  

Over in the dance gym, Doris is discussing the wardrobe with the cast of the mannequin show. Jeffrey slips into the room and eavesdrops, and says he's shocked that the students have to buy their own costumes. Doris goes, "What buy? I use a credit card!" She explains to him that since the school doesn't have a budget for costumes, she uses her mom's credit card to buy the garments, and once the show's over, she returns them. Jeffrey says he admires her ingenuity, then stares into space as he contemplatively mulls over that potentially scandalous tidbit for his article.

Right before English class, Julie tells Jeffrey that she talked to her mom about their illicit kissing, and assures him that everything is going to be A-OK. Jeffrey notices that Miss Sherwood is giving them a disapproving stink-eye and tries to get Julie to shut up, but she doesn't take the hint soon enough. Coco asks Julie if she'd like to come to the dance gym after school and watch the mannequin number so she can see for herself how well it works with an actual mannequin, but Julie says she'll be too busy helping Jeffrey with his article. Coco teases her about being smitten with Jeffrey, so Julie snaps at her to mind her own business - and it's a pretty awkward exchange 'cause it looked like the entire class, including Jeffrey and Miss Sherwood, overheard their conversation.

Mrs. Miller is strutting down the hall with Ms. Grant, and judging from the spring in her step, it looks like she found herself a job!

Jeffrey enters the teacher's lounge, and after he makes sure the coast is clear, he dials Mr. Cobb's number.

Mrs. Miller excitedly tells Ms. Grant she got a job as a collector, which entails "going to places of businesses and picking up receipts and things". Ms. Grant gives her a funny look and says it sounds like she's a numbers runner - as in, for organized crime. She strongly suspects that Mrs. Miller was hired either because she's too much of a dumbass to understand the illegal nature of the job, or because she's literally the last person on earth anyone would ever suspect of being a numbers runner. It's probably a combination of the two.


Picture

Jeffrey "reports" to Mr. Cobb that the Fame kids are into a sleazy credit card scam, then talks about working an angle on fake racial tensions between some of the students. At that moment, an excited looking Julie bursts into the teachers' lounge looking for him - but her face instantly falls when she overhears him tell Mr. Cobb that he'll look into manufacturing a fake drug scandal at the school to create more buzz for his article. Jeffrey suddenly whirls around and sees Julie staring at him in shock.

Julie runs down the hall crying and bumps into her mother, who's crying 'cause she just learned she's a numbers runner...and the two hopeless nitwits hug.

Later, at the apartment, Mrs. Miller points out to Julie that since they're both so unhappy in New York, perhaps they should consider going home to Grand Rapids. That definitely sounds like the best idea I've heard all episode. Julie looks surprised at the suggestion but appears to mull it over. 

Picture


The next day, Julie arrives at school with her cello and runs into Jeffrey. He explains to her that since the School of the Arts runs on ambition, she should understand that an ambitious person has to do things he doesn't necessarily want to do. He says he's determined to get his article published - so she snaps, "Regardless of who it hurts?!" and he shrugs dismissively and says, "Young people bounce back." I wonder if he's considered the possibility that publishing made up shit about drug use at the School of the Arts could possibly get him sued by the school board.

Julie finds a dark classroom so she can morosely stare into space and play her cello for a loooong time. Bruno enters the room and offers her a "peace offering" for the whole mannequin debacle: a poem she once wrote for Miss Sherwood's class that he transformed into song lyrics. After he leaves, an intrigued Julie picks up a nearby guitar and starts performing the song...and the sound of backup vocalists mysteriously materializes. LOL. As she sings, she has flashbacks of all the time she spent with Jeffrey over the last couple of days: eating lunch, riding bicycles, strolling hand in hand through Central Park. It remains unclear exactly when all this courtship stuff was supposed to have occurred.  

Ms. Grant asks Julie if her mom recovered from "her little adventure" yesterday, and Julie says she's still traumatized from her stupidity in unwittingly accepting a job as a numbers runner. Ms. Grant offers to call the dumbass tonight so she doesn't get too down on herself. She then bumps into Mr. Shorofsky, who's wearing headphones as he listens to the symphony in his new portable cassette player. Yay, Mr. Shorofsky! Way to leap into the '80s!

Julie calls her mom and implores her not to do anything rash. She says they can't just give up on New York, then announces she's in love...but not with that assfuck, Jeffrey. She's in love with a "dirty, grimy, loud school" - as well as with people who dance with dress mannequins.

Julie marches to English class and sassily tells Jeffrey that if he publishes his article, she'll send a letter to the editor, outing him for hitting on a student to get his information. Jeffrey retorts, "You wouldn't do that" - but she insists she would, and that she'll happily pay the price for scuffing her reputation. He derisively tells her she doesn't have the guts, so she shoots him a really squinty stink-eye and says, "Try me."

Dress rehearsal! Without explanation, the mannequin is out - and Julie's back playing the role of the mannequin...and we get to hear Leroy screechily bellowing, "Maaa-nnnnnequin..." again. Give me strength. Incidentally, I wonder who this one performance show could possibly be geared towards?


Picture
 

Ebay of the Week


This week more signed merchandise by the Fame Reunion cast in L.A.

View Auction

Wednesday 16 August 2017

No Feelings - Michael Cerveris & Traci Lyn



"No Feelings" comes from the season 6 episode "Ian's Girl". Written by Johnny Rotten, Paul Cook, Steve Jones and Sid Vicious, it is performed by Michael Cerveris and Traci Lin.

Download MP3

Download Video