# Glee - The guy in the wheelchair **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 16, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glee-the-guy-in-the-wheelchair/514093 "2009-10-16T21:37:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glee-the-guy-in-the-wheelchair/514093/1 "2009-10-16T21:37:05Z")
For any Glee fans here, what are your thoughts/feelings about having that guy in the wheelchair be in the Glee club? Personally, I think it is one of the parts of the show that doesn’t make sense and lessens the show. I’m not familiar with Glee clubs, so maybe I’m off, but it seems very unrealistic that they would have him in the numbers they perform. My questions: 1. Is it realistic, even in the slightest? 2. Do you like seeing that guy in the Glee club? ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glee-the-guy-in-the-wheelchair/514093/2 "2009-10-16T21:41:28Z")
If a kid in a wheelchair auditions for Glee, and can sing, can you imagine telling him “sorry, we’d love to have you except you can’t walk.” Would be lawsuit city. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glee-the-guy-in-the-wheelchair/514093/3 "2009-10-16T21:46:27Z")
It was part of the joke in the beginning that the Glee Club could only attract the worst misfits, losers, and outsiders in the school. It’s a problem that they haven’t featured him in an episode to get more of his story but I’ll bet that’s coming in the second half of the year’s run. I don’t mind him. In fact, I like that the regulars treat him without any comment at all. ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glee-the-guy-in-the-wheelchair/514093/4 "2009-10-16T21:52:58Z")
> [@HelloNinja](#): > > If a kid in a wheelchair auditions for Glee, and can sing, can you imagine telling him “sorry, we’d love to have you except you can’t walk.” Would be lawsuit city. Why lawsuit? There are in fact jobs that require you to walk, so people in wheelchairs can be rejected from them, right? The way they present it on the TV show, the Glee club seems like a “song and dance club”. If Glee is simply a “song club”, then I can see how someone in a wheelchair can be accepted with no problem. Do you think if a woman in a wheelchair is rejected when she auditions for the Rockettes she can sue? ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glee-the-guy-in-the-wheelchair/514093/5 "2009-10-16T21:57:46Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > It was part of the joke in the beginning that the Glee Club could only attract the worst misfits, losers, and outsiders in the school. I agree that that is what they were going for, but [ol] [li]They went too far in trying to make the “band of misfits” point by including him[/li][li]Now that non-misfits are part of the club, the point doesn’t make as much sense any more[/li][/ol] ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glee-the-guy-in-the-wheelchair/514093/6 "2009-10-16T22:19:50Z")
> [@HelloNinja](#): > > If a kid in a wheelchair auditions for Glee, and can sing, can you imagine telling him “sorry, we’d love to have you except you can’t walk.” Would be lawsuit city. I’m not even sure if the kid in the wheelchair is disabled in real life. The actor that plays Kurt, the gay kid, originally auditioned for the kid in the wheelchair role. He was not what they where looking for for that role but they liked him enough they wrote a new character in for him. I think wheelchair kid is fine. I think it is realistic that a disabled person could participate in a high school glee club. Even if you don’t think its realistic it’s hardly outside the realism of the show as they don’t seem to be aiming for a realistic premise. I find the show very surreal. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glee-the-guy-in-the-wheelchair/514093/7 "2009-10-16T22:23:50Z")
I’m honestly baffled by your questions. If he can sing, what’s the deal? Do I like seeing him in the Glee club? Buh? Isn’t this the website where people like to complain that there aren’t “normal looking people” on TV enough? Now there’s a normal looking person who also is in a wheelchair and you’re asking if we mind seeing him there? Hoookay! ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glee-the-guy-in-the-wheelchair/514093/8 "2009-10-16T22:30:32Z")
Based on this picture and many others showing him standing or walking I’m going to guess the only real life disability he has is he is freaking short guess [http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/QPHfaWF4MUH/American+Idol+Top+13+Party/-\_ey6VLuyuS/Mark+Salling](http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/QPHfaWF4MUH/American+Idol+Top+13+Party/-_ey6VLuyuS/Mark+Salling) ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glee-the-guy-in-the-wheelchair/514093/9 "2009-10-16T22:32:42Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > I’m honestly baffled by your questions. If he can sing, what’s the deal? [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glee_club)says “the term remained (and remains) in use, primarily for choirs found in North American and Japanese colleges” I guess if it’s a choir, then singing ability is the only thing that comes into play when deciding whether or not to admit someone into the club. It’s just that the way the TV show portrays it, it is more than just a choir, it looks like a song and dance club. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glee-the-guy-in-the-wheelchair/514093/10 "2009-10-16T22:34:58Z")
One of my problems with the show is that they’re lazy with the stereotypes. He’s a great example: I’d much prefer that he didn’t look like a total dork, and that he have something else going on. If he turned out also to be gay, and if he start something smokin’ with the androgynous gay guy, that’d be awesome. As it is, he’s the gimp. I’d like a more three-dimensional character. But he’s totally at home in Glee club. He’s got a great voice, he plays music, and he has some ideas on how to dance around in his wheelchair. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glee-the-guy-in-the-wheelchair/514093/11 "2009-10-16T22:37:05Z")
The show is not at all concerned about reality in its plotting, which is part of what makes it so damn much fun, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glee-the-guy-in-the-wheelchair/514093/12 "2009-10-16T22:41:37Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > Based on this picture and many others showing him standing or walking I’m going to guess the only real life disability he has is he is freaking short > > guess [Zimbio - Entertainment News, Celebrity News, Celebrity Photos & Videos](http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/QPHfaWF4MUH/American+Idol+Top+13+Party/-_ey6VLuyuS/Mark+Salling) Hmm yeah, but after judging [Kevin McHale](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2389665/bio) (the shortest one) and [Chris Colfer](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3182094/bio)’s (the one to the right) IMDB bios, either one is wearing some platform shoes or lying about their heights on their profile. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glee-the-guy-in-the-wheelchair/514093/13 "2009-10-16T22:47:41Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > The show is not at all concerned about reality in its plotting, which is part of what makes it so damn much fun, IMHO. That’s true–but like I said, I wish it were a little more playful with the stereotypes. That playfulness is much of what makes Whedon shows so fun for me. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glee-the-guy-in-the-wheelchair/514093/14 "2009-10-16T22:47:49Z")
> [@BrandonR](#): > > Hmm yeah, but after judging [Kevin McHale](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2389665/bio) (the shortest one) and [Chris Colfer](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3182094/bio)’s (the one to the right) IMDB bios, either one is wearing some platform shoes or lying about their heights on their profile. Interesting I knew Chris was pretty short as I’d seen a picture of him with Cory Monteith in the past. Cory is a giant among actors at 6’3" and certainly make my list of actors I’d love to get with ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glee-the-guy-in-the-wheelchair/514093/15 "2009-10-16T23:10:55Z")
> [@Polerius](#): > > Why lawsuit? There are in fact jobs that require you to walk, so people in wheelchairs can be rejected from them, right? If it’s a bona fide requirement sure. But this is a high school after school activity, which has a much much higher threshold of scrutiny when it comes to discrimination. That said, he’s there not because of lawsuit concerns but because he’s a valued member of the team. And in all the song and dance numbers they’ve had, his being in a wheelchair hasn’t been a detraction. In a few it even added to the choreography, and in one they used it to put an ironic spin on the lyrics. If he really stepped things up and learned some wheelchair tricks, it might even be a major advantage. Unlike say, a theater musical, where you audition the best people for the predetermined parts, Glee club is about finding the best songs and choreography to match and show off the strengths of the team you already have. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glee-the-guy-in-the-wheelchair/514093/16 "2009-10-16T23:19:35Z")
My real life experience of Glee Clubs or Show Choirs was a whole lot less dancy than what happens on the show. Swaying and hand clapping, sure but pretty much still standing on risers. I have not been curious enough to investigate whether the category has changed that much in 20 years, or it’s artistic license on the show. That said, there was a girl in my school who used a wheelchair, and sometimes walked with canes. She had (and I expect still has) a great singing voice and participated in Show Choir, Madrigal singers, and drama club. There were slight adjustments made in choreography or lineups but nobody minded. It’s not as if she tried out for the softball team and expected allowances to be made. ---
**Author:** ![Kylede](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a6a055/32.png) [@Kylede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kylede)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glee-the-guy-in-the-wheelchair/514093/17 "2009-10-17T06:19:27Z")
> [@gwendee](#): > > My real life experience of Glee Clubs or Show Choirs was a whole lot less dancy than what happens on the show. Swaying and hand clapping, sure but pretty much still standing on risers. > > I have not been curious enough to investigate whether the category has changed that much in 20 years, or it’s artistic license on the show. Yeah, Show Choir has changed ALOT in 20 years…and in certain schools the cut-throat competition depicted in “GLEE” is everyday life for these kids (as well as competitive cheerleading..as many “Cheerios” fans know) ---
**Author:** ![audreyayn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@audreyayn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audreyayn)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glee-the-guy-in-the-wheelchair/514093/18 "2009-10-17T07:08:54Z")
The reason they dance around is because it’s more entertaining that way. Glee Club is about the voices. Which is why wheelchair kid should stay and main male lead should go. Also, that kid’s hilarious given how little screen time he’s gotten. So long, white people! ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glee-the-guy-in-the-wheelchair/514093/19 "2009-10-17T12:22:39Z")
The actor is great, the idea of a kid in a wheelchair participating in a high school glee club is hardly wacky, and frankly every time anyone complains about the lack of “realism” on this show, it makes me wonder why they’re watching it at all. I mean, what exactly DO you enjoy about it? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glee-the-guy-in-the-wheelchair/514093/20 "2009-10-17T22:40:16Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > The actor is great, the idea of a kid in a wheelchair participating in a high school glee club is hardly wacky, and frankly every time anyone complains about the lack of “realism” on this show, it makes me wonder why they’re watching it at all. I mean, what exactly DO you enjoy about it? The singing, duh! 😛 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/glee-the-guy-in-the-wheelchair/514093.md?page=2)