Missed Notes

You know I fancy myself a musical junkie. I’ve written of my admiration and cult-like following of Rent and the Dreamgirls soundtrack but I seem to missing something when it comes to the pop culture phenomenon of High School Musical. I tried watching the first one but couldn’t relate. So naturally, I tried it again with HSM2 but nothing. I flipped after 2 minutes.

I like cheesy corny musicals and teenybopper movies but HSM is over my head. I just found out that it was a movie and not a TV series. I really had no clue. I recently celebrated my goddaughter’s 10th birthday with dozens of hysterical tweens, loads of sugary ice cream and an hour of HSM reenactments. The budding musical majors knew all the words and choreography. I felt like my mother at that Menudo concert back in ’86. Clueless.

To make me feel even more out of it, the parents and a few stray college students knew the lyrics. I was just getting used to the idea of Hannah Montana. Now I have to contend with Gabrielle and Sharpay. What the hell is a Sharpay? Plus resident hottie Zac Efron is a bit feminine for me but hey I thought Duran Duran was the height of manliness witht their glistening lip gloss.

Now that I’ve admitted my deep dark secret of not getting HSM, I’ll admit that the marketing is genius. They float the lyrics to the songs on the bottom of the screen making it mandatory to buy the soundtrack. The cast of 17-23 year olds caters to a wide cross section of viewers. It’s a diverse cast so every child sees themselves in one character. Brilliant! I just wish the songs weren’t so awful but who am I to talk I like Let’s Bowl Tonight from that monster stinker Grease 2. Don’t even get me started on Cool Rider.

Maybe I’m just too old or shall I say. The Real World now repulses me. I no longer think a Mardi Gras visit would be fun. Who knows? I don’t have to be in on every trend. I mean I let tube tops and Bermuda shorts pass me by but I’m usually hip to the musicals.

Have I missed the boat? What do you think of HSM?