Glee star reveals which episode was his ‘actual breaking point’: ‘I’m not proud’
Glee’s Kevin McHale has spoken out about his “breaking point” on the show. (Getty)
Glee’s Kevin McHale has revealed which episode was his “actual breaking point,” admitting that he was “not proud” of appearing in this particular episode.
McHale appeared in Ryan Murphy’s musical comedy-drama from 2009 to 2015 as aspiring director Artie Abrams. The star, who came out as gay after appearing on the show, revealed on a Glee podcast what he felt was his downfall on the series.
McHale said on the And That’s What You REALLY Missed podcast – which he co-hosts with former co-star Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina Cohen-Chang on the show) – that the episode “Previously Unaired Christmas” was his “actual breaking point”. Fans often dub this as the most controversial episode in the six-season history of the show.
After landing a gig as elves at Santa Land in New York, the episode sees Rachel Berry (Lea Michelle), Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer) and Santana Lopez (Naya Rivera) inhaling helium before singing “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)”.
Back at McKinley High, Marley Rose (Melissa Benoist), Unique Adams (Alex Newell) and Tina (Ushkowitz) perform The Supremes’ “Love Child” whilst Unique portrays a pregnant Virgin Mary, and the whole squad portray the Nativity scene including Becky Jackson (Lauren Potter) – a student with Down syndrome – as baby Jesus.
The episode was initially dubbed “too problematic” to be aired and was heavily edited before making it to our screens.
McHale apologised to those on set during the Nativity scene. “My moustache was causing some sort of allergic reaction, and I was itchy and upset, and it was late at night,” he told listeners.
“[I’m] not proud, but I remember when that number came up, I was like, ‘What are we doing?'”
His co-star recalled filming Harry Belafonte’s “Mary’s Boy Child” which she performed with Newell and Benoist. “It was like… you had to commit so hard because it was so bad. That’s what I felt like in this number,” she offered.
“But that’s the thing: I don’t think it’s supposed to be bad,” McHale said. “It’s supposed to be controversial… But I mean, bad is good when it’s funny. But I didn’t think this was good… this just felt like being controversial for controversial.”
Ushkowitz noted that she “hated this song so much”, but also detested “everything in this episode”.
“I was so angry in everything in this episode,” she explained. “But yet like, watching it, I’m like, ‘This is ridiculous,’ and it’s so funny to me; I couldn’t stop laughing during ‘Mary’s Boy Child.’
“And I hated the number so much. I didn’t want to be there, but I had fun doing it… because the stakes were so low at that point, right?”
And That’s What You REALLY Missed is streaming now wherever you get your podcasts.
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