Top Ten ‘Glee’ Performances
#8 – ‘Gold Digger’ – Mr. Shu and Cast
I have a powerful crush on Lea Michele. I find her far more alluring than any of the more traditionally hot cheerleaders on Glee. But my feelings pale in comparison to my wife’s drool-fest over Matthew Morrison.
I notice that many of the shows we’ve enjoyed together have had a similar his-and-her appeal. From David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson in The X-Files to Michael Vartan and Jennifer Garner in Alias. Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton in Friday Night Lights are another great example.
Now, in the case of Glee, I have to admit she has me outmatched. As attractive as I find Lea Michele, it doesn’t help that her character is such a goofy, neurotic kid. Morrison’s character, on the other hand, simply oozes charisma. He’s the sort of funny, earnest, self-deprecating sweetheart who doesn’t realize he’s sexy as hell, except he kind of does.
When Morrison’s Mr. Shu breaks into a hip song-and-dance routine like this take on Kanye West’s ‘Gold Digger,’ his biceps stretching the sleeves of his t-shirt, you can just hear the panties dropping. I have to admit, I find myself questioning my own sexuality during scenes like this.
Here’s a video clip of the scene that includes the beginning of the episode (the series’ second).
Yeah she’s a triflin’ friend indeed
Oh she’s a gold digger way over time
That digs on me
[Chorus:]
(She give me money)
Now I ain’t sayin’ she a gold digger (When I’m in need)
But she ain’t messin’ wit no broke, broke (She steal me money)
Now I ain’t sayin’ she a gold digger (When I’m in need)
But she ain’t messin’ wit no broke, broke(I gotta leave)
Get down girl, go ‘head get down (I gotta leave)
Get down girl, go ‘head get down (I gotta leave)
Get down girl, go ‘head get down (I gotta leave)
Get down girl, go ‘head
[Verse 1:]
Cutie da bomb
Met her at a beauty salon
With a baby Louis Vuitton
Under her under arm
She said I can tell you rock
I can tell by ya charm
Far as girls you got a flock
I can tell by ya charm and ya arm
but I’m lookin’ for the one
have you seen her?
My psychic told me she gonna have a ass like Serena
Trina, Jennifer Lopez, four kids
An’ I gotta take all they bad ass to show-biz
Okay get ya kids but then they got they friends
I pulled up in the Benz, they all got up in
We all went to din and then I had to pay
If you fuckin’ with this girl then you betta’ be paid
You know why
Take too much to touch her
From what I heard she got a baby by Busta
My best friend say she used to fuck with Usher
I don’t care what none of y’all say I still love her
[Chorus:]
(she give me money)
Now I ain’t sayin’ she a gold digger (When I’m in need)
But she ain’t messin’ wit no broke, broke (she give me money)
Now I ain’t sayin’ she a gold digger (When I’m in need)
But she ain’t messin’ wit no broke, broke (I gotta leave)
Get down girl, go ‘head get down (I gotta leave)
Get down girl, go ‘head get down (I gotta leave)
Get down girl, go ‘head get down (I gotta leave)
Get down girl, go ‘head
[Verse 2:]
18 years, 18 years
She got one of yo’ kids, got you for 18 years
I know somebody payin’ child support for one of his kids
His baby momma’s car crib is bigger than his
You will see him on TV, any given Sunday
Win the Superbowl and drive off in a Hyundai
She was supposed to buy ya shorty Tyco with ya money
She went to the doctor got lipo with ya money
She walkin’ around lookin’ like Michael with ya money
Shoulda’ got that insured, GEICO for ya moneeey(your money)
If you ain’t no punk holla’ we want pre-nup
WE WANT PRE-NUP!, yeah
Meet Me In Montauk 
Well, I’m just speechless 🙂
Can’t say that there is any crushing going on in our house during episodes of Glee (save Maddie’s “appreciation” of Puck and her single episode adoration of her beloved NPH), but I do think it’s sweet that Alex always manages to crush on actors and characters who share more than a slight similiarity to her dear husband.
Usually, when ole Shu breaks into a rap, I can’t help but giggle. However, I do agree that this was a great scene. One of the ten best? Eh. Better than yesterday’s Safety Dance? NO WAY. Of course, it wasn’t having the same panty dropping, bicep bulging effect on me that it apparently had on you, so… whatever 😉
i’m so with alex on this one – he’s dreamy (rap or no rap). love this clip!
i love how this show surprises. just saw the “safety dance” episode again, too, and loved it anew. bonus: the song reminded me of kerrie’s graduation.
have to say my favorite performance of last season was lea michele and idina menzel’s cover of “poker face”. i found it so beautiful and moving.
Just finally got the clip to buffer on CNN. My favorite part of the scene? The way Kurt looks at Mercedes when she starts singing and his “jazz”/”Single Ladies” hand movements towards the end of the song.
Oh, and I should be clear that Maddie doesn’t appreciate Puck when he’s throwing Kurt into a garbage can!
Okay, first of all, I’m a bit uncomfortable with Clay crushing on a girl in her early 20’s playing a teenager. Just sayin:)
As for Mr. Sexy Shu–the thing that amazes me about his vocals in this song is that it just could have gone oh so wrong. When I first heard/saw it, I was cringing expecting that this may be the biggest white nerdy rap performance to ever grace the small screen. But damn if the man doesn’t pull it off!
Not sure what to say. I’m with Amy in that, although I have a very healthy appreciation for Mr. Shu and his many talents as a singer, dancer, all-around-good guy, this certainly isn’t higher on my list than Safety Dance.
I will say that I wasn’t at all surprised he pulled this off as Matthew Morrison’s early career in the business was in the world of hip-hop where he was a break dancer. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEFS_c_9xac – Look for him in the opening sequence and the yellow shirt in the studio shots) That said, I was disappointed that of his songs in the first season, so many were rap. He has such a great voice and I feel like it’s wasted on the rap numbers. But hey, the dude’s definitely got swagger! 🙂
No matter, I’m still enjoying the heck out of this countdown!! Keep up the good work. And hey, keep your panties on – you’ve got little kids!
Kerrie, we (Daniel, Maddie and I) could not possibly thank you any more for providing that clip! Maddie is thinking it must figure into a future episode of Glee, when one of the kids (likely Rachel) finds it and holds it over Shu’s head in order to get him to agree to let her perform the song she wants.
Comedy gold!!
Well, I just love to watch him move. I too find him so adorable. i love the way he sings, dances and relates to the kids. I prayed every night he would dump his wife, she just didn’t deserve him. I think this is such a great theme week, we even brought Heather in!
In my defense, no panties have ever dropped! I simply have a deep appreciation of Mr. Shu as a singer and dancer. And he’s hot.