Audience For Rent: Live! Has Possibly Never Been To A Show Before

Halfway through Fox’s live production of the musical Rent, I can tell you: it’s not excellent. It’s a weird choice for a live broadcast considering the subject matter and general R-Ratedness of the show. For example, one of the main love interests is a 19 year old, heroin-addicted stripper with AIDS. It’s a really fun musical honestly, but watching it on a big network is like watching the Kidz Bop version. Plus, aside from Tinashe as Mimi, Brennin Hunt as Roger, and Vanessa Hudgens as Maureen, the talent ranges from “eh” to seriously bad. If you’re not watching, or are waiting to watch it at a later time, I wouldn’t waste your time.

But the censored swears and mediocre talent is not even the most egregious fault of Rent: Live! That would fall to its live studio audience. Okay, listen. I don’t want to be a wet blanket but have these people never been to a musical before? It’s not a rock concert? Have some manners?? Stop screaming??? Like, I’m watching this to hear these people sing (except for Valentina, who I could have lived without hearing sing) not to hear you go WOOOOO YES QUEEEEEN WERKKK every time any single actor on the stage does anything.

I’m not trying to be rude, but these people are definitely uncultured peasants. If you actually knew what a good performance looked like, you wouldn’t be enjoying this one. And maybe I’m judging the performances too harshly, since it’s not like I could do any better, but regardless, what kind of animal screams the whole time at a musical? I’m embarrassed for these people. They’re what’s wrong with America. They’re why the rest of the world makes fun of “stupid Americans”.

Next time Fox does a musical, they should probably lecture their audience on how not to embarrass America.

#notmyaudience