It's about the way you're viewed
So I just recently started watching a show by the name of Popular. It ran for two seasons from 1999-2001. I would of been a perfect target at the time. I could of been watching Buffy as well, but I don't really remember watching much TV in while in high school.
The Creators are Ryan Murphy (Nip/Tuck, Running with Scissors) and Gina Matthews (13 going on 30, Jake 2.0). Produced by Jamie Babbit (But I'm a Cheerleader, Itty Bitty Titty Committee).
But just like Space Jam or Batman Forever.. I find this show awesome. Yes they go in the same category in my head because the show is just that crazy. Set in Santa Monica, CA. It's about how Brooke and Sam, rivals at Kennedy High, must deal with their parents hooking up.. /gasp
I'm going to list almost every cast member because they are that cool. Spoilerish
Brooke McQueen: Blond but you see her dark roots in ssn 2. Head Glamazon (cheerleader/dance). Queen of the school. Dating the QB. Most popular. Best Grades, best at everything.. Or so it seems..
Keeps people at arms length. Tries to help others instead of herself.
Leslie Bibb: Actually a brunette.. Another reason for me to see Iron Man when it comes out.. Lu from Crossing Jordan (I swear her character got the lesbian kiss of death). Carley from Talladega Nights. Chloe from the Skulls, Line of Fire (tv show that bombed) where she's an FBI agent assigned to the Richmond, VA field office (that there is a technical term). Guess what?? She was raised in Nelson County (Wintergreen Resort / setting for the Waltons) and attended high school in Richmond, Virginia. :D
Sam McPherson. Brunette. Editor of the school newspaper. Wants to be like her father, journalist. Supposedly not pretty. Head of her unpopular clique.. Single mostly. That's still not quite as bad as the chess club.. Was supposed to come out as a lesbian in the 3rd season, maybe.
Carly Pope. Is a Canadian. /sing. She totally has a major oral fixation, I only say this based on the media I've seen. It's nice knowing I'm not the only person that smiles that way, I can't really explain it though. Garbo from Dirt. Searing hot sexy. She had a scene with Alexandra Breckenridge who's character is named Willa McPherson. Alex happened to play the character Amy in the short film D.E.B.S. that included Tammy Lynn Michaels as Max, who happens to be Nicole in Popular. But I'll get to that later... Carly also happens to be Shuli in the Itty Bitty Titty Committee. Now where did I type that before???
There's so much UST between Brooke and Sam. It's a thin line. From what I've read Leslie and Carly became close friends on set. There are some scenes where you can see them trying not to laugh and fail. It's cute. I realize I read into things that aren't there usually, but I SWEAR ITS THERE! ::cough::
Nicole Julian aka Satan. Blond. Second in command of the Glamazons. Brooke's best friend. Complete bitch. Could give Cordelia a run for her money.. She's so mean to everyone and does what ever it takes to stay popular. Takes Wellbutrin just like me.... yeah.. uh huh. Sam = Spam.
Tammy Lynn Michaels. She rocks this role. She's so hardcore I wish she was still acting. Tammy didn't 'come out' until after the show ended. It makes me wonder how comfortable she was with this role, because of the gay bashing her character did. But honestly she didn't discriminate, she hated everyone. Granted it looks cute now /sarcasm... Isn't it ironic that Mrs. Melissa Etheridge is playing this sort of role? tee hee. Some how I don't think she felt like that at the time.
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STUDENTS
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Josh Ford. Blond. Quarterback. Loves acting (theater) and chicken. Manwhore.
Bryce Johnson. Gotta love seeing the turnabout of being a cheerleader in Bring It On Again. (yes I do own that movie).
Mary Cherry (MC). Blond. Callow, greedy, retarded (not really, ok maybe)... Glamazon #3. From Texas, super rich. Always wears fur. Loves Harrison, whom she calls Joe. Goes out of her way to piss off Lily. Always over the top. People have a hard time understanding her. I admit that I probably talk like her most of the time..
Leslie Grossman: Ryan Murphy created this role for her, he liked her that much. Lauren from What I Like About You. Maude in Itty Bitty Titty Committee. Notice a trend here, hokay?! She and Tamara became good friends so they tried to get more scenes together even though their characters hate each other, it makes it more amusing to watch.
Lily Esposito - Brunette. Activist to the extreme. Possibly bi. Kinda butch. Hates MC.
Tamara Mello. Maribel (youngest daughter) in Tortilla Soup.
Carmen Ferrara. Brunette. Sings and plays the guitar. Loves to dance. Not first draft of Glamazons. The Underdog. Wants to be Brooke.
Sara Rue. Claude from Less Than Perfect, but I think I remember her best as a younger Roseanne.. >.> She's lost weight. Love her in any shape as long as she keeps her red hair.
Harrison John. Brunette. Sam's best friend. The Nice Guy.. Been in love with Brooke since they were childhood friends.. Please note the past tense. Plays golf.
Christopher Gorham. Henry in Ugly Betty. Jake of Jake 2.0. Benjamin Barnes in Out of Practice. Dr. Miles McCabe in Medical Investigation. Neil Taggart in Odyssey 5.. Married to Anel Lopez Gorham who plays Poppita Fresh aka Poppy. Glamazon #4 and the only popular brunette.
Michael Bernardino aka Sugar Daddy (SD). Blond. Josh's best friend. Heart of gold, generally. Bit of a pushover when it comes to the Glamazons.
Ron Lester. Billy Bob from Varsity Blues. Reggie Ray from Not Another Teen Movie. SD is like a combo of the two.. After those two movies in 2001, Lester underwent gastric bypass surgery and lost 348 pounds and had 10 plastic surgeries to remove excess skin. He looks SO different.
Emory Dick. Considers Harrison his best friend. Generally the butt of everyone's jokes, but he usually deserves it.. A little too weird.
Hank Harris Pumpkin. From Pumpkin!!!
Exquisite Woo. Exchange student. Love's SD for who he is, not how he looks. Learning English. Harrison was her translator at first. Kinda fades away but still gets mentioned.
Michelle Krusiec. I loved her as Wil in Saving Face. Also in Pumpkin! Currently Mei in Dirty Sexy Money.
George Austin. Season 2 transfer student. All-star Football QB. Sam realizes jocks aren't so bad after all..
Anthony Montgomery Ensign Travis Mayweather from Enterprise.
April and May Tuna. Redheads. Bottom of the pile. These two are just creepy, scary, gross, funny. Stalkerish even. Good intentions, usually. Chicken of the sea.
Adria Dawn and Mandy Freund
Stone Cold Fox Boy. I swear this is his name. Stone Cold = Malibu Ken doll.
Samuel Page Popular was his first show / acting job. More currently Casey from Shark.
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FAMILY
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Jane McPherson. Brunette. Sam's mom. Widow. Sam's dad died a few years prior from cancer.
Lisa Darr: She played Ellen's girlfriend, Laurie. What's better than that?! Are you an advocate of the Advocate?
Mike McQueen. Blond. Brooke's dad. Raised Brooke alone. His wife left them 7 years prior.
Scott Bryce. Craig Montgomery from As the World Turns. /gag
Cherry Cherry. MC's momma. Think of an extreme version of Suzanne and Delta combination. Marrys Erik Estrada.
Delta Burke Designing Women's Suzanne Sugarbaker
Erik Estrada as himself, seriously. Queue CHiPs jokes.
Robin John. Harrison's mom. Lesbian, yay.
Alley Mills Norma Arnold in the Wonder Years.
Kelly McQueen Foster. Brooke's paternal mother.
Peggy Lipton. The ORIGINAL Julie Barnes of the Mod Squad. Twin Peaks' Norma.
Joy Ferrara. Carmen and Leo's mom.
Susan Ruttan Roxanne Melman from L.A. Law
Jean Ford. Josh's mom.
Dey Young. Kate from Rock 'n' Roll High School!!
Leo Ferrara. Carmen's brother. Got the bad boy look, but a sweetie.
Christopher Wiehl Hank from CSI. blah.
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TEACHERS
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Bobbi "Bio" Glass aka the Claw. Teaches Bio, and later Chem. Androgynous but not in a sexy way. Favors Brooke (teacher's pet) Likes (Vice)Principal Krupps and Harrison. Makes fun of everyone. Class sits in alphabetical order so Sam and Brooke are forced to sit together, she dubbed them McSisters.
Diane Delano She actually plays about 4 different roles. All members of the Glass family. Miss Roberta 'Bobbi' Glass/Nurse Jessi Glass/Rock Glass/Uncle Tipton.
Principal Calvin Krupps His aunt is the lunch lady Vera Krupps. Brings his brother Casey in as the Football Coach. (Played by Eric Mabius: Tim from the L Word and Ugly Betty's Daniel Meade.
Robert Gant Professor Ben Bruckner in Queer As Folk
Mr. Vincent First drama teacher? mega flare for the dramatics.. Later replaced.
Darryl Theirse Mr. Tibbs in the D.E.B.S. short film. :D
Mr. Grant
Chad Lowe Reed Pollock in 24. Jesse McKenna in Life Goes On.
Sandra Oh is in the first two episodes as the Humanities Teacher then she disappears. Leaves a mark though, imo.
Hellacious Akers.
Michelle Phillips. The Mamas and the Papas!
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OTHERS
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Godfrey - Slimy guy that always has a different job through out the series.
Bob Clendenin Dr. Zeltzer in Scrubs
Wanda Ricketts
Clea DuVall. But I'm a Cheerleader, Itty Bitty Titty Committee (Oh look again... and both Jamie Babbit) Heroes. Carnivale
Adam Rothchild Ryan. Male version of Nicole.
Wentworth Miller Michael Scofield in Prison Break
Ann-Margret is God, literally, to which my father and I say hallelujah, amen! Praise be to God. >:-)