Category: Jane Lynch

I know Kaiser is the resident psychic here at CB but I’m making a prediction: there will be a Broadway show spoofing the shenanigans going on with Funny Girl. It’s all just so drama, my loves. And it started long before the curtain went up at the August Wilson Theater. Unfortunately, the currently plot involves the mean girl, Lea Michele, having her wildest dreams come true when she steps into the role of Fanny Brice. A lot of us took comfort in the fact that Lea’s great triumph was being rained on by Sue Sylvester herself when Jane Lynch announced she, too, was leaving the production at the same time as Beanie Feldstein. Sure, it’s not uncommon for leads to leave a show at the same time. But in this case, with Lea and Jane having worked together on Glee, it looked like Jane was exiting so she didn’t have to share a moment of stage time with La Lea. However, after receiving an Emmy nomination for her guest appearance on Only Murders in the Building, Jane quashed our fun by saying she was thrilled for Lea and that she absolutely adored her. Humph.

Jane Lynch is looking forward to Lea Michele’s version of Funny Girl.

After star Beanie Feldstein revealed Sunday that she’d be leaving the Broadway musical revival earlier than expected, the Funny Girl production announced Monday that her replacement as Fanny Brice would be Michele. Additionally, Lynch’s role as Brice’s mom will soon be filled by Tovah Feldshuh.

Michele has a previous connection to Funny Girl. Not only has she been outspoken about her love for Barbra Streisand — who originated the role in 1964 — but her Glee character Rachel Berry played the role of Brice in a fictional revival of the show, singing many of the musical’s iconic songs on the Fox series including “Don’t Rain on My Parade.”

In an interview with Deadline Tuesday about her outstanding guest actress in a comedy Emmy nomination for Only Murders in the Building, Lynch, 61, addressed the casting news. She said she and her former Glee costar “have been in touch about it.”

“You know, it was just a really strong idea to have Feldshuh and Lea premiere together. That’s the only reason [we won’t appear together]. I adore her,” she said of Michele. “She’s just going to take this show and make it her own.”

Added Lynch, “I’m so glad she’s getting the opportunity in real life to do the show and not just on Glee.”

[From People]

“She’s just going to take this show and make it her own,” – yeah, that’s what her cast is afraid of. So this is Jane official word, that pairing Lea and Tovah Feldshuh together and having them start at the same time is in the best interest of the play. However, because this is a gossip site, we get to interpret the situation as we see fit. And let’s face it, it’s just much more fun to acknowledge the fact that Jane can say whatever she wants to appear diplomatic, the fact is, she will not have to put up with Lea or her BS because she’s getting the hell out of there.

Now, should Jane be diplomatic? Because Lea is problematic and this whole situation is starting to get an odor to it. It’s possible Jane’s trying to smooth the way for Tovah, who seems to be the only innocent. If Jane pointed out everything wrong with letting Lea and her carpetbag of micro-aggressions in the building, Tovah doesn’t look great appearing next to her. But Jane nixed that theory by saying she adored Lea. Maybe Jane was high on her nomination and forgot all the reasons she shouldn’t say that. Or maybe Jane really does adore Lea and hasn’t been paying attention to everything that’s been said about her, which isn’t a great look for Jane. Who knows? I guess we’ll have to wait until the future Tony-winning show, What’s Going On in August? It’s Funny, Girl! opens.

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