1322 – Legally Blonde, the Musical | Act 1
Oh my god, oh my god, you guys, Scooter’s here to drone poetic on one of his favorite musicals
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Episode 1322 – Legally Blonde, the Musical | Act 1
[START OF RECORDING]
SCOOTER: Ellel right, friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it's time for the podcaster who's here to talk about Woods, comma, Elle, in…the musical about Woods, comma, Elle, Elle Woods, Legally Blonde. If any of that…if you say, what is sleepy about that? I say, well, don't worry; it'll take me forever to get there. But if you're new, welcome to Sleep With Me. It's a podcast to put you to sleep, to keep you company. It's very different than what you may expect. It's kind of like sitting around with a friend who…you say, okay, tell me about your past couple of weeks. Well, I saw Legally Blonde: The Musical five times. Okay. Really? Yeah.
I'm going to tell you all…well, I'll start telling you all about it, but it'll probably take me an hour to get going. Perfect; I'm about to take a nap. Is that okay? You're gonna take a nap while I tell you about Legally Blonde: The Musical? Yeah, that was my plan. You see, that's…well, is this Sleep With Me the podcast or is this a real world…? In the real world, I'd expect you to listen to me. No, this is Sleep With Me pod…okay. If I'm just doing an episode of Sleep With Me podcast, that's fine. Yeah. So, I'll talk about that. So, that’s kind of the sense of the show. If you're new here, welcome. Like I said, earlier, it takes a few tries to get used to this show, but I'm glad you're here. I really hope this podcast can help you out if you've been having trouble sleeping.
The way it works is we'll have some support, then we're having a long, meandering intro that'll ease you into bedtime, and then after the intro, I'll talk a little bit about Dan Harmon’s Story Circle, story structure…story structure in sleep podcasts, and then the first act of Legally Blonde: The Musical. I'll be here about an hour, and this is the kind of a podcast that you just barely listened to. So, I'm really glad you're here. I work really hard. We're able to do this twice a week in this ad-supported version ‘cause of people that support the sponsors, support the show directly, send out their kindness, spread the word about podcasting in general or about this show…and I'm really happy to help, be able to help you on a regular basis…or if you're new, to give it a try and see how it goes. So, yeah, I'm glad you're here, and these are a couple of ways we're able to do it for you.
Intro: Hey, are you up all night tossing, turning, mind racing? Trouble getting to sleep? Trouble staying asleep? Well, welcome. This is Sleep With Me, the podcast that puts you to sleep. We do it with a bedtime story. Ellels you need to do is get in bed, turn out the lights, and press Play. I'm going to do the rest. What I'm going to attempt to do is create a safe place where you could set aside whatever is keeping you awake. That could be thoughts, things you're thinking about, thoughts about the past, the present, the future, thinking thoughts, or thoughts that are…rambling thoughts with specific thoughts. It could be feelings, anything coming up for you emotionally related to those thoughts, feelings that are left over from the day, feelings that are just making an appearance. You know, feelings. Oh, boy.
There's been songs about feelings, right? Does Barbara Streisand have a song about feelings? Or is that…be about people? I got feelings about people. Holy cow. So, feelings about people, it could be physical sensations, it could be people, too. You could be sleeping next to somebody who's sound asleep already. While we're so happy for them, we're also…you know, oh boy, are we happy for you. Oh, you're snoring so soundly. Yeah, we're really happy for you. But we are on some level. So, it could be that person, but we’re not gonna…we're going to distract you from that eventually. But it could be physical sensations, it could be changes in in time, temperature, routine, you could be working a different shift, you could be traveling, you could have guests, you could be going through something.
The only reason I talk about this kind of stuff or go through it is because you deserve to know — and this is just from my perspective — as lonely as it can feel, or isolating or…man, nobody gets this; nobody knows what it's like for me at bedtime. I want to let you know that maybe somebody out there does. Or, here's the thing; I'm pretty sure someone out there does. If I can't relate to how you feel — because I may be able to relate to even the underlying feelings if I haven't been through something similar — I think that there's someone out there listening somewhere in the world right now who can relate to how you feel, and they really feel for you. If you're new, they're glad you're here, and they say, man, I hope this podcast can help you like it helped me.
If you're a regular listener, it's kind of like seeing a friend in the deep, dark night. Like, hey, glad you're back. You know what I mean, though? ‘m not glad you're back, but I really hope this podcast can help. I'm glad we're here together. Maybe more like that; glad we're here together. So, like…I don't know why that is so important to me as a maker of this podcast, but it is. Trust me, I've had a couple nights this week where I couldn't sleep, and it wasn't even…I don't even know what it was. Like, it wasn't thoughts or feelings. Maybe after a while it became physical sensations, but that was after I was already having a strong reaction and not being able to fall asleep. But two nights in a row, I just couldn't fall asleep. I had cut caffeine out early and everything. I don't know.
I don't know, sometimes it's thoughts, sometimes it's feelings, sometimes it's physical sensations, and sometimes it's just beyond me. So, whyever…whyever or however, whatever you're here for, I hope this show can help you out, I guess is my thing, because I know it's not great. I also know that you deserve a good night's sleep. You deserve a place where you get the rest you need so your life is more manageable, so that you tomorrow you're not as tired, and that your life…you could be out there living your life. That's important. I mean, if you're out there flourishing in the world, that means our world's a better place to be in. That's a pretty important thing. You know, you deserve bedtime where you don't have to dread going to bed.
On the third night for me, after two nights like that, it's like, oh man, I don't even want to go to bed. So, at least for…if you become a regular listener, if this podcast does help you out, you say, well, at least I got that dude. He's gonna…is he really going to ramble about Legally Blonde and not even be able to get through the whole musical? Is he going to talk about a musical in real time again? I say, well, almost. I mean, I guess the episode's almost as long as the first act, but I don't talk about it the whole time because I go on so many tangents. So, yeah, I hope this podcast can help you. That's what I mean. Whatever you're here…the way it works is I send my voice across to the deep, dark night.
I use lulling, soothing, creaky, dulcet tones, pointless meanders, and superfluous tangents, which means I'm going to go off topic, I'm going to get mixed up, I'm going to forget what I was talking about, then I'll double back. I'll say, wait a second, what was I talking about? I'll use a lot of filler…Sleep With Me…it's like, fill ‘er up with filler words. I got a wagon…well, I have…I had a wagon full of filler words, but I spilled it everywhere. That kind of sounds like a country song, too. Maybe…oh, was that one that Emmet Otter and the Jug Band Christmas never put out? I had…what is it? I had…oh no, theirs was ‘I had a bucket full of filler words, and they all spilled out’. Something like that. They said, where are you going? Oh, I'm going to market with all these filler words.
Mama otter said, Scooter, take these…I've been working on these filler…you seem to naturally produce these filler words, but I've cleaned them and prepared them for sale, and now I just need you, during the waking day, to take this wagon full of filler words down to market, and then we’ll…no longer…‘cause we want to get…your brother Emmet's got musical talent, and we can’t be…we’d prefer not to put a hole in the washtub anymore. I'd say, mom, mama, are you sure…? Don't you think I'm the least qualified person to take…? I mean, come on, mama, can't Emmet bring the…? He's got music…he’s got band practice. Then I would probably get back with the wagon, and I’d feel…she'd be like, are you sure you didn’t spill those filler words by…on purpose? Well, no, mama. I was just…you know, I’m a…I was daydreaming.
What were you daydreaming of? Oh…really mama, do you want me to tell you? Yeah, please, Junior. That I was in the River Bottom Fun Time Band, that I was the lead singer, and at the contest where Emmet and his buddy that plays the jug plays. What kind of otter dreams of those things? I don't know, but then the…then all of a sudden, I forgot…I was like, wait, am I pulling a wagon? Then she said, I thought you were making a sleep podcast intro. Yeah, full of filler words, so I had to get rid of some of the filler words. Thanks, thanks for the help, mama otter. No problem, scooter. It's good thing you're my imaginary…there's nothing I've ever been more grateful for than the fact that you're my imaginary son. No problem, mama otter.
Job done. Okay, so, I send my voice across the deep dark night, I use lulling, soothing, creaky, dulcet tones, pointless meanders, superfluous tangents, which we just witnessed. One, I don't even know how I got there, but we go off-topic, I get mixed up, and this is a show that does take some getting used to, one, ‘cause it's a podcast you just barely listen to. Yeah, you kind of barely listen to it, which is different than a regular podcast that you actually pay attention to. It's kind of like background noise, like a TV on in the other room or you're streaming something under your pillow with your phone turned down or a friend talking. You say, can you just talk for my benefit, but I'm not gonna pay attention to you? Yeah, I could I could try. Could you do that two or three times a week?
Well, there's a guy that does a pod…he's been doing it like, eleven years, I think. Really? Okay. Let's see if we could get him over here. Well, I don't know, he’s wandering around. He's been asked by mama otter not to return until he collected all the meanders. Meanwhile, Emmet Otter…did you hear Emmet Otter's new hit single? It's called My Brother’s Finally Gone. No, it's…I don't know, something about spilling something out of a wagon. Which is the song? Well, it said…that's in parentheses, that part. It's My Brother’s Finally Gone, and little does he know that there's…I don't know what the River Time Fun Time Band would say. Okay, anyway, so, what was I saying? It does take some getting used to to listen to a podcast. Even if you've never had a friend that's bored you to sleep before, you're in for a treat.
This will be your first time. So, not only does it take some getting used to, but for most people — and this is people that support the show directly that have told me this, and I mean a lot of people — it takes two or three tries. At first you're probably skeptical, you might be doubtful, you might be tired and grouchy if you're anything like me, and you found your way to this podcast via search or somebody told you about it, or you just stumbled upon it, kind of like me out there with the meanders. I'm like…I’m sniffing daisies. Meanwhile, the wagon full of meanders is rolling away. Luckily…you know, if I was at band practice, it wouldn't have been a problem, but apparently…actually, factually, I have no musical talent, so, mama was right. It's a different version mama tried.
Mama tried to send me out with the wagon full of meanders, but it's only me to blame, you know? So, okay, where was I? That was a…I got meandered. You've been meandered. Oh, most people don't like this show, and…when they first get here, ‘cause you're skeptical, you're doubtful, you have some reasonable expectation of what a sleep podcast would be, and then you kind of get here and I'm rambling. So, it just takes some getting used to to realize, oh, when he was talking about walking around with those filler words, it wasn't a wagon. He even forgot he had a wagon full of filler words, not meanders. He was meandering with a wagon full of filler words. He was serious; his show is always going nowhere. Like, oh, now I get it.
Then there's another realization, which is like, I had no idea something like this could exist, and this works for me. It doesn't work for everybody, right? I wish it did. I wish I could help every person that couldn't sleep in the world. But the people that it worked for, they're like, whoa, I didn't know I was looking for this my whole life. So, I hope that's you. But to find out if it's you, it usually takes two or three tries, and sometimes it takes two or three tries over years. It's just, people have a strong reaction to this kind of stuff. Now, if your reaction is so strong, you've passed the point of no return, I do have a website set up, sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou, which has other sleep podcasts and sleepy stuff on there.
‘Cause you still deserve a good night's sleep even if you don't like me or the style of the show or it doesn't help you out. I want you to sleep. So, that's there. The other thing…so, this is a sleep podcast and I've been doing this a long time, but this show actually doesn't put you to sleep. I'm here to keep you company while you fall asleep, to take your mind off of stuff over here while you fall asleep over there. There is no pressure to fall asleep with this show. I'm going to be here over an hour for a reason, because there's people who are listening who need a break during the day or who can't sleep at all, kind of like me the past couple nights. I'm here to be your…I’m here to be here to the very end of the episode whether you're listening or not. I really think that's what works about the show.
I'm here for you to barely entertain you, but you don't need to listen to me. I'm here to be your bore-friend, your bore-bae, your bore-sib, your bore-bud, your neigh-bore, your Borbie, your bores…what do we…? What was that…? Your Borlaf, your Boris Borlaf…Coris Borlaf, your best bore-friend forever, your bore-sib, your bore-bruh, whatever it is. I'm here to keep you company while you fall asleep or if you need me during the day or if you wake up and you can't sleep. So, those are the important things to know about the show; most people don't like it, it takes some getting used to, it doesn't work like it's supposed to. Because, I don't know, for me, there's so much pressure around sleep and expectations. The expectation of the show is I'm just here for you to keep you company and barely entertain you.
Maybe that works, maybe it doesn't. Elleso, the other thing I want you to know about is the structure of the show, just so I can get to meet you where you are if you're new or you're a regular listener. I do explain this every episode, but it's still like…I don't know, I just want to make sure you know why the show's structured the way it's structured and how you could change it if you become a regular listener and you're like, I prefer it this way. So, the show has three main parts; the greeting, which is friends behind the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and then I say something silly, which kind of gives you a sense you're welcome here, and the nature of the show. So, that's the first part of the show. Then separate from the three parts of the show is support.
Most people prefer to listen to an ad-supported version of the show linearly. So, then there's support. If you prefer something without ads, you could get that at Sleep With Me+. Then after that is a long, meandering intro. Now, the intro is meant to introduce you to the podcast unsuccessfully, ‘cause then I get a wagon full of filler words and I wander around with it, and then I start having…these things just start appearing in my brain. Mama otter, my jealousy of Emmet Otter…somehow found a journal, like a fanfiction journal, somewhere in my brain. I say, so, there's a otter in my…no, there's a part of my brain that writes fanfiction as a journal about Emmet Otter's brother, who doesn't necessarily exist, but it's in there somewhere, and he doesn't seem to be the most…he's relatable to me, but not the most happiest fellow.
What did I have…? Oh, the structure of the show. The intro goes on and on and on. It's just…it's a show within a show where it follows a familiar structure every time, but every intro is different so it has familiarity and variety, which I think are two important things for a sleep podcast. It also has a wind-down period. So, the intro doesn't put most listeners to sleep. It does put a small percentage of listeners to sleep, but for most people, it's a part of their bedtime wind down, easing into bedtime, getting ready for bed, or doing a chill activity. That's what's just been shown to work and what's been…frustrating when I can't sleep, and I say, wait, I'm following my wind-down time. What's up? But that's what the intro is.
If you find out…like, you become a regular listener, you can listen to free…like a ad-supported version of the show, story-only, Bedtime Stories From Sleep With Me, or if you listen on Sleep With Me+, you get an entire podcast full of story-only episodes in addition to full episodes without ads and other stuff. But for most people, the intro eases them into bedtime. It's a time to hang out, get to know one another, listen to me ramble, see where I get mixed up and go off topic. Then there's support. Again, most people prefer this ad-supported version, and they listen to it…maybe they set a sleep timer for forty-five, sixty minutes, thirty minutes. So, after the support is our bedtime story. Tonight it’ll be about the first act of the musical Legally Blonde, and kind of looking at Dan Harmon's Story Circle and story structure.
So…and that'll…yeah, and then I'll be here…that'll end in about an hour or an hour from when we started, a little bit more than that. So, that's the structure of the show. That’s why I make the show. I'm really glad you're here. I work really hard; so do a bunch of other people. We really yearn and strive to help you fall asleep. It really means a lot to me because I hear from people that are struggling in the deep dark night, particularly people that listen to the show in this ad-supported version linearly, or people that have supported the show for years. I'm just glad to be able to help, especially to something I can unfortunately relate to. So, I'm really glad you're here. I appreciate you coming by, and here's a couple of ways we're able to do it for you twice a week. Thanks.
Ellel right, hey everybody. This is Scoots here, and this is a style of episode we haven't done in a while, but I've been meaning to do it for a long time. So, I'll do a little bit of setup here, and then we'll go into the lulling details. So, just this past two weekends, my daughter performed in a musical, Legally Blonde: The Musical. My daughter's a theater kid. She's been in a lot of shows over the years, and I go to a lot of the performances. Every performance I try to…you know, I really start to appreciate the nuance; all the acting and the singing and the dancing, but I also start to really appreciate the story of the musical because I'm watching it so many times, right? Kind of like a TV recap podcast. At some point during these musicals, I do start to think about the storytelling structure, particularly Dan Harmon's Story Circle.
So, I'll touch on that briefly and then more in-depth. We did do a really in-depth episode about that back in 2016, I guess it was. Holy moly. Is that when it was, 2016? Man. Maybe we'll re-release that episode around the time this episode comes out. I don't know. But so, when I'm watching the musical, I do try to pay attention to the story, but I have this issue with everything where I don't really…that's what makes me skilled for a sleep podcast, is I don't necessarily…my retention of things and my processing works differently than that. So, it's…but I kept paying a lot of attention to this musical. It was a really good musical. This will be separate. This isn't a review, but I really think it's a good musical.
The performance I went to at Corso was really good with the dancing and the dance breaks and the music, so, shout out to anybody involved in that production, either the youth or the adults, and I'll link to that. But probably wherever you're listening to this, there probably is, within the next six to twelve months, a performance of Legally Blonde: The Musical going on at some high school or youth theater or local theater. So, I highly recommend checking that out and checking it out in general. I mean, I don't think…I don't necessarily think there would be Sleep With Me without local performances and the people that love performing. I wouldn't have…going to those things kind of showed me actually a painful gap, seeing other adults of varying ages following through on something in their spare time after work.
Knowing I wasn't doing that, actually eventually motivated me to change and make Sleep With Me. So, we owe Sleep With Me to theater kids who became adults as well as theater kids. So, okay, so, let's talk about Dan Harmon's Story Circle and story structure briefly. Hopefully I won't go on a twenty-five-minute tangent about this in a positive way, but…and why is story structure important for a sleep podcast, briefly. Okay, let's start with the why…well, I'll try to do this brief…brief, brief, briefest of brief is…why is story structure important to a sleep podcast, you may be wondering, or hopefully you're just barely listening right now. But if you are, it's a legitimate question.
It's a question I've gotten…I get asked at varied degrees of intensity, including — even though I've been doing this a long time — people telling me that it's not essential to the show. But I believe it actually is for two reasons; the effectiveness of the show and the ability to make the show. So, while Sleep With Me's episodes do not follow a strict structure, they do tend to follow a structure, and I have used my own kind of version of Dan Harmon's Story Circle or the hero's journey or whatever as a part of my outlining process. But, okay, so, why from the listener side…and again, I always say this; yeah, I could be Don Quixote, so that's…and I'm fine with being the Don Quixote of sleep podcasts and chasing these windmills, ‘cause it gives me purpose and makes me able to do the work, which is the second layer.
But it's my belief…I don't want to get too deep into this, but why have people been telling bedtime stories and why do people tell each other stories? Why do we tell children's stories? At bedtime, are we, without a sleep podcast, telling ourselves some sort of story when we can't sleep, whether it's thoughts, feelings, physical sensations or something else? I believe that part of us…narrative is important to us. Yeah, maybe I could be wrong, or I could say for me…but I do believe it because I'm making the show for you. So…and I think narrative typically has a structure, and that structure offers some sort of reassurance, and it's just something our brains are naturally doing, I think. It's harder to see when it's an internal story about ourselves and where all of the stakes and all the characters…you know what I mean?
If it's thoughts, feelings, or physical sensations that are keeping us awake. Now, that's not the only reason you can't sleep, because I haven't slept in a couple days and I don't even know…I haven't been thinking; I just haven't been able to sleep. I haven't had thoughts, feelings, or physical sensations blocking me from sleep. So, I realize that, but then at the same time, that narrative structure can offer comfort and familiarity. Again, what I believe with Sleep With Me is that that works whether you're awake or asleep, whether you're listening or not. While this ad-supported, free podcast isn't great for all-night listening, it's just not really designed for that, there are a lot of people that listen all night long. I don't know. So, I just think having some sort of familiar structure, I don't know, puts us at ease.
It's familiar because that's how stories are structured. It doesn't have to be perfect or whatever, especially with Sleep With Me. But it's also…and again, this is hard to understand as a listener, but there's a lot that goes into making this show and a lot of effort, and if it doesn't have narrative structure, it's not…this show is not a matter of me just sitting down for a hour, hitting Record, and then being done. There is a lot of thought, effort, and rigor that goes into making this show, even when I'm recording it. Just sitting down and riffing for a hour would not be sustainable. I could do that maybe…I could have done that for maybe six months or a year. Well, I mean, even a few months into the podcast, we found the structure of not just making the episodes, but releasing the episodes.
Because it's like…it’s tough to describe if you're not in my shoes, but the idea of talking for a hour where I don't know where I'm going…like, structure even in the improv episodes we do…this one is kind of an improv episode. I mean, I have a bunch of research, but I don't have…I mean, I have a generalized outline. But so, without that structure, it would be really…it would take me out of the relaxing flow, because I can't say…be like, well, when do I end this or whatever? I just don't think it would work for the people that Sleep With Me works for. Now, there’s…when I started the show, this wasn't really a thing, boring stories for adults, bedtime stories for grownups. Maybe there was like…I mean, it just wasn't a thing.
So, now…and one of the things when people heard about Sleep With Me…was like, oh, I can do that too, because I'll just be really boring. That might work for some people, but I don't believe it's what works about Sleep With Me. It's not…I just…I'm not capable of doing that. So…so, okay, so, I think that makes sense, right? So, the reason the show’s structure is…because I believe that maybe we're wired for structure on some level. Maybe it helps us relax, maybe, or particularly have…if you already have some sort of narrative in your head, even if it's not a well-structured one, having an external narrative where you have no stakes…that's why people listen to sitcoms or whatever, or procedurals, is like…like, they put a TV show on…is because there's no…you don't have any stakes in that.
So, having a story that's distracting where you're not…you don't have any stakes in it helps you fall asleep. That's just my belief. Okay, so, then we get into story structure, and there's a lot of different story structures out there, and over the years I've used two different ones. There's a few I haven't used, and there was other writing I was doing before I made Sleep With Me, but I did kind of…and structure is not going to solve everything, right? But I think at some point…yeah, I've heard about…Dan Harmon, who made Community and makes Rick and Morty, was talking about how he adapted his version or just his thoughts on the hero's journey in a kind of easier-explained version of it, right? Ellel right, let me look at my notes here, because it'll help. But, whatever; I said, okay, this works.
Particularly for me…nowadays if you listen…I guess I don't want to get too much into breaking stories for Sleep With Me ‘cause I talk about it at the end of every season of everything we do, but yeah, I still kinda use this basic model now. I don't know, I just like it when it's like…I'll write for a while, and then I'll be like, okay, what's the structure of this episode? Then I'll make…I'll take a page into four sections and start going around. Okay, so, let's see…I pulled all this off the internet here. Okay, yeah, a simplified version of Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey, and…should we run through it? Well, the shortest version is ‘you need go search, find, take, return, change’. So, eight basic story moments, right?
Then the one thing is like, you or the character-you is in the…like, in their normal world, ordinary world, comfort zone…need…hey, I need something or something's not right, go, crossing the threshold, entering the new world, or somebody we don't know comes to town or whatever. Search, rise…whatever, rising challenges? I don't…trials and tribulations, proving…I don't know, particularly in this one…and I think once we get into these ones, it's like where strict…you don't have to be strict about — especially with Sleep With Me — where these start to fall, but they do tend to fall this way. Okay, find…this is where…this is Dan Harmon's writing about it. They get what they wanted, but it wasn't what they expected or not how they expected or whatever. Whoa, boy, does that apply to this musical or what?
Take the consequences…okay, let me read a little bit more about this, because this is one of the harder ones, right? They've got what they wanted, but now there's consequences to their actions. They got to pay a price, like whether it's giving something up or facing their inner challenges. Lights are usually…lights could be off for this moment, and they see the non-positive impact of their journey. But this is the big part of it, right? So…and this gets interesting into this musical. Okay, so, then you got return, the journey home. They start to make their way back to the ordinary world, but they're not the same person. They're changed, fundamentally different, which comes up in eight; change, the new normal. They return to original setting, but they're transformed. Okay, and that can be metaphorical, right?
What else do we need to know? I think it's pretty good. It's really cool. Unfortunately, the only time I met Dan, I was like more caught in my own nervousness and I hadn't practiced much small talk. So, I wasn't like at my best to be able to talk about this stuff. I mean, I’d probably need…I'm like a, you know, overthinker, so…we didn't really get…Dan tried to talk to me about it, actually, about the episode I did. I was kind of like, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh. So, okay…so, what's interesting to me when I was watching Legally Blonde: The Musical and thinking about this structural model for stories is…okay, there was…I think there's…I think there's twenty songs in the musical, eleven in the first act and nine in the second act. So, I was like, okay, that's interesting…oh, how the songs fall.
Again, when we get into the mid-mid and late-mid parts of the story, that's where it gets difficult to analyze for me, because…that's why telling a good, complete story is so difficult. So, it's cool to have a model that kind of is helpful like this. But that's why good stories are so rare, right? I mean, particularly I talked about…as I was getting towards making the podcast and trying to figure out screenwriting and all that, I read a lot of amateur screenplays that were people in the same position as me, because there was just a website where you could exchange them or whatever, get credits for reading other people's. I read so many screenplays they had where I was…the first act or either the comedy, the dialogue, the characters or the first act or even the second part of the second act were so amazing.
But I didn't really read very many or…that had it, that had it all together. I said, wow, this thing is so strong and such a strong concept. I mean, I suffered from the same issue, so, it is a case of I spot it, I got it, right? So, let's see if I can tell the story of Legally Blonde: The Musical through the structure of the music…like it, through talking about the structure, so that I don't have to introduce you. But it is based on the movie. It's been a long time since I've seen the movie. I did not read the book, but I'm pretty sure the movie is based on the book and the musical is based on the movie. But I will say, like I said, it's a great musical. I think particularly for youth, it's…I mean, there's just…it's very high energy, or the performance I went to is, but it is a coming of age story.
So, I think it’s cool, especially for teenagers — this show is high school and early college students — to perform it. It is about a woman on her journey through womanhood. So, I think it's important, especially as a father of a daughter and a lot of the obstacles that are in her path. So…okay, so, just in case you're a fan of the movie or you're…the book or whatever, one of the things I talked to my daughter about after one of the performances is like…I was like, man, it really makes me want to watch the movie, ‘cause I wonder how they did some of this stuff in the movie, because there's so much that they can express in song that you can…that would be really hard to express in subtext in a movie. I was like, holy cow. So, I will watch the movie.
So, okay, so, let's get to…okay, so, the ordinary world is what we're looking for first, right? This is really well done in the musical. The musical opens with…I mean, it's a really well done, because…so, the first song is called Oh My God You Guys, and I think it's a two-part song. I don't know, I don't…so, just in case you're a expert at musical structures or rules of musicals, I know nothing. So, I'm just one of those people that's going to spout out about musicals. So…I mean, I know there's some something called the I Want Song or whatever, but I really don't know. So, I know nothing, just to clue you in on that. So, this is not a instructional thing. This is just something that I think is interesting and sleepy.
So, okay, so, the first song is…it opens with the Delta News, which is Elle Woods, who will meet in a little while, who…we’ll follow her on her journey…this is her sorority and apparently her sorority house. So, it opens with her…the members of her sorority but not Elle talking about Elle getting engaged to Warner. It takes place in UCLA, and a couple things to note is that…and again, this is only my interpretation; Elle seems to be like beloved. So, she's very…she's beloved. Yeah I think that's a safe thing to say, maybe even the leader of this group of women. Let me see what other my notes…so, first we see them singing and they're talking about…oh wait, I have another page of notes, so let me go to that page. Okay, yeah, so…Delta New…we haven't met Elle yet. We're just having this build up, and that's the first thing.
Yeah, her friends are so happy for her, so…very excited. I guess you could say it's like…it doesn't…I don't think anything other than…this does not look down on anybody, at least my interpretation this musical. Well it does satire…whatever, it…but it is a pretty traditional exaggerated version of a California sorority house. Oh, another thing I would say that's gonna be important is that it establishes the values of her ordinary world, which is…like right now, a traditional marriage, traditional marriage role, and as a upwardly-mobile couple. Maybe that's a gross generalization, but…but what I really like is that in the second-half of the song,
we meet Elle.
Elle is at the mall picking out the perfect dress for her engagement to Warner, which is what we're anticipating will happen very soon, and what her sorority members are excited about. Still the first song, Oh My God You Guys. Now, this is…again, as far as the story goes, this is so…such a great thing, because we see very quickly…we already know Elle's beloved and well…whatever, a leader. Her friends are happy for her genuinely, and that she's going to get engaged to this Warner guy. Then we see this little scene…I mean, I guess in a musical, there's no throwaway scenes, but that the saleswoman tries to get the best of Elle, but we see that she is the master of this domain. I think that sounds like I'm reading from a story structure book, but it really is. She says, oh, no, no, no, this is my world.
You're working with me in my world. She's just trying to find the perfect dress, and nothing gets by Elle Woods. I don't see any other notes about it. The dress will seal the deal, make a grown man kneel. But so, even with the selecting of the dress, she's really thinking about it. Maybe you could say that these values are shallow or materialistic, but I think it's almost…even the surface of the surface of the musical. What I like more about it is…I don't know, I guess even though it's imaginary, there is a realness to it. I don't know, maybe it's just where I was, right? Okay, so, that's you, Elle Woods, master of her domain, Delta New, getting the perfect dress to get engaged. So, then ‘need’; this is another one that really just comes out.
That's what happened; like, man…okay, like, you need…I think in this one, it's like, you could say, oh, something is missing, something's incorrect, right? The song is sung by Warner, who sings the song Serious. So, they're meeting at dinner. With Elle, the expectation is that they're going to be engaged. This is their…whatever, they're getting ready to graduate from college. This is going to be the next phase of their relationship in their life. Storybook…UCLA storybook, A Sorority Story. So, this song is sung by Warner, mostly, and then Elle. At first it's serious, like, oh, we're getting serious about this relationship, but we realize…oh, so, Warner's like…I don't know, I guess we'll explain it.
Here's the other thing, is like, I feel like there's multiple B characters or whatever you want to call them, but that have their own kind of mini-arcs like Emmett, Warner, and…now I forget the other character's name ‘cause I'm just thinking of the actress that played her in the movie. But so…okay, but so, even Warner, who is probably…even Warner has a actual small arc, where at the end…Warner is not necessarily a deep person, but…anyway, I just I wanted to mention that. But even Warner's a flawed…a character that needs to do some growth. So, okay…so, Elle goes there, expects them to get engaged, but they…Warner sings the song Serious. Now let's see where I got any lyrics…I'm gonna be a senator by the time I'm thirty. I need someone serious. Any other things…?
I need someone less a Marilyn, more of a Jackie. Then Elle even says, I'm from Malibu, man. What do you mean? But that's basically it. He’s going to Harvard Law to start his journey, kind of interesting. Different than the characters in Multiplex, because Warner seemed to be doing it from…well, maybe the similar…but Warner's following this path of ivy towards what he was thinking is going to be greatness, and Elle was part of this ordinary world. He's going to his new world, and he needs to get serious and be with someone serious who could be…you know, he thinks he's on to greatness, and Elle's just not serious enough.
So, of course she's hurt, shocked, very sad. Let me…okay, so, I had to get the the the playbill, ‘cause I was like, man, the second…the third thing…so, ‘go’…so, I don't know, this next song…I think this is where story structure gets interesting, ‘cause it's kind of in between ‘need’ and ‘go’. The other thing is that it starts to show us who Elle really is in a good way as…she's a heroine. It also shows…it's her first challenge, right? How is she going to react to Warner telling her they're breaking up because she's not serious enough and he's going to Harvard Law? Elle's reaction is…so, it's only one song, but it's…it takes place in multiple venues and in multiple…it has multiple layers, even to what you want, because what you want is right in front of you. Okay, let me see.
So, I don't know if it is…I think it's close…it's ‘go’, but she's not crossing the threshold. So, again, this is where for…I struggle. Like, oh boy…I don’t know, this is why story structure is timeless. Okay, so…so, this part of the story, Elle decides, one, what do you mean, Warner? What you want is right in front of you, and I am serious, so I guess I just got to prove I'm serious now. How do I prove I'm serious? Get into Harvard Law. Okay, well, that's not exactly easy. But again, we want Elles who are going to be rooting for all the way to the end. So, what…? Oh, also, Elle's portrayed as…I don't think I got to this; like a stereotypical blonde, like surface-wise, I think.
Man, I guess that's clear…and very beautiful, because the looks do come into this in multiple ways, and in some sense…whatever, how you appear, even…it just…it's played with really well in the musical. So, she has to get into Harvard Law, which means she has to get…she already has great grades because she's a fashion merchandising major, I think, which Harvard does not…they're like, wait a second…but so, she has to get a really high L-SAT score during the final semester of college when everybody's just letting loose. So, she has to make a choice. You know, oh, like, would…? So, it's like, not…the songs to what you want is to like everybody, or people are singing it to Elle. Like, what you want is right in front of you.
If you want to be serious, you got to be serious and study…or this temptation is right in front of you to have fun and…and to Warner and then to Harvard. Okay, so, let's see what we got here. Apply to Harvard…what you want is right in front of you…what you want…I have the book, too. But what you…oh, because it was like partying. Don't you want to party? So, okay, so…so, yeah, I feel like…so, I feel like the crossing of the threshold is this and the next song. So, there's this song…so, she…spoiler; she gets into Harvard, and it's…for a musical, it's really cool. So, you should see the musical so you could see how that's accomplished. It's probably one of my favorite dance breaks of all time. But there's also other dance breaks within this show that are really good, too.
Elle…so, my daughter said…I said, was all the music from that dance break in the cast album? I mean, the Broadway cast album? She's like, no. Only one-third of the dance break, 'cause it’s so long. The dance break’s when they dance, but like…and show, not tell. Okay, so, Elle gets into Harvard, but then there's even a literal crossing of the threshold, I believe. She gets to Harvard. So, first we get this like view of that new world without Elle in it briefly, where we see three Emmett, who is either just…like a graduate…I don't know if he's…I don't know how law school works, but he's kind of like a assistant professor or…I guess he has to have graduated, ‘cause he has his law degree and he's licensed to practice law. So, let's just say that, but he kind of is more of a peer. Maybe he's in a peer role, peer advisor?
Let's say he's a peer advisor, ‘cause he's more of a peer character. I don't…again, I don't know how law school works. So, Emmet's like, what is it? Not mentor, but he's the leader…he’s the wisest of the students or whatever. He's like a leader, yeah. So, he…first we meet Emmett and then three freshmen, in the version I saw, or three new law students, all of which are unbelievably high achievers from three different worlds themselves. So, then…I think…personally, I think this and then the next part are kind of establishing the rules of this new world. So, it's kind of like you're entering the new world and you're starting the challenges or the…step four at the same time. But, I mean, I'm not exactly a expert on this, and maybe I'll change it.
But so, we get this brief song where I meet these three super-high achievers, including Enid, who will be…Emmett and Enid. Emmett will play a big role, and Emmett has kind of an arc. Enid kind of maybe has a mini-arc or whatever. So, whatever, Elle…so, we meet these three characters in the new world, then Elle arrives in the new world, and right away we get the sense, okay, these are…these people are a big deal. They're not going to take Elle seriously, and they don't necessarily think she belongs in their world. Emmett is a little bit more neutral, I think, initially. Like, oh man…and he's just a good person. Not that the other three are bad people; they're just like, hey, we're high achievers. Like, you don't belong here, kind of, or there's something not right with this. You're too different or whatever.
So, let's see. So, that's called the Harvard Variations in this one, and then there's a song, Law in the Water. So, they go from…I guess this is where she fully crosses the threshold, because then they go to the first class of the thing. So, there's a class with Professor Callahan, and Professor Callahan's the heavy, or whatever you want to call it, and he sings a song that expresses the values of Harvard Law. I mean, in the musical. I'm not saying anything about…and of his version of what it means to be a lawyer, which is Law in the Water, which kind of means we'll pour…we're going to pour water over your head. But it's all about…at least to me, it paints this contrast, right, between the world Elle came from where…okay, she was beloved. Now she's not necessarily beloved.
It seemed like a world full of good, supportive of people, too. She had a support system. She was the master of her domain. Generally, even though it was brief, it seemed like a world of kindness. He's saying this is a world where you do what's best for you and your clients, but always what's best for you, kind of, and the song kind of lays that out. Then I'll also learn some other rules. So, now she's fully in this new world because she's not prepared for class. So, another student, Vivian, kind of is not supportive of Elle. So, then Elle leaves class ‘cause…she's asked to leave class ‘cause she's not prepared, then we see that Elle doesn't even care. Emmett's like, hey, are you okay? Yeah, I just want to meet…I’m just trying to catch up with Warner. Then she even says to Vivian, why would you…?
I came from a world where we supported one another. Why would you make me look bad? She goes, welcome to the new world, more or less. Elleso we learn that…yeah, is that it? That…we also learn that…what do you call it? Warner and Vivian are together. So, Elle’s like, yeah, I'm only here to prove to Warner to be…I'm serious, so…okay, so, this is all the challenges, the rising challenges; ‘search’. So then, the next song is Positive. So, this is…so, this is like really interesting, and I guess I gotta condense it, right? So, this song really contains three different ways…okay, so, Elle is like, okay, now I'm faced with a bigger challenge. I'm not welcome here. I don't know…the values are totally different than what I…thing.
So, then she has like this Greek chorus, which is her Greek chorus…and they…she says, I don't know what to do. They’re like, oh, well, we’re within your imagination. We’ll help you brainstorm. So, she go…so, these are her first helpers, which are helpers from the past. They say, let's do…why don't…? You're better than…it's all about your looks. Or, no, first I think they say, let's take a stern approach. Then Elle says, no, we can't do that. We gotta be positive. Okay, let's take a beauty-based approach. You're more beautiful than her. Well, I don't know if that's going to work, either. Just that, it’s like, not…my old…again, in the structural way, I'm just laughing ‘cause it's so…she goes, all my old tools aren't working. Then that gives her this idea.
Maybe there's one more…thing where she says, well, I'll just…I'll try to become like Vivian. So, then she goes…and this is your meeting-with-the-mentor moment, right? That's…Paulette Ladd is the character's name. I always want to…but so, she goes to meet…and she says, I want to change my hair. I want to get a brown bob. The next song, I think…and maybe this is like…I don't know, yeah, I guess what mentors do in stories. Paulette says…now, Paulette says…basically in her song, Ireland…her song Ireland's about…it's a comedy song, a big, big number, but it's also about love, which again, becomes…is like, oh, why are you going to be serious? I'm doing it for love. Another part, a central part of the songs I missed, but…she sings a song about Ireland, which is a metaphor for attaining love, like a perfect love or whatever.
She basically says…I mean, this is totally paraphrasing; Elle, there’s…one, I'm not going to change your hair. You're not in a great place. So, I'm also going to tell you…well, I don't know you. There's something clearly special about you. You're clearly capable. She does say in the song, if you can't win Warner back, more or less, what does that mean? If there's this idea of Ireland, which is perfect love, if anyone can attain that, it's you. So, you're going to do it. I'm confident you're going to do it. So, Elle says, okay, okay. Then she…then there's this party scene, right? Elle gets invited to the party scene and she also gets set up for disappointment by Vivian. But the party scene is cool because, one, it…again, it just shows Elle's heroism.
She arrives at the party, determined again to do her best and fit in in this world and get Warner, right? We also again see the values of this world, because Vivian tells Warner, hey this is a room where there's…serious people are, and these people are going to be seriously connected and seriously successful. Then it comes up that…hey, Elle, you just don't belong in this world. Even Warner kind of says it, and kind of…I don't know, Elle kind of gets…again, this is a new rising challenge because this is all her peers, and they basically say, you're not…she was just told there's something special about you, and you…I know you're capable; I just don't know…Paulette’s like, I know you're capable.
But basically, I guess in-between the lines, Paulette’s saying, you still probably have to attain — according to story structure — some more tools. So, then she goes out and then she says, okay, well, this is not working…because she gets embarrassed and told, yeah, you don't belong here. Clear…I mean straight up, they say that, more or less. Then she goes out and she's on her own, upset, and she meets Emmett again. Emmett's out just for night stroll or whatever, at least in my version of musical that I saw. He says, what's wrong? She says, well, I got into Harvard Law School to show Warner I'm serious, and now I'm having trouble winning him back. He says, wait a second, you…? This is one of the best lines in the musical; what kind of magical world are you from? Malibu. So, it’s like…so, yeah.
So, he…whatever, I guess we're…I'm trying to condense this because I know we're close to time here, and I'll go along, but…so, but then Emmett takes interest in Elle, and…but he also starts to point out some inconsistencies, right? So, Emmett's like…I mean, later Emmett will become a different character, but at this point, Emmett's like a truth…I guess, yeah, there you go; he’s like Ser Davos, like a truth-teller. One of my favorite truth-tellers, Ser Davos. He says, listen, what…? This Emmett song is Chip on Your Shoulder, another great number. It takes place over, again, another extended…really cool how they go across locations but also meanings.
Oh, I guess there was a reprise of Stereus at the party, but…oh, ‘cause, yeah, briefly at the party, we get back to…even before Elle gets embarrassed, her and Warner talk about how good things were in their old world, but that just reinforces Warner that he needs to be in this world and Elle doesn't belong. Okay, so, then Emmett sings to Elle. Emmett becomes this next phase that…Paulette said, okay, there's clearly something special about you, and you're capable. I just don't know what it is. Emmett says, okay, if you're capable, this is what you have to do to show…are you really serious? Because if you're serious, this is what I've had to do and this is…I've actually been on a similar journey.
Huh, I didn't think about that, but Emmett really has returned on…Emmett's already been…in some sense, most of Emmett's story arc took place when the story didn't exist. We're just seeing the final stages of Emmett's story arc, maybe, I guess. But yeah, Emmett's like, I've been through this already, and actually, for different unfair reasons, had to navigate some of this. Also, maybe I brought in some tools that you didn't necessarily have, so, I'm going to offer you these tools, which is studying really hard and not being distracted and focusing. So, they kind of developed this friendship, and…but a friendship of equals, but also out of balance in some ways because…by studying.
So basically, Emmett walks Elle through…hey, this is how you study, also pointing out kind of…hey, did you notice that…you know, what's this with you and Warner? You're a different person for him now. Emmett's the first one to know she's changed and that almost…I'm sorry, Warner. Emmett notices Elle’s changed, or…and that she's moved out of value with Warner almost. He's like, hey, like, don't you notice how intelligent you are when he's not around, kind of thing? So…like, hey, are you sure this is fitting into your new value system? Now I'm starting to get mixed up. Well, I guess I'll just do the whole first act, and then we'll do act two as a part of another episode? So, okay, so…Elle Reflects; I don't remember how that song goes. Huh, Elle Reflects…I may have to look up the lyrics of that one. I don't know.
But so, basically what happens is with Emmett's tutelage, we start to see Elle performing heroic acts, or maybe just one heroic act in this, and then a couple in the second act? But she helps Paulette get back her dog, Emmett and Elle together. Then Elle clearly shows that she's excelled. So, we get this scene where she is…things are starting to come together, as far as she's now starting to fit in in this world. She doesn't necessarily fit in with the other peers, but she's become capable, because now she's…she wins this mock trial with Warner, and even it calls back to the earlier scenes of the thing she was learning, and she does it in a creative way. So, we see kind of like…holy cow.
Now, we also start to wonder…it was some good misdirection of like, wow everyone else is starting to see Elle in the same light we as audience are seeing her, and she's starting…she's seeing herself in that way and, man, everything's going Elle's way now. But there's also…I think a little bit earlier, we get a hint of like where things could go, because Elle says…‘cause there's a lot about love, right? I'm doing this for love. I'm gonna be serious for love because I love Warner. Warner loves me. He's just got to realize I'm serious. Then she talks about…is this law? She starts to develop this love of the law, which is really, again, a metaphor of what she can do for other people, because she's a heroine, you know?
But how it feels to use…when she helps Paulette get her dog back. This is something that Emmett has opened Elle's eyes up to through their kind of journey together. Or, it's not a mentor, mentee thing, but…maybe it is, but…of peers. So, then Elle's eyes are open to this new world that actually is an alternative value system to what the main…all the other characters are tuned into. I didn't think about this till now, but it stands in contrast to Law in the Water, of…why Callahan loves law is not why Elle loves law, and probably not why Emmett loves law or, at this time, why anybody at the rest of the school loves law. So, actually this is powerful.
I didn't think about this, but we really see that in the second act, we're going to have a clash of new…of values, like a value…of old values of this non-ordinary world Elle’s entered into and a new value system that is a part of a carryover from the world Elle’s come from, because I think having the Delta News there shows support and whatever, and then with Paulette and Emmett…that Elle's kind of developing this new hybrid value system that will serve us in the second act of the musical. So, I didn't think of that because…and it actually pays off, because at the end of the second or first act, we suspect Elle has become capable…but we know there's still a second act, so it's like…and so, it…and again, masterfully does a two-note finale of the first act, or two…what I mean is two emotional shifts, or three, I guess, cause Elle shows she's capable, and then quickly we find out that…what's his name?
Warner and Vivian are going to be engaged, ‘cause they got this big internship. That's the way to prove you're serious. It became the…not red herring, but the talisman or whatever. If Elle gets this internship, she's proven she's serious. But Warner and Vivian and Enid get the internship first, and it no longer matters if Elle's serious or not, cause then Warner and Vivian get engaged. At first, Elle's like really down, but then they close with the super number, which is like…Emmett's like, by the way, you have proven you're serious. Actually, the song even says, I feel so much better than before, as part of the chorus, which is like…it's interesting, man. Talking about this is cool because it's like…it's kind of like a reflection…so, again, where is this in the Story Circle?
I totally got…so, we went through the trials and tribulations and then…so search, you need, go, search, find, find and take. I guess this is find, right? Because I think the ‘take’ is…happens in a little while, like in the second act. But she finds…yeah, she finds a new…she finds that she loves law a little bit earlier. Oh yeah, I guess it's so obvious. I can't believe…the song is so much better. She even says it, in a way, about her and Warner's relationship, their past relationship; this feels so much better. So, the fact that…and I guess that makes sense. Her journey in the first act has paid off. She's navigated this difficult circumstance. She's adapted to it. She's faced these challenges, and now she's not totally changed, but she's proven herself a heroine, and we’re rooting for her.
Now she…we're not…it's almost like she's on the verge of some sort of great discovery, but, you know, after some more exploration, right? But it's like, oh, we knew we were rooting for you the whole time, and you've already surprised us yet again, Elle, because she's achieved what she set out to achieve but now has…it has somewhat of a new meaning. Well, I guess at the end of the show, it’ll have a totally new meaning, right? But so, she gets the fourth spot in the internship. But it's, yeah, so much better. Look at my name up on that list. So, I don't know, and it's also like this…that she's been officially recognized for her effort and her success. But I guess in that sense, why do we need a second act?
Because it hasn't…it was just replacing something false with another thing at this time that feels good, but is also somewhat proven false. Like, Warner…proving to Warner I'm serious so he'll love me…I mean, no offense to Warner, he’s just not worth it in the end. Elle's much more than that, right? I mean, that's why we go on the whole two-act journey. But it's like you're so much…this feels so much better right now. I mean, I guess speaking as a addict, it's like, you got to be careful, right? If you stop drinking, you don't want to…you want to replace it with something that…usually you can replace it with something else that's also not great, that's also false, or you could slowly replace it with something that takes a whole ‘nother act with nine more songs to get to, which we'll see. So, I guess that's a good place to close. Goodnight, everybody.
[END OF RECORDING]
(Transcription performed by LeahTranscribes)
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Recap
Jug Band History
https://timberandsteel.wordpress.com/2011/09/04/an-introduction-to-jug-bands/
https://kentuckyymca.medium.com/the-origin-of-jug-bands-47acb74e8c48
https://birthplaceofcountrymusic.org/instrument-interview-the-jug/
Why humans seek structure
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/gaining-and-sustaining/202108/the-four-ss-of-structure
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/lets-connect/201108/why-we-are-creatures-of-routine
Different Story Structures
https://blog.reedsy.com/guide/story-structure/
https://www.campfirewriting.com/learn/narrative-structure
https://kindlepreneur.com/story-structure/
Musical Theatre Structure
https://www.musicalwriters.com/writing-a-musical/story-design-the-7-plot-points/
https://www.musicalwriters.com/writing-a-musical/musical-story-structures-a-recipe-library/
DOWN TO BUSINESS
The musical about Woods, Elle
Well, I saw Legally Blonde the Musical 5 times this past week
PLUGS
Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Story Only Feed; Rusty Biscuit Links; Emily Tat Artwork; Crisis Textline
SPONSORS
Helix Sleep; Zocdoc; Progressive; Anker Soundcore; Dave’s Killer Bread; Acorns
INTRO
Rambling thoughts, specific thoughts, etc
There’s been songs about feelings, right?
I’ve got feelings about people, sure
You could be going through something
You’re not alone
I’m glad we’re here together
I’ve had a hard time sleeping this week and I don’t know why
Sometimes it’s just beyond me
Is he really gonna talk about one act of Legally Blonde this whole time?
“I Gotta Wagon Full of Filler Words”, the lost Emmet Otter song
Speaking to Mama Otter about my brother, Emmet
Daydreaming of being in the Riverbottom Funtime Band
I’m glad I’m just your imaginary son, Mama Otter
I can’t return until I collect all the meanders
Speculative Emmet Otter Fan Fiction
If you’ve never had a friend bore you to sleep before, you’re in for a treat
If you’re anything like me, you’re tired and grouchy
A different version of “Mama Tried”
I’m just here to keep you company
Your Boris Boreloff
A Fan Fiction Journal documenting my Jealousy of my brother, Emmet Otter
Explaining the show structure
Familiarity and Variety
The first act of the musical Legally Blonde
And Dan Harmon’s Story Circle
It means a lot that you’re here
STORY
My daughter performed in Legally Blonde this past week
I see the shows a lot and appreciate the story structure
Shoutout to Dan Harmon’s Story Circle
My skill is that I’m not great at retaining things
Shoutout to all the people who did a great job in the show
There’s probably a production happening near you soon
This is dedicated to all those people who do something creative with their spare time
Let’s briefly meander about Dan Harmon’s Story Circle
Why is Story Structure important for a sleep podcast?
It’s important for 2 reasons
The Effectiveness of the Show
The Ability to Make the Show
I’m fine being the Don Quixote of sleep podcasts
Why do we listen to bedtime stories?
I believe that narrative is important to us
Structure offers reassurance
Familiar structure puts you at ease
Just sitting down and riffing for an hour would be unsustainable
Structure Within Improv
An external narrative with no stakes
That’s why people like procedurals and sitcoms
A lot of different story structures
Dan Harmon’s Story Circle worked for me
Joseph Campbell’s story structure
You Need Go Search Find Take Return Change
People get what they want but not in the way they think
The non-positive impact of the journey
Returning home, transformed
I was pretty nervous and not good at small talk when I met Dan Harmon
I think there’s 20 songs in the musical
11 in Act 1, 9 in Act 2
Telling a good, complete story is so difficult
I read a lot of amateur screenplays while I was trying to write screenplays
I read so many great First Acts but not as many great middles
I spot it, I got it
Ok, now for the Musical
I did not read the book, but I’ve seen the movie and musical
A woman on her journey to womanhood
I wanted to rewatch the movie and remember how they did it there
It really lends itself to a musical format
Introducing the Real World
Delta Delta Nus
“Oh My God, You Guys”
Talking about Elle getting engaged to Warner
Elle is definitely beloved
A traditional satire view of a California sorority house
Establishing the values of the world
Halfway through the song we meet Elle
A little scene where we see that this is Elle’s world
Elle is the master of this domain
Even though it’s imaginary, there is a realness to all this
Okay, so that’s the You
What’s the Need
Warner sings a song called “Serious”?
UCLA Storybook Sorority Story
A lot of the B characters have min-arcs
Even Warner gets a small arc
He’s going to Harvard Law
Warner is kind of like the characters from Mulitplex
He says Elle is not serious enough
Okay, what’s the Go?
It shows who Elle is deep down: a heroine
How will she react to her first challenge?
Elle has to prove she’s serious
The musical plays really well with perceived appearances
Fashion Merchandising Major
Crossing the Threshold gets multiple songs
The dance break of getting into Harvard is so incredible
A view of Harvard without Elle
Emmet is like an assistant professor? I don’t know how law school works. A peer advisor.
3 new law students
Entering and Establishing the new world
3 Super High Achievers
Enid has a mini-arc
Then Elle arrives
“Harvard Variations”
“Law in the Water”
Class with Professor Callahan
He sings a song expressing the values of Harvard Law
This is not a world of kindness
Always do what’s best for you
Elle is learning the new rules
Vivian doesn’t like Elle
Elle is just here to catch up with Warner
Vivian won’t support Elle like one of her sorority sisters
Then we learn that Warner and Vivian are together
This is all Rising Challenges / Search
This song contains 3 different challenges within it
Elle’s helpers from the past
All Elle’s old tools aren’t working
She’ll try to become like Vivian
Meeting her mentor, Paulette
Paulette sings a song about Ireland, which is a metaphor
Paulette recognizes something special in Elle
Elle gets invited to a party and also set up for disappointment by Vivian
Warner literally says Elle doesn’t belong in this world
Elle needs more tools
Elle meets Emmet again
“What kind of magical world are you from?” – an incredible song
Emmet takes interest in Elle
Emmet is a truth teller, like Ser Davos
I guess Emmet’s arc is already done by the time the musical starts
Emmet and Elle develop a friendship of equals
Under Emmet’s tutelage, we see Elle performing heroic acts
Things are starting to come together for her
She’s become capable
Elle also starts to develop a love of the law
An alternative values system to Law in the Water
She loves law for different reasons than anyone else at this school
Act 2 will be a clash of new legal values
The talisman: get the internship to prove you’re serious
Warner, Vivian, and Enid get the internship first
And Vivian and Warner get engaged!
But Elle also gets it and proves she’s serious
“I Feel So Much Better Than Before”
I guess we’re in the Find phase
She’s navigated and adapted, though she’s not totally changed
Now we’re rooting for her, really
She’s achieved what she set out to achieve, but has a new meaning to focus on now
Elle is more than how much Warner values her
Replacing that esteem with something of value
And we’ll return for Act 2
SUMMARY:
Episode: 1322
Title: Legally Blonde, the Musical | Act 1
Plugs:
Sponsors:
Notable Language:
- A Wagon Full of Filler Words
- Your Boris Boreloff
- You Need Go Search Find Take Return Change
- I spot it, I got it
- UCLA Storybook Sorority Story
- Fashion Merchandising Major
- A New Hybrid Values System
Notable Culture:
- Legally Blonde
- Legally Blonde, the Musical
-
- Dan Harmon
- Barbra Streisand
- “I Gotta Wagon Full of Filler Words”
- Emmet Otter
- “Mama Tried”
- Boris Karloff
- Dan Harmon
- Don Quixote
- Community
- Rick & Morty
-
- Joseph Campbell
- Multiplex
- Ser Davos / Game of Thrones
Notable Talking Points:
- Rambling thoughts, specific thoughts, etc
- There’s been songs about feelings, right?
- I’ve got feelings about people, sure
- You could be going through something
- You’re not alone
- I’m glad we’re here together
- I’ve had a hard time sleeping this week and I don’t know why
- Sometimes it’s just beyond me
- Is he really gonna talk about one act of Legally Blonde this whole time?
- “I Gotta Wagon Full of Filler Words”, the lost Emmet Otter song
- Speaking to Mama Otter about my brother, Emmet
- Daydreaming of being in the Riverbottom Funtime Band
- I’m glad I’m just your imaginary son, Mama Otter
- I can’t return until I collect all the meanders
- Speculative Emmet Otter Fan Fiction
- If you’ve never had a friend bore you to sleep before, you’re in for a treat
- If you’re anything like me, you’re tired and grouchy
- A different version of “Mama Tried”
- I’m just here to keep you company
- Your Boris Boreloff
- A Fan Fiction Journal documenting my Jealousy of my brother, Emmet Otter
- Explaining the show structure
- Familiarity and Variety
- The first act of the musical Legally Blonde
- And Dan Harmon’s Story Circle
- It means a lot that you’re here
- My daughter performed in Legally Blonde this past week
- I see the shows a lot and appreciate the story structure
- Shoutout to Dan Harmon’s Story Circle
- My skill is that I’m not great at retaining things
- Shoutout to all the people who did a great job in the show
- There’s probably a production happening near you soon
- This is dedicated to all those people who do something creative with their spare time
- Let’s briefly meander about Dan Harmon’s Story Circle
- Why is Story Structure important for a sleep podcast?
- It’s important for 2 reasons
- The Effectiveness of the Show
- The Ability to Make the Show
- I’m fine being the Don Quixote of sleep podcasts
- Why do we listen to bedtime stories?
- I believe that narrative is important to us
- Structure offers reassurance
- Familiar structure puts you at ease
- Just sitting down and riffing for an hour would be unsustainable
- Structure Within Improv
- An external narrative with no stakes
- That’s why people like procedurals and sitcoms
- A lot of different story structures
- Dan Harmon’s Story Circle worked for me
- Joseph Campbell’s story structure
- You Need Go Search Find Take Return Change
- People get what they want but not in the way they think
- The non-positive impact of the journey
- Returning home, transformed
- I was pretty nervous and not good at small talk when I met Dan Harmon
- I think there’s 20 songs in the musical
- 11 in Act 1, 9 in Act 2
- Telling a good, complete story is so difficult
- I read a lot of amateur screenplays while I was trying to write screenplays
- I read so many great First Acts but not as many great middles
- I spot it, I got it
- Ok, now for the Musical
- I did not read the book, but I’ve seen the movie and musical
- A woman on her journey to womanhood
- I wanted to rewatch the movie and remember how they did it there
- It really lends itself to a musical format
- Introducing the Real World
- Delta Delta Nus
- “Oh My God, You Guys”
- Talking about Elle getting engaged to Warner
- Elle is definitely beloved
- A traditional satire view of a California sorority house
- Establishing the values of the world
- Halfway through the song we meet Elle
- A little scene where we see that this is Elle’s world
- Elle is the master of this domain
- Even though it’s imaginary, there is a realness to all this
- Okay, so that’s the You
- What’s the Need
- Warner sings a song called “Serious”?
- UCLA Storybook Sorority Story
- A lot of the B characters have min-arcs
- Even Warner gets a small arc
- He’s going to Harvard Law
- Warner is kind of like the characters from Mulitplex
- He says Elle is not serious enough
- Okay, what’s the Go?
- It shows who Elle is deep down: a heroine
- How will she react to her first challenge?
- Elle has to prove she’s serious
- The musical plays really well with perceived appearances
- Fashion Merchandising Major
- Crossing the Threshold gets multiple songs
- The dance break of getting into Harvard is so incredible
- A view of Harvard without Elle
- Emmet is like an assistant professor? I don’t know how law school works. A peer advisor.
- 3 new law students
- Entering and Establishing the new world
- 3 Super High Achievers
- Enid has a mini-arc
- Then Elle arrives
- “Harvard Variations”
- “Law in the Water”
- Class with Professor Callahan
- He sings a song expressing the values of Harvard Law
- This is not a world of kindness
- Always do what’s best for you
- Elle is learning the new rules
- Vivian doesn’t like Elle
- Elle is just here to catch up with Warner
- Vivian won’t support Elle like one of her sorority sisters
- Then we learn that Warner and Vivian are together
- This is all Rising Challenges / Search
- This song contains 3 different challenges within it
- Elle’s helpers from the past
- All Elle’s old tools aren’t working
- She’ll try to become like Vivian
- Meeting her mentor, Paulette
- Paulette sings a song about Ireland, which is a metaphor
- Paulette recognizes something special in Elle
- Elle gets invited to a party and also set up for disappointment by Vivian
- Warner literally says Elle doesn’t belong in this world
- Elle needs more tools
- Elle meets Emmet again
- “What kind of magical world are you from?” – an incredible song
- Emmet takes interest in Elle
- Emmet is a truth teller, like Ser Davos
- I guess Emmet’s arc is already done by the time the musical starts
- Emmet and Elle develop a friendship of equals
- Under Emmet’s tutelage, we see Elle performing heroic acts
- Things are starting to come together for her
- She’s become capable
- Elle also starts to develop a love of the law
- An alternative values system to Law in the Water
- She loves law for different reasons than anyone else at this school
- Act 2 will be a clash of new legal values
- The talisman: get the internship to prove you’re serious
- Warner, Vivian, and Enid get the internship first
- And Vivian and Warner get engaged!
- But Elle also gets it and proves she’s serious
- “I Feel So Much Better Than Before”
- I guess we’re in the Find phase
- She’s navigated and adapted, though she’s not totally changed
- Now we’re rooting for her, really
- She’s achieved what she set out to achieve, but has a new meaning to focus on now
- Elle is more than how much Warner values her
- Replacing that esteem with something of value
- And we’ll return for Act 2