1331 – Legally Blonde, the Musical | Act 2

Episode 1331 – Legally Blonde, the Musical | Act 2

 

[START OF RECORDING]

 

SCOOTER: Friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it’s time for the podcaster who’s here to talk about stories and musicals and maybe the movie version of something, but very slowly, very meandering, and it’ll take me forever to get there, 'cause this is Sleep With Me. Welcome, if you're new. This is a podcast that’s here to keep you company and take your mind off of stuff so you could fall asleep, a little bit different. It’s a sleep podcast that doesn't put you to sleep but is more a friend in the deep, dark night. I’ll just be here talking for your benefit. So, give it a few tries if you're new. See how it goes. What we got coming up is support so the podcast can come out…most people like listening to this ad-supported version twice a week, then a long, meandering intro meant to ease you into bedtime, and then we’ll be talking about Act 2 of the musical, Legally Blonde.

 

I just watched the movie last night. So, I said, okay, well, I don't know how…will it take me as long as it takes them to perform Act 2 of the musical or less time? ‘Cause if it takes me less time, then I’m gonna need to watch the movie to fill in some blanks. I’m a slow reader, so I won't be able to complete the book. But yeah, welcome to Sleep With Me. I’m glad you're here. If you're new, I think…yeah, just see how it goes, and this show is made possible for everybody by people that support the show directly on Sleep With Me+ or support the sponsors, who send their kindness out to me or to other listeners or to podcasts in general, spread the word about the show, or just falling asleep right now, getting comfortable. Thanks so much, and here’s a couple ways we’re able to do this for you.

 

INTRO: [INTRO MUSIC] 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. Alls you need to do is get in bed, turn out the lights, and press Play. I’m gonna do the rest. What I’m going to attempt to do is create a safe place where you could set aside whatever’s keeping you awake. It could be thoughts, things on your mind about the past, the present, the future, thoughts you're thinking about…Thoughts About Thoughts, wasn’t that…was that an imaginary podcast I never made? Thinking Thoughts; I know that one. Thoughts and Things; that was an imaginary store I created.

 

Think, thank, thought; that was…those are…those are maybe tangents you’ve heard before. The best tangents are when I’m not thinking about them. So, that’s funny. Thoughts are much more direct even when they're not sensible. But I say, hey, I’d like to take…could I put my arm around you, if it’s my thought? I would just say this to my thought. Don't worry, your thoughts…I don't need to…I can just be in their general vicinity. I thought just…did you say ‘ficinity’? I did. I meant to say…now I can't remember if the word is vicinity. That doesn't sound like the correct word anymore. Well, what does ‘ficinity’ mean? Friendly…a friendly vicinity. It means I’m at a friendly distance. Ficinity, eh? Yeah, it’s also…it was a fragrance I never created, Ficinity…'cause once I explained what it was, it took away from the fragrance.

 

They said, you need a catchphrase. I said, well, I have ‘ficinity’. I said, isn't that good enough? They said, no. They said, do you have any more? I said, well, it’s like a friendly vicinity. Wouldn't you like to be in…I mean, wouldn't you like to be friendly and in my vicinity? Ficinity, the scent that make…that you want…the scent you want to smell at a friendly distance, Ficinity. So, there, we completed that one. As soon as I started think…stopped thinking about it, it came to me. So, it could be thoughts, things on your mind about the past, the present, the future, it could be feelings or physical sensations, like emotions that are coming up for you from the past, the present, the future as well, or, yeah, anything physically happening.

 

It could be changes in time, temperature, routine, you could be traveling, you could have guests, you could be going through something, getting over something, or in the middle of something, or maybe you work a different shift. Whatever it is, the only reason I go through some of that stuff is so you know you're not alone. If you're anything like me, you say, well, I don't want to be remind…I say, yeah, no, I understand. But I’m here to keep you company and take your mind off of stuff whether you're listening or not and to remind you that it’s not easy when you can't sleep. You deserve a bedtime you could look forward to or at least feel neutral about, a bedtime you don’t have to dread, and a bedtime where you can get the sleep you need so your life is more manageable, a bedtime that doesn't have a lot of rigmarole.

 

Hopefully this show could become a part of that, because I’ve been there, right? The reason I make the show is when I was a kid and I couldn't sleep, I’d tune into comedy radio because even though I shared a room with my brother, I felt really lonely and alone, even though my parents said, hey, what if you try not thinking? What if you try going to sleep? What if you try breathing or tight…doing those muscle things? I said, well, those only work once for me. Then the next night, I can't sleep again. It wasn’t until I started listening to the radio and comedy radio in particular that…it took me out of that place where I said, oh, at least I have something to listen to that’s nice, that’s outside of me.

 

Then sometimes what would happen…I mean, sometimes I’d laugh, sometimes I’d feel like a part of something, and then sometimes I’d fall asleep 'cause I was distracted. That’s kind of why I make the show, because that’s what helped me, but also, I know…I really know what it feels like. It may not feel like that exact same way for you, but maybe you could relate to some of the ways that it felt for me then and it still does now when I can't sleep. That’s kinda what makes up the community of the show. It’s a silent, sleepy community for the most part, but it’s welcoming and inclusive 'cause we're connected by something we can all kinda relate to. We nod our…okay, yeah, yeah, yeah.

 

So, if you're new, there’s people right now listening who are kind of…have a nice look on their face, like…and they're holding a space gently for you, saying, hey, I’m glad you're here and really hope this podcast can help you like I did. This show is a bit different. It does take some getting used to. It took me some getting used to, but I hope the podcast can help you out. The way it works is I send my voice across the deep, dark night. I use lulling, soothing, creaky, dulcet tones, pointless meanders, and superfluous tangents, which means my voice is not traditionally soothing. It’s like…my voice could be described as…well, it’s not half-bad. It’s not all…I mean, it’s not all bad. It’s…it could be…could be considered 49% not great, but there’s 51% of it that’s barely listenable. What do you mean, like I could barely…?

 

No, like you barely pay attention to it. I don't know, he’s very forgettable. That’s…he realized that was a fragrance that was already taken, but…he said, what about Always Forgettable? They said, who on Earth would buy that fragrance? I said, well, spies, secret…people like me that say, I don't want to be…I mean, I do deep down want to be noticed. That’s why it’s barely forgettable. Or did I say almost forgettable? I don't want to be unforgettable, 'cause that comes with a lot of expectations. You say, okay, what are you doing, going undercover? Yeah, I gotta put on some cologne. Well, that just sounds like a terrible idea. Oh, well, it’s a special kind of cologne. It’s called Barely Forgettable. Okay, where’d you hear about that cologne? A sleep podcast.

 

Yeah, actually, it was an imaginary…it’s imaginary cologne, so, no one will smell me, anyway. Wow, that actually sounds like it’ll…yeah, it’s like a method thing. When I’m…when I cover myself in Barely Forgettable, I’m covering myself in fiction. Okay, that make…that doesn't make…are you sure…? Well, I’m just an imaginary figure within his mind, anyway. So, I’m barely forgettable. Believe it or not, it’s hard. It’s kinda like being Moriarty on TNG. I’ll be there, but he won't remember me for a while. Wow, that was a deep reference, huh? Yeah, it was. It’s a reference he’s not made in years and years and years. Okay, did you say creaky, dulcet tones and pointless meanders, though? Yeah, he goes off topic, he gets mixed up, 'cause this is a podcast…if you're new, it does take some getting used to.

 

Maybe you found your way here because you couldn't sleep, you were searching for something, or somebody told somebody and they recommended this show or you just stumbled upon it. You're like, wait a second, I thought this was a sleep podcast. This is listed on all these sleep podcast lists. When is it gonna get sleepy? Aren't you gonna do any…? Is there any metronomes in this podcast? No. I mean, there’s a metro…I live in a metro area and I drone on and on and on, so you could call me a metro drone. But I do have three metronomes that I bought thinking one day I’d use them as part of this podcast, but it hasn’t happened yet. Well, that’s interesting. Well, yeah, not really, 'cause I haven't…but yeah, so, it does take some getting used to just 'cause this podcast is always going nowhere.

 

Most regular listeners, they were the ones that were like, yeah, when I first started listening to this podcast, I was like, what is going on here and when is it gonna get started? Then I realized, oh, now I get it, or I just woke up and then I…I woke up and I went, oh, wait a second, I stopped listening to him. But then I was kinda listening to him. Oh, it really works. I had no idea something like this could be out there. So, give it a few tries and see how it goes for you. If it doesn't work for you, I have a website set up, sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou, which has other sleep podcasts and sleepy stuff on there, and you could check that out. But it…just give it a few tries. See how it goes, ‘cause even if you…this podcast doesn't work for you, I hope you find something that does, and that’s why I made that website.

 

But what else do you need to know other than most people don’t like this podcast? Well, it is a podcast you don’t really listen to. That takes some adjustment. It’s like background noise or a TV on in the other room or sand going through your hands, a out-of-focus picture. It’s something you're kinda paying attention to, but kinda not. Or when you're…let’s just be honest since it’s just the two of us here; when you're barely listening to someone because you're either doing something else or you're just not…you say, uh-huh, uh-huh, okay. But you’re…maybe do…you may be occupied. Maybe they're on the phone. Maybe they're even there in person. I mean, I can do it…I could do it there, I can do it anywhere, barely listen to people. I mean, I’m trying. I do try, but it happens.

 

Then you say, uh-huh, and then you're like, wait a second, I had no…I don’t know what that person was…then I say, so, what do you really think? Then you're like, are they calling me out or are they really asking me what I think? ‘Cause I don't know what to think. That’s…I don't even know what to think. Oh, okay. Really? You don’t know what to think about…? I say, oh, well, I just…no, I don't know what to think about it, you know? Luckily, this podcast…that’s a built-in expectation. I’m never gonna…if I ask you, what do you think…and you say, I don't know what to think. Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh, yeah. No, I don't know what to think. Uh-huh, uh-huh, totally. I’ll say, perfect. You're in the right place. I’m glad you're here. Say, oh yeah, Scoots, totally don’t know what to think about what you're saying.

 

That’s both the truth and I’m partially humoring you. I say, great. We're gonna get along just fine, then. So, it’s a pod…it does take some getting used to, 'cause most podcasts you pay attention to. Even bedtime stories…as children, we kinda did pay attention to them. That’s one of the things I feel like is different between an adult bedtime story and a children’s one, just from my perspective as somebody…or the way I like to make them, is like…I feel like a kid’s bedtime story should be engaging and then lead to an ending, where a adult bedtime story is kinda like…a children’s bedtime story is delivered, where this kind of bedtime story, we're accompanying one another on a journey or something like that.

 

We're walking side-by-side, but at some point…you don’t have to do any…maybe I’m pulling a wagon or something. I don't know. The metaphor did not develop. But you know what I’m saying. So, this is a podcast you barely listen to. It’s also a sleep podcast where there’s no pressure to fall asleep with this show. I’m gonna be here over an hour whether you're awake or asleep. I’m gonna be here to keep you company, yeah, whether you're listening or not. If you wake up in the middle of the night, I’ll be here. If you need a break during the day, I’ll be here. I’m gonna be here to the very end, 'cause there’s people who are listening who can't sleep at all.

 

So, just kinda see how it goes, 'cause I’m here to be your bore-friend, your bore-sib, your bore-bud, your neigh-bore, your Borbie, your bore-bestie, your Coris Borlaf, your bore…chairman of the bored, your best bore-friend f’eva, your bareman of the chord…that could be…that would be like…I don't know if…that could come in handy in the next Renaissance faire, bareman of the chord. Did I ever tell you that legend? No. Yeah, 'cause I don't remember it. I fell asleep. Okay. So, it’s a podcast you barely listen to. It doesn't put you to sleep. It keeps you company while you fall asleep. What else do I need to know? Well, the way the show works is…it’s structured in a very particular way, but you can adjust how you listen as you become a regular listener.

 

Most people like to listen to this version linearly, then a little bit smaller percentage of people listen with a sixty-minute or a forty-five minute sleep timer. But beyond that, after you get to like…that’s 51% of the audience. The other 49% listens in a variety of ways, right? So, we structure the show this way so it can benefit the most amount of people it can, and then you can kind of adjust from there. So, the show starts off with a greeting so I can meet you where you are and say, hey, welcome. If you want to be in this vicinity…or you say, well, I’d prefer not to smell anything. I say, perfect. I’m wearing Vicinity. It’s an imaginary fragrance and it captures the spirit of friendly vicinity. I say, you could imagine it smells nice or it smells like nothing at all.

 

Say, okay, I could…I think I can imagine smelling…well, yeah, no, I’m barely following you. Great. You're right in…you're in the right place, then. But I greet people so you feel seen and welcomed in and you say, okay, I can kinda get the nature or the tone of the show. Then there’s support. So, most people like listening to this ad-supported version for free, and then if you prefer something without ads, you can get that at Sleep With Me+. But then after the support is a show within a show, the intro. It has nothing to do with the support, and it’s about a twelve to twenty-minute long thing that…we're about eighteen minutes into it, I think, where I try to explain what the podcast is un…not…well, not unsuccessfully. Maybe insuccessfully?

 

Because it goes on and on and on…but that I follow…I’m having trouble speaking. No wonder…I mean, I guess no wonder I’m coming up with so many new fragrances. But I follow a familiar structure every time so that…you say, okay, this is familiar, but it’s…every intro is different? Wow. You made a thousand-something episodes? Yeah, every intro is different so that we kinda get time to hang out and you're reassured by the structure, but whatever it is that keeps you awake doesn't know…I don't know, doesn't feel talked-down to. It’s like, no, no, I’m putting in effort here to barely distract you. I know you're gonna want something new every time.

 

If you're anything like my thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations, you want to be entertained, barely entertained, but…so, the intro is different every time, and the reason is goes on and on and on is so that you have some time to get ready for bed, to wind down, to get comfortable if you're in bed, so that you're eased into bedtime. I’ve never found that I could just fall asleep instantly. Most of what I read about and learn about…say, having a bedtime routine works personally for me most of the time. So, it gives you a buffer between being awake and asleep.

 

So, that’s why the intro goes on and on and on. Then there’s support, then there will be our bedtime story. Tonight we’ll be talking about Act 2 of Legally Blonde, the musical. Yeah, that’s…all told, we’ll be here about an hour. I think that’s it. I’m really glad you're here. I work really hard. I yearn and I strive, and I really hope I can help you fall asleep. Thanks again for coming by, and here’s a couple ways we're able to do it for you for free twice a week.

 

Alright everybody, this is Scoots. We're back talking about Act 2 of…I mean, we were talking about Act 1 of Legally Blonde, the musical, and Dan Harmon’s story structure. So, that episode came out, but I’ll give you most of the details so that you can…except I don't have my notebook. But I’ll get it before we…I just want to catch you up on where and why. Why are we talking about Legally Blonde, the musical? Well, my daughter was in…I saw it five times in two weeks. My daughter is a theatre kid. She’s in musicals with other young adults and children. I’ve always said, hey…I don't know, I really pay attention to the musicals, and then I start to pay attention to the story, and then I think about story structure, and then I think about Dan Harmon’s particular model for explaining story structure.

 

Then I say…and then I always say, hey, I should try to apply it as I watch musical after musical. But then I usually…I can apply it in the moment, but it does take — at least for me — a lot of thinking and effort. So, if you want to listen to the first part, you could tomorrow or the next day or whatever, but just in case you missed out, Legally Blonde, the musical is a story of Elle Woods, and Elle Woods is a college senior when we first meet her. She’s a member of the Delta New frat…or sorority. She’s a very active, involved, capable member of that sorority and has very close friendships, very supportive friendships, it seems like, genuine friendships. She’s getting ready to graduate college with the expectation that she’ll get engaged to her boyfriend, Warner.

 

Now…so, that’s Elle’s ordinary world or regular world, and Elle’s very capable in that world despite the fact that you may just judge her by her physicality or whatever, that she’s a blonde, legally blonde, and that she’s very beautiful. It’s a part of the plot. So, then Elle’s kinda call to adventure or whatever, ‘you need’, is that she goes to her dinner with Warner where she thinks they're gonna get engaged, and she finds out Warner’s like, I need someone more serious. I’m gonna be a senator one day. My brother’s marrying a Vanderbilt. I’m gonna need someone serious, and you're not serious, so, I’m going to Harvard Law, and there, somewhere else, I’ll find someone serious. I’m sorry, Elle.

 

Then Elle…that’s not easy news for Elle, but then she…I forgot this; she sees this thing in a magazine, 'cause she’s down, and her members of her sorority take good care of her. She sees this engagement announcement in Cosmo or something. I don't…maybe ELLE Magazine. It says, hey, this Vanderbilt got engaged to their…this dude from law school or whatever, something like that. She’s like, wait a second, that’s Warner’s brother or whatever. So, she says, okay, well, I could prove to Warner that I’m serious, 'cause he does love me. This is a summary and whatever. So, I will go to Harvard Law to prove I’m serious because I’m driven by love. Then she gets into Harvard Law, which is her kinda first obstacle. Or, you, need, go, is the next thing. Like, head out on this adventure. Maybe it’s a part of her answering the call.

 

It could be in-between those. But she gets into Harvard Law, all through song and a lot of awesome dancing, by the way, because her Harvard essay dance breaks are pretty great. Okay, then she arrives in the new world, Harvard Law. She’s not exactly welcomed in there, and it’s a new world to her. It has different values. She’s not judged by her appearance there, or she’s judged negatively by her appearance. All her skills — because the value system is different — don’t work the way her skills did in her regular world, even though she was capable in her regular world. People aren't exactly helpful or kind to her. So, she has to deal with a lot of stuff, but she meets cool people like Emmet and other cool people whose names escape me…‘cause I always want to say Jennifer Coolidge.

 

But, yeah, so…and she starts to try, right, but only to show she’s serious. But at some point she kind of goes back and forth trying to win Warner over and prove she’s serious, and eventually what happens is she proves she’s capable of being a good law student, and she kind of starts to develop a love for the law and a deeper friendship with Emmet and Jennifer Coolidge’s character in the movie, who…I apologize to the fictional character whose name I can't remember. Just 'cause Jennifer Coolidge is so iconic, I mean…and I just watched the movie last night. So, she goes through this series of challenges, right, rising challenge or whatever.

 

Then…you, need, go, search…yeah, search, find…and eventually what she finds out is Warner’s not worth it or he’s never gonna take her seriously, but she also gets this internship through her capable…what seems like at the time, her capability and her excelling at the law. She gets this internship which came up, which was the proof that she would be serious, and that was kind of what she was questing towards, but no longer is it related to…it feels different but still good because it’s kinda like, ha, ha, Warner, I still got this. So, that’s kinda how…when Elle gets a internship at the end of the first act, it’s this big number with…I feel so much better than before, or something like that. So, that’s that. The movie…so, I watched the movie last night.

 

So, we’ll just talk about the first…the movie up ‘til here that I can remember, even though I watched it last night. So, in the movie, what was interesting…'cause I talked about it in the last episode…it’s like, I hadn't seen it since it came out, I don't think, or maybe once since it came out, and so, I was like, man, how do they do all the stuff that they sing about in the movie? Ta-da, they do it in a much different way, but a capable way by showing, not telling. So, there’s a lot of moments where a lot of stuff is visually shown or it’s shown through acting and performance and sometimes through dialogue. There’s a couple differences and timing and plot and stuff, but…or characters, but for the most part, we kinda see the same journey, and in some sense, it’s…yeah, it’s like one of those things. It’s like, oh, this is different but cool, too.

 

We see Elle…I would say, again, it’s hard with a musical 'cause the musical is much more ephemeral and much more in the vison of the performers and the director and stuff. But I will say the version of the musical I saw…I already said it was more grounded, less…in the movie…and again, the movie came out around 2001 or 2002, 2003. It’s very over the top as far as its initial portrayal of Elle and her sorority sisters. So, I don't know, that’s just one thing, where it was almost like broad comedy. Or, I don't know, I mean, I think the musical leans on the sorority sisters more because they could become the Greek chorus.

 

So, they're another way to kinda tell a story and develop Elle’s skills and her dialogue and…where in the movie, it’s different. In the movie, they had more characters at law school, I guess. But there was a lot more Elle had to do on her own in the movie, which isn't a negative or positive. It’s just like, okay, in the movie…or in a musical, you…there’s more singing and more of a cast. So, it makes sense. I’m trying to think of anything else that strikes me. No…so, yeah, that’s where we leave off right now. Now we’ll get into kinda Act 2 and where it goes from there. Take it away, Scoots.

 

Alright everybody, this is Scoots here, and we're talking about the Act 2 of Legally Blonde, the musical. I don't know why I couldn't remember the name of it. I’m gonna run through the names of the songs real quick. Into Shape, Delta New New New, Go…well, I’m gonna rephrase some of the songs I already did. Shopping with a Guy, Bend and Snap, There Right There, Legally Blonde, Legally Blonde Remix, At the Scene, Find My Way, and Finale. Okay, and then we're gonna run through all…well, yeah, let’s run through the whole Dan Harmon Story Circle real quick, and then we’ll run through it with Legally Blonde. Okay, I think I talked about this earlier, but the first parts of it is you, your comfort zone, ordinary world, the characters’ comfort zone, need. I need something, in this case. Something’s not right.

 

So, then go, crossing the threshold, heeding the call to adventure, search, ups and downs, challenges, find…so, this is when we get into the more nuanced…where really storytelling and, for me, it gets challenging. Because it’s like, even the rising…this is where boring bedtime stories stay boring…I mean…but anyway, this is why stories become timeless versus not timeless, I guess, or fairly…or really enjoyable. So, find…getting what they wanted but not how they expected. This is quoting and reading from my notes. The character reaches a key milestone or achieves part of their goal, but it comes with a cost. This stage usually brings a major revelation, discovery, or a moment that fundamentally changes the character’s perspective.

 

This changes the direction of the story and it shows they’ve gained something important, but it costs them or had a consequence. That’s kinda where we ended Act 1, right? Elle gets…proves that she’s capable or serious, or she has proven through her efforts to be serious, and her seriousness has paid off with her getting the internship, which is on something new, an unexpected thing to solve. But she gives up Warner. She does also discover she has a love of the law, and in the musical, she has developed friendships with Emmet and Paulette as well as more minor friendships, and Elle is behaving in character? I don't know, maybe I’m…okay, so, then the next parts of the story, which we’ll kinda try to analyze is take, the consequences.

 

Now that they’ve gotten what they wanted, they must face the consequences of their action and pay a price, sacrifice, a confrontation, maybe it’s inner, maybe it’s external. It’s often a moment where there’s no lights, and they see the non-positive impact of their journey. It’s so interesting how this helps clarify the story for me, where I can't quite do…this is just part of my process, is my brain is a bit more fragment…fragmented or fragmentary. I don't know if that’s a thing, though. Okay, this shows the stakes of the journey, revealing how the pursuit of their desire has changed them and brought them unexpected consequences. Then we have return, the journey home; the protagonist makes their way back to the ordinary world, no longer the same person.

 

They're changed by what they’ve experienced and have a new understanding. This brought…brings them back in a fundamentally different way. Then change; the new…the character’s new normal. They return to their original setting, but they're transformed. This last step emphasizes growth, what they’ve integrated, what they’ve learned. The journey’s over, but the character is changed. They become a different version of themselves. Okay, so, where are we with Act 2, right? We’re at the kinda…the circle. You could see a cross and a circle, right? I feel like we're at…I think we're at the ‘find’. Like when Act 2 kinda opens, Elle’s found she got what she wanted, which…she proved she was serious by doing serious things, studying and learning the law…also developed a kind of passion for the law.

 

I don't think that’s…is this in the second act? Yeah. So, then she…I don't know. I really like how Elle starts to become this unifier of worlds, I think, as she goes to take and to return. But she continues to perform…she continues to be a heroine even when the story structure’s unclear to me. You know what they say; you can't put a story in a box. Storybox; you can't put a story in a box. Not available anywhere. Okay, so…okay, so, basically…let me just walk you through what happens in the second act and we’ll see if we can figure it out together. How about that? So, the second act opens with a non…with a new character or someone who’s played other characters, and it’s a kinda two-part dance number, as well as…we see Elle in a new version of Elle that has become…I don't know.

 

I feel like…in my opinion — and this is not the story structure aside — Elle’s entered…I mean, she’s still in the lower part of the circle, which is kinda the subconscious or the underworld, and I feel like for a time she is in that world that Callahan said, swimming in the…under the…down in the…lawyers swimming in the water. So, what happens? We see the character…we see…we meet Brooke who is…needs some representation, and we get a really good dance number. I think probably there’s a lot of subtext or the song…even though Brooke’s singing it, it probably talks about Elle’s journey in some way. But yeah, let me get to my notes, because I actually did take notes.

 

Okay, find…chip on my shoulder…okay, so, facing the consequences, take…so, this one seem…so, yeah, so…so, basically, we get this idea…okay, Elle and Vivian, Warner, Emmet, Callahan, and Enid…so, Enid, Warner, Vivian, and Elle won the internship. Then Warner…or, no, it was…Emmet works for Callahan, but Emmet’s a graduate of Harvard Law. So, they…Callahan has this opportunity to help Brooke with what’s going on with Brooke. So, she needs representation. So, we meet Brooke, we hear about what’s going on with her, and then we actually go as the law students to meet with Brooke.

 

Let me just see…so, there’s the song Getting Into Shape with Brooke, and then there’s not a song for a little while because…but we get to see, I don't know, that Elle really is someone already, in this part of the story…almost in a sense…this story is good because we feel like, man, what else does Elle have to accomplish? Is she just gonna keep getting better and better in this…? Maybe some stories like in sleep podcasts may do that. But…oh, there’s a lyric in Getting Into Shape; you're not thinking if you think the truth will help you…set you free. What else do we got? Any other lyrics I wrote down here? That’s Legally Blonde…so much better…okay, so, no, I don't have any other lyrics I wrote down. Just that one. Okay, so, basically what happens is…or what’s cool is they meet with Brooke.

 

Most of the people are like, well, Brooke, we're just gonna have to use some technicalities. We're not gonna help Brooke in the way she wants. We're gonna help her in the way Callahan wants. They go to Brooke and they say, yeah, so, this is what you're gonna do. She goes, no, I don't…no, I don't agree with that approach. Then they say, well, if you could give us any information about what you were doing before you needed our assistance, maybe we could then figure something out. She goes, no, I’d rather keep that to myself. They're like, well, how are we gonna help you, then? She goes, I don't know. Maybe you should figure that out.

 

So, we see that this task is beyond the capabilities of the law students, and particularly enacting it, Callahan says, either get her to agree to coalesce or something or get her…get whatever she doesn't want to tell anybody. Like, not help…I don't know. Callahan’s like, these are your choices, and they're unable to meet either choice, except Elle stays behind because she’s realized that Brooke is also a member of Delt…the Delta News. Elle, I think in this scene, shows her some basic kindness and says, hey, I really like…all the other characters were unable to even connect with Brooke, even though they tried. So, it’s…I don't know, it’s like…again, we're seeing Elle…we knew she was capable of…but she’s not solving everything instantly, either.

 

She’s saying, okay…she goes, well, what were you doing, anyway? Well, I don't really want to tell you. It’s kinda…I’d rather keep it to myself. Well, you could just tell me. I won't tell anybody. She says, yeah, I was doing some stuff, and I was using two-in-one conditioner. Elle goes, okay, I could see why you wouldn't want to tell anybody that since you're so glamorous. She says, that’s…so, then Elle returns to Callahan and the other students, and we find out…they say, Elle, where were you at? Well, I was talking to her. Did you find out what she want…she didn’t want to tell anybody? Yeah. Can you tell us? No, I told them I wouldn't. Callahan’s like, to all the law students and Emmet, did you get her to agree to my plan? No. Elle found out what I needed to know, but she won't tell me.

 

Everybody’s like…all the other students are kind of, come on, Elle, just make this easy for all of us. She says, no, I made…there’s really good comedy writing in there, but…then we also learn…and maybe I forgot to talk about this in the first part; Emmet is like, hey, I’m also always treated like an outsider. Because he was kinda supervising the students, Callahan says, you're an outsider, Emmet. You didn’t get what I wanted done, and Elle, you won't give me this secret, so you're…I don't even want to talk to either one of you. So, that’s kinda how we leave Brooke and the case to be fixed. Then we get a couple nice interludes, I think. I think they're consecutive. Maybe not. I guess we got one earlier. When Elle fell in love, she helped Paulette get her dog back, and I think I forgot to mention that.

 

Now, all of a sudden, the tables are kinda turned with Elle and Emmet. Emmet was the one mentoring Elle a little bit. Now she’s mentoring him, 'cause she says, one of the reasons…and it’s a interesting play on the idea of appearance. The whole show really plays with that idea in a very nuanced way, especially in the musical. It’s all about the way…the lines and some of the lyrics of the songs is like, Elle is extremely attractive, right, and her appearance is extremely important, and a lot of her power derives from her appearance, and why wouldn't you just rely on that kinda thing, and that that actually matters. Then Elle goes on this internal journey or external journey, too, and realizing, well, here’s Warner saying it’s not…that’s not even good enough.

 

So, I have to go in…on this journey to kinda prove to him that I am more than my appearance. She makes this discovery, but she also…this may be my only thing, is she relays to Emmet in the end of the song…beautiful song…go shopping with this guy…that…how much she knows from both worlds. She’s like, you know what? I’m gonna help you so your external appearance really represents what you are…the magic of Emmet internally, at least with what he wears. So, I don't know, there’s just something I liked about it. Also, it’s kinda like…it’s a fun song and I’m sure there’s other lyrics that are really important in there, but…do I have any other ones written down? Those are Legally Blonde lyrics…going shopping with my guy…well, he’s not her guy yet, but…to…no…okay, well, that’s fine.

 

But so, I don't know, and again, we see that Elle is heroic and kind, and in this case, she’s trying to bring out the best in Emmet and kinda restore his confidence, because Emmet has a lot of his…his story arc is like…he’s been kinda through a different journey as Elle, but constantly treated as a outsider and judged, like having to prove himself unfairly and really go beyond what’s expected. But he wants this return on his effort, and what he thinks similarly…I think for him, the idea of buying his mom a house on the Cape is just one part of it, but similar to Elle’s wanting Warner to think she’s serious, you know? Okay, so, then, yeah, we have another interlude where Elle goes to the salon and hangs out with Paulette, and there’s a song, Bend and Snap…I guess different in the movie.

 

I don't know, the movie’s kinda fun and exciting, though, too. But, one, this is a big dance-number song, but where Elle…Paulette likes this guy, basically, and again, Elle’s unifying worlds in some sense or whatever, 'cause she says, oh, I know how…I can help you do this. Then the Greek chorus is there, too. So, they say, hey, this is a technique you could use to capture the attention…over…make small talk with this guy you're attracted to, Paulette, because you're already attractive and stuff, too. Then she had kind of expressed…oh, she wants this Ireland love. When she first was like, Elle, you're special…so, I don't know, I liked the fact that Elle’s repaying the kindness with kindness that got her to this part in the story.

 

I don't know if this is a structural thing with musicals or not, but it’s also showing…wow, this is the woman we're rooting for. Holy cow. She really cares about her friends. It’s not like…I guess in that sense, it is a little bit less…where it’s like, the character’s not on a journey where they get a full…Elle’s still behaving in value. I don't know if she ever leaves her values. They just shift, which I guess thinks…I think makes the impact of the rest of the story, especially in the musical, so much more powerful, because we're rooting for Elle so hard…I mean, or, I am, instead of having the character have a takedown or behave out of value and say, well, I don't know if I like Elle. Maybe she doesn't deserve everything.

 

At this point in the story, I think most people…if you're letting yourself go along with it, you’d be like, Elle deserves anything. She can…she’s on her way and she’s gonna be legally blonde or whatever. It’s gonna be great. But, you know, you probably wouldn't be there for two and a half hours if it was that simple. So, Elle helps Emmet get a really nice outfit and Paulette talk to the UPS guy. Okay, then There Right There is the next song, which I don't remember at all. I remember…okay, this is the scene during…okay, so, this is the case scene. Okay, so, then we go back and it’s the first day of them try…or the…whatever, they're trying to help Brooke clear her name. We realize, again, they're up against…they don’t have…they can't get Brooke to do what Callahan wants.

 

They don’t know why Brooke can't just clear her name by clearing her name, because she doesn't want everybody to know she used two-in-one conditioner. So, wow, this…we're really gonna have to solve this. Brooke, in the sense…I guess she’s kind of a truth-teller, too. She’s like, you need to figure this out. This isn't my job. So, then we're in this situation…and in the musical, they just make it easy, but it makes sense…where it’s like…and you could kinda see that Emmet and Brooke are still on…I mean, Emmet and Elle are still on the outs. Also, I think it’s important to know in the musical, Elle has changed her costume to fit in in this new world. She’s wearing a navy suit. Okay, so, then we kinda see…okay, but this is the heroine. Now we're rooting for Emmet, too. So, what’s gonna happen?

 

Between Elle and Emmet, they get the person who’s talking about…kinda setting up Elle. They turn the tables on this person. In the musical version, it’s very fun and a lot…full…a lot of dancing. They say, holy cow, now we have a chance. By the end of that scene, it’s like, now we have a chance to prove this, what…between Elle and Emmet…wow, you really worked together as a team. You really use things. Now we're on the verge of this big finale, but…holy cow. It kinda happens in the movie similarly, but it’s a little bit more of a slow thing. So, I think in the musical, this one is powerful, powerful, powerful, because…I don't know. If you're…like I said, you're probably already on board, but there is probably something about you, like I talked about on the first episode, that’s wired for story or whatever.

 

So, you're like, okay, but there’s like, fifteen, twenty minutes left in this musical, maybe even twenty-five. I don't think…and part of us that doesn't know we wouldn't be satisfied if we just got dessert through the rest of the musical…and Elle is a heroine, and I guess…so, this is where we are in the story structure, right? I mean, depending…is in the ‘take’ versus ‘the return’. Maybe we're getting a little taste of her return. But this is the take, is that the protagonist has gotten what they wanted, but there’s a price they must pay. For Elle, it’s finding out how…what Callahan said…Callahan’s world has no good…he’s not a good person. His values are…and he was only judging Elle by his…her appearance and what it could do for him, and that he didn’t value Elle at all except for her appearance.

 

It’s not surprising in the general sense, but in the musical, it’s like…I mean, you always suspect Callahan’s not the greatest, but you're like, whoa, whoa, whoa, we thought this was…we were rooting for Elle to take it to the finish and save Brooke and everything. It is…it was really powerful. I mean, I just feel like, holy moly. You feel burned by Callahan but you feel like, here’s this woman who went through all…this whole journey, and now she’s left out and saying…you had no value except how you looked to me, and anything else was just an illusion that I was using…also, you're not…yeah, you aren't welcome in this world and you aren't a part of this world and there isn't a place in this world, the legal Callahan world, for you. But all…so, it does have a big impact.

 

Then it has Elle’s reaction, her initial reaction, which is almost like a fake return home because she says, wow, this is…she has to process it first. She says, holy cow…I mean, a lot of times when you hear people…you listen to podcasts with people that wrote stuff or movies or whatever and they say, yeah, we came up with…what’s the worst thing that could happen to this character? Particularly in the musical, just 'cause it’s so distilled, they did that, and…especially 'cause of what Elle’s takeaway from it is, right? Because it’s like, I’m not serious and I am only how I look, and I should have known that all along. I guess I relate in the sense of like, what if all this work I did was just an illusion and futile and it was never gonna work out for me?

 

Maybe that’s why I relate to it so much, too, is my worst fears did come true and I tried, I really tried, and it didn’t work out. Not only did it not work out, everything that I didn’t want to believe was proven to be true. But luckily…and Vivian does not…gets a lot more time and development in the movie, but Vivian is…initially is like this…a little bit of an antagonist to Elle, Warner’s kind of love interest, she does…but she is…and maybe there’s a other version of the musical where she has a little bit more character development, but she has been witness to Elle’s…even on some level, she’s witnessed Elle’s persistence, Elle’s capability, and that Elle is serious, moreso than Warner. So…and then Elle has had a positive impact on Paulette’s life, and Enid kind of has also been a sub-witness like Vivian and Emmet.

 

But Elle says, my reaction to this is to just go back to my ordinary world. Not a return, but a reversal. I’ll just retreat back to my ordinary world. I mean, again, I just relate. I say, holy cow, deflated…I’m just gonna go back home and get in bed, and then…and even Vivian has this line earlier in the musical where she goes, we’ll be all titans of the world. You're gonna go tan. It kinda gets a little bit of a callback in this part of the musical. So…but then…and again, because musicals can be more punchy, this is…at least the way it was directed at the chorus performance…so, Elle goes into the shop, Paulette’s beauty shop. She says, I’m going home. I’ve been defeated. Paulette says, I don't think you could…I didn’t think you could be defeated. I mean, this is my summary. Elle says, no.

 

Then Vivian says, oh, no…Vivian’s there, and then Vivian gives her big song, her big number. Then Paulette and Enid kinda are a part of it and the chorus. They remind Elle that she’s powerful. But the initial reaction of Elle is like, nope, this is…your behavior earlier…this is, again, my projection, not what happens in the musical. But she says, Vivian, you and Enid’s behavior earlier, making sure I knew I wasn’t welcome in this world and then everything that’s happened since, can't be undone. The damage can't be undone. She doesn't say that; it’s just in acting. She leaves the stage, and for a brief moment, we get this reaction from Paulette…yeah, Paulette, Enid, and Vivian. Again, maybe it’s just projection, but I saw with Vivian and Enid…oh my gosh, we were a part of this and we couldn't fix…we acted too late to undo it.

 

But no, no, no, Elle is a hero. So, basically, we get this huge reveal…and this is Legally Blonde. I think maybe even…is Enid’s song…? I mean…let’s see. Elle, Emmet, Vivian…oh, so, Elle had already sang Legally Blonde. So, I think the first bars of Legally Blonde are her saying, yeah, no. I guess it’s almost like it’s a insult, legally blonde. Then it becomes an empowered thing in the now, and then it becomes…where Elle’s like, now I’m returning…and almost says to Vivian…all of them, like, get…you coming? It’s time for me to return to the world of law and this…instead of going back to her ordinary world, I think what’s interesting about this version is Callahan is the representation of the ordinary world in the new world, almost.

 

He’s like this old, stuffy stand-in who only believes that…believes the same things that Warner believed, and he kinda out-believed about ourselves at the start of the story. So, that’s where she returns to instead of returning to Malibu or Bel-Air in the movie. So, she returns and she’s changed back, 'cause pink was her signature color. Again, in the musical, it really punched. So, then they…first they do this Legally Blonde thing, then they go back to the helping-Brooke situation. This is where we go from the return to the change. So, I think in the sense, Brooke going there…and she says, yo, this is what happened with Callahan. Brooke says, well, let’s get rid of him. I mean, it’s…again, it’s revealed in a way that’s really fun. Then Enid and Vivian have now…oh wait, no…in the musical, everybody returns.

 

So, I guess in that sense, Elle’s parents and the Delta News also come into the new world. So, it’s kinda like…I think in the…some of the heroes’ journeys is like a melding of hero worlds or whatever. But I really do think that she still is returning…even though everybody’s coming there, she’s returning by the way…'cause Callahan really is a distilled version of the values of the…the surface values of the story. So, they go there. She says, hit the road, Callahan. Brooke says, hit the road, Callahan. He says, you can't…you can't…you're not capable and I won't allow it. She says, incorrect on both things. Then he’s…they say, bye, dude. He leaves.

 

I think in this sense…so, now Elle is transformed, and particularly in the musical…in the movie, it’s handled a little bit like…it just unfolds a little bit slower and not through song. But here, Elle is like, okay, so, let’s get things fixed for Brooke. Again, we see that, again, she is transversing both worlds, ‘cause what ends up fixing everything is her knowledge from her past life, right? She knows about hair care, hair care that…about perms, which is particularly relevant to Sleep With Me, and she says, yeah, this is how we're gonna solve this. But she’s changed because I think…'cause she spans…she’s confronted the old world’s values. She’s kind of embraced her signature color, pink, Legally Blonde, and even her knowledge from the old world about perms.

 

It’s only by her using her…what she’s learned through being serious about the law and kind of her own underlying skills of deduction and reasoning that maybe she honed through all these things that…she says, okay, this is it. Then they say, okay, Brooke, you can go, man. Elle saved the day. Then we have this…then we have the close of the musical, but we're actually celebrating…and it does have more impact 'cause it’s like, if we didn’t have that…'cause I guess for me, that’s where it gets confusing with making stories, is how you do that where…she already lost Warner’s love, right? It appears like it wasn’t worth it anyway and it wasn’t real and it wasn’t…he wasn’t worth it.

 

But then it’s like, no, no, no…I guess that’s the difference between a pretty good story and a great story in my opinion, is like, no, that was just the kinda-hard part. We got something else. She’s a heroine. She can…she has to…so, I don't know if that makes sense. But yeah, if you haven't seen it, like I said, more than likely within the next year or two or right now somewhere in the world near you is probably a local group or a high school or a teen group or younger group…maybe not. I don't know if they have Legally Blonde for…I mean, what do they call it, kids’ stage? But somewhere there’s local theatre probably performing this musical. Maybe it’s on…maybe it’s touring, too. You should check it out and support…I mean, the people that perform, they do it 'cause they love it, right?

 

They love telling stories and singing and dancing. But particularly, if you like dancing, hopefully the version you see has as many dance breaks as this one did. Yeah, special shout-out to Celeste, Russell, and Tim, who were the director, the choreographer, and the musical director. Celeste, Russell, and Tim, as well as Sophia and her whole cast. So, I didn’t think this would go two episodes, but it was pretty fun, and hopefully we’ll do it again. If you like this kind of content, let me know. You can reach me through the contact form on our website, or if you support the show, there’s tons of times to interact. Thanks so much.

 

[END OF RECORDING]

(Transcription performed by LeahTranscribes)

Watchalong

 

Legally Blonde

https://divinity.uchicago.edu/sightings/articles/getting-serious-about-legally-blonde

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/08/movies/legally-blonde-oral-history.html?unlocked_article_code=1.bE4.wKTW.qKL-h_ILuE8g&smid=url-share

https://meteamedia.org/21441/entertainment/legally-blondes-feminist-impact-20-years-later/

 

Legally Blonde, the Musical

https://playbill.com/article/revisit-the-original-broadway-production-of-legally-blonde

https://playbill.com/article/from-the-archives-look-back-at-legally-blonde-on-broadway

https://hoorayformusicals.wordpress.com/history-of-legally-blonde/

 

Perception of Blondes

https://www.popsugar.com/beauty/dumb-blonde-stereotype-49231928

https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/dumb-blonde-stereotype

https://birdgei.com/2021/04/08/the-blonde-stereotype/

 

Junior Musicals

https://playbill.com/article/get-them-while-theyre-young-mtis-broadway-jr-inspires-next-generation-com-196400

https://www.halleonard.com/series/BRDYJR

https://playbill.com/article/you-better-work-adapting-the-britney-spears-musical-for-broadway-junior

 

DOWN TO BUSINESS

I’m here to talk about stories

Act 2 of the Musical, but then I also watched the movie last night

 

PLUGS

Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Story Only Feed; Rusty Biscuit Links; Emily Tat Artwork; Crisis Textline

 

SPONSORS

Helix Sleep; Zocdoc; Progressive; Anker Soundcore; Acorns; Marley Spoon

 

INTRO

Think Thank Thought

Thoughts are much more direct than tangents

General Ficinity

Friendly Vicinity = Ficinity

Ficinity, my unfinished fragrance

You’re not alone

How I came to make the show

Comedy radio really helped me when I was a kid

Connected by something we can all kind of relate to

Always Forgettable, a fragrance for spies

Or is it Almost Forgettable?

Or Barely Forgettable?

Covering myself in fiction

There’s no metronomes, but I do drone on in a metro area

Metro Drone

My failed attempt to incorporate metronomes into the show

A built-in expectation to not understand

Your Boris Borloff

Chairman of the Bored, Bearman of the Chord

Capturing the spirit of a friendly vicinity

I’m having trouble speaking today

Act 2 of Legally Blonde, the Musical

 

STORY

Time for Act 2 and Dan Harmon’s story structure

Let me catch you up

My daughter was in this show

The story of Elle Woods

Recapping Act 1

Warner leaves her for someone more serious

Arriving at Harvard Law to get Warner to love her

Developing a love of the law

Jennifer Coolidge is so iconic

Search

Warner isn’t gonna take her seriously but she gets an internship on her own

Let me briefly recap the movie

I hadn’t seen it in a long time

They do things in a very different way

The movie’s introduction of Elle is almost over the top

The Greek Chorus of Sorority Sisters

Elle had to do a lot more on her own in the movie

Okay, on to Act 2

Running through the song titles

Talking through the Dan Harmon Story Circle

You, Need, Go, Search, Find…

Find is always tough for me

Getting what they wanted but not how they expected

Now on to Take

Facing the consequences of actions

This helps clarify the story

My brain is more fragmentary

Return (no longer the same person)

I think Act 2 opens in the Find section

Elle starts to become a unifier of worlds

Story Box: You Can’t Put Story In a Box

2 part dance number – a new version of Elle

She’s still swimming in the underworld Callahan previously described

We meet Brooke, who needs representation

Enid, Warner, Vivian, and Elle won the internship

Emmet already graduated but works for Callahan

We learn about Brooke’s situation and then meet her

What does Elle have left to prove?

Will we help her in the way Callahan wants?
Brooke is cagey in giving her full story

Brooke and Elle are both Delta Nus

Elle shows some basic kindness to Brooke

She’s not instantly solving everything, though

Elle won’t tell anyone else that Brooke was using 2-in-1 conditioner

Elle keeps her promise

Callahan is not happy with his team

Then we get a couple nice interludes

Elle had previously helped Paulette get her dog back

Elle is now mentoring Emmet

The whole show really plays with appearance in a nuanced way

Proving that they are more than their appearance

Elle will help Emmet represent his inner magic externally

Then we get the Bend and Snap song

Elle helps Paulette go after this guy she likes

Making small talk with this guy

Paulette wants an Ireland Love

I like that Elle is repaying kindness with kindness

I guess Elle’s values shift but never change

We’re always rooting for her

She’s on her way to being legally blonde

I don’t remember this next song

Oh, this is the case scene

Brooke won’t do what Callahan wants

They don’t know how to address the case

Emmet and Elle are still on the outs

Elle is no longer wearing pink

Turning the tables on the person who set up Brooke

Holy cow, they have a chance!

Elle and Emmet work great as a team

A powerful musical number

Return

You get what you wanted, but at a price

Callahan is not a good person and only cared about Elle’s appearance

You feel so burned by Callahan and how he treats Elle

Elle’s initial reaction is a Fake Return Home

What’s the worst thing that could happen to this character?

Maybe that’s why I relate to this story

All my worst fears did come true

Vivian has been witness to Elle’s persistence

Elle just wants to retreat back to her ordinary world

Elle goes into Paulette’s shop

Vivian gets her big number to remind Elle that she is powerful

The women convince Elle is powerful, but Elle doubts this

Elle leaves the stage!

A brief moment of other 3 women realizing they couldn’t help Elle

But Elle is a hero, after all

The meaning of “Legally Blonde” changes over time

It’s time for Elle to return to the world of law

Callahan represents both the old world and the new world, somehow

She returns in pink, her signature color

Then they go back to helping Brooke

Brooke wants to get rid of Callahan

The melding of her worlds

A refutation of Callahan

Elle’s knowledge of haircare helps her in the case

Elle saves the day

The closing of the musical

And Elle is a great heroine

I highly recommend you search out this musical

Is there a Legally Blonde Jr?

Shoutout to Celeste, Russell, and Tim who worked with my daughter

 

SUMMARY:

Episode: 1331

Title: Legally Blonde, the Musical | Act 2

Plugs: Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Story Only Feed; Rusty Biscuit Links; Emily Tat Artwork; Crisis Textline

Sponsors: Helix Sleep; Zocdoc; Progressive; Anker Soundcore; Acorns; Marley Spoon

Notable Language:

• Think Thank Thought
• General Ficinity
• Barely Forgettable
• Metro Drone
• Chairman of the Bored, Bearman of the Chord
• Con-Fron-Tosh-Own
• Story Box

 

Notable Culture:

• Legally Blonde

• Legally Blonde, the Musical

• Boris Karloff
• Harvard
• Jennifer Coolidge
• Dan Harmon

 

Notable Talking Points:

• • Think Thank Thought
  • Thoughts are much more direct than tangents
  • General Ficinity
  • Friendly Vicinity = Ficinity
  • Ficinity, my unfinished fragrance
  • You’re not alone
  • How I came to make the show
  • Comedy radio really helped me when I was a kid
  • Connected by something we can all kind of relate to
  • Always Forgettable, a fragrance for spies
  • Or is it Almost Forgettable?
  • Or Barely Forgettable?
  • Covering myself in fiction
  • There’s no metronomes, but I do drone on in a metro area
  • Metro Drone
  • My failed attempt to incorporate metronomes into the show
  • A built-in expectation to not understand
  • Your Boris Borloff
  • Chairman of the Bored, Bearman of the Chord
  • Capturing the spirit of a friendly vicinity
  • I’m having trouble speaking today
  • Act 2 of Legally Blonde, the Musical

• Time for Act 2 and Dan Harmon’s story structure

• Let me catch you up

• My daughter was in this show

• The story of Elle Woods

• Recapping Act 1

• Warner leaves her for someone more serious

• Arriving at Harvard Law to get Warner to love her

• Developing a love of the law

• Jennifer Coolidge is so iconic

• Search

• Warner isn’t gonna take her seriously but she gets an internship on her own

• Let me briefly recap the movie

• I hadn’t seen it in a long time

• They do things in a very different way

• The movie’s introduction of Elle is almost over the top

• The Greek Chorus of Sorority Sisters

• Elle had to do a lot more on her own in the movie

• Okay, on to Act 2

• Running through the song titles

• Talking through the Dan Harmon Story Circle

• You, Need, Go, Search, Find…

• Find is always tough for me

• Getting what they wanted but not how they expected

• Now on to Take

• Facing the consequences of actions

• This helps clarify the story

• My brain is more fragmentary

• Return (no longer the same person)

• I think Act 2 opens in the Find section

• Elle starts to become a unifier of worlds

• Story Box: You Can’t Put Story In a Box

• 2 part dance number – a new version of Elle

• She’s still swimming in the underworld Callahan previously described

• We meet Brooke, who needs representation

• Enid, Warner, Vivian, and Elle won the internship

• Emmet already graduated but works for Callahan

• We learn about Brooke’s situation and then meet her

• What does Elle have left to prove?

• Will we help her in the way Callahan wants?
  Brooke is cagey in giving her full story

• Brooke and Elle are both Delta Nus

• Elle shows some basic kindness to Brooke

• She’s not instantly solving everything, though

• Elle won’t tell anyone else that Brooke was using 2-in-1 conditioner

• Elle keeps her promise

• Callahan is not happy with his team

• Then we get a couple nice interludes

• Elle had previously helped Paulette get her dog back

• Elle is now mentoring Emmet

• The whole show really plays with appearance in a nuanced way

• Proving that they are more than their appearance

• Elle will help Emmet represent his inner magic externally

• Then we get the Bend and Snap song

• Elle helps Paulette go after this guy she likes

• Making small talk with this guy

• Paulette wants an Ireland Love

• I like that Elle is repaying kindness with kindness

• I guess Elle’s values shift but never change

• We’re always rooting for her

• She’s on her way to being legally blonde

• I don’t remember this next song

• Oh, this is the case scene

• Brooke won’t do what Callahan wants

• They don’t know how to address the case

• Emmet and Elle are still on the outs

• Elle is no longer wearing pink

• Turning the tables on the person who set up Brooke

• Holy cow, they have a chance!

• Elle and Emmet work great as a team

• A powerful musical number

• Return

• You get what you wanted, but at a price

• Callahan is not a good person and only cared about Elle’s appearance

• You feel so burned by Callahan and how he treats Elle

• Elle’s initial reaction is a Fake Return Home

• What’s the worst thing that could happen to this character?

• Maybe that’s why I relate to this story

• All my worst fears did come true

• Vivian has been witness to Elle’s persistence

• Elle just wants to retreat back to her ordinary world

• Elle goes into Paulette’s shop

• Vivian gets her big number to remind Elle that she is powerful

• The women convince Elle is powerful, but Elle doubts this

• Elle leaves the stage!

• A brief moment of other 3 women realizing they couldn’t help Elle

• But Elle is a hero, after all

• The meaning of “Legally Blonde” changes over time

• It’s time for Elle to return to the world of law

• Callahan represents both the old world and the new world, somehow

• She returns in pink, her signature color

• Then they go back to helping Brooke

• Brooke wants to get rid of Callahan

• The melding of her worlds

• A refutation of Callahan

• Elle’s knowledge of haircare helps her in the case

• Elle saves the day

• The closing of the musical

• And Elle is a great heroine

• I highly recommend you search out this musical

• Is there a Legally Blonde Jr?

• Shoutout to Celeste, Russell, and Tim who worked with my daughter