The Gist

Hairspray is fun, but Travolta is not

I attended a screening of Hairspray tonight. For all of the minor controversy about Scientologist John Travolta starring in a film originally created by gay director John Waters, you'd think Travolta's performance would at least be worth any downside he might inspire. But Travolta in drag as Edna Turnblad is really the weakest link in the film, though I suppose he was just meant as a celebrity marketing tool. He's stilted, one-dimensional and freaky (not in the good and fabulous way), the makeup is really bad, and he can't seem to move or really inhabit the character. Newcomer Nikki Blonsky is terrific, as is much of the rest of the cast that performs musical numbers. Michelle Pfeiffer and Christopher Walken are amusing.

I wasn't able to make earlier press screenings -- doing the show four hours a day gets in the way! -- so they had me sit in on a special screening for members of the GLBT employee groups of HBO and AOL/Time-Warner (they have a regular film series apparently) at HBO's screening room. Judging by the packed, enthused and mostly gay male audience, I don't think any boycott is going to take off, no matter that many of us view Travolta as creepy and duplicitous. The film will probably do okay, but it won't be because of John Travolta's performance.