Glee

Lulled into a sense of family-friendly excitement by the first installment of "Glee," which Fox sent out like a tantalizing test balloon this summer, some parents subsequently expressed shock and concern over the overtly sexual nature of the show's formal premiere. Which is a bit strange, considering that the show is on Fox, not the Disney Channel, airs at 9 p.m., not 8, and is about, you know, high school . The episode three weeks ago included allusions to and/or discussions about premature ejaculation, accidental pregnancy, sexual betrayal and the general teen obsession with carnality.

The Fox network is making a musical comedy, a somewhat unusual project for prime-time television. Fox said Tuesday it had ordered 13 episodes of "Glee," a scripted series about a high school teacher trying to transform a glee club into a national power. The characters include a diva-in-training, a nerdy soprano and a quarterback who tries to stay cool while singing. At least three musical numbers will be performed in each show. Sound familiar? The success of the movie franchise "High School Musical" proved youngsters don't consider musicals an anachronism.

Matthew Morrison of "Glee," Teri Hatcher of "Desperate Housewives," Wayne Brady of "Let's Make a Deal" and Eric McCormack of "Will & Grace" are scheduled to perform at a "Broadway Tonight!" fundraising event Oct. 4 for weSPARK , a Sherman Oaks-based cancer support center. Others on the bill at the Alex Theatre in Glendale include Michael Chiklis, Megan Hilty, Randy Jackson, Camryn Manheim, Marc Cherry, Adam Pascal and Alonzo Bodden. Proceeds will benefit weSPARK, founded by the late actress Wendie Jo Sperber to provide free support services to cancer victims and their families.

The entertainment industry’s hugely popular media extravaganza, Comic-Con International , has added cast members from TV hits such as "Glee" and "Bones" to the July 21-24 lineup at the San Diego Convention Center.  Attracting more than 100,000 fans annually, Comic-Con was launched as a comic book convention but has grown into an international happening that features all facets of Hollywood entertainment. And it may not be too late to snag tickets, if you're persistent.

Closing shortly after co-star Kevin McHale's nearby home purchase, "Glee's" Lea Michele has bought a bungalow in Hollywood for $1.4 million. The one-story house, built in 1920, sits behind tall hedges and has a gated driveway. The updated bungalow features French doors, an office, attic space, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. An outdoor dining pavilion includes a kitchen. Michele, 25, has played aspiring soprano Rachel Berry since 2009 on the television series. She will voice the part of Dorothy in the animated film "Dorothy of Oz," due out this year.

If a musical is ever made about Ryan Murphy and his amazing Technicolor cast creating "Glee," the big climax at the end of the first act should correspond to this particular moment in time. The show has reached a peak, in terms of popularity and artistic ambition. In the last two weeks it's tackled two of the most controversial subjects of our time: religion and Britney Spears. The ratings are through the roof, the iTunes downloads just keep coming, and celebrities such as Amy Adams, Javier Bardem and future guest star Gwyneth Paltrow have all publicly expressed their enthusiasm for "Glee.

MT. EMMY: To scale the heights of the Emmys, wrap yourself in raves and pack lots of buzz. This week's altitude readings are by Greg Braxton, Maria Elena Fernandez, Matea Gold and Tom O'Neil. PEAKING DON'T STOP BELIEVIN': The kids of "Glee" may have ended their season without (sob!) claiming a trophy at regionals, but odds are strong that the Fox show will earn some hardware gold — at the very least for Jane Lynch's cranky Sue Sylvester. CLIMBING REAL LIFE: Portraying controversial figures has been very good for Al Pacino.

In early March, the Paley Center held its annual festival saluting notable new TV shows, showcasing the likes of "Modern Family" and "Men of a Certain Age." The evenings of PaleyFest have a comfortable charm -- an episode screening, cast appearances and polite questions from an attentive audience. Then there was March 13, and the salute to "Glee." Lines formed early outside the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, and swelled hours before the doors opened, with fans -- self-described Gleeks -- hanging out, many of them singing and dancing as they waited.

Audiences and critics have sung the praises of "Glee," which closes its season Tuesday. In addition to being one of the season's biggest pop culture hits, the comedy- drama about a high school glee club has succeeded where other shows that attempted to weave music into their storylines have failed. "Viva Laughlin," "Cop Rock" and "Hull High" were among the TV series in the last several years that were soundly rejected by audiences who didn't accept characters breaking out into song, often with full orchestration, in the middle of dramatic scenes.