Gleeks

THEATER "Gleeks" — that's a portmanteau of "Glee geeks," for the uninitiated — will converge at Universal CityWalk for "Glee Live," the touring stage version of the beloved Fox TV show. Cast members will sing and dance in character, performing such hits as "Don't Stop Believin' " and "Sweet Caroline." Gibson Amphitheatre, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City. 8 p.m. Today-Fri., 2 and 8 p.m. Sat. $44.25-$84.25. (818) 622-4440. http://www.gleetour2010.com.

Dear little girls and Gleeks of America: You can't have "Wicked. " Give it back, OK? When I first saw "Wicked" on Broadway in 2003, it seemed clear that the show was a subversive satire designed expressly for disillusioned middle-agers like me. With metaphorically disturbing scenes of mob rule, and intimations of fascism and genocide, the show sent the audience home thinking about an angry, ignorant, violence-prone populace running roughshod...

Sunday Mother's Day Brunch Where: Jasmine (Bellagio) Highlights: Sunday brunches abound, but if you want to splurge on Mom, this is a prime choice. Info: (866) 259-7111, http://www.bellagio.com/restaurants/jasmine.aspx Thursday-May 15 Helldorado Days Where: Downtown Las Vegas Highlights: A Wild West-themed Vegas fixture since 1935, the events include a parade and a contest to find the longest beard and longest mustache Info: (702)

If the weekly musical comedy TV series "Glee" is a belted aria calling for outsider inclusivity, "Glee: The 3D Concert Movie" plays like a coded jamboree for club members only. Which means if you aren't a "Gleek" — to use the terminology for the show's fans — you might still appreciate the talent on display and the energetically sung playlist of arena pop and musical theater nuggets, but be lost as to why Gwyneth Paltrow is there singing Cee Lo Green's "Forget You," or why a nerdy-looking young paraplegic is suddenly on his feet for a rousingly choreographed version of the '80s hit "Safety Dance.

There was no doubt in Jimmy Fallon's mind how he wanted to open the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards, right down to the iconic Bruce Springsteen song, "Born to Run," that would serve as a soundtrack to the most ambitious "Glee" parody he'd ever done. Fallon, who hosted Sunday night's show for the first time, has repeatedly spoofed the popular Fox series on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. " But for the Emmy telecast, he wanted to assemble some friends and fellow Gleeks like Tina Fey, Jon Hamm and Randy Jackson for a six-minute filmed skit with live singing and dancing that he thought would start the program with a bang.

Dear little girls and Gleeks of America: You can't have "Wicked. " Give it back, OK? When I first saw "Wicked" on Broadway in 2003, it seemed clear that the show was a subversive satire designed expressly for disillusioned middle-agers like me. With metaphorically disturbing scenes of mob rule, and intimations of fascism and genocide, the show sent the audience home thinking about an angry, ignorant, violence-prone populace running roughshod...

"Glee," Fox's breakout musical series about a group of misfit high schoolers, has become a sensation in its two years on the air. It's earned an army of hard-core fans who identify themselves as "Gleeks" and charted more Billboard Hot 100 hits than any recording artist in history — including Elvis. Now, the show's creative team is attempting to bring its magic to the multiplex with a new 3-D concert film opening Friday. Directed by Kevin Tancharoen and culled from two Izod Center shows in East Rutherford, N.J., "Glee: The 3D Concert Movie" features series regulars such as Lea Michele, Chris Colfer and Cory Monteith, and is aimed to appeal to fans with its collection of musical numbers and dressing-room interviews.

If the weekly musical comedy TV series "Glee" is a belted aria calling for outsider inclusivity, "Glee: The 3D Concert Movie" plays like a coded jamboree for club members only. Which means if you aren't a "Gleek" — to use the terminology for the show's fans — you might still appreciate the talent on display and the energetically sung playlist of arena pop and musical theater nuggets, but be lost as to why Gwyneth Paltrow is there singing Cee Lo Green's "Forget You," or why a nerdy-looking young paraplegic is suddenly on his feet for a rousingly choreographed version of the '80s hit "Safety Dance.

Good luck, Gleeks and band dorks. A new report suggests that running with the in crowd in high school bodes well for future earnings potential. Those considered popular in secondary school earned 2% more decades later than oddballs such as Napoleon Dynamite - a so-called popularity premium. So says a new analysis of data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, which follows more than 10,000 people who graduated from the blackboard jungle in Wisconsin in 1957. Forty years after graduation, those who were in the 80th percentile of the popularity chain earned 10% more than their peers in the 20th.

MOVIES David Carradine tribute This four-day celebration of the late American actor David Carradine will have double features on Thursday through Saturday at the New Beverly Cinema and a grand finale of rare films, as well as 35-millimeter and video performances on Sunday at Cinefamily's Silent Movie Theater. Sunday's event will be hosted by longtime Carradine fan and "Kill Bill" collaborator Quentin Tarantino. New Beverly Cinema, 7165 W. Beverly Blvd. 7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat.

"Glee," Fox's breakout musical series about a group of misfit high schoolers, has become a sensation in its two years on the air. It's earned an army of hard-core fans who identify themselves as "Gleeks" and charted more Billboard Hot 100 hits than any recording artist in history — including Elvis. Now, the show's creative team is attempting to bring its magic to the multiplex with a new 3-D concert film opening Friday. Directed by Kevin Tancharoen and culled from two Izod Center shows in East Rutherford, N.J., "Glee: The 3D Concert Movie" features series regulars such as Lea Michele, Chris Colfer and Cory Monteith, and is aimed to appeal to fans with its collection of musical numbers and dressing-room interviews.

Sunday Mother's Day Brunch Where: Jasmine (Bellagio) Highlights: Sunday brunches abound, but if you want to splurge on Mom, this is a prime choice. Info: (866) 259-7111, http://www.bellagio.com/restaurants/jasmine.aspx Thursday-May 15 Helldorado Days Where: Downtown Las Vegas Highlights: A Wild West-themed Vegas fixture since 1935, the events include a parade and a contest to find the longest beard and longest mustache Info: (702)

There was no doubt in Jimmy Fallon's mind how he wanted to open the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards, right down to the iconic Bruce Springsteen song, "Born to Run," that would serve as a soundtrack to the most ambitious "Glee" parody he'd ever done. Fallon, who hosted Sunday night's show for the first time, has repeatedly spoofed the popular Fox series on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. " But for the Emmy telecast, he wanted to assemble some friends and fellow Gleeks like Tina Fey, Jon Hamm and Randy Jackson for a six-minute filmed skit with live singing and dancing that he thought would start the program with a bang.

THEATER "Gleeks" — that's a portmanteau of "Glee geeks," for the uninitiated — will converge at Universal CityWalk for "Glee Live," the touring stage version of the beloved Fox TV show. Cast members will sing and dance in character, performing such hits as "Don't Stop Believin' " and "Sweet Caroline." Gibson Amphitheatre, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City. 8 p.m. Today-Fri., 2 and 8 p.m. Sat. $44.25-$84.25. (818) 622-4440. http://www.gleetour2010.com.

If you're nostalgic for warrior princesses, talk about "Xena: Warrior Princess." Long before Lucy Lawless was going topless in Starz' "Spartacus: Blood and Sand," she was just a warrior bent on overcoming her dark past and saving innocents to redeem herself in the campy '90s cult TV series. Want to relive that Spartan costume? The first season is now available on DVD. (Tuesday) If you want vampires that don't sparkle, talk about "American Vampire."

A recent subplot on "Glee" features an anguished dad trying to quash his son's dreams of becoming a professional dancer because, he reasons, show business is so fickle. And indeed it is — as Fox has witnessed to its chagrin this fall. A rare TV/music double sensation just last year, "Glee" — an over-the-top romp about a high-school show choir filled with colorful characters — has officially entered its awkward middle years. Some of the stats are about as inviting as pimples and braces.