The Ballad of Troy Bolton: NBA vs. Broadway

Added: 2026-05-04

[00:00:00]This video is sponsored by NordVPN.

[00:00:09]>> Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

[00:00:13]Yeah.

[00:00:31]High School Musical is a Disney Channel original movie written by Peter Baruchini and directed by Kenny Ortega.

[00:00:37]With over 600 teen actors auditioning, the film cast came down to Zack Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley French. She took her husband's last name, formerly known as Tisdale, Lucas Greyel, Corbin Blue, and Mon'nique Coleman. Filmed over the course of 24 days with the soundtrack being recorded in only five. This production had a small $4.2 million budget and the premiere had 7.7 million US viewers. Disney's most successful hit at its time. But only a few months later, The Cheetah Girls 2 a superior sequel. Damn. Why? Why? Why are all of like specifically not even just every sequel, but specifically the second films, why are they always better than the first one? I automatically think about The Godfather Part Two, obviously Terminator 2, Judgement Day, Shrek 2, Evil Dead 2. The Cheetah Girls 2 broke High School Musical's record with 8.3 million viewers on its premiere night.

[00:01:40]Somebody in the comments going to be like, "Girl, you ain't singing the lyrics right, Mom." And that's okay because I I get the feeling, right?

[00:01:53]>> I don't think I'm saying the lyrics. But High School Musical 2 said, "Hold My Beer," coming out the following year in 2007 and outdid The Cheetah Girls 2 with over 17.2 million viewers during its premiere. Damn. Till this day, holding the record for Disney's highest ratings as far as decoms are concerned. You never thought you would see a gangster like me doing a video on a movie like this. I said for so long I did not want to talk about this movie because every commentary channel on this platform has talked about High School Musical. It's Is this like a [ __ ] right of passage?

[00:02:26]I don't know. And I saw comments agreeing with me saying, "Sure, it's talked about a lot, but we need we want your POV. We need your commentary." So, who am I if not giving the people what they want? The world loves to pass this franchise off as some girly musical decom, but I beg to differ. Well, I mean, I only care about the first two, but the story is bringing up some important social commentary as far as being a kid in high school and father-son dynamics, masculinity. There are some conversation starters. So, grab your flies 2006 business casual get down or go in your your childhood closet and pull out that wild cats hoodie that I I know you I know you got. Don't front.

[00:03:08]Don't front. We all had it. I mean, I didn't have it, but you know, cuz we're hitting up Albuquerque, New Mexico. We have a call back, damn it. So, do your vocal warm-ups.

[00:03:20]Before we jump into this week's film, allow me to tell you about today's sponsor, NordVPN. In the scary digital age that we live in, my friends, security is not only optional, but it's vital. As someone whose job involves the internet, I am constantly moving from sight to sight, right? doing my research while I'm writing these outlines and these essays. And you better believe I have my se my secret weapon to fight against all this malware and all these viruses that are trying to swipe or no swipe my data. NordVPN basically creates a secure encrypted tunnel for your internet traffic so your data stays private even on public Wi-Fi. There's a unique feature called Threat Protection Pro which is designed to act as a silent bodyguard. It blocks lookalike shopping sites and ads that try to pull the old okkey do and prevents you from entering those sketchy sites. If anything does try to harm your device, it's detected and removed before any harm can be done.

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[00:04:49]Proximity to the arts is cleansing for the soul.

[00:04:54]The film opens on a snowy New Year's Eve. or perhaps I shouldn't say snowy because as we'll see in this balcony scene coming up, these are potato flakes. We find ourselves at this lodge and meet Gabriella who's trying to read because she's a studious girl and her mother, Miss Montaz, snatches it away, telling Gabby, "It's New Year's Eve. We should be drinking tequila. Put this book away. I've laid your clothes out for the teen Vogue party." I wonder if Gabriella will have some blue going on.

[00:05:19]In another part of the lodge, we meet the HTIC head twink in charge, Troy. Now his daddy. Hot daddy. Kind of. He ain't got no top lip. That's a dealbreaker.

[00:05:29]Jack is projecting onto his son. And then Mama Bolton comes in looking like Winter Fred Sanderson, telling them we didn't fly all the way to this lodge to play with balls, so let's throw back some Grey Goose and join the party.

[00:05:40]Whoop whoop. Troy comes in this whack ass teen party the same time as Gabby, who does indeed have some blue going on with her sweater.

[00:05:47]>> Got some blue going on.

[00:05:49]>> Where's that inspiration coming from?

[00:05:50]>> I don't know. Oh, I like a little edge and a little pop in my hair. So, I wanted to add something different, especially for the teen Vogue party.

[00:05:56]>> And you know that book is in her hand.

[00:05:58]Who the hell brings a book to a teen party?

[00:06:04]>> Nerd.

[00:06:09]The party host wraps up the current couple's karaoke track, and now we need our next pair. Oh, how I wonder if it'll be the protagonists of the film. I think so. I'm going say it. Both of them are weak for this because Troy's actively rejecting yet still lets them put him up on that stage. And the same goes for Gabriella. Got her arms folded because she's a shy, quirky girl. Bro, if I don't want to get on that damn stage, trust, I'm not getting on that stage.

[00:06:31]Why y'all touching me? The host says, "Hey, look, Slim, someday you guys will thank me for this." An entire trilogy later and he did not get a thank you.

[00:06:39]This song is called the start of something new. Love how they automatically know the rhythm and the flow of the song as they each sing their lyrics. But you know what? I'll give it to them. The blocking is very cute.

[00:06:49]Gabriella starts all petite and shy, but then she starts >> loose. I said, "Let now I'm I'm going to play this for you."

[00:07:04]>> Who the [ __ ] were we trying to fool here? They do this thing with Zack Efron where he will sing a few bars and then it'll go into Drew Cely's voice who is singing this and who auditioned for the role of Troy. Apparently, the reason they used Drew's voice was because Zach was too low for a tenor, and that's what the producers wanted. It's kind of hardcore Gio vibes. A lot of Gio films have Italian actors, but they have this English dubbing over their dialogue, but I suppose something like this is more digestible because it's singing. I like to imagine Zach Efron laying in his bed watching uh VHS tapes of old school drag queens to learn the art of lip syncing.

[00:07:42]I approve of this song, though. It's cute. Drew tore that bridge up though. I I ain't going I ain't going to hold you.

[00:07:49]>> When the song is over, our couple formally introduce themselves to each other and step outside, sharing how neither of them have done any type of public singing before. The countdown for the new year begins. But when the clock strikes 12, there's no New Year's kissy kissy. Before they depart, Troy says he'll call her the following day, and they take pictures of each other on the spot before inserting their numbers. Oh, hell no. I would have been like, "Okay, now let let me let me see him."

[00:08:14]One week later, we're in Albuquerque, New Mexico, hearing the East High Cats theme. Oh, these [ __ ] got money. Look at this school. God damn. We meet a biracial named Chad. This is Troy's best friend and they're both basketball players. They play with bouncy balls. In two weeks, the basketball champions are happening and Chad says Troy's the guy to lead the team into Infinity and beyond. Damn, the pressure already starting, ain't it? In the background, you can see cocoa butter dropper Zeke.

[00:08:38]Then enter the diva of the franchise, Sharpi Evans, and her fruity ass brother, Ryan. Sharpi strutting, messaging on a sidekick, and all these boys are in the hallway stopping and staring because they know who the fivestar chick is, Chad makes a joke about Sharpi spending her entire break shopping for mirrors. And as all the boys hit the gag gaga offcreen, we see our next character, Taylor. Now, Gabriella is a new student at East High.

[00:09:00]Of course she'd be, you know, because out of out of all the schools in the goddamn country, she came to New Mexico specifically, the school that the HTIC is at. The principal says he reviewed her impressive transcripts. And Gabby turns to her birthgiver crying, "Mother, I don't want to be the school's freaky genius girl again." She goes straight to theater class where we meet Miss Darbus, handing her transcript, and boy toy Troy gets a brief glimpse at the honey whose number he snagged a week ago. Sharpi's thirsty ass is in his face saying, "Hey, daddy." And he gives her a dismissive.

[00:09:30]Hi. Hi. The final bell rings and Darvis tells these churn that there's a signup sheet for the winter musical. Yes, [ __ ] Not musical, but musical. Okay.

[00:09:40]Aside of this basketball championship we learned about earlier. There's also a sign up for the Scholastic Decathlon competition. And our girl boss, Taylor, is the chemistry club president. Troy whips out his flip phone and sends a message to Gabriella, not even being discreet. And not only that, you're in the front row. The damn ringtone starts going off and all of our main characters pull out their phones. Convenient, isn't it? And Miss Darbis tells them one by one, "Sharpi, Ryan, Gabriella, Troy, cell phones in the bucket. I'll see you boogers in detention." Chad has to play sacrificial negro sticking up for his bestie, saying Troy can't go to detention because they have basketball practice. That'll be detention for you, too, Maxwell. Taylor quietly insults Chad. And although Darbis was born in the 1800s, she's got ears like a mother-in-law. TAYLOR MCKESSIE 15 MINUTES. SHALL THE CARNAGE CONTINUE?

[00:10:28]>> Another one. Thank you.

[00:10:31]Another one. Thank you.

[00:10:32]>> I never caught this, but right after she adds Taylor to detention, the bell rings, baby. I don't know what lasted longer, this class or men in bed. Troy waits for Gabriella outside the classroom where Gab hips him on how her mother's company transferred her to Albuquerque. Already we're starting to set up this division between, you know, Troy the R&B singer and Troy the basketball player. He's up in these hallways whispering as he's talking to Gabriella because, you know, he don't want his homies to know that he was at the Teen Vogue party. She's like, "Why are you whispering?" They walk by the school musical signup sheet and Troy asks Mariah Carey if she's going to sign up. Gabriella laughs like, "Ch, I'm not signing up for nothing, but if you sign up, I'd consider popping out the watch."

[00:11:11]Sharpi's sneaky tail comes out the cut scene how it's so nice that Troy showing the new classmate around whipping out a Sharpie and writing her name on every single line. Ignorant turning to Gabriella saying, "Oh, my bad, girl.

[00:11:23]Were you going to sign up, too?" Me and my gay brother starred in all of the school's productions, and we welcome newcomers. There are a lot of supporting roles, and I'm I'm I'm sure we can find something for you. Hey, look, if I was Gabrielle, I would have turned to Troy.

[00:11:37]I would have gave him the the we call it the black stare. It it says a a thousand words. She keeps it cute though, saying she was just looking and compliments Sharpi's Sharpie penmanship. I should call her Sharpie for the rest of the video. The way Sharpie doesn't even try to hide her crush on Troy and how he tolerates it is so funny to me. I have some strong opinions about these two, specifically in the second film, which as I said in the intro, in my opinion, that is the best film in this franchise.

[00:12:04]I mean, wow. like the the drama and the emo the mellow drama was on a thousand.

[00:12:11]Also, yeah, I made my mind up. I don't know when. It could be a a couple months from now, next year, [ __ ] I don't know, next week.

[00:12:20]I've made my mind up. I am going to make a video on the second one. During basketball practice, Troy's in his head asking Chad if it's true that you get extra credit when you audition for the school play. Chad don't give a [ __ ] He would rather be gutted like a fish than audition for some [ __ ] school play. He says the music in those shows aren't hip-hop or rock or anything essential to culture. It's show music with costumes and makeup. Girly stuff.

[00:12:45]>> Yeah, I know. I just thought it might be a good laugh, you know?

[00:12:48]>> Right.

[00:12:48]>> This next song is best song. I'm sorry.

[00:12:51]Best song in the film. What a record.

[00:12:54]Does it need an introduction? No, it does not. This is Get Your Head in the Game. Fabulous hip-hop record. number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Yeah. Get into it. Get into it. So, what is this about? This song is about how nothing is more important than shooting your balls in the net.

[00:13:15]>> That [ __ ] studied his R&B. Okay. It's funny cuz Troy's talking to himself even though the team is singing along with him and he's fighting this, "Oh my god, I want to sing. That's my passion, but I have to be macho teenage man so I can get this basketball scholarship." I was having flashbacks to that. It's a very popular video. I'm sure you've seen it.

[00:13:34]It's called the It was like one of those bad lip reading videos and they did one on this film and Troy was the the specific part when Troy was running around in the circle.

[00:13:45]>> Basketball.

[00:13:49]It's my bouncy ball. It's your bouncy ball.

[00:13:53]>> It's my bouncy ball.

[00:13:57]Troy sneaks by the audition sheet just to peek, but walks off and Ryan caught his ass in 4K. He lets his sis know that Troy Bolton was looking at their audition list. Sharp tells him how this morning both Troy and that new hoe Gabriella were lurking by this very list. And Miss Sharpie thinks that there's something very freaky about that girl. Not not that freaky, but like freaky, you know, like 2006 freaky. The siblings head to the computer lab to do some research on Miss Einstein and find tons of articles about whis kid Gabriella who led a scholastic championship and our blondie starts conjuring a plan to make sure Miss Montes's attention stays on school activities that are uh a little more appropriate for her. So she prints out the article and we don't see it but it's implied with what happens in the next scene. Sharpi folded up that article and she planted it in Taylor's locker who is you know the the the Kim the Kim club president. She comes up to Gabriella during the tension where everybody's being forced to paint sets for this musical and Taylor's hollering. The answer is yes. Sharp even comes up to the girls egging this on not being discreet at all. Now though I did not mention it, Troy's hot daddy is the basketball team's coach. Again, of course he would. I might consider joining the team now. You know, I I don't know. Daddy's tripping because Troy and Chad aren't present and no one's snitching.

[00:15:18]>> Don't make me ask again.

[00:15:21]>> Where's Jack?

[00:15:23]>> I love it when he yells. Jack comes in ready to cuss up a storm and Darvis is running her mouth about proximity to the arts being cleansing for the soul.

[00:15:33]Whatever she's smoking, she need to share. Jack asks to chat with her and orders the boys to get their butts in the gym. Taylor tells Gabriella they've never made it past the first round in their scholastic battle and she can be their ticket to the end. But freaky gal Gabriella is more focused on her studies and helping her mom get their new house archivesized. So, she'll have time for these nerds next year. She then asks what Taylor knows about Troy Bolton. And Tay says she's not an expert on that particular subspecies. But if you ask the Airhead cheerleaders, then he's just the hottest super bum. At the Bolton Crib, Troy's trying to be hashtagreal and ask Pops if he's ever wanted to try something new, but was afraid of what his friends might think. God forbid a boy, you know, ask his nut donor, you know, for some some fatherly advice. Um, and he just gets sidetracked. Troy says, "I'm serious, daddy. If you wanted to try something new and it's a total disaster and all your friends would laugh at you." Jack tells Homeboy then they aren't really your friends because the whole team needs to look out for each other and Troy, you're the leader.

[00:16:28]So get your get your head in the game because there's going to be college scouts at championships next week. I mean, what a piece of [ __ ] Just not listen. You're not listening to me. The next morning, Darbus announces free period will be these children's chances to audition for the winter musical.

[00:16:42]After class, Chad tells Troy all the boys on the team are meeting up in the gym during free period. And Troy is all giggles like, "Lol, so about dad. Uh, me can't make it because I got to catch up on some homework." What a terrible liar, babe. It's the second day of school now.

[00:16:56]Chad up until this point, not even up until this point, the wholeing film, Chad is painted as an airhead, but he is not that stupid and refuses to accept that. So, he starts following Troy. He's spying by a classroom Troy entered, but a guy comes up to Chad, dapping him up, giving Troy just enough time to run off.

[00:17:12]And now Chad's lost him. Troy travels through the entire school, taking shortcuts all the way to the auditorium where auditions begin. Look at Miss Darvis's walk. She's killing me. She claps telling the kids that this is where the true expression of the artist is realized. Going into another one of her monologues. Dramatic ass drama teacher, right? I don't know how to explain it. I I feel like if I went to that school, me and her would not get along, but we would. But we wouldn't.

[00:17:40]Everyone auditioning will come up on stage either in pairs or singles, and sing a few bars. And Darvis will tell them if the theater is their calling.

[00:17:46]>> Better to hear it from me now than from your friends later. We meet Kelsey, the composer of this play, who will play the piano for all the auditioners. The first girl comes up in this god-awwful outfit.

[00:17:56]Jesus Christ, where is the swag at?

[00:17:59]Like, damn. I know it's Guys, I know it's 2006, but we, you know, hop up out my bed, turn my swag. Like, where where is it at? Just offkey, pitchy, forgets half the lyrics.

[00:18:17]>> This Allen guy is shaking with nerves.

[00:18:19]has got the lyrics written on his hand.

[00:18:21]Ah, unprofessional.

[00:18:22]>> Next, >> the following girl is too busy trying to be cute and natural, resting on the piano, but your singing is dead pan and off key.

[00:18:29]>> The girl after that is indeed singing, but in an oporadic voice.

[00:18:38]>> You know what? She ate that. I'm not personally into the opera, but I do respect it incredibly hard. That's lots of breath control. It's hard to sing like that. So, anybody watching this who is an opera singer, shout out to you for doing the damn thing. As many of us know, these these icons that some of y'all look up to have uh have have other thoughts about the opera. Anyway, Synra Darling, unfortunately, this isn't that kind of show. The following auditioner is a male ballet dancer. Another art form that we need to uh respect. Shout out not just to the opera. Shout out to Yeah. Yeah. The ballet. Shout out to the ballet dancers. The on point. [ __ ] that.

[00:19:24]I, you know, I'll be laying in my bed and just get a a regular foot cramp. I can't. No. No. No. No. No. No. Respect to y'all for doing that. Not for me.

[00:19:35]Not for me. Go watch my video on Black Swan, which is one of my favorite films of all time. This guy spins and leaps into the air around the stage until Next, >> these two stoners perform this confusingly feverish, slow, artsy, interpretive version of the track. And Sharpi is looking over at Ryan like, "Girl, what the hell is going on?"

[00:20:02]>> Max.

[00:20:02]>> The last audition is this girl who completely freezes from nerves and she doesn't get a single sentence, word, or note out.

[00:20:09]>> Max.

[00:20:10]>> Gabriella sneaks up behind Troy asking why he's hiding. As if she don't know that he hiding from his homies. The only people who signed up for the lead roles of Minnie and Arnold are our siblings Sharpi and Ryan, but there was no way for anybody else to because Sharpi remembered took the Sharpie and wrote her name across every line. Sharpi really treats her brother like dirt. And I don't know why he puts up with it.

[00:20:30]First sign is her stopping, holding out her hand so she can walk in front of him.

[00:20:37]>> How would you not say?

[00:20:38]>> They have these classmates holding their mics for them as if they're pop stars doing their 5-second vocal exercises.

[00:20:44]part of me kind of I kind of live, you know, it's I kind of she's a diva. But then again, if I was one of those classmates and she looked at me as if I was like the help, oh yeah, I would have gave it to her. In 2016, both Lucas and Ashley admitted they were not close and had difficulty working together until they got to know each other.

[00:21:02]>> We were not close. We were not good friends. Let's be honest. Okay, it's been 10 years. We can totally talk about this now. We hated each other.

[00:21:13]Like I'm not kidding.

[00:21:15]>> No, we didn't get off on the best foot.

[00:21:17]>> We I think we just didn't know each other and I think I was definitely like a lot like Sharpi and it was like Lucas like who is this person and then I was just like who is this person and we're like playing these twins and I have to say like after we wrapped though it was just I don't know. I've always had a love for you. You're literally like my twin brother.

[00:21:34]>> I love you too.

[00:21:35]>> Yeah. A >> the siblings do this dramatic snapping intro and all through their audition, she's continuously tapping him and directing him. I just know they were practicing in their living room and she was yelling at him. Oh yeah, by the way, this character Kelsey, who is the composer, she did not play the piano for Ryan and Sharpi's rendition of the song because they told her that they had their own composer make an arrangement.

[00:21:59]So dismissive. So mean. But yeah, their their version of this song opposed to everybody else's is very poppy and very upbeat. At the end, Darb stands up asking if there are any lastminute signups. Ryan's telling everybody not to be discouraged because the the theater needs more than singers. It needs fans.

[00:22:19]The buy tickets. Kelsey tries telling Sharpi that she wrote this song to be sung much more tender and slower. And Sharpi backs her towards the piano like, >> "Okay, now wait just one second.

[00:22:29]Glasses." telling Kelsey it's not her position to offer direction, suggestion, or commentary.

[00:22:34]>> Are we clear? Yes, ma'am. I mean, Sharpi, >> he's talking to you.

[00:22:39]>> Right at the last second, Gabriella comes out screaming that she wants to audition, and Troy reluctantly comes behind her, but y'all heard Mama say multiple times, "Are there any Yeah. Are any lastm minute signups?" And and and none of y'all came out, so I ah I don't want to hear that. Starburst tells them tough titty and leaves. Kelsey trips, dropping all her papers, and Troy runs first up the stage to help because although he's popular, he's not a Kelsey's all shy because, "Oh my god, this popular all-star twink is talking to me." What? She eventually asks the couple if they want to hear the original key of the song, and they perform What I've been looking for, but in its original slow rendition. Oh yeah, Miss Starburst, uh, she never left the room.

[00:23:21]She was listening at the door, cut in that corner, telling Bolton and Montaz that they have a call back. Miss Starbucks orders Kelsey to give them the duet from the second act and work on it with them.

[00:23:39]>> We need to save our show from people who don't know the difference between a Tony Award and Tony Hawk.

[00:23:45]This next part is funny as [ __ ] It's the next day and Sharpi sees the call back sheet on the wall and she is about to crash out. call back.

[00:24:02]>> Sharpi pulls a I know you [ __ ] lying.

[00:24:05]All the basketball players ask what's wrong, laughing, but the smiles are wiped right off their faces when they see their leader's name on the poster.

[00:24:12]At lunch, homeg girl is acting like the world's about to end. How dare that [ __ ] sign up. I already picked the colors out for my dressing room. Ryan points out Gabriella didn't even ask their permission to join the drama club.

[00:24:22]Permission?

[00:24:24]Ah, they really live on a whole another planet. Baby, I don't give a [ __ ] Permission is crazy. We are the same age. We are in the same caliber. I don't care if you're the president of this this little theater club. The only person I'm checking for permission for is the drama teacher who is running this [ __ ] So, let's get that straight. I I I know that's hard for you, Ryan. Sharp slams her hand on the table, saying, "Someone needs to tell this new girl the rules." Which takes us into our next track, Stick to the Status Quo. Zeke starts the song off with the verse sharing that as much as he enjoys playing with bouncy balls, he's got a confession, his own secret obsession.

[00:25:03]>> I'm gay.

[00:25:04]>> And you know what his secret is? He likes to bake. And we all know that baking is for women. According to Jason from season 4 of Hell's Kitchen, >> I don't have a clue on this earth what I'm doing. I hate desserts. They're tedious. Women can make desserts. You know, it ain't my thing.

[00:25:21]>> A man who cooks anything, a man who cooks period is hot. What What are we talking about? Zeke said he whip up the strudles, scones, apple pandow. You know the vibes. But to his 2006 peers, that is a big no no. And everybody waves their hands telling him to shut up for going into the chorus where they tell this fairy to >> stick to the >> message loud and clear. Okay, the students are telling all these weirdos to stick to their respective clicks and niches and be what the world wants you to. We meet a girl named Martha who's sitting with some academics and she says, "Look, I know I'm just an intelligent diva with Latina curls, but don't get it messed up. I like to get hood with it.

[00:25:58]>> I love to pop and lock and jam and break.

[00:26:01]>> Is that even legal?"

[00:26:02]>> I don't know, guys. I I would go to the club with her. It's so messed up because we go to three different tables, three different uh clicks, if you will, and a character will say that they have a secret to share and the group will be all speak your mind and you'll be heard.

[00:26:17]But right after the reveal, the friend group is basically like lol. Yeah. So, go kill yourself. Actually, arguably one of the most popular verses in this entire film is Sharpi when walking back and forth over top this rail. I need y'all to sing this with me. Like, I I'm sorry. This is not what I want.

[00:26:37]This is not what I planned.

[00:26:40]And I just got to say, I do not understand.

[00:26:46]Something is really something's not right. Really wrong.

[00:26:53]And we got to get things back where they belong.

[00:27:03]Gabrielle and Taylor walk in and Gab asks, "Why is everybody staring at you?"

[00:27:06]But Tay replies, "Oh, they're not looking at me. They're looking at you.

[00:27:09]I'm just the black sidekick and you're the protagonist." As we go into the fourth chorus, yes, the fourth, the girls are looking around like, "What the hell is happening?" as if they aren't aware that they are in a musical, please. The siblings come down the steps and Sharpie's eyes are lasered on the call back girl or you could say the hollow back girl. Right as the song ends, Gabby slips on some milk and her arms fly forward with her nachos, flying high and landing right on Sharpi's chest.

[00:27:40]Darbis summons asking what's going on and Sharpi says Gabriella dumped her lunch on her, but then Pause is adding on purpose. She tells Starbucks it's all part of their plan to ruin the musical, throwing Troy and his basketball robots into the mix. Chad's asking homeboy what's going on because he missed a free period workout to go audition for some gay ass musical and now suddenly people are confessing. Then he snatches Zeke saying Zeke wants to bake creme brulee again. God forbid a [ __ ] want to cook.

[00:28:07]Let him let him cook. Because of boy toy Troy and his singing, the team is falling apart and the drama geeks and brainiacs suddenly think that they can they can talk to the popular athletes.

[00:28:16]Suddenly people think that they can do other stuff. Starbucks walks into the boys locker room.

[00:28:27]She goes all the way to Jack's office saying, "All right, Bolton, cards on the table right now." I don't know why I love that line. Accusing him of being tweaked because she put his basketball stars in detention and now Mr. Big Bad Man is trying to get even. She even reveals that his all-star son showed up at her audition and Jack is just, you know, eating his tuna fish, whatever the hell he eating, probably egg salad. and he says, "My son does not sing, so I I don't know what you're talking about, sister." All of Jack's reactions to Starburst about this twinkletown play lead her to believe everything Sharpi said. It's true. So she storms out hollering, "I knew it."

[00:29:03]>> Good luck on Broadway.

[00:29:05]>> Although Gabriella said sorry to Sharpi multiple times, it don't matter.

[00:29:09]Nobody's beaten Miss Sharpie for a musical since kindergarten. But who Sharpi really need to be mad at is Starburst for adding Troy and Huh? Yeah.

[00:29:17]Words to adding them to the callback.

[00:29:19]This conversation is really like oh my god the the dis Disneyification.

[00:29:24]Gabriella is like she's like the singing just happened.

[00:29:28]But I liked it a lot.

[00:29:33]She asks Tay if she ever feels like there's a whole other person inside of her just just waiting to come out.

[00:29:41]No. Zeke comes up to Sharpi's locker which is decked out in pink with glam on the inside. But the cherry on top of her locker situation is that she has alternate outfits hanging up inside her closet. Like what the hell? Putting each top up to her chest trying to decide on what she wants to wear. You know what I respect? Stay ready so you don't have to what? Get ready. He asks her if she wants to watch him play ball sometimes and get a taste of this chocolate, but she's like, "Look, Mr. Creme Brulee. I'd rather stick pins in my eyes." Now evaporate, tall person. I bet he's just happy that she didn't call him the n-word, you know. A note falls from Gabriella's locker, and that smile with the Disney look up at the sky tells us, I'm sorry, tells us it's Troy. And she finds this rooftop, which is his little hangout spot. Troy starts opening up to his princess about the pressures of being the main character and being woripped.

[00:30:34]You know, these little hills that she got on are pissing me off, bro.

[00:30:37]Gabriella says at her old school, she was the freaking math girl. And it's so fun coming to a new school where she can be anyone she wants to be. As if her appearance has changed since then. Did y'all see that? You know, we going I'm going to bring that up later. We I'm not Ah, I'm going to leave it alone. Leave it alone. She's like, when I was singing with you, I just I just felt like a girl.

[00:31:00]>> What's the statement?

[00:31:01]>> I'm going to say it. And this this is not an excuse for this being a kids movie. Disney, y'all got all this money and y'all couldn't pay for better writers. Y'all also couldn't hire a better set designer. They took cement blocks and stacked them on wood planks to hold this potter. No, no, no, no, no, no. I'm not having it. And Zack Efron needs to pull his damn pants up. Tired of this mother twink walking around this damn movie with these baggy jeans and his flat ass. Heck, no. I'm tired of men walking around with baggy ass p. Y'all some [ __ ] homos. Anyway, they agreed to do the call backs and after Gabriella calls him cool, no matter what anyone will think, he's looking at the ground having an epiphany because oh my god, wow. Wow. This girl sees me for who I am. There's basketball practice and yet again, Troy Savon is not there, instead painting backstage for the play. Him and Gabriella are throwing glances at each other. Troy eventually comes to practice, but it's right when they're done. Gabriella comes in the gym to follow her bout, and she shoots what I think is called a three-pointer. I don't know. Somebody in the comments will come whining and be like, "Actually, you know, bros getting into Woody in his shorts because not only did I find a honey that I'm into, but you know, like she can ball, too. She's one of the homies." Jack comes in to tell this heer that this is a closed practice. Troy's like, "Daddy, chill. Practice is over."

[00:32:19]But until the last player leaves the gym, he says it ain't. Gabriella Nutella apologizes and Troy introduces her and this [ __ ] ignores her handshake, stating, "Oh yeah, this is your detention buddy. It's getting awkward.

[00:32:32]So, Gabby excuses herself, telling Mr. Bolton it was nice to meet him. The head twink in charge has not missed a practice in 3 years. Right. Right. And and and this this girl comes into your life. Troy, you you listening to me? I can't snap with my right hand. Only my left. You listening to me? You know, you try you try to destroy everything coach has built. Troy says she's very nice. I love her, daddy. She's just a girl. But you're not just a guy, Troy. You're the team leader. And what you do affects not only this team, but the entire school.

[00:33:03]And without you focused, we won't win next week. Get your head in the game.

[00:33:07]Daddy calls his son a playmaker, not Justin Bieber.

[00:33:10]>> Do you ever think maybe I could be both?

[00:33:14]>> Looking as if he's about to burst into tears, Troy walks away from his father, exiting the gym where outside half the team had been eesdropping. They were standing in the middle of the gym having this conversation and the door was closed. How did they hear that? How did they hear that conversation? Chad's in the library accusing Gabriella of witchcraft, asking what spell has this elevated IQ Temptress cast that suddenly makes my homeboy want to be in a musical. Troy is Summer Walker over it.

[00:33:40]Like, bro, I did it because I wanted to.

[00:33:42]Who cares? Again, wrap it up. We're we're doing this. You know, you're you're a basketball player, not a singer. Suck my fat one. I promise you it's not that serious. Then again, you know, what do I know? I don't I don't play sports. I didn't play sports. And I know that athletes take that [ __ ] very seriously. So, I'm just a boy. Chad asks his bestie how does he expect them to play well if their leader is off playing Twinkle. So, all of you are sheep and don't know how to do anything on your own. That's what I'm hearing. Chad, Zeke, and Jason go to the chem lab to speak with Tay-Tay to make things right.

[00:34:13]And for plot reason, Sharpi and Ryan are at the scene soaking it up. We see Chad say they need to talk about Troy and Gabriella before we cut back to the siblings who are theorizing that the boys must be trying to figure out a way to make sure Troy and Gabriella beat them out. Their hypothesis is that the jocks rule most of the school. But if they get Troy into the musical, then they've conquered the entire student body. And if those science girls get Gabriella hooked up with Troy Bolton, then the Scholastics Club goes from drool to cool.

[00:34:41]>> Ryan, we need to save our show from people who don't know the difference between a Tony Award and Tony Hawk. The next day, the basketball team stages an intervention for Troy with a table full of awards and picks up past basketball players from their school. Trying to make a point that these legends didn't become legends by getting involved in musical auditions. Troy asks, "Can we be so for real right now? There's 12 guys on this team, not just me. But there is one more person missing, the 13th." And they hand him a pic of Daddy Bolton back when he was in school, champion class of 1981. Ah, yes, the gaslighting. Do this for your father card. The same time this is happening, Taylor's leading an intervention for Gabriella. Whole presentation on this laptop and a horribly photoshopped picture of basketball man going into an entire monologue telling Gabby that this is the side that she belongs on. We jump back to Troy telling his team they don't need to worry about him because he's always going to put 110% of his guts into every game. He's like, "I thought y'all were my homies. you you know win together, lose together. From my memory of this film, I thought that I thought they just recorded Troy's voice. No, they full on film him pulling out a camera the size of an avocado. Troy, baby, how are we not clocking this? He said, I pretend it does not exist. You can't make this [ __ ] up, man. Through the conversation, he's like, >> man, I'm for the team. I've always been for the team. She's just someone I met.

[00:36:08]We see the footage on Taylor's laptop and yo, perfect angle just like right there in his [ __ ] face.

[00:36:19]It's like that famous video of Adele when she's at the basketball game and she's looking around with the camera staring right in her [ __ ] face.

[00:36:26]Troy's telling them, "You know, singing means nothing. Nutella means nothing to me. I'll forget about her. I'll forget about this audition. Is everybody happy now?" Oh, look at Nutella sitting up in front of this computer crying while Taylor abruptly says, "Anyway, girl, we'd love to have you for the Scholastic Decathlon." Oh, y'all are evil. When Gabriella looks out the window for whatever reason, because nobody wants to be in class, a bunch of students are outside singing the Wildcats theme and partying. So, we know what's coming next, a ballad. It's funny when you find yourself staring.

[00:37:03]They even got homeboy in this matching blue to further alienate him from the crowd. Look at that. This track is the only solo in the entire film and it's called When There Was Me and You.

[00:37:13]Gabriella walks through the whole school which is completely empty, mind you. And this is not we're this is not after school. School is still happen. Oh, just wait. Just wait. Just wait. I kind of don't give a damn about the song, but I will give Vanessa her tens because she holds out a note in the climax and it's it's pretty good.

[00:37:36]Wait, wait, wait. Vanessa, you ain't singing right because you supposed to do VTO. You're supposed to do VTO. Well, you doing notes like that. So instead, it should be.

[00:37:50]Hold on.

[00:37:55]The song speaks for itself. You know, Nutella thought that she had something special with this this twink and um he would rather just play with balls. I almost gave the excuse of the school hallways being empty due to people being in class because right after her ballad ends, Gabriella turns a corner and the sound of students comes in and they're walking about. Oh my god. Like if Okay, if if you want to say, "Oh, maybe the like, you know, class was dismissed.

[00:38:20]There was no bell. Why didn't I hear why didn't I hear a bell?" No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. They don't want to talk about 9/11.

[00:38:29]>> No, no, no, no, no. Well, you don't want to hear about 9/11.

[00:38:35]>> That girl was on a completely different wing. Why the hell is this school empty on a whole other Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Anyho, she goes to her locker and Troy comes up all smile, saying he wants to talk to her about something. And here it is. Since you got to carry a load with your bouncy balls and your friends, don't worry about it.

[00:38:58]You know, I'm I'm cool off you. I love that phrase. I'm cool off you. Can we bring that back? You can say I've I've heard both. I've heard I'm cool off you.

[00:39:08]You know, I'm cool off you, Shotty. And I've also heard I'm cool on you. I'm cool on you. You know, I'm Troy is confusion, saying that he just wanted to talk about call backs and Gabrielle is smirking saying, "I'm not doing that. You've got your place and I got mine, so hop off my dick. And she walks um away.

[00:39:37]>> After school, the team are playing with their balls and Chad says howdy to the captain, but Troy's dismissing him with the yeah off, mate. And starts running on the track to get his mind off things.

[00:39:46]At home, he's shooting hoops, missing every single one of them. So, it looks like his head is not in the game, guys.

[00:39:52]He was playing fine before, but y'all got mad because, you know, bro missed a few practices, but now he's not playing at all. So, what now? Gabriella comes out on her balcony to stare into the void and look mysterious and let the audience know that a balcony scene is coming soon. Right. Right. The couple see each other in the cafeteria, but Nutella walks away sitting with some randos. The basketball team then calls over Troy, and he ignores their ass. So, later on, they find him in his hiding spot, saying they had another meeting and changed their minds. Oh, so now now y'all want to act like real friends, real homies, saying that, "Oh, we're going to support you and cheer for you for your little music, man. [ __ ] y'all."

[00:40:27]Troy says, "Well, just so you dumb dicks know, Gabriella won't even talk to me, so there's no singing happening." They eventually tell him what they did, though. And simultaneously, Taylor tells Gabriella what they did, but Nutella, uh, you know, she does not give a and tells her that nobody forced Mr. Blue-eyed white man to say anything out of his mouth, so who cares? Let's move on. I'm cool on him. I'm sorry. That is something I'm really going to have to bring into every video now. I'm that is just so that's so imagine somebody actually saying that to you though.

[00:40:54]That's like [ __ ] up, you know? Like also you also you don't love you don't love me no more. No, I don't love you.

[00:40:59]I'm I'm cool. I'm cool on you, man. I'm cool on you, Shotty. That night, Troy goes to Chica's house. We don't even get any insight on how he knows where she lives. Miss Montes answers the door, but Gabriella shaking her head like, "No, I'm I'm not home. He's stalking me." So, we already know what this man's going to do. You know, we remember we saw her looking at her balcony. He sneaks into their backyard. Why don't the you know, it's only two women in this household.

[00:41:22]Why do we have the gate unlocked? Dials her phone saying everything she heard isn't true. And he was sick of his friends riding his pink dick. When Gabriella cuts her lamp on, her windows light up, giving him the idea of climbing up there. Troy saying, you know, I want to be more than the basketball guy. And if these [ __ ] can't handle it, then that's their problem, not mine.

[00:41:40]Right on, brother. He tells Gabriella he brought her something. don't like those baggy jeans, but I'm going to like what's underneath it.

[00:41:47]>> Telling her to turn around where he stands on her balcony. And when she opens the door, he starts singing.

[00:42:00]>> That is not the same voice I heard by that piano or up on that karaoke stage.

[00:42:05]Nutella starts tearing up and in his hand, he's got the audition lyrics. So, I guess she's back on board. They do not kiss or anything. I would have snatched them by the collar. Boy, you better holler. I don't want Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:42:20]Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Slammed that balcony glass door closed and close the blinds and turn the lights. Turn the lights down low instead of singing up on that balcony. Why did I kind of want him to be like, you know, the exorcist was on and got me thinking about you. Panty dropper or in my case, boxer dropper.

[00:42:39]Now that Troy got his baby back, his head game is wa his head is back in the game. Gabriella's teaching the turn math. We are so back. Troy does this cringy ass move after practice. Y'all, y'all not fooling me. He can't even see himself. This is just for the sake of the kitty camera to see him. Anyway, they reunite to practice with Kelsey.

[00:43:00]We're sorry.

[00:43:04]>> Sharp and Ryan catch their enemies vocals walking past the classroom. So, now we've got a problem. Since the callbacks are on Thursday and the basketball game and Scholastic Decathlon are on Friday, the co-presidents of the drama team persuade Miss Darbas to change the call back date because that's what would be best for a theater program and she agrees. Like, how how is that best for the program? Come on. Come on, Starbucks. Like, do you not see what these these children are trying to do?

[00:43:29]Kelsey heard all of this and the following day tells them straight up who's behind this and only one of them is straight. Chad slams his basketball into the skeleton's chest hand. Do you know what I'm going to do to those show dogs? They're messing with my bestie, but boy toy Troy has an idea. Everybody puts their hand in the middle, but Taylor and Chad clasp their opposite hands together. I guess the colors are in love, guys. We jump to the big event where it's game day, call back day, and Scholastic Decathlon day. Help. Jack has a talk with his son in the locker room before the game, telling him to just, you know, just have fun, saying he knows all about the pressure and admits a lot of it came from him. He just wants to see his spawn have the time of his life playing the game that they both love.

[00:44:08]And if Troy gives him that, then he'll keep a smile on his face no matter what the score is. Liar. It's so strange seeing Zack Efron this tiny. It's scary actually. Right as the basketball game starts, the callbacks begin with this teeny crowd and Sharpi and Ryan get ready to serve with this bop called Bop to the Top. Let me remind you, they took they take this so seriously that they did all of this lighting and put on these costumes for a call back, orchestrated this plan to have these auditions take place the same time as the Decathlon and basketball game just so they can be the only performers. So, I'm I'm I'm I'm having a hard time understanding why they feel the need to go all out if y'all are just the only contesters.

[00:44:57]Because of new girl Gabby, the nerds win the decathlon. And when we cut, Taylor opens a computer where she sends a code through all these wires that makes the scoreboard malfunction, giving Troy the opportunity to dip out. But that's not all. The chem club watch a blue liquid boil into a gas, ending the decathlon.

[00:45:13]The principles in the gym saying they're going to try to figure out what's going on, but in the meantime, for safety regulations, they need to make an orderly exit from the gym. As the song ends, they climb this ladder. Then Darbas gets on stage summoning Troy and Gabriella, but it's crickets. Kelsey's freaking out saying they'll be here, but Starburst says the theater waits for no one. So Kelsey cries and runs off like a child. The siblings are congratulated with their roles, but then our protagonists sprint in the gym on opposite ends announcing themselves.

[00:45:40]Darbis is shutting them down, but a crowd comes into the auditorium filling seats. And Sharpi says that, you know, oh, we'll be happy to run our number again for our fellow students. Uh-uh.

[00:45:49]Get your ass back. Darb says she doesn't know what's going on, but they don't have a pianist. Kelsey runs right back on stage saying the penis is here.

[00:45:56]>> You really don't want to do that. Oh yes, I really do. Ready on stage.

[00:46:01]>> Now that show biz.

[00:46:03]>> Weak weak weak.

[00:46:04]>> That's what I'm talking about. I, you know, sharp and this diva attitude. It's like I can't stand people like that.

[00:46:09]When somebody give you the fire, when they give you the fire back, you know, it's is crickets. Like I don't know. I don't know. We'll be you. You you you you're really not that girl. Okay. Now that the theater has more people in the crowd, the couple are handed mics, but Gabriella standing there like New York.

[00:46:24]Kelsey starts the piano, but Gabriella chokes, so they have to stop. Hey yo, what's up, man? You got a tomato? No, you got a you got a tomato. Anybody got tomatoes? Troy is telling his boo, "Hey, look, look at me. Look at me. Right at me, just like the first time we sang together, remember?" Kelsey starts the music again and they successfully perform. This is another great song.

[00:46:41]Jokes aside, just how they did in the beginning, Gabriella eases into it, but instead of Troy taking his jacket off, it's her. Come on, Evolution.

[00:46:53]>> Look at Taylor in the crowd doing the She's really good. During the bridge, both Gabriella's mommy and Troy's daddy come in to see their churn performing.

[00:47:03]How How cute, right?

[00:47:04]>> A That's good for you, baby.

[00:47:07]When the song's over, everybody's cheering and Troy gives Gabriella a little kissy kissy on the cheeky cheeky.

[00:47:12]I love I kind of love that we're keeping it, G. You know, I'm I'm not mad at it.

[00:47:16]It's innocent. In the next scene, we return back to the basketball game where the Wildcats win. Go team, go. Gabriella comes out in a red dress for some reason, and they almost kiss, but Chad [ __ ] blocks, then catches Taylor in his arms and asks her out. Sharpi and Ryan congratulate Gabriella, and Sharpi says that she will be her understudy in case she can't make a show. But then I started to understand what was going on.

[00:47:39]>> Break a leg.

[00:47:40]>> Gabriella, when this game is over, I want you to ask your mama to ride down to the Blockbuster and rent this movie.

[00:47:46]It's called uh Show Girls from 1995.

[00:47:49]Yeah, watch that. It will give you a whole other meaning to the word underststudy. And every time you walk down a flight of stairs at your school, make sure there are no blondies behind you. By the way, check out the video I did on show girls if you haven't already. I somehow managed to talk about and show footage from a film that is rated NC17 on YouTube. Kind of got to pat myself on the back for that one.

[00:48:13]Zeke runs up to Sharpi saying, "Sorry that you know you didn't get the lead, but he admires her so much." Boy, if you don't stop chasing after this white woman who was paying you dust. If she was entertaining him, I would leave this alone. I don't care. Love is love, right? But don't But babe, baby, hold on. Don't nothing. Not nothing but nothing pissed me off more than seeing my melanated brothers chase after white women, blonde white women at that.

[00:48:44]Sharpi gives him the cold shoulder and Zeke pulls out cookies that he baked for her, but she says ill and walks away.

[00:48:50]But you know who does grab those cookies? Ryan.

[00:48:56]And Zeke runs off because he doesn't play butt games. Fun fact, Lucas played this character as having a crush on Zeke. Troy gives his favorite composer the game ball, saying that she deserves it. Kelsey also changed her outfit, yet still chose to wear this ass bowler hat.

[00:49:12]Her face is all, "I don't know what to do with this bowl. I'm so awkward and dainty." So Jason comes behind her, pulling off her hat, revealing the inches, and he helps her shoot the ball straight into the basket as the final song of the film begins, which is called the most Disney Channel ass track you've ever heard. And we're all in this together. Together. Together. Together.

[00:49:32]Everyone. Everyone who has sang in the film gets their own verse besides the colors. And I really got nothing for you on the meaning. You know, every title on the soundtrack spells out the theme for you. Now, in the postredit scene, Zeke standing in this gym by himself for some reason. And Sharpi runs in on a sugar rush saying, "These cookies are amazing.

[00:49:52]The best thing I've ever tasted. Will you make more for me, Daddy, Zeke?

[00:49:59]I might even make you a creme brulee >> blacked.

[00:50:07]>> I love to pop and lock and jam and break.

[00:50:11]>> When you say Disney Channel original movie, this is the first film, first franchise that comes to mind. Don't you guys miss the heyday of that network? It was the entire 2000's decade. That's So Raven, Sweet Life, Lazy Maguire, Hannah Montana, even Stevens. I wasn't much into Jesse, Shake It Up, or Good Luck Charlie, you know, that that back half.

[00:50:33]And truthfully, I'd say I was more of a Nickelodeon kid opposed to a dis. I don't Nickelodeon had a little it had a a bit more edge to it. Drake and Josh, I Carly, Big Time Rush. Anyway, what what else was on Nickelodeon that I watched?

[00:50:48]Oh, Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, Naked Brothers Band. That's not love, then what is? Like, come, you know, if that's not friendship, then what is? Give tens where tens are due.

[00:51:01]Zoe 101 is another one. Honorable mention to Victorious. I know that this doesn't apply to everybody, but as far as my generation and all the people I've talked to, everybody at everybody as a child at some point wanted to be a child actor, a kid actor. And why why why is that? Some somebody needs to do a study on that. And yeah, I've heard the popular theory of, you know, mommy or daddy didn't give them enough love. They were neglected, never loved properly.

[00:51:33]And it all it all stems from some sort of internal desire to be seen and adored. There are a lot of actors who had rough childhoods and stepping into the skin of a character is like it's like an an armor fantasy. Adding on to that, Gen Z was also the generation that had that really took the biggest kick in the ass as far as social media and the rise of this major digital age. We know what it does to the brain. We see people living seemingly perfect lives and it's woo, you know, everybody everybody on anti-depressant out here comparing ourselves to other people. It's it's a mess. It's not just a kids entertainment thing, but a movie rule period. There should always be some sort of lesson learned, some message sent to the audience. I briefly mentioned in the intro a couple things that this first installment is juggling around with. And I would like to start with sticking to the status quo. Status quo is a Latin phrase that means the state in which used to describe the current existing situation or the way things are right now. A preference for maintaining the current unchanged state of affairs. How you dress and how you present yourself in a space like high school can really be a determining factor with where you are placed and how people see you. But more importantly, I'd say who you choose to hang around with? And yet, it's somewhat of a contradiction to because technically, wouldn't who you hang around with be determined with how you're dressed and how you look? Well, that's at least the surface level way of thinking about it. That song is a direct commentary on the social surveillance of high school. The cafeteria, where everybody is in one room together, operates sort of like a a prison where students are policing each other. Why the does a kid liking to bake have to feel like a coming out moment? God forbid a white girl catch a vibe and listen to Wuang? It's not that big of a deal for this skater stoner boy to enjoy, you know, playing a classical instrument. Having multiple interests is not a crime, dog, you know. It's It just goes to show you how ridiculous and critical kids are to each other. You know, having multiple interests. There's There's nothing wrong with that. Like, that is crazy. A bunch of sheep is what all of y'all are, especially the entire basketball team. And Chad's the top guard to keep order. Godamn. The way this guy acts like everything's got to be revolved around Troy. I I I I don't I don't like I don't like it. He was right. Troy breaking the mold of a stereotype did create a shock wave in the school. They say it out their own mouth. Since Troy did it, I can do it.

[00:54:17]The whole thing with Gabriella calling herself a freaky genius girl is very silly to me. I hate how during the rooftop scene with Troy, she told him coming to a new school, she could just start over and be who she wanted to be.

[00:54:29]I'm not buying it. That pic we saw from her championship looks the exact same as she does now. We could have thrown her hair up, made it frizzy, gave her acne and glasses, at least try to differentiate who this freaky gal was and who she is now. A lot of individuals praise Sharpi Evans as a character through this entire franchise alone, and low key, I agree with him. Although she is a privileged, rich blonde white woman, you know, like why the hell am I defending her? But I I I will say this, all of her reactions in regards to the auditions and this musical make sense when you look at her through the lens of treating theater like a craft and a career. She probably knew what she wanted to do since she was like four or five. Performing theater in high school is like a warm-up for her. So imagine this new girl comes to your school getting close with the allstar athlete that you have a severe crush on who also barely pays attention to you and both of them suddenly try to star in a musical.

[00:55:29]Why wouldn't she feel like they are just looking at this play as if it's stupid fun. It's a hobby. Hold on though. Let's let's think about this as Disney doing what Disney does best, right? which is villainizing female ambition and coding it as mean whilst something as as a male indecision is treated as relatable. Walk with me. Tess from Camp Rock framed as a diva all because she demands perfection from her backup dancers and takes the final jam seriously. Sis was hyperfocused on her career because she felt ignored by her famous mother, Shane Gray. The relatable heartthrob who is broody and emo, you know, oh, oh, I'm I'm I'm so misunderstood.

[00:56:16]He's allowed to be a jerk to everyone because he's searching for his sound.

[00:56:21]But homegirl Tess has to be humbled. I don't want to hear it.

[00:56:24]>> Peggy, come back here.

[00:56:27]>> Who needs her? She was holding us back.

[00:56:30]Now you really better not mess up.

[00:56:33]I'm about to beat this [ __ ] up.

[00:56:34]>> In the Cheetah Girls, Galleria is painted as the villain for having a vision and a deadline. Y'all really ain't about hustling and trying to make your dreams come true. That's all I'm hearing. You know, my my [ __ ] was trying to lock in. She pushes the girls to rehearse and stay focused on their big break. And yet, the film treats her ambition as bossy and selfish. I know a Virgo when I see one. Y'all mad, she put herself the biggest on that CD cover, but who designed it? Who produced the beats? Who wrote the lyrics? Oh. Oh.

[00:57:05]Okay. Okay. Right. Right. Right. Right.

[00:57:07]Right. Galleria was trying to build an empire while still attending high school, and the other members were cruising along thinking that this was just a hobby. In Sky High, there was Gwen Grayson, the smartest person in the room who had a long-term plan. Now, given Homeg Girl turned into a legit super villain, >> daddy's little girl.

[00:57:28]>> Told you never TO CALL ME THAT.

[00:57:33]BUT THE INITIAL MEAN GIRL aura was coded through her competence. She knew how that school worked. She knew her power and was academically superior. I got to rewatch Skyh High again. It's been so long. All I think about All I think about is uh what's her name? Danielle Panabaker. Her shooting the vines and you know shooting her vegan powers out.

[00:57:55]Sharpie is probably the only person in Albuquerque who treats musical theater professionally with discipline. She's mean because she values rehearsal excellence in the hierarchy of the craft. This blonde bombshell is clocking in her time and training for Broadway.

[00:58:12]You know what I believe it is? I think that we just hate women who know who they are and what they want. When I cover the second film, trust me when I say I have a lot of thoughts when it comes to Miss Sharpie and this whole Troy thing.

[00:58:27]>> Give me a beat.

[00:58:32]>> I'm not going to show my hand too quick, but I think that from everything I just said, you know which side I stand on.

[00:58:38]Then we got the miseducation of Taylor McKessie. Oh boy. I really don't like how this franchise handles her. I'm going to say it down to Mo'Nique Coleman saying years later that no one on set knew how to do her hair, especially in the front, causing her to put on a headband to hide it, which would kind of become an ongoing character thing. This is a DIY solution to a lack of professional inclusivity on set. How she was left out of the global promotional tours for High School Musical 3, as was Lucas, and she said that Disney told her that there wasn't enough room on the plane, yet they asked Zach, Vanessa, Ashley, and Corbin. Right, right, right.

[00:59:16]Even though Lucas is heterosexual, the character is gay. So, are we are we excluding the gay and the black characters and Yeah. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Let's talk about it. Let's talk about, you know, and then how she had to learn how to swim in the second film for an ending sequence that was altogether cut.

[00:59:35]It's It's upsetting. Taylor has the most screen time and the most to do in this first installment of the trilogy, and it only gets significantly smaller with each film. Out of our six main characters, she has the shortest end of the stick. Even Chad and Ryan get more to do throughout this franchise than she does. And I don't want to hear the excuse of, "Well, she's only a supporting character." Wrong. All six of these actors are plastered all over the posters, the countless merch, the media.

[01:00:03]A supporting role would be that would be like Zeke, Martha, Kelsey. Oh, I'm so tire I'm tired of this grandpa. I'm tired of people playing in black women's faces.

[01:00:17]I never thought much about this, but with High School Musical being a predominantly girlled fan base, how funny the protagonist of all these films is a guy. I guess since Peter Barsuchini wrote all three, he made Troy the protagonist because he could relate the most to being a man. Fair. Troy in this first film has a what they call crisis of masculinity, a dilemma. His entire arc is a battle between a hyper mask athlete and the expressive artist. I don't know when the being a singer translated to being feminine and girly as if there aren't men in the the music industry. Frank Sinatra, Prince Michael Jackson. Speak speaking of Michael Jackson during the promo of High School Musical 3, Zack Efron was in Paris with director Kenny Ortega having dinner one night and Michael called Kenny because they're good friends. So Kenny whispered to Zach saying, you know, this is Michael Jackson on the phone. You want to get in on this? Handed the phone over to him. Zach was so starruck, you know, fumbling his words. Bro didn't know what to say. He was telling Mike that he was a fan and everything. Mind you, Michael does not even know who this guy is. He doesn't know who he's talking to. And only moments passed after the phone call ended that Michael called Kenny's phone back, told him to hand the phone over to Zach, and he was like, "Oh my god, Zack Efron from High School Musical." He was like, "I'm I'm a fan. I love what you do. Everything with Jack is a classic case of of teen commentary. You know, parents either try to live through their spawn because of failed dreams or they push them in a direction they aren't meant to go. We saw Daddy was an allstar at this very school back in the 1800s.

[01:01:54]And he wants his only child to be a carbon copy print of him. Let your children be who they want to be.

[01:02:03]>> Oh no.

[01:02:10]There is a performance needed in both basketball and theater. Both require rehearsal, both require uniforms, and both require an audience. Think about that. When I told my dad that I wanted to be a filmmaker, why this [ __ ] talking about some damn, you know, why don't you, for the sake of security, why don't you join the military, man? [ __ ] the military. Nobody talking about no [ __ ] ass military. What is he talking about? Boy, piss me off. What the hell?

[01:02:37]What's he talking about? Don't do not make me quote furious styles right now.

[01:02:42]>> Don't ever go in the army, Trey. Black man ain't got no place in the army.

[01:02:45]>> If you haven't checked it out, go watch the video I did on that hood classic.

[01:02:49]Yes, it is indeed required viewing for my class. Get on it. I was going to say with my whole chest that High School Musical opened the new wave of decoms that were surrounded around being a star, but that is simply not true.

[01:03:03]Perhaps High School Musical popularized it and was the most successful. But we're not going to ignore the Cheetahs, which came out in 2003 or Stuck in the Suburbs from 2004 about the, you know, the pop star. He swapped his phone with a fan. I think that was the plot. I, you know, I can stand by saying that HSM popularized it, but it definitely wasn't the OG. Now, let's move on to Mr. Ryan Evans. I know some of you would cuss me out in the comments if I did not talk about this queer character. Uh, so so what what do I think about Ryan Evans?

[01:03:42]I think he's going to hell.

[01:03:48]No, I'm kidding. I'm kidding. I'm kidding. I'm I'm playing. I'm playing. Disney obviously was not prepared for an openly gay character that would not have flown by parents during the time. Absolutely not. So, unfortunately, the character of Ryan was the closest we got. And my god, I I it's it's so hard to talk about this without bringing up the second one. I swear I you know these what they do with his This is all I'm going to say. This is all I'm going to say. What they do with his character in the sequels and these forced relation baby. He don't like fish. He does not. Does a man who is dressed like this like fish? Me?

[01:04:24]Don't think so. You're not fooling anybody. It's got nothing to do with him being a theater kid, but it's his style that told us everything. He was not blending in with the boys. That flamboyant wardrobe was loud and proud.

[01:04:38]He is visually other, just a sidekick or a prop for his sister's schemes. And it neuters his own potential. You know, he just lies in her shadows through this film. and honestly blow through the franchise. Mr. Kenny Ortega is an outgay man and you bet your daddy sweet ass. He absolutely smuggled queer aesthetics into this mainstream conservativeleaning teen flick. Both Kenny and Lucas agreed very early on that this character should be gay, but knew that Disney wouldn't allow it in a family film. So, they deliberately planted subtext and crafted this boy as being in a glass closet. And it wasn't until 2020 that Kenny officially confirmed Ryan was gay and likely would have come out in college.

[01:05:20]Also, I would have never known this had I not did a video on this movie, but in the reboot of the High School Musical series in 2023, there's a scene where Lucas kisses Scott Hoy from Pentatonic.

[01:05:31]Pentatonic. Pentatonic. Some [ __ ] like that. You know, the ac capella group.

[01:05:34]Are they still making music? Scott has a great voice. So does uh I think his name was Mitch. Anyway, he plays his partner.

[01:05:42]This means so much to me that you are here.

[01:05:45]>> I love you.

[01:05:47]>> Give me that leg.

[01:05:48]>> Did you guys know Corbin Blue originally intended to audition for Ryan, but when he saw Lucas dancing at the audition, Corbin said that he couldn't shake like Lucas?

[01:05:59]>> What you trying to say, >> girl? Those white jeans kicking your ass that bad? Your daddy is a whole chocolate dropper. What the hell you mean? You ain't got no rhythm. Or did he mean shake as in like moving his body and his ass like calling him Zesty or something?

[01:06:15]He said, "I'm not I'm not that gay. I can't move like this." So you can have you can have the role of Ryan.

[01:06:22]I love the popular theory that all of these films are just plays and the characters we follow are just that, characters played by the actors. And if I'm remembering right, the final High School Musical 3 film ends with them acknowledging the camera and the curtain closes. And yeah, and speaking of the title, High School Musical was only the working title for the film while producers brainstormed a better name.

[01:06:47]But by the time of post-prouction, there were no better options. So they unwillingly settled for High School Musical. And yet here we don't see a singleing musical. This movie should be called High School Callback. more so with the fact that we know close to nothing about this musical, the story, the characters, nothing. Well, okay. All all we learn is with the what I've been looking for track. And we hear Darvis say the lead characters names, which are Minnie and Arnold, who are a couple. So, why the hell does Sharpi and Ryan want to play love interests in a school musical? Just Just me? Nobody else want to talk about that? While it's not my favorite in this franchise, there is a place for it. I love how multiple generations have collective knowledge and memories of watching this film either themselves or through a sibling, a daughter, whatever. The songs still slap. Okay, Drew Sely is still serving those R&B vocals.

[01:07:39]>> Why am I feeling so wrong?

[01:07:42]>> Gabriella is not that girl. Ryan is still a homosexual. And Sharpi is not the villain. Damn it. Good night. What are your thoughts on the first installment of High School Musical? Any favorite memories? Did Mr. Wigga Troy Bolton, did he inspire you to sing Out Loud? You know, drop your take down below.

[01:08:05]No judgment. If you're new here, consider subscribing. Hit that like button. It helps me out a lot. And turn on the bell notification so you don't miss a new video. If you want to see the Director's Cup version of this video, head over to the Patreon and join the family. We're fully uncensored there.

[01:08:19]extended commentary. You get voting power and also have access to my videos 24 to 48 hours before they hit YouTube.

[01:08:26]In the meantime, my friends, take care of your mind, take care of your body, and take care of your spirit.