Lea Michele, Fanny Brice, and the Art of Trying Too Hard

The court of public opinion is a ruthless and volatile beast. One minute you’re primetime royalty, belting a capella mashups in some kind of theater kid fever dream. The next, you’re subject to an elaborate conspiracy theory that you can’t read , and loathed for the earnestness that’s landed you in Broadway roles since age 8. Lea Michele has arguably inspired more cheerful scorn than adoration in the dozen years since she rose to fame in Ryan Murphy’s musical series, when her public persona instantly became inseparable from her Glee character Rachel Berry. In 2020, Samantha Ware and others who’ve… Read Full Article