Alice Cooper As King Herod -- Promo Video

We already know that Alice Cooper will star as King Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert set to air Easter Sunday on NBC. Now the network has released a promo trailer of the event and it looks pretty epic. In case you're wondering, the amazing John Legend will star as Jesus Christ.

Comments

[Him]

Vincent Damon Furnier (at the ripe old age of 70!) can do no wrong in my book. He has seen it all and done it all and almost succumbed to it. . . and, still, the man puts on a great show and gives back to others. He wrote the lesson plan for rockers who want to blaze through their golden years in style. If only more were like him.

That said, yeeeeeeeesh. I simply don't get these made-for-prime-time remakes. Was there something wrong with the original version(s) of this? Did _The Sound of Music_ miss something the first go around? Was _Grease_ in need of improvement? I could go on. But I won't.

I think I am in my "old man on his porch" mode. But I really don't get it. Please, explain this to me, dear BBG! posters.

On the other hand, when are we getting a stage adaptation of _The Elder_?

[Bob]

Him, my friend, you do seem to be in a bit of a "You kids get off my lawn" frame of mind in your comment. :) Now, I will enter as a different kind of old man, the cold sinacle one. TV is a business, and as a business, it's job is to make money. Remakes like this are a way to draw in viewrs who don't normally watch the network. Then, once those unfamiliar eyeballs are tuned in, the network can promote the hell out of its other shows during commercial breaks to hopefully get said eyeballs to view at least one of those shows. Look at how they are promoting it. King Harod has a grand total of one song in the whole production, albeit a show-stealing one, but from this promo, one would get the wrong impression that he is starring in the whole thing.

As you may, or may not remember, I am a huge fan of Jesus Christ Superstar, so I can't wait to watch this. I know John Legend is a huge star, but I am really not convinced of his suitability to play the role of Jesus. Legend's voice, while highly elastic, is too smooth and pretty to carry some of Jesus's more confrontational scenes: throwing the money changers out of the temple, dispersing the crowd who is hounding him to have their diseases cured, and most importantly, his verbal sparring match with Judas during the last supper. Jesus's character is a charismatic rockstar who, at times, can get pretty intense when provoked. I don't think Legend has the grit to pull off this role properly, but as long as his starpower draws in the viewers, regardless of his suitability for the role, the network will consider it a success.

All of this said, I hope Legend proves me wrong, and blows the doors off the role.

[Him]

I appreciate the cynical wrinkle, no less nuance, you add to this discussion, Bob. You are always welcome to sit a spell on my porch!