Lea Michele – Survey says?

If you’ve been following along our little blog here, you know that this week we’re diving head first into the talented pool of nominees in our Favorite Comedic TV Actress category.  What makes these ladies so special? Is it their talent and beauty? Is it their ability to make us laugh with them and not at them? Is it that they can play ball with the big boys of comedy? Yes, yes and more yes.

Triple threat Lea Michele (that’s singing, acting and killer red carpet moves) is the reigning champ in this category and she and her fans are itching for a comeback. What are her chances? Let’s take a look.

Show: Glee

In its 4^th year, we know what we’re getting: duets, love triangles, dyslexia. Rachel is making her way to the Broadway stage by way of NYADA, (that’s the New York Academy of Dramatic Arts) with her GBF (that’s Gay Best Friend), Kurt. Her penny loafers seem to have left the building and we’re all thankful for it – Rachel has been looking better than ever (kind of like a young Lea Michele?) and we’ve no doubt that the best is yet to come for Ms. Berry later in the season. 

Background: Broadway

If you know even the slightest bit about Lea Michele, you know that she got her start on the Great White Way.  She made her debut as a tot in Les Miserables playing young Cosette and followed that up with roles in Ragtime and Fiddler on the Roof.  Her role as Wendla in Spring Awakening is what truly put her on the map – and in the mind of Ryan Murphy – who eventually cast her as Rachel Berry on Glee. If Broadway isn’t your thang and you’re not as familiar with Spring Awakening as one should be at this point in time, check out Lea in the cast performance on the 2007 Tony Awards (and then head to iTunes to buy the entire original cast recording).

Fanbase: Rampant

Lea fans are powerful. She has over three million fans on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram who watch her every move (with boyfriend, Cory Monteith and cat, Sheila) and create cute little images like the photo above.  A quick “people” search on Twitter tells me there are over 50 Lea-inspired accounts (to be fair, I lost count at 50) who post photos, share news and dish on Michele’s red carpet style, frequent coffee runs and aforementioned relationship with Monteith.  As one fan account’s bio suggests, her fans are, “Hopelessly, madly, crazy in love with Lea Michele.”

Red Carpet Style: Off Da Charts

Since she first burst on the scene in 2009, Michele has always been one to watch on the red carpet. Fresh-faced and Grecian at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards, Plunging emerald at the 2010 SAG Awards, smoky-eyed at the 2010 Grammy Awards, pale pink princess at the 2011 Golden Globes, Red Hot Marchesa at the 2011 Emmy Awards, va va voom at the Late Show in 2012. With nary a misstep to her name, Joan Rivers be damned, this girl knows how to dress. Just check out her gorgeous white fringe at last year’s PCAs.

PCA 2013 Chances: It’s anyone’s guess!

(But did I tell you about her fan base?)

I’ll end this post with a link to one of my favorite Lea Michele performances: a killer rendition of Barbara Streisand’s “Don’t Rain on My Parade” at the 2010 Tony Awards. Girl can sang!

But quick! Before you head off to vote for Favorite Comedic TV Actress, take a minute to voice your choice in today’s featured poll:  Which of Lea Michele’s performances on Glee is your favorite?

“Don’t Rain on My Parade” 

“Firework”

“Hit Me Baby One More Time” 

“Take a Bow”