‘Glee’ Star Cory Monteith Brushes Aside GQ Criticism

Glee star Cory Monteith says he’s not bothered by controversy surrounding the hit TV show.

The musical comedy has come under fire this week for a magazine spread featuring highly sexualized images of 28-year-old Monteith and two co-stars.

The Calgary-born actor, who plays the show-tune singing jock Finn, says it’s impossible “to please all the people all the time” and that there will always be criticism.

A parents group in the United States is complaining about the GQ spread, which features Monteith on the cover flanked by scantily clad actresses Lea Michele, who plays Rachel, and Dianna Agron, who plays Quinn.

The Parents Television Council is complaining the images inside cross the line of good taste because the actresses, both 24, pose as high-schools girl in sexually provocative poses. Even TV anchor Katie Couric weighed in on the pictures, calling them “raunchy” and adding that she was “disappointed” by them.

Glee has sometimes walked a fine line in the way it has presented teenage sexuality.

The series is popular with grade schoolers but Monteith — who hosts the Gemini Awards Nov. 13 on Global and Showcase — said Glee is finding its footing as it dives into a second season, and that includes addressing more substantial topics.

“As the show goes along it’s finding a more specific tone and in general is addressing more important issues as the season goes along, especially with some of the more pertinent things in the news right now — equality and bullying are some of the things that are approached in upcoming episodes. I think it’s found a really nice place,” he said.

“I’d hope that there’s something that everybody can find relatable about the show…. The music that’s selected, I think that it’s… one of the most highly relatable factors of the show and something that keeps it accessible to all different demographics.”

In the wake of the photo shoot controversy, Agron apologized for any offence the pictures may have caused. She wrote on her blog that they “do not represent who I am.”

“If you are hurt or these photos make you uncomfortable, it was never our intention,” the blog reads.

“They asked us to play very heightened versions of our school characters…. At the time, it wasn’t my favourite idea, but I did not walk away.”