Kurt Hummel versus Lennon and McCartney: Is 'Glee' bigger than the Beatles? [Polls] [Updated]

The "Grilled Cheesus" episode of "Glee" on Tuesday was definitely a star turn for Chris Colfer, as well as a sharp departure from the lighter tone of the previous week's Britney Spears adventure, with the gang considering spirituality as the father of Colfer's Kurt Hummel hangs in limbo in the hospital after a heart attack.

We have to ask, in the wake of Colfer's performance of John Lennon's and Paul McCartney's "I Want to Hold Your Hand," and with a generous dollop of self-conscious hyperbole in our hearts: Is "Glee" bigger than the Beatles?

(If you can't decide from the MTV snippet above, catch the whole song here.)

[Updated, 11:20 a.m.: OK, we swear we didn't see this Gossip Cop item first -- in which it is revealed that "Glee" is in fact bigger than the Beatles, when it comes to most appearances on the Billboard Hot 100 chart by a non-solo act. Yeesh.]

-- Christie D'Zurilla

Related dispatches from the Ministry of Gossip:

Britney Spears on 'Glee': the 10 best moments [poll]

Lady Gaga with Yoko Ono: Please explain? [caption this]

Yoko Ono gives 'Nowhere Boy' John Lennon's stamp of approval at film's premiere

Comments

[Sheepypie]

Glee is lame. Comparing it to the Beatles is like comparing McDonald's hamburgers to a fine piece of steak. Broadway wannabes will never compare to true artistic innovation.

[BassDeville]

they mimic; no true creative process here; just 15 minute of famers

[Isabella]

i love Glee but saying they've surpassed the Beatles is just idiotic. They cover songs, they shouldn't even be up there with the Beatles. They're obviously going to be remembered as a more than great TV series, but really, let's not overdo it.

[Abby]

"Glee" Doesn't even write their own songs so you can't say their bigger the The Beatles! No one will ever be bigger, some may come close but The Beatles are untouchable.

[Mary]

What I liked about the 'Glee' interp of "I Want to Hold Your Hand' was that it made me think of the song in a different way. I had always only thought of it as an upbeat rocker lovesong about young romance -- and it's great as such. But really great music can be interpreted in more than one way. The 'Glee' interp, as a powerful ballad showing a different kind of love -- and the strength, encouragement, power, and emotion that simply holding someone's hand can bring -- was great in the context of the show. I'll always love the original, but a song doesn't have to mean only one thing for all people -- and what makes the Beatles music great is that it can be interpreted and be meaningful in many different ways.

[jess]

40 Years after they broke up, people are still comparing every hot new artist to the Beatles. Decade after decade all those hot new artist that were compared to The Beatles have faded into the mist of time..

[Mack]

For a group that released its last studio album 40 years ago, the Beatles sure do have some immature and delusional fans.

Chris Colfer's "Glee" version is a creative interpretation that changes the meaning and feel of the original and -- in context -- so effectively it's more powerful than the original.

I feel the "Glee" version honors the original that inspired it.

I seriously doubt that Lennon, Harrison and McCartney intended for their music to stifle creativity for generations of artists that followed them, or for their fans to stop listening to other groups or covers of their work.

I think they would find some of these comments just as sad as I do.

[Kriza]

His song, especially in the episode, did not move me like.. at all. Chris Colfer is such horrible actor when it comes to being sad! Every time he pretended to be worried, crying, etc., all I was thinking was "a Chinese stunt double would be better than this."

And the Beatles own Glee. IDC if I preferred that song version from Glee over Beatles but Glee is all covers. Talented singers(excluding the ones that most likely only got in because they look the part *cough* Cory Monteith *cough*) is not enough to take on originals.

[Ricco]

Is Glee bigger than the Beatles. Absolutely and unequivocally no. But as to this single cover of the Beatles "I Want To Hold Your Hand" by Chris Colfer, far surpasses the Beatles rendition. This is not a song that was ever a particular favorite of mine, that never stacked up against all their other hits.

Chris Colfer's cover of this iconic song elevates it to a whole new level, putting it right up there with their better songs.

What would be so fascinating to me is if Paul McCartney heard this song and covered the song himself as a ballad.

From now on when I think of this song, I will think of the Chric Colfer's Curt Hummel.

[Forthlin]

What a joke! Everytime someone new comes out they're going to be the next Beatles & a couple years later they're forgotten. Glee will be nothing more than a forgotten footnote on tv shows 10 years from now while The Beatles will still be as big as ever.

[Virginia]

I think the Beatles would be honored by Colfer's interpretation of their classic. No need to compare, no need to try to out sell the Beatles. That cheapens the art of the Beatles composition and the beauty of Colfer's performance. That is art.