The ever popular TV show, Glee, nearing the end of it’s 3rd Season, presented a moving cover last night of Taylor Swift‘s “Mean” by Puckerman aka “Puck” (played by Mark Salling) and Coach Beiste (Dot-Marie Jones).  Glee has a reputation for dealing with the tough issues teens and parents face, always bringing them to the forefront. This episode was no exception as it dealt with abuse and bullying, and Taylor Swift’s “Mean” was a sure and appropriate fit.

In a nutshell, here’s a quick set-up of the video performance (below).  Coach Beiste had finally owned up to the fact that her black eye wasn’t the result of sparring with a punching bag, and that her new husband had hit her.  Of course he promised it won’t ever happen again.  She tells her husband, Cooter (Eric Bruskotter) that she’s “done,” sets her ring on the table when Cooter explodes asking “Who will love you now?” “Me,” she tells him, and walks out.

Puck is failing Geography, may not graduate, and just went dumpster diving after being ganged up on by ‘Rick the Stick’ and his hockey buddies. Puck tries to keep his cool, while Rick points out that “You won’t be graduating”  and “you’re gonna turn into that older guy who tries to pick up high school girls at the convenience store, a true “Lima Loser.”

Coach Beiste breaks up the fight and hauls Puck into the locker room.  Behind the closed doors of that locker room, Puck blows up, yelling about how he feels like a joke, a failure, every day of his life.  How his dad must be really proud of him now, because he turned out ‘just like him.’  He breaks down into tears, and apologizes to Beiste. She wraps his arms around him and says “You and me are badasses – no one thinks anything hurts us, but it does.”

Watch Puck and Coach Beiste sing Taylor Swift’s “Mean” on GLEE!

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