Why was hairspray so important?

Author: Prof. Lilliana Skiles  |  Last update: Friday, August 22, 2025

Set in racially-segregated 1960s Baltimore, Hairspray remains relevant to today's audiences as it reflects many current events and issues in U.S. society and can be used to address a variety of themes, including, racism and bias of all kinds, body image, individuality and identity, student activism, community-police ...

What was the message of Hairspray?

Particular attention is paid to the need for acceptance of people of color and folks of all body sizes and shapes, who face bias, discrimination and even violence in the story. Tracy embodies the idea that you don't have to conform to anyone else's standard of what is “acceptable” or “beautiful”.

What is the point of the Hairspray musical?

Set in 1960s Baltimore, Hairspray tells the story of a girl chasing her dream of performing on a TV dance show—and working to integrate the show in the process. The musical features music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman, and a book by Thomas Meehan.

What is the significance of the title Hairspray?

The sponsor of the “Corny Collins Show,” by the way, is a company that markets hairspray; hence, the title of the movie. The problem for Tracy is that she doesn't fit the carefully crafted image of the “cool” teenage dancers on the show, where all the boys are lean and lithe, and all the girls are trim and shapely.

Why is Hairspray useful?

It acts like glue and is paramount in locking the pattern of your styling. It not only freezes the pin-straight strands, but also saves your locks from extensive weather and pollution outside. It's true the hair spray makes your hair bit stiff, but it's acceptable to obtain day-long straight and polished hair.

Professional Guide to Hairspray

What are some interesting facts about hairspray?

Hairspray
  • Amanda Bynes' character, Penny, is seen constantly eating lollipops. ...
  • Aretha Franklin auditioned for the role of Motormouth Maybelle, but lost out to Queen Latifah. ...
  • Michelle Pfeiffer and Christopher Walken were both cast at the request of John Travolta.

Does anyone still use hairspray?

If you have a special occasion or a large gathering or even a day with troublesome hair, making use of a hair spray can be that quick solution to getting the perfect hairstyle. It is widely used across the world for all types of hair.

Do Link and Tracy end up together?

Then one day after a P.E class on dodgeball left Tracy disheartened by Amber's cruelty, Link advises her on the true knowledge of sportsmanship. He then asks Tracy to be his girlfriend, which she happily accepts.

Why did John Travolta take the Hairspray role?

Travolta wanted Edna to feel like a woman, rather than a man in drag. Casting a man in this role was a nod to the source material, John Waters' 1988 film of the same name, in which the drag queen Divine plays Edna.

Was Hairspray based on a true story?

Hairspray is based on the 1988 film of the same name, directed by John Waters. Waters based the main storyline and "The Corny Collins Show" on the real-life "The Buddy Deane Show" and racial events surrounding it.

What is the moral of Hairspray musical?

There's a sweet and funky tenderness at the center of this musical with a sign on the door that reads, “All outsiders welcome!” Welcome, accepted, enabled. While not a “message” musical extravaganza, the underlying theme is one of welcoming the differences that make us human.

Was Brenda pregnant in Hairspray?

This would explain why Brenda looked shocked during her conversation with Velma - she hadn't known that she was pregnant. At no point during the movie is Brenda showing any signs of pregnancy. In the 60's, home pregnancy test were not yet available.

Did John Travolta like playing in Hairspray?

But they were wrong about what those concerns were. "Playing a woman attracted me," Travolta said. "Playing a drag queen did not. The vaudeville idea of a man in a dress is a joke that works better onstage than it does on film, and I didn't want any winking or camping.

What is the theme of the Hairspray musical?

Hairspray has wowed audiences in the West End and on Broadway and still packs a punch with its message of tolerance and the fight against racial discrimination. This fun-filled show is bursting with show-stopping numbers and dizzying dance routines, come and join the beat because just to sit still would be a crime!

What did John Waters think of Hairspray?

'Their Hair Was Perfect, But Their World Was a Mess: John Waters Live Commentary of Hairspray' "It has been my most devious movie because it snuck in middle America. Even racists like it. They're too stupid to know it was making fun of them," he says.

What is Edna afraid of in Hairspray?

Edna is an anxious, self-conscious, laundress who has isolated herself in her home for eleven years. She loves her daughter very much, but she worries that Tracy's is too ambitious and that she will be hurt by how unforgiving the world can be.

What is John Travolta's accent in Hairspray?

John Travolta's character in the 2007 version of John Waters's Hairspray spoke with an exaggerated Baltimore accent. Likewise, several of the films of Barry Levinson are set in and around Baltimore during the 1940s-1960s, and employ the Baltimore accent.

Why did Travolta shave?

During an interview John Travolta said that: “It feels great. Listen, my new look came on a whim. It was a New Year's Eve idea. Because everyone liked it so much, I decided to keep it for a while.

What happens to Amber at the end of Hairspray?

In the end, Amber undergoes a change of heart and accepts her defeat to Tracy before joining in the dance, much to Velma's irritation. Amber's mother, Velma von Tussle (Ms.

Are there two Hairspray movies?

In 2002, the film was adapted into a Broadway musical of the same name, which won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical in 2003. A second film version of Hairspray, an adaptation of the stage musical, was also released by New Line Cinema in 2007, which included many changes of scripted items from the original.

Why was hairspray banned?

In 1987 an internationally collaborative treaty called the Montreal Protocol banned the use of CFCs in an effort to stop this potentially catastrophic damage. The global agreement proposed to protect the ozone layer by completely phasing out the production of substances like CFCs that were depleting it.

What was in hairspray that was bad?

Due to health and environmental concerns, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned certain propellants (e.g., chlorofluorocarbons and vinyl chloride) from use in hairsprays. An example of a propellant used in hairsprays today is isobutane.

What is the point of hairspray?

Hair spray (also hair lacquer or spritz) is a common cosmetic hairstyling product that is sprayed onto hair to protect against humidity and wind and have it stay in a desired shape. Hair sprays typically consist of several components for the hair as well as a propellant.

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